Oasis confirms first Korean concert in 16 years

Legendary Britpop group Oasis confirmed it would perform in South Korea next year, marking the band's first concert here in 16 years. Event organizer Live Nation Korea announced on Friday that Oasis will hold a concert on Oct. 21 next year at the Goyang Sports Complex. Tickets for the event will go on sale exclusively through Interpark Ticket from Nov. 29 at noon. Oasis confirmed the news via the band's official social media, posting, "South Korea, Our new best friends. Hold on. O

Nov. 22, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Babymonster logs 100m views with ‘Drip’ music video

Babymonster surpassed 100 million views on YouTube with the music video for “Drip,” label YG Entertainment said Friday. The visual reached the milestone in about three weeks after it landed atop the list of most-viewed video in 24 hours on the platform. It is the group’s seventh video to hit the mark, following the music videos for “Sheesh,” “Batter Up,” “Stuck In The Middle” and “Forever,” as well as performance videos for &ldquo

Nov. 22, 2024

Defense ministry denies special treatment for BTS’ V amid phone use allegations

The Ministry of National Defense has refuted claims that BTS member V, or Kim Tae-hyung, received preferential treatment while serving in the military that allowed phone use during prohibited hours. The allegations surfaced recently after former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin mentioned in an interview that she had received a text message from V last year while he was in the military. On Thursday, the ministry addressed the complaints filed with the military police regarding suspicions that V used a mobile

Nov. 22, 2024

AKMU, NewJeans to perform at Yoasobi's year-end concert

Japan's trendsetting duo Yoasobi will feature local special guests at their upcoming year-end concert in Korea. The Korea act of Yoasobi Asia Tour "Cho-Genjitsu," meaning surrealism in Japanese, set to take place on Dec. 7-8 at Inspire Arena in Jung-gu, Incheon, will feature performances by sibling duo AKMU and girl group NewJeans as guest artists. NewJeans will perform on Dec. 7, while AKMU will take the stage on Dec. 8. Unlike their first concert in Korea last year, which showca

Nov. 22, 2024

BTS' V to release seasonal duet with Park Hyo-shin

V, a member of K-pop sensation BTS, will release a seasonal duet with Korean ballad singer Park Hyo-shin next week, the group's agency announced Friday. The digital single, "Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)," will drop at 2 p.m. next Friday, BigHit Music said on the K-pop fan platform Weverse and BTS' official social media accounts. The track is a jazz-pop collaboration inspired by V's wish for his fans to experience a "warm and happy winter," the agency add

Nov. 22, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Devils Stay” (South Korea) Opened Nov. 14 Mystery Directed by Hyun Moon-seob Cardiologist Seung-do (Park Shin-yang) believes his daughter is still alive after an exorcism. During her funeral, he comes into conflict with Hae-shin (Lee Min-ki), a priest, over her fate. “Gladiator II” (US) Opened Nov. 13 Action/Adventure Directed by Ridley Scott The story of Lucius (Paul Mescal), the former heir to the Roman Empire, continues 20 years after he takes on Maximus’ lega

Nov. 22, 2024

Disney+ offers sneak peek at 2025 lineup of Korean originals

SINGAPORE — Disney+ offered a sneak peek at its highly anticipated lineup of Korean originals for 2025 during a series of press conferences, giving fans of Korean content an early look at next year’s star-studded releases. As part of the Disney Contents Showcase Asia Pacific 2024 event held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center on Thursday, the platform unveiled details about several upcoming titles, with the slate including "Unmasked," "Hyper Knife," "Kn

Nov. 21, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie, Lisa invited to Coachella as solo acts

Jennie and Lisa of Blackpink will hit the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival next year as solo performers, according to the festival’s announcement Wednesday. The lineup for next year’s event listed Jennie performing on April 13 and 20 and Lisa on April 11 and 18. Blackpink was the first K-pop girl group to be invited to the festival in 2019 and the first Asian artist to headline it last year. Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone will headline next year's fest

Nov. 21, 2024

Blackpink's solo journeys: Complementary paths, not competition

After leaving YG Entertainment to pursue solo activities, the members of Blackpink —who had already embarked on individual careers while still part of the agency — have each reached new heights on their own terms. Typically, K-pop groups draw strength from teamwork, with solo projects often leading to fragmented fandoms and diminished influence. However, this narrative hasn’t applied in the case of Blackpink as Lisa, Jennie, and Rose redefine success through their individual ac

Nov. 21, 2024

Disney+ unveils Asia-Pacific lineup for 2025, confirms season 2 of 'Moving'

SINGAPORE -- News that a second season of the Korean megahit series "Moving" is currently in development was among the slew of announcements made by The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Thursday regarding the upcoming slate of Disney+ Asia Pacific content. "Moving" is an action-fantasy series, but at its core, it is a coming-of-age story about friendship, family and human relationships told in a brand new way," said Carol Choi, executive vice president of original conten

