Controversial rap show ends with more noise than it would like

The rap audition program “High School Rapper” went out on a high note last week by becoming one of the most-talked about shows in the country. But it also attracted criticism and sparked controversy over its contestants’ alleged wrongdoings.Its final episode last Friday pitted seven high schoolers against each other, and Yang Hong-won -- who had been the front-runner throughout the show -- came out victorious. Yang -- who goes by the stage name of Young B -- now has a chance to work with hip-hop

PerformanceApril 7, 2017

K-pop group 2PM will resume concerts in June as Jun. K recovers

K-pop boy group 2PM will return to the stage as one of its members is quickly recovering from injuries he sustained while performing in February, its management agency said Friday.JYP Entertainment said in a statement the six-member group will hold its concert "6Nights" six times from June 2-4 and 9-11 at Hwajung Stadium of Korea University in Seoul. (JYP Entertainment)On Feb. 26, Jun. K fell off a moving vehicle while performing at Seoul Olympic Park, fracturing his right elbow and right ring f

PerformanceApril 7, 2017

VIXX’s rapper Ravi surprises fans with 'Lucid Dream' mixtape release

Ravi of boy band VIXX caught fans off-guard with a pleasant surprise of an unscheduled release of his mixtape titled “Lucid Dream,” Friday.The song, also featuring rapper Microdot, was released at midnight via YouTube and SoundCloud. Its title conveys a message of “being able to accomplish anything one sets his mind on,” according to his agency Jellyfish Entertainment.Cover image for Ravi’s “Lucid Dream” (Jellyfish Entertainment)The 24-year-old has been working to hone his skills as not only a r

PerformanceApril 7, 2017

(Video) Sewol tribute song released

A song dedicated to the victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry tragedy that left 304 dead was released Thursday.The song title roughly translates to “To Touch My Longing (for You)” -- and sings about the devastation of losing someone dear to you in a calm demeanor. On April 16, 2014, the Sewol sank off the country’s southwestern coast in one of the worst maritime disasters in Korea. Most of the victims were students from Danwon High School on their way to Jeju Island for a field trip. Songwriter and pr

PeopleApril 7, 2017

GFriend to hold fan meeting in Bangkok

K-pop group GFriend is seeking to expand its global popularity by holding a fan meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday.According to its agency Source Music, the six-member team will hold “Fan Meeting in Bangkok 2017” at the Muangthai GMM Livehouse at Central World. During the event, GFriend will perform its hit songs live and communicate with Thai fans in various segments.  GFriend (Source Music)“GFriend has been garnering a lot of attention in overseas markets. We’ve decided on a fan meeting

PerformanceApril 6, 2017

Luxury hotels offer spring packages that fete cherry blossoms

With the blooming flowers and warm breezes reminding us that spring has arrived, high-end hotels in Seoul located in areas known for cherry blossoms present room packages for guests to enjoy the season.Conrad Seoul in Yeouido -- one of go-to spots in Seoul for cherry blossom viewing -- has introduced the “Blooming Days” package, suitable particularly for picnic-goers.Conrad SeoulConrad Seoul‘s Blooming days packageThe package offers one night’s stay a in a luxury room with view of the Han River,

TravelApril 6, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Korean poems delight global sense and sensibility’

While the world’s eyes are gradually turning away from poetry, Korea’s poems are leaving their marks in the pantheon of international literature, acquainting readers with their ethereal elegance. Unlike in the West, where many illustrious poets self-publish, some writers in Korea have become so popular that they earn considerable royalties, deemed “unimaginable” elsewhere, says Kim Seong-kon, president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. The institute recently collaborated with fam

BooksApril 6, 2017

Can ‘Chicago Typewriter’ break time-slip drama mold?

Cable network tvN has recently been churning out drama series with the time travel motif -- from last year’s mega-hit “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” to the recent fantasy romance “Tomorrow With You.” Coming up next is “Chicago Typewriter,” featuring Yoo Ah-in and Lim Soo-jung.　The show, airing Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., centers on a mysterious antique typewriter which transports the characters 70 years back in time to the 1930s, when Japan occupied Korea. “It’s true that shows with s

TelevisionApril 6, 2017

Park Chan-wook honored at Brussels film fest

Director Park Chan-wook was honored as one of the Knights of the Order of the Raven, in recognition of his achievements, at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on Tuesday, the Korean Cultural Center Brussels announced Wednesday. 　The festival is spotlighting three film‘s by Park -- “Thirst” (2009), “I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Okay” (2006), “Lady Vengeance” (2005) -- this year. 　BIFFF is considered one of the world’s top three fantastic film festivals alongside Spain’s Sitges and Por

FilmApril 6, 2017

Ex-2NE1 member Gong Minzy to release first solo album

Gong Minzy, a former member of the now-disbanded girl group 2NE1, will put out her solo debut album this month, her agency said Thursday. (Yonhap)Gong will upload the EP album "Minzy Work 01 Uno" on local music streaming sites at 12 p.m. on April 17, Music Works said.This will be her first album since she bolted from 2NE1 in April last year, a month before her contract with YG Entertainment expired. 2NE1 ultimately broke up in November of that year following a successful eight-year run."Uno," th

