[Herald Interview] Kim Yun-jin still hungry for the next role

In the upcoming horror film “House of the Disappeared,” actress Kim Yun-jin portrays a mother fiercely protective of her children, inside a house that appears to be haunted by uneasy spirits. She plays two versions of her character Mi-hee -- as a 40-something housewife, and a much older, grey-haired woman who has lost her children through unexplainable causes. The younger Mi-hee has already been through a lot at the start of the film, having lost her first husband to heart disease and putting up

FilmMarch 30, 2017

Van Hove asks, ‘idealism or practicality?’ via ‘The Fountainhead’

To pursue what one believes in or to compromise is a question that ails nearly every soul, but this question can be even more pressing for someone walking down the path of art.Such a dilemma is what Howard Roark -- protagonist of novel-turned-play “The Fountainhead” -- confronts as the young architect refusing to compromise his artistic and personal vision for worldly success.According to Ivo van Hove, director of the acclaimed drama, this theme was the main motivation in producing a theatrical

CultureMarch 30, 2017

EXO to wrap up global tour in Seoul this May

The finale for K-pop superstar EXO’s global tour will be held in May at Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul, the boy band’s agency said Thursday.According to S.M. Entertainment, the final segment of EXO’s “EXO Planet #3 - The EXO’rdium” will be held from May 27-28. Tickets for the May 27 concert will be available online starting 8 p.m. on April 12 via ticket.yes24.com, while tickets for the May 28 concert will be released at 8 p.m. on April 18.The poster for EXO’s Seoul concert. (S.M. Entertain

PerformanceMarch 30, 2017

Hollywood monster flick 'Colossal' releases photos of Korean filming

The Hollywood sci-fi action thriller "Colossal" unveiled photos of its South Korean filming Thursday to attract more interest from local movie fans ahead of its release next month. In the new US Sundance Festival-screened film, Anne Hathaway plays an unemployed, heavy-drinking woman named Gloria who is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown.When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is someho

FilmMarch 30, 2017

New crime show 'Tunnel' abuzz on China's Weibo: agency

"Tunnel," a new time-slip crime series on South Korean cable channel OCN, has become the talk of the town on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, a talent agency said Thursday.The number of posts mentioning "Tunnel," which premiered last week, rose to more than 660,000 on Weibo as of early Thursday, according to G-Tree Creative, which represents the show's lead actor Choi Jin-hyuk. (OCN)"This shows the high level of interest among (Chinese) fans despite the import ban on South Korean cultura

TelevisionMarch 30, 2017

Taeyeon to release album on April 5

K-pop singer Taeyeon will release the deluxe edition of her studio album “My Voice” on April 5, which includes three new songs, according to her agency.According to S.M. Entertainment, the new record will add four tracks to the album released in February. Along with “Make Me Love You” and two other yet-to-be-revealed new songs, the album will include her 2016 single “11:11,” which Billboard selected as the seventh best K-pop song of that year.  The teaser image for the deluxe edition of Taeyeon‘

PerformanceMarch 29, 2017

Netflix’s ‘Iron Fist’ traces making of a superhero

The new Netflix series “Iron Fist” is an atypical superhero story in many ways, focusing on the budding stage of the hero’s development and taking on a more optimistic tone, according to its cast and creator.Compared to darker shows featuring brooding, burdened heroes, this rendition of the original Marvel Comics is “a much lighter show,” said writer and showrunner Scott Buck at a press conference Wednesday in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Buck and three members of the cast -- Finn Jones, Jessica Stroup a

TelevisionMarch 29, 2017

Kiha & The Faces to tour North America

Kiha & The Faces will be playing its brand of quirky music for audiences in North America in its first tour there beginning April 1, the band’s management agency announced Wednesday. The six-member act will perform in 14 cities in Canada and the US, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver as part of a tour running until April 26. The band will be joined by Japanese rock musician Miyavi and Thai rock band Slot Machine in the tour, title

PerformanceMarch 29, 2017

Actor Jang Keun-suk helps Mongolian child get cancer treatment

Actor Jang Keun-suk has helped a Mongolian teenager get treatment for ovarian cancer in South Korea, his management agency said Wednesday.Tree J Company said Jang covered the cost for the patient's trip and medical treatment after he had heard that her family wasn't able to pay for the expenses. He also thought it would be better for her to receive treatment in Korea with better medical facilities.  The undated photo provided by Tree J Company shows South Korean actor Jang Geun-suk. (Yonhap)The

TelevisionMarch 29, 2017

Korea plans on more ‘Muslim friendly’ restaurants

To woo more Muslim tourists, the Korean government is planning to expand the number of Muslim-friendly restaurants here. Korea Tourism Organization announced that it will expand the number of such restaurants from 135 to 170 to help reach its goal of hosting 1.2 million Muslim tourists this year. It started receiving applications from local restaurants Monday and will continue to do so until April 28.Muslim tourists from Indonesia pose in front of the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul in th

TravelMarch 28, 2017

[Herald Interview] Actor Jin Goo is at his best when relaxed on set

In the new crime flick “One Line,” Jin Goo transforms into Jang Seok-goo, a silver-tongued scammer who has a knack for sizing people up and persuading them accordingly. In the film, which traces the story of a gang that helps people fabricate documents to obtain loans from banks, Jang squints at clients and scrutinizes their appearance while making a scanning gesture with his fingers.“It’s the most relaxed I’ve been on set,” Jin told The Korea Herald during an interview Monday at a cafe in Palpa

FilmMarch 28, 2017

BTS signs contract with Def Jam Recordings

Boy band Bangtan Boys, better known internationally as BTS, signed a new record deal with Def Jam Recordings in Japan.  Bangtan Boys (Big Hit Entertainment)“BTS recently signed the contract to release a new single, featuring a Japanese version of ‘Blood, Sweat & Tears,’” Big Hit Entertainment, which represents the idol group in Korea, said Tuesday. “The single is set to be released on May 10.”　Def Jam Recordings is an American hip hop and urban music record label owned by Universal Music Group.

PerformanceMarch 28, 2017

‘Whisper’ sets tone for dark, vengeful romance

Taking up the baton from the hit SBS series “Defendant,” which ended its 18-episode run last week, the new revenge drama “Whisper” is off to a strong start, leading in ratings with 13.9 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.Its first episode, aired Monday at 10 p.m. on SBS, set the tone for a dark tale of ambition and vindication. Actress Lee Bo-young returns to the small screen after her role as a feisty prosecutor in the 2013 show “I Can Hear Your Voice,” this time as policewoman Shin Young-joo,

TelevisionMarch 28, 2017

'Radiant Office' debuts at No. 1 on TV popularity chart

"Radiant Office," MBC TV's new late night office drama, debuted at No. 1 on a benchmark TV popularity index, while bigger shows took a back seat, data showed Tuesday. "Radiant Office" scored 254.1 points on the Content Power Index, becoming the most popular TV program during the March 13-March 19 period. (MBC)CPI, developed by entertainment company CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea, measures the popularity of TV shows based on the number of views of related news stories, online search tallies and buzz on

TelevisionMarch 28, 2017

[Next Wave] The chemistry of Life and Time

The Korea Herald is introducing Korean singers, musicians and actors poised to join the next wave of top stars in a twice monthly series. – Ed.Three-piece Life and Time is known for its seasoned playing, groovy rhythms and highly technical drumming skills.According to bassist Park Sun-bin, however, Life and Time is a group of three individuals who each lack something.“If each one of us were perfect, we would each do everything ourselves. But I think that a band is a group of people who lack some

PerformanceMarch 27, 2017