NCT to release 4th LP ‘Golden Age’ this month

SM Entertainment’s NCT is expected to continue its golden era with its fourth studio album, “Golden Age,” set for release on Aug. 28. All 20 members of NCT’s different subgroups -- NCT 127, NCT Dream and WayV -- will take part in the upcoming album, according to SM on Wednesday. NCT originally consisted of 23 members but there has been a slight reshuffle in members with Lucas officially quitting NCT in May, announcing that he will go solo after a two-year hiatus. Sungchan

Aug. 9, 2023

AKMU to return with new album this month

YG’s K-pop sibling duo AKMU is releasing a new album on Aug. 21, according to YG Entertainment on Wednesday. The comeback comes two years after the group dropped its “Next Episode” collaboration album in July 2021. YG Entertainment announced the comeback in a teaser poster, which read "AKMU is coming," on its official blog. It also unveiled a teaser clip showing a miniature pink, city model that pops up on a mobile phone screen. In it, a cupid character representing L

Aug. 9, 2023

[Herald Interview] Director Um Tae-hwa explores Koreans' ‘love and hate’ of apartments in ‘Concrete Utopia’

Director Um Tae-hwa, who has returned with dystopian thriller “Concrete Utopia” seven years after “Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned,” which led to him receiving the best new director award at Korea's Grand Bell Awards that year, has delved into Koreans' “love and hate” of apartments in this new film. “The reason I was focused on the apartment was that because I was also born and raised in that space. As I delved into what 'apartment'

Aug. 9, 2023

With Bernstein's masterpieces, Ottensamer aims to present approachable classical music

Classic Revolution, Lotte Concert Hall’s summer musical festival which delves into a combination of composers each year, is set to return later this week with nine concerts from Friday to Aug. 20. Leading this year's rendition is Austrian clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer, who said he designed the program to bring joy to audiences and make classical music more approachable by highlighting American conductor, composer, pianist and music educator Leonard Bernstein, as well as other compose

Aug. 8, 2023

Inside a Hong Kong hagwon for K-pop idol hopefuls

HONG KONG -- Vivo Fung Lok-yin is a shy, soft spoken 20-year-old from Hong Kong, but the moment Blackpink’s “Shut Down” blasts from the speakers, she comes alive. She levels a confident stare at her reflection in the mirror-covered studio as she dances to the hip-hop track, a tiny smirk gracing her face. You wouldn’t think that four years ago, she could barely look herself in the mirror while dancing. “I would say I’m a very shy person … I was too scare

Aug. 8, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids tops 100m views with ‘S-Class’ video

Stray Kids garnered 100 million views with the music video for “S-Class,” according to label JYP Entertainment on Tuesday. It is the band’s tenth music video to reach the milestone, after those of “God’s Menu,” “Back Door,” “Miroh,” “My Pace,” “Thunderous,” “Maniac,” “Case 143” and “Hellevator.” “S-Class” is the focus track from its third full album “5-Star,&

Aug. 8, 2023

The Boyz brings Christmas to summer with new album trilogy

Christmas in summer seems odd, but The Boyz hopes to make the miracle happen with its new album "Phantasy Part 1 - Christmas in August" which dropped on Monday. The EP, a six-song album, marks the start of their three-part LP "Phantasy," from which the band will drop three sub-albums over the rest of the year. It also celebrates the group's return with a new album for the first time in six months since the release of its eighth EP "Be Awake" in February. The 11

Aug. 8, 2023

BTS' V set to debut solo with 'Layover' on Sept. 8

BTS' V is coming out solo on Sept. 8 with his first album "Layover," agency Big Hit Music announced Tuesday. The company said V will drop his first solo album "Layover" at 1 p.m. on Sept. 8. "Layover" will be a six-track package consisting of the title song "Slow Dancing," its piano instrumental and four B-side tracks, "Rainy Days," "Blue," "Love Me Again" and "For Us." The lead single, "Slow Dancing,"

Aug. 8, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Honey Sweet,’ a lighthearted rom-com that might just outdo this year’s blockbusters

Yoo Hae-jin, a household name in South Korea’s entertainment scene, took on his first-ever role in a romantic comedy in “Honey Sweet,” a lighthearted film that portrays the love story of a middle-aged couple. Yoo plays Chi-ho, a nerdy, workaholic researcher at the confectionery firm who falls in love with Il-young (Kim Hee-sun), a single mother and a remarkably passionate and optimistic phone operator at a loan company. “Honey Sweet” will be Kim’s first silver

Aug. 8, 2023

7 years on from debut, Blackpink blooms as most successful female K-pop group

K-pop sensation Blackpink came into the world in 2016 under much pressure as they were expected to follow the lead of YG’s most successful girl group until that point, 2NE1. The quartet of Rose, Jisoo, Lisa and Jennie made its debut with its first single album, “Square One,” which consists of two songs: “Whistle” and “Boombayah.” The debut single album successfully captured the hearts of many, topping major music charts including Melon and Circle Chart i