April 6, 2017

Singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong referred to prosecutors for alleged drunk driving

Police said Thursday they have recently referred the drunk driving case involving popular singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong to the prosecution.The member of the K-pop boy band SS501 was caught on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol on a street in Seoul's Songpa Ward around 1:55 a.m. on March 26, according to the Songpa Police Station. Police recommended an indictment, sending the investigation result to the prosecution Monday, officials said. (Yonhap)Kim was driving his car on his way ho

PerformanceApril 6, 2017

'Queen of Mystery' debuts at No. 1, 'Radiant Office' rises

"Queen of Mystery," KBS 2TV's new comic detective series, made a striking debut, instantly overtaking rival shows thanks to the halo effect from "Good Manager," data showed Thursday.Wednesday night's premier broadcast of "Queen of Mystery" recorded a 11.2 percent nationwide viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. The rating for Seoul and its vicinity stood at 12.4 percent.The show apparently benefited from its predecessor "Good Manager," an office comedy series, which ended last week with an imp

TelevisionApril 6, 2017

Extra long sleeves, extra wide pants for cooler months

Most of us probably haven’t thought of shopping for our spring and summer wardrobes yet, but the powers that be dictating the fashion calendar insist on showing collections half a year ahead of time and voila, here are some trends for the cooler months that stood out at last week’s Seoul Fashion Week.Where are the hands?NOHKE (Seoul Fashion Week)Exaggerated sleeves were everywhere. Jinteok, the eponymous brand of iconic designer Jin Te-ok, featured long, black faux-fur sleeves on a wool checkere

Arts & DesignApril 5, 2017

G-Dragon to hold solo concert in June

G-Dragon, the leader of K-pop megastar boy band Big Bang, will hold a solo concert on June 10.Big Bang’s G-Dragon (Yonhap)YG Entertainment made the announcement on Wednesday and released the concert poster on its official channel at 3 p.m.The concert will take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium on June 10, where Big Bang held its “BIGBANG10 THE CONCERT: 0.TO.10 FINAL IN SEOUL” in January 2017. Titled “G-Dragon 2017 Concert: Motae,” the concert will mark his third solo concert following “Shine a Li

April 5, 2017

Moon Chae-won to battle online stalker

Moon Chae-won’s agency said it would take action against a male netizen who has been allegedly identifying himself online as the boyfriend of the actress.  (Yonhap)Moon’s agency Namoo Actors on Wednesday strongly denied the netizen’s claim that he is dating Moon and said it is considering taking legal action against him for defaming the Moon’s reputation. “We are not going to stand it anymore,” said an agency official. “We have been monitoring the netizen’s preposterous online postings claiming

April 5, 2017

‘House of Disappeared’ invited to Far East Film Fest

Mystery-thriller flick “House of the Disappeared,” starring actress Kim Yun-jin and singer-actor Ok Taec-yeon, has been invited to the main competition category of the Far East Film Festival, the film’s distributor Peppermint & Company announced Wednesday.“(The film) is a deep, striking psychological thriller-horror film,” said the festival’s executive director Sabrina Baracetti. “The film flows smoothly, but it is also straightforward. ... Kim Yun-jin’s performance of going back and forth betwe

FilmApril 5, 2017

GFriend's Yerin catches fan's secret filming

South Korea’s social media and online community are divided over a fan who was caught using a hidden camera at a GFriend fan event. On Friday, GFriend’s Yerin caught a fan who was secretly filming her with a pair of glasses fitted with a hidden digital camera at the group’s fan event held in Seoul.While sitting opposite the man, whose identity remains unknown, Yerin noticed something was strange about his chunky black horn-rimmed glasses. (YouTube capture)She persuaded the man to take the glasse

April 5, 2017

[Herald Interview] Winner back 4 more

The number 4 was plastered all over the release of Winner’s new single album, “Fate Number For.” In addition to the title -- the obvious dual meaning of “for” and “four” -- the album was released on the fourth day of the fourth month, at 4 p.m.“Four was never really my favorite number, but it’s starting to grow on me,” said Lee Seung-hoon with a hint of a smirk.The quadruple emphasis on the number was the boy band’s way of paying tribute to Nam Tae-hyun, whose departure made Winner into -- you g

PerformanceApril 5, 2017

EXID’s song banned from KBS for ‘vulgarity’

Seemingly unintended vulgarity plagued EXID as KBS banned the group’s song “Velvet,” after the broadcaster said its lyrics sounded suspiciously like a curse word. Banana Culture Entertainment, the agency for the five-member group, confirmed reports that the song -- included in the soon-to-be-released EP “Eclipse” -- was deemed unsuitable for broadcast. EXID (Banana Culture Entertainment)According to an earlier report, KBS said the English word “sip” is thought to represent a similarly sounding K

PerformanceApril 5, 2017