Gangbuk office apologizes for video parodying NewJeans' Hanni

The Gangbuk-gu office has apologized after coming under fire for releasing a video parodying K-pop group NewJeans’ Vietnamese-Australian member Hanni, who recently appeared at a parliamentary audit. The video, which was released last Thursday, was taken down on Sunday, following backlash from viewers criticizing the video of discrimination against foreign nationals. “We humbly accept the concerns and criticisms that the video’s content could be seen as discriminatory toward for

Oct. 23, 2024

Age can't stop Cho Yong-pil: K-pop legend's triumphant return with 20th LP

South Korean music legend Cho Yong-pil proves that age is not a barrier to pursuing a career in music. The 74-year-old singer made a monumental return Tuesday with the release of his 20th full-length album, aptly titled "20," marking his first studio album in 11 years. "Releasing new songs at over 70 is challenging, but I worked really, really hard," he said during a press conference in Seoul to promote the album. Although he suggested "20" might be his last, he add

Oct. 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Oldboy' to 'Oddity': Tense cinema is universal

The Irish director of horror suspense film “Oddity,” Damian McCarthy has informed his work with an appreciation for Korean cinema. “I think of Choi Min-sik when he just has explosive temper at the end of ‘Oldboy’ or anything Song Kang-ho has done, it just ... this guy's just incredible,” he said at the start of an interview with The Korea Herald, hours before attending the awards ceremony where his film was in the international feature competition at the

Oct. 22, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie, Rose set career-highs

Jennie of Blackpink hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 98 with the solo single “Mantra,” according to the chart preview published online on Monday in the US. It is the highest spot on the main singles chart she has acheived as a solo singer. The single ranked No. 2 and No. 3 on its Global excl. the US and Global 200, respectively. It was No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 47 regions and sat at No. 37 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart Top 100. Rose also marked a career-

Oct. 22, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Can We Get Married?’ depicts agonies of today’s 30-somethings

Korean cinema has recently seen a number of works that examine in-depth the real-life agony of young people in Korea, such as “Because I Hate Korea” and “Love in the Big City,” which closely depict young Koreans’ hardships in getting a job and embracing one’s identity. Director Kim Jin-tae of “Can We Get Married?” portrays an average 30-something couple in Korea facing a bumpy ride ahead as they get ready to get married. Lee Dong-hwi (“Reply

Oct. 22, 2024

[Behind the K-pop Scene] 'K-pop is all about money'

Behind the glitz and glamour of K-pop lies a business reality driven by fierce competition and substantial financial investment. While K-pop idols shine on stage, producers navigate challenges behind the scenes, especially when securing the funds to sustain their artists' careers. "K-pop is all about money," said Shin Jong-oh, 48, a director at the World K-pop Center and executive producer of the girl group project BlingOne, during an interview with The Korea Herald, on Oct. 10. &

Oct. 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Dong-wook shifts gears to embrace comedy as crime buster

Kim Dong-wook, who shot to fame with his portrayal of the lovable barista in MBC's romantic comedy "Coffee Prince," has since embraced a range of dark and intense roles -- including the tragically murdered soldier in box office megahit "Along With the Gods" and a former violently bullied student in Tving's "The King of Pigs." After a lengthy break from comedic and lighthearted roles, Kim has recently returned as the main lead in "Seoul Busters,"

Oct. 22, 2024

G-Dragon to perform at 2024 MAMA

K-pop icon G-Dragon will perform at the 2024 MAMA, the world’s largest K-pop awards ceremony, held this year in Los Angeles and Osaka, Japan. According to the event’s organizer CJ ENM, G-Dragon will take the stage on the event's last day in Osaka. As this is his first MAMA appearance in nine years, he is expected to unveil new releases during his performance. Other artists performing at this year's MAMA revealed on Tuesday include BoyNextDoor, (G)I-dle, Plave and Bibi. The

Oct. 22, 2024

Illit releases new EP amid accusations of plagiarizing NewJeans

K-pop girl group Illit has released their second EP, "I’ll Like You," while facing ongoing allegations of copying NewJeans' concept. The group maintained a non-confrontational stance, emphasizing their focus on their own creative path. “We’ve worked hard to show our fans our best, no matter the situation,” member Yunah said during a showcase in Seoul on Monday. “We reflect on all the people who have helped Illit grow and those who have supported and c

Oct. 21, 2024

Korea's first venue for disability arts attracting growing audiences

Korea's first performance venue specifically designed for disability arts, Modu Art Theater, is celebrating its first anniversary Thursday. The black box theater, established and operated by the Korea Disability Arts and Culture Center, accommodates up to 250 guests and holds the distinction of being the only performance space in the country specifically designed with a focus on "mobility convenience" for people with disabilities. “Collaboration between artists with disabili