Aug. 8, 2023

Suga cancels national service deferral, likely to enlist in winter

Suga of BTS recently completed the process of canceling his deferral for mandatory military service and is expected to enlist in the winter of 2023. Big Hit Music announced through Weverse, a communication platform for fans, that Suga has begun the procedure for fulfilling his military duty and that further updates regarding his enlistment will be provided later. The agency requested warm support and unchanging love for Suga as he fulfills his military duty and returns in good health. Suga, who

Aug. 8, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] ＆Team to host fan concert for 1st anniversary

Multinational boy band ＆Team will greet its fans in Korea and Japan to celebrate its first anniversary, said agency Hybe Labels Japan on Monday. It will host concerts in Saitama, Japan and in Seoul on Sept. 3 and 9, respectively, to mark the occasion. The events will be livestreamed online for its fans as well. The nonet was formed through an audition program in September last year and officially debuted in December under Hybe’s Japanese affiliate. In the meantime, the bandmates flew in f

Aug. 7, 2023

U-Know Yunho tries a new way of promoting 3rd solo EP with short film

U-Know Yunho of TVXQ jumped into a metaverse that he named Nexus in his new solo album “Reality Show,” released on Monday. The artist’s third solo mini album “Reality Show” comprises a total of six tracks that revolves around a single story. The story is about the protagonist Noah, who is an introvert who spends most of his time secluded from the real world, but becomes a totally different person when he dives into a virtual world with the help of his AI assistant S

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Review] Suga ends solo tour, bids farewell before enlistment

BTS' Suga on Sunday concluded his first solo world tour, "Suga | Agust D Tour ‘D-Day,’" following three days of encore concerts in Seoul. Although the tour came to an end, it marked the start of a new path in the musician's solo career. The encore shows, titled "'D-Day' The Final," were held in Seoul's KSPO Dome from Friday to Sunday, rounding out Suga's four-and-a-half-month solo tour, which kicked off in the US in April. They were a

Aug. 7, 2023

S. Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol wins Karajan prize

South Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol clinched the prestigious Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award in Salzburg, Austria, on Sunday. Taking to the stage at the main auditorium of the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation, Yoon led the Camerata Salzburg orchestra in performances of four works in the final competition: Overture from Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (The Barber of Seville); Mozart’s Aria for Soprano and Orchestra in F major, K. 538; a chamber orchestra piece t

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘D.P. 2’ had to complete unfinished story: Jung Hae-in, Han Jun-hee

Hoping to live up to the viewers’ love for the first season of “D.P.” and high expectations for the next installment, director Han Jun-hee decided at the end of 2021 to return with a second season. The director had never expected to make a second season while shooting the original series, which was released in August 2021. And the unplanned season 2 made Han think hard about the story he wished to share with the audience in “D.P. 2.” “I needed to know why I wo

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor Ju Ji-hoon couldn’t ask for more working with favorite team in ‘Ransomed’

For Ju Ji-hoon, his latest action comedy, “Ransomed,” means something different compared to his previous works because it was a project with two of his favorite colleagues, director Kim Seong-hun and actor Ha Jung-woo. Ju and Kim have worked together on the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” and with Ha on another megahit film, “Along with the Gods.” “For the first time in my acting career, I decided to star in ‘Ransomed’ without even readin

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] What becomes of ‘Privacy’ under constant surveillance

Indian film star Rajshri Deshpande had a rough time getting to Korea for the world premiere of “Privacy” at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival earlier this summer. “It was chaos,” she said. Her flight from Delhi had been delayed six hours, meaning she would land at Incheon Airport just as she should be at the festival’s opening ceremony. The film’s director, Sudeep Kanwal, was doing everything he could. “I was holding ground,” he sai

Aug. 7, 2023

KNB presents back-to-back productions of modern, classical ballet

The Korean National Ballet is set to present separate productions of modern and classic ballet in August, with a back-to-back schedule. Kicking off on Aug. 25, “Triple Bill” features three distinct works within a single program, while “Ballet With Commentary, Le Corsaire” is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 3. Both productions will be staged at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. In “Triple Bill,” the audience will experience

Aug. 6, 2023

Will Blackpink survive the 7-year curse?

YG Entertainment girl group Blackpink will mark its seventh debut anniversary on Tuesday. After making its debut in 2016 with singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” Blackpink has flourished as a popular world-renowned K-pop girl group enchanting the public with its imposing charm and topping major music charts in the US and in the UK. But as their seven-year exclusive contract with YG Entertainment is close to being expired, all eyes are on whether the members -- Jennie, Lisa

Aug. 6, 2023