[Today’s K-pop] ZeroBaseOne’s debut album sets sales record

ZeroBaseOne’s debut EP “Youth in the Shade” had sold more than 2.03 million copies as of September, according to a local tally released Thursday. It is the first debut album to log over 2 million in sales in K-pop history. The album also was the first million-seller from a debuting musician in Korea when it achieved the feat on the day of its release in July. The rookie band is set to bring out its second EP “Melting Point” on Nov. 6. Barely 3 months old, the nine-

Oct. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Samuel Youn celebrates career in ‘From Darkness to Light’

Korean bass baritone Samuel Youn made his international debut 25 years ago when he took the stage in “Faust.” The year of 1998 was an unforgettable year. Youn won the Treviso Toti dal Monte, a renowned singing competition, not long before his wife was due to give birth to their first child. He was then given a chance to take the stage in Charles Gounod’s opera, “Faust.” From there, he had the opportunity to participate in an audition for the Cologne Opera. For 2

Oct. 13, 2023

Le Sserafim becomes house ambassadors for Louis Vuitton

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim has been named the house ambassador to the luxury brand Louis Vuitton. This is the first time that all members of a K-pop girl group have been named as house ambassadors to Louis Vuitton, according to Source Music. Louis Vuitton introduced Le Sserafim as a group that has gained popularity around the world with its powerful image both onstage and offstage, and through music with its own story. “We are glad to announce that Le Sserafim joins us as our house ambas

Oct. 13, 2023

Conflict between Fifty Fifty and agency Attrakt continues to escalate

The legal battle between the K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty and its agency Attrakt continues to intensify as the group released a statement Thursday saying that it would reveal details of how they worked under surveillance and control. “We will disclose why we had to leave our agency and why we cannot go back,” Fifty Fifty members said on their social media account. The members of Fifty Fifty created the account as a channel of communication after they applied for an injunction to susp

Oct. 13, 2023

Striving to be the best, TXT returns with 3rd LP

After a yearlong journey touring international stages, including Lollapalooza and MTV's Video Music Awards, boy band Tomorrow X Together is back with a new album, this time setting its sights on the Billboard charts. The band, often referred to as TXT, released its third full-length album, "The Name Chapter: Freefall," Friday afternoon. The press conference held on Thursday, a day ahead of the album's release, felt like a celebration of the group's glorious return af

Oct. 13, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“30 Days” (South Korea) Opened Oct. 3 Comedy Directed by Nam Dae-joong Jung-yeol (Kang Ha-neul), an intelligent lawyer, and his wife Nara (Jung So-min), a passionate film producer, see their idyllic newlywed life eventually drive nerdy Jung-yeol and quick-tempered Nara apart. “Dr. Cheon and The Lost Talisman” (South Korea) Opened Sept. 27 Fantasy/Mystery Directed by Kim Seong-sik Fraudulent exorcist Dr. Cheon (Gang Dong-won) meets a new client, You-kyung (Lee Som), who

Oct. 13, 2023

Le Sserafim to release first English single 'Perfect Night'

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim is set to release its first English-language single next month, the band's agency Source Music said Thursday. According to Source Music, Le Sserafim will drop its first English digital single, "Perfect Night," on Oct. 27. The new song will convey a message that, perfect or not, a happy day with a friend is valuable, the agency said in a statement about the song on Thursday. Ahead of making the official announcement, Source Music posted on its social me

Oct. 12, 2023

Lightsum's new album ‘Honey or Spice’ tickles tastebuds

Cube Entertainment’s K-pop girl group Lightsum returned to the music scene with its second EP, “Honey or Spice,” after a year and five months' break. “We tried to show a new side of our group when coming up with this album. We tried to avoid choosing songs that were similar to what we’d done in the past. The titular track of this album is very addictive so we’re sure that people will like it,” said Sangah, the leader of Lightsum, during a press conf

Oct. 12, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen sells 4.6m copies of 11th EP in pre-orders

The upcoming EP from Seventeen received over 4.67 million pre-orders, according to agency Pledis Entertainment on Thursday. It is a record for the band whose previous EP “FML” logged 4.64 million in pre-orders. The 10th EP was released in April and sold more than 6.27 million units in total, renewing album sales record in K-pop history. The band has been uploading teaser photographs for EP “Seventeenth Heaven” that is due out on Oct. 23. Its offline promotional event &ld

Oct. 12, 2023

[Herald Interview] Alex Olle’s realistic reimagination of opera ‘Norma’ keeps art form alive

In opera, tradition often takes center stage. But director Alex Olle of La Fura dels Baus boldly reshapes timeless classics with realism, breathing fresh life into operatic experience while challenging the boundaries of tradition. The opera “Norma,” which premiered as the opening production of the 2016 season at the Royal Opera House in the UK, is set to be staged at the Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 26-29. "I wanted to come to Korea for at least a week to meet the actors and help t