Oct. 21, 2024

Lim Young-woong concert film breaks records, surpassing BTS

Korean trot star Lim Young-woong's concert film is making waves, surpassing BTS's record to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time. According to CGV, the film “I'm Hero: The Stadium,” which captures his concert at Seoul World Cup Stadium held in May, has attracted over 343,000 cumulative viewers as of Saturday, setting a new record for live performance films in Korea. This surpasses Lim's own previous record set by "I’m Hero: The Final,&qu

Oct. 21, 2024

[Behind the K-pop scene] Vocal trainer So Su-lyn reveals making of future K-pop idols

Vocal trainer So Su-lyn, 32, stands at the forefront of where K-pop begins -- preparing young aspiring stars at her music schools in Incheon and Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. Her goal is to equip these hopefuls with the skills they need to become trainees at major K-pop agencies and, ultimately, debut as idols. “I’ve been working as a vocal trainer for nearly 10 years now. I teach students who want to become trainees at major companies like SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Ente

Oct. 21, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT Dream to roll out LP No. 4 next month

NCT Dream will be back with its fourth studio album on Nov. 11, label SM Entertainment announced Monday. The LP “Dreamscape” will consist of 11 tracks including the main track “When I’m With You” as well as “Rains in Heaven,” an English-language single dropped in August. As the album title suggests, it will continue the narrative from its fifth EP “Dream()scape,” which came out in March. The mini album sold more than 2.46 million copies in th

Oct. 21, 2024

[History through films] ‘Hunt’ spy flick set in Korea’s violent, chaotic ’80s

South Korea in the 1980s is often described as an era of violence and chaos. The period was marked by numerous major events in South Korean history, among them: the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in 1980 in which the military cracked down on civilians leading to a massacre; one of the largest fraud cases to date involving Jang Young-ja, a woman associated with then-President Chun Doo-hwan’s wife’s family in 1982; the Oct. 9, 1983 assassination attempt on Chun in Yangon, Myanmar in which

Oct. 21, 2024

'Hellbound' returns: new and old faces rise from hell

The international hit dark fantasy thriller "Hellbound" is returning to Netflix with a new season after three years. The show's first season recorded an accumulated 110 million viewing hours within 10 days of its release, captivating local and international audiences alike with the story of Koreans receiving messages from ethereal beings about their impending damnation. The second season, slated to release its first episode Friday, picks up the story eight years later with a drama

Oct. 21, 2024

Kim Woo-sung of The Rose makes waves on Billboard charts

Singer Kim Woo-sung's second full-length album, "4444," released Oct, has ranked sixth on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the highest-ever ranking for a Korean male artist. The album by the member of the band The Rose also ranked on multiple Billboard charts, including eighth on the Heatseekers Albums chart and 15th on the Current Album Sales chart. “4444” showcases Kim's musical evolution, featuring a diverse collection of eight tracks spanning vario

Oct. 21, 2024

Twice to drop new EP ‘Strategy’ in December

K-pop sensation Twice will release its new EP “Strategy” on Dec. 6. JYP Entertainment announced the news via the group’s official social media channels, sharing an image of a "coming soon" poster. The upcoming release is Twice’s 14th EP and comes approximately 10 months after the previous mini album, "With YOU-th," launched in February. The EP "With YOU-th" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Billboard’s main album chart, on March 9,

Oct. 21, 2024

[Behind the K-pop scene] Norwegian K-pop songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng

Norwegian singer-songwriter Eline Noelia Myreng was working part-time as a bartender in Oslo, Norway, when she co-wrote K-pop girl group Ive’s hit single, “I Am,” for their 2023 studio album, "I’ve Ive." That success transformed her dream of becoming a full-time music producer into reality -- at just 25 years old. “I co-produced this track (‘I Am’) with Audun (Agnar Guldbrandsen) and Kristin (Marie Skolem). We wrote it in a basement under an oy

Oct. 20, 2024

Will any upcoming Hollywood blockbusters be hits in Korea?

Amid the ongoing slump of Hollywood blockbusters at the local box office, attention is focused on whether any of the upcoming mega-scale films can break the trend or struggle to compete against a diverse lineup of Korean movies. First on the list is “Venom: The Last Dance,” an American superhero film. The final installment in the Venom trilogy, opening in Korea on Oct. 23, sees Tom Hardy return to his role as Venom, one of Marvel’s most complex characters. The previous films

Oct. 20, 2024

Super Junior's Yesung to return as solo artist with new album

Super Junior’s Yesung is set to return with a new solo album. According to his agency, SM Entertainment, Yesung will release his sixth EP, “It’s Complicated,” on Nov. 5. The album will feature a total of five tracks, including the title track. This EP marks Yesung’s first solo release in over a year, following his fifth EP, “Unfading Sense,” which dropped in October last year. His previous album highlighted the musician’s prowess as a solo artist,

Oct. 20, 2024