Nov. 21, 2024

Rose, Bruno Mars to perform 'APT.' at MAMA Awards

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's Rose and global pop star Bruno Mars will give the first live performance of their collaboration single "APT." at this year's MAMA Awards. The two artists will perform on the first day of the two-day awards show to be held at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan, the event's organizer, CJ ENM, said Thursday. It marks the first time that the two will deliver a live performance of the global hit. A prerelease from Rose's upcoming first full-leng

Nov. 21, 2024

Actor Song Joong-ki welcomes second child in Rome

South Korean actor Song Joong-ki has announced the birth of his second child, a daughter, in Rome. "A beautiful princess was born very healthy," Song wrote on his official fan cafe Wednesday, sharing a black-and-white photo of his newborn daughter's hand. "I will take good care of my family here before returning to the filming set." The 39-year-old actor married former British actress Katy Louise Saunders in January 2023 and welcomed a son in Rome in June of the same yea

Nov. 21, 2024

[Herald Interview] Ahn Ye-eun returns as a storyteller with 'Story Bundle'

Singer-songwriter Ahn Ye-eun returns as a storyteller of whimsey and heartbreak with her new EP "Story Bundle." Since her debut eight years ago, Ahn has carved out a niche in the music industry, and her new album masterfully balances her style with the public's taste. "This time, I wanted to create music that listeners can approach more easily," Ahn explained. Ahn is known for her vocal tone -- resembling the style of Korean traditional singing, pansori -- and creative l

Nov. 21, 2024

Disney+'s megahit 'Moving' creator returns with 'Light Shop'

SINGAPORE -- After the global success of "Moving," Disney+ has bet big on its next project with Kang Full, one of South Korea’s most acclaimed cartoonists and the creator of the "Moving" webtoon series. Upcoming horror mystery series "Light Shop," set to premiere on Disney+ Dec. 4, follows a group of mysterious figures who find their way to an enigmatic lighting shop. The star-studded cast includes Ju Ji-hoon, famous for his leading roles in hits like "Al

Nov. 20, 2024

Reality show 'I Live Alone' disciplined for 'glorifying' alcohol consumption

Popular reality TV show “I Live Alone” has received a disciplinary measure from South Korea’s broadcasting watchdog for repeatedly depicting cast members drinking alcohol, it was revealed Wednesday. The decision to issue a "caution" to the show’s broadcaster MBC was made at a general meeting of the Korea Communications Standards Commission on Monday in Seoul, where 15 cases, including of “I Live Alone,” were reviewed for potential violations of broad

Nov. 20, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Lisa to roll out 1st solo LP

Lisa of Blackpink will release her first solo full album on Feb. 28, announced agency Lloud Company Wednesday. She will pour everything she has honed through her career into the album dubbed “Alter Ego,” it added. The artist has dropped singles “Rockstar,” “New Woman” and “Moonlit Floor” since June. “Rockstar” ranked No. 70 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and the Rosalia collaboration No. 97. The first earned Lisa her first Billboard Globa

Nov. 20, 2024

Labor Ministry dismisses Hanni harassment case

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has ruled that allegations of workplace harassment involving Hanni, a Vietnamese Australian member of K-pop girl group NewJeans, do not fall under labor law protections, as she is not classified as a worker under the Labor Standards Act. On Wednesday, the ministry announced the closure of a complaint filed last month by NewJeans’ fan base, known as "Bunnies," which alleged that Hanni was subjected to workplace harassment at Hybe’s headqu

Nov. 20, 2024

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin quits Hybe, declares legal war

Min Hee-jin, former CEO of Hybe subsidiary Ador, announced on Wednesday her resignation from her post as an internal director at Ador, signaling a complete departure from Hybe. She also declared her intent to take legal action against the K-pop powerhouse, accusing the company of breaching shareholder agreements and engaging in unlawful practices. “I have decided to resign as an internal director of Ador today,” Min said in a statement. “I will terminate my shareholder agreemen

Nov. 20, 2024

Music performances to end the year on high note

As the year-end draws near, there are major music awards to look forward to here, where the most talented and popular artists are rewarded for their work and fans are rewarded with witnessing first-ever collaboration stages and spectacular performances. This year's Mnet Asian Music Awards, the world’s largest K-pop awards ceremony organized by CJ ENM, is the frontrunner, taking place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles Thursday local time, and at the Kyocera Dome Osaka,

Nov. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Cho Yeo-jeong reflects on her role in erotic thriller 'Hidden Face'

Actor Cho Yeo-jeong returns to the silver screen in director Kim Dae-woo’s latest mystery thriller, “Hidden Face,” marking her first film since the global phenomenon “Parasite” (2019). In “Hidden Face,” Cho plays Soo-yeon, a cellist who becomes trapped in a hidden, dungeon-like room, only to witness her fiance, Seong-jin (played by Song Seung-heon), having an affair with her younger colleague, Mi-joo (Park Ji-hyun). Locked inside, Soo-yeon’s fury

Nov. 20, 2024