[New on the Scene] Joo Jong-hyuk eager to show his versatile acting

Joo Jong-hyuk, better known as his character “tactician Kwon Min-woo” in the 2022 hit series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo," transforms into a completely different person in "Iron Mask," the actor's first venture into non-indie film. “Iron Mask,” which has the Korean title of “One-Ten-Thousandth of a Second,” follows the story of Kim Jae-woo (Joo), who joins an athlete boot camp for the national kendo team selection. There, he meets Tae

Nov. 13, 2023

KBS ‘Goryeo-Khitan War’ off to rough start

Terrestrial broadcaster KBS premiered its new epic historical drama “Goryeo-Khitan War” on Saturday with much anticipation, but the first two episodes of the series fell short of the expectations of many TV drama fans who felt nostalgic for the spectacular Korean period dramas that dominated the creative content industry for many years in the early 2000s. “Goryeo-Khitan War,” the broadcast’s 34th period drama, unfolds the stories of King Hyeongjong (Kim Dong-jun) of

Nov. 13, 2023

Jungkook's 'Golden' hits No. 2 on Billboard 200 with biggest-ever sales for a Korean soloist

Jungkook of BTS has made his solo arrival on the Billboard 200, with "Golden" reaching No. 2. On Sunday, US music publication Billboard previewed the album chart for this week, showing "Golden" behind only Taylor Swift's "1989 (Taylor's Version)." "Golden" recorded 212,000 equivalent album units, the chart's highest-ever weekly sales by a K-pop solo singer. Equivalent album units comprise physical and digital album sales, as well as streamin

Nov. 13, 2023

Jessica ends 6-year hiatus with new EP

K-pop singer Jessica is set to release a new mini album for the first time in six years on Nov. 22. The new album, “Beep Beep,” will carry a total of six tracks led by a titular track which shares the name of the album. Jessica also announced on her official social media that she is holding a tour in Asia, including stops in Singapore and Macao, after the release of her new album. It remains unclear whether the singer will be promoting her upcoming album in South Korea as she has

Nov. 13, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Different, but in harmony' -- Traditional orchestras of Korea, Taiwan exchange melodies in joint concert

In a mesmerizing display of cultural harmony and melodic beauty, a haegeum player in traditional Korean hanbok and an erhu player in a purple gown graced the stage together side by side. Performing the double concerto for erhu and haegeum titled “Two Strings,” the two string musicians from Taiwan and Korea exchanged eye contact and melodies, creating a harmonious fusion. The joint performance was held at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, featuring the Contemporary Gugak Orchestra a

Nov. 12, 2023

Jungkook adopts guerilla tactics for 'Golden' promotion

Jungkook of BTS returned to Seoul on Saturday after holding a surprise concert on Friday at Times Square in New York. He performed his latest single “Standing Next to You” from his solo album “Golden,” and other solo singles including “Seven (feat. Latto)” and “3D (feat. Jack Harlow)” on stage. Jungkook also performed tracks from his new album, “Yes or No” and “Please Don’t Change (feat. DJ Snake)” for the first time.

Nov. 12, 2023

‘Gyeongseong Creature’ to lead year-end, New Year drama releases

Netflix Korea on Sunday confirmed the premiere of the highly anticipated horror thriller, “Gyeongseong Creature,” in December. The series will be split into two different parts, with the first seven episodes being presented as “Gyeongseong Creature Part 1,” and the remaining three episodes scheduled to be released Jan. 5. With a star-studded lineup in terms of both its creators and cast, the thriller-action series is regarded as one of the year's must-see projects.

Nov. 12, 2023

[Herald Interview] Singer-songwriter Oohyo keeps her distance

Singer-songwriter Oohyo hopes to maintain a “safe distance” between music and her personal life to make relatable songs for those who tune into her songs. “I want to tell a good story through music at a safe distance. By keeping a safe distance, I mean that I want to convey an abstract but easily relatable story instead of sharing my personal experiences. I want my music to remind one of a good story,” said Oohyo in her interview with The Korea Herald. Nine years into her

Nov. 11, 2023

Berliner Philharmoniker visits Seoul for first time in 6 years, joined by Cho Seong-jin

The Berliner Philharmoniker is set to perform at the Seoul Arts Center in Seoul on Saturday and Sunday, marking its first tour in six years. Under Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko's lead, the Berliner Philharmoniker will present a captivating program featuring Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 on Saturday. Sunday's repertoire includes Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and will be joined by South Korean pia

Nov. 10, 2023

Billboard-topping boy band Stray Kids returns to 'rock'

Three-time Billboard 200 chart-topper Stray Kids made a grand comeback Friday, this time as rock stars. Marking the eight-member group's return after five months is EP "Rock-Star," which continues from the past album, "Five-Star," a mega-hit album that had landmark successes, including its third-straight Billboard 200 No. 1 hit. It was a highly anticipated return, and the eight men were overflowing with renewed charisma as they went in front of the press on Friday mornin