Oct. 12, 2023

Dawn begins mandatory military service

K-pop solo artist Dawn began his mandatory military service on Thursday, according to music label At Area. “I am going to deliver a bit of a sudden announcement. I am beginning my mandatory military service today by doing alternative service,” Dawn took to his social media. “Please understand that I could not share the information earlier as I wanted to enlist quietly. Nonetheless, I wanted to say that I am very thankful for my fans who always support me and I will be back afte

Oct. 12, 2023

Park Seo-joon starring 'The Marvels' confirms Nov. 8 opening in Korea

Marvel Studio’s much-anticipated superhero flick “The Marvels” confirmed its release in Korea on Nov. 8, according to Walt Disney Korea. South Korean heartthrob Park Seo-joon, who has starred in numerous hit films such as “Parasite,” “Midnight Runners” and most recently the Oscar-submitted “Concrete Utopia,” has been cast to play Prince Yan in “The Marvels.” Prince Yan is the husband of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) – also kno

Oct. 12, 2023

Lee Hyori returns with 1st new song in 6 years

Lee Hyori returns to the music world on Thursday with the digital single "Hoodie e Banbaji." The single is the veteran singer's first record in six years, since the release of her sixth album "Black" in 2017. "Hoodie e Banbaji" means "hoodie on shorts" in Korean, referring to the singer's casual daily style. According to her agency Antenna, the new song is an easy-listening tune that rolls out Lee's own story about walking her own path her o

Oct. 12, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin to discuss making 1st solo album

A documentary will give fans a glimpse at the making of Jimin's first solo album, his label Big Hit Music said Wednesday. A teaser from documentary film “Jimin’s Production Day,” released on the day, showed the BTS singer engrossed in working on his EP “Face” in a dimly lit studio. “Albums cannot be considered simply,” he admitted adding that putting together his solo album helped clarify what he should be doing from now on. The film will be available o

Oct. 11, 2023

More webtoon-based series set to entertain TV drama fans

More popular webtoon series are being adapted into live-action TV dramas with the return of actors and idols Cha Eun-woo and Suzy to the small screen for their respective series this month. MBC premiered its new romance fantasy “A Good Day to Be a Dog” on Wednesday. The 14-part series is the broadcaster’s first ever Wednesday drama in its 62-year history. Adapted from the popular 2017 webtoon of the same title by Lee Hye, “A Good Day to Be a Dog” revolves around Hae

Oct. 11, 2023

Hip-hop 6-piece 82Major hopes to top K-pop

New boy band 82Major on Wednesday threw its hat into the ring with the debut album "On." The six-member group, consisting of Nam Sung-mo, Park Seok-joon, Yoon Ye-chan, Cho Seong-il, Hwang Seong-bin and Kim Do-gyun, is the first boy band debuting under novice label Great M Entertainment. Celebrating their debut, the group held a media showcase event in Seoul on Wednesday. The name, 82Major, combines the country code of South Korea, 82, with the word "major," reflecting the gro

Oct. 11, 2023

[Herald Interview] Monte-Carlo Ballet's minimalist ‘Romeo and Juliet’ from Maillot

The Monte-Carlo Ballet Company, led by the artistic director and choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, is set to present “Romeo and Juliet” at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu from Friday to Sunday. This is the Monaco-based ballet company’s first performance in Korea since their 2019 rendition of “Cinderella.” Maillot reimagines Shakespeare’s literary masterpiece through the flashbacks experienced by the distraught Friar Laurence as he reflects on how the t

Oct. 11, 2023

[New on the Scene] Kim Chang-hoon is determined to tell stories from his heart

It’s rare for a rookie director like Kim Chang-hoon, whose debut action noir “Hopeless” hits local theaters this week, to be invited to the Cannes International Film Festival. “(The festival took place in) a foreign country so I couldn’t really understand the feedback (I received). But just last week in Busan, I was able to meet with local audiences and hear their responses and communicate with them,” Kim told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Tuesd

Oct. 11, 2023

Viviz to drop 4th EP ‘Versus’ next month

K-pop girl group Viviz is returning with a new album next month, according to BPM Entertainment. The trio, which consists of members Eunha, SinB and Umji, is releasing its fourth mini album, “Versus,” on Nov. 2. The latest release is the first in 10 months after the group’s third mini album “VarioUS.” Viviz had hinted at new music in a YouTube interview video on Sunday. BPM Entertainment also released the promotion schedule for the trio’s upcoming album in a p

Oct. 11, 2023

Aespa to return with 4th EP ‘Drama’ next month

K-pop girl group aespa will release its fourth EP, “Drama,” on Nov. 10, according to an announcement by SM Entertainment. The upcoming album will be led by the titular track “Drama,” and will have a total of six tracks which are expected to highlight aespa’s enhanced vocal and musical talents. SM Entertainment released a teaser clip for the EP which shows a video projected onto an old building of the members of aespa walking around in black boots, and then one of th

Oct. 11, 2023