Nov. 10, 2023

YG's new group Babymonster to debut on Nov. 27

Babymonster of YG Entertainment is set to debut on Nov. 27. The agency on Friday released a poster showing the message, "Babymonster 2023.11.27 0AM KST," on a black backdrop, with a red V-shaped mark pointing downward. Shooting for the group's music video, which began at the end of last month, has been completed, YG said. "Babymonster members will (unveil) not only their own talents, but the identity of the team (through the video). To do this, YG mustered all the company

Nov. 10, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook sets new record with solo album sales

The first solo album from Jungkook of BTS sold more than 2.43 million copies in the first week and set a new record for a K-pop solo artist, according to a local tally on Friday. EP “Golden” was unveiled on Nov. 3 and sold 1 million units in three hours and two in five hours. The album logged 2.14 million in sales on the day of release, another record for a K-pop solo act. It headed straight to the top of Oricon’s weekly combined album ranking after debuting at the top of its

Nov. 10, 2023

Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a join Netflix’s new crime thriller series, ‘Karma’

Park Hae-soo from “Squid Game” and “Narco-Saints,” and Shin Min-a from “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” and “Our Blues” will meet for Netflix’s new crime thriller series, “Karma” (working title). The Korean original title roughly translates to “ill-fated relationship.” Based on the Kakao webtoon of the same title by Hwang Joon-ho, the series follows characters who are tightly entangled in doomed relationships. “Karma&rdquo

Nov. 10, 2023

South Korea’s biggest comedy TV show returns after 3 years

National broadcaster KBS's flagship comedy TV show, "Gag Concert," is set to return after a hiatus of over three years. "Gag Concert," which first aired in September 1999, ended its first season after 1,050 episodes in June 2020. It garnered much more popularity compared to its competitors such as cable channel tvN's "Comedy Big League" and "Saturday Night Live Korea." The second season of "Gag Concert" will reportedly focus on "

Nov. 10, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kiss of Life continues to describe different aspects of freedom through music

Kiss of Life say they were born to be artists. Not only do they love producing music, singing and dancing, but they are also good at it. “We also have a common interest in spreading positive energy with our musical talents. We love music and we are happiest when performing on stage,” said Belle, the main vocalist of Kiss of Life. Just five months into its debut, the band has already won public recognition for its unique music style, as well as dancing and vocal talents. “We wer

Nov. 10, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Marvels” (US) Opened Nov. 8 Action Directed by Nia DaCosta A sequel to “Captain Marvel” (2019), the film follows the story of Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan, as Danvers -- Captain Marvel -- travels to the past amid a destabilized universe. “The Boy and the Heron” (Japan) Opened Oct. 25 Animation Directed by Hayao Miyazaki A 12-year-old Mahito finds a new home following the death of his mom. But after encountering a talking heron who

Nov. 10, 2023

[Herald Interview] Korean 'changgeuk' meets Peking opera

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea is making a grand return to the stage with one of its most most unconventional repertoires, "Farewell My Concubine.” Premiered in the spring of 2019 and met with sold-out shows during its fall run, this "changgeuk" is a blend of traditional Korean and Peking operas, brought to life through the collaborative efforts of creative teams from Korea and Taiwan. Set in the turbulent Spring and Autumn Period in ancient China, "Farewell My

Nov. 9, 2023

‘A Business Proposal’ to be made into Hong Kong drama

Kakao Entertainment blockbuster webtoon “A Business Proposal” is being adapted into Viu’s new TV drama in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong-based streaming service Viu has cast sought-after local actors, including model and actor Hanna Chan, and singers Anson Lo and Edan Lui, Kakao Entertainment said. While Chan will play female lead Shin Ha-ri -- a young office worker originally played by Kim Se-jong, Lo and Lui star the series as CEO Kang Tae-moo and his secretary Cha Sung-hoon, r

Nov. 9, 2023

Park Bom to return with new single ‘I’

Park Bom, formerly of disbanded 2NE1, is returning with a new single, “I,” for the first time in a year and eight months since her last single, “Flower.” A teaser for the song's music video has been uploaded on her agency’s official YouTube channel Wednesday. According to D-Nation Entertainment on Thursday, Park's upcoming single will be released at 6 p.m. on Nov. 22 via various streaming sites. The title “I” reportedly expresses Park’s o

Nov. 9, 2023

NewJeans to be first K-pop girl group to perform at BBMAs

NewJeans is set to make history as the first K-pop girl group to perform at one of the three major US music awards, the Billboard Music Awards. The official announcement came as the BBMAs revealed the performer lineup for this year's ceremony on their social media platforms. NewJeans will showcase "Super Shy" and "OMG," both of which entered the Billboard Hot 100 this year. Notably, BTS has been the only K-pop group to perform at the Grammy Awards, American Music Award

Nov. 9, 2023