Evergreen Group Holdings to invest $7.5m in Fifty Fifty’s agency Attrakt

Singapore-based Evergreen Group Holdings announced Thursday that it will invest around 10 billion won ($7.5 million) in the K-pop entertainment agency Attrakt to help foster the agency’s vision in the K-pop industry. Evergreen Group Holdings is an enterprise which develops a multi-diversified range of businesses from timber to finance, run by CEO David Yong. David Yong is also a K-pop singer in Korea, having debuted with the single “In My Pocket” last year. “We are happy

Aug. 31, 2023

[Herald Review] Nuanced local adaptations, sound effects transplant suspense of '2:22 A Ghost Story' from West End to Seoul stage

The unidentifiable footsteps heard at 2:22 a.m. and the mysteries surrounding their origin intensify the suspense of “2:22 A Ghost Story,” the title of which captures the essence of the plot. The story revolves around Sam and Jenny, a couple who have newly moved, inviting Sam's longtime friend Lauren and her boyfriend Ben to their home. What starts as an ordinary evening meal takes a turn with Jenny’s confession. Jenny says she hears footsteps and sobs around her baby&rsqu

Aug. 31, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen joins force with New Kids on the Block

      Seventeen will be featured in upcoming music from 1990s sensation New Kids On The Block, according to agency Pledis Entertainment on Thursday. The American quintet has been dropping hints on its social media channel since last week, and tweeted “NKOTB Seventeen” on the day along with the date: Sept. 1. Seventeen reposted the iconic boy band’s “17” post, setting fans abuzz with expectations. Meanwhile, the 13-member act will tour Japan star

Aug. 31, 2023

SM's rookie singer apologizes for past dating pictures

SM Entertainment's upcoming rookie boy band Riize's member Seunghan released an apology after photos of him with a presumed former dating partner went viral online. The apology comes a few days after the release online of several pictures showing Seunghan kissing a woman -- including one where they are on a bed. The pictures spread fast, shocking fans, especially as Riize is about to make its long awaited debut on Sept. 4. Riize is the first boy band to debut with SM Entertainment in s

Aug. 31, 2023

H1-KEY continues to dream in Seoul, city of opportunities

H1-KEY is back and ready to move people’s hearts with its second mini album “Seoul Dreaming,” filled with songs that sing of hope. “Our second EP is for people who have a dream. We hope to spread hope and comfort through this album,” said Seoi of H1-KEY during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. The new album is led by two title tracks: “Seoul (Such a Beautiful City)” and “Time to Shine.” H1-KEY once again paired up with the renowned mu

Aug. 31, 2023

[Herald Interview] Baekho starts digital single project with 'Elevator' remake

Baekho on Thursday unveiled a new single, "Elevator," marking the start to a new musical journey. “Elevator” is a remake of the eponymous 1995 hit by singer-producer J.Y. Park. With its risque lyrics singing about making love in the elevator and spicy performances with female dancers onstage, the song became an instant sensation back in its day. In opening up a new chapter of his career, Baekho picked this song same in age with him. "The feeling I had when I first hear

Aug. 31, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids’ Hyunjin teams up with Troye Sivan

Hyunjin of Stray Kids collaborated with Troye Sivan for a remix of the Australian singer’s recent single. Sivan made a comeback with “Rush” last month and posted a snippet on TikTok, hinting that an upcoming rework of the song will feature the idol as well as English singer-songwriter and producer PinkPantheress. Hyunjin and Sivan met at a fashion show hosted by Versace in Cannes, France in May. Sivan has professed his affection for the performer since then, writing and postin

Aug. 30, 2023

Gugak welcomes autumn

Autumn is drawing near and the weather sets the stage for a harmonious indulgence in the sounds of gugak, or Korean traditional music. Major traditional music orchestras and troupes are gearing up for colorful programs this September. Taking the lead for the 2023-24 season is the National Orchestra of Korea, a traditional Korean music orchestra affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, set to grace the stage this Friday night with “Discovery” at the Haeoreum Theater. The inaugur

Aug. 30, 2023

Indonesian girl group StarBe hopes to win global recognition with the help of K-pop training

Popular Indonesian girl group StarBe will release a Korean-language single in the coming week, following a month of K-pop idol training in South Korea. The quartet — Abelle, Shella, Kezia and Chelsea -- landed in Seoul about a month ago. They were chosen among many other Indonesian pop groups by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) to take part in the cultural exchange project “Grow TwoGether.” The project, launched in 2021 with the Vietnamese boy

Aug. 30, 2023

TXT to drop 3rd LP 'The Name Chapter: Freefall' on Oct. 13

Boy band Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT, is returning with a new studio album in October. The band's agency Big Hit Music on Wednesday announced that the quintet will drop its third full-length album "The Name Chapter: Freefall" on Oct. 13. This will mark the team's return to the music scene in nine months since it released its fifth EP "The Name Chapter: Temptation" in January. TXT, which has been telling a dynamic growth story from boyhood to maturity thro

Aug. 30, 2023

28th Busan Film Festival unveils selection for Asian auteur, rookie directors

The 28th Busan International Film Festival announced the list of films selected for its New Currents and Jiseok competition sections, which will showcase the works of Asia’s rookie and auteur directors. The New Current competition section focuses on showing up-and-coming Asian filmmakers’ works, reserved for those making their first or second feature films. Ten works are nominated, including two from Japan, two from Korea, two from Bangladesh and one each from China, Thailand, Malays

Aug. 30, 2023

Gumiho becomes new symbol of beauty in Korean drama series

The “gumiho,” a shape-shifting nine-tailed fox, has solidified its position as a character that symbolizes captivating beauty, replacing one of the best-known royal concubines of the Joseon era, Jang Ok-jung , more widely known as Jang Hui-bin. Born to a middle-class family, Jang worked as a lady attendant in the palace and eventually became a consort of King Sukjong, the 19th king of Joseon. The tales of Jang, with a love triangle between the king and Queen Inhyeon, the palace intri

Aug. 30, 2023

More than just stans: what sets Korean fandom culture apart

As K-pop’s global reach continues to expand, so has attention on K-pop fan culture. It's common for fans around the world to devote their time and resources to their favorite celebrities, but Korean fans’ expression of their love stands out for the way in which it is more organized and systematic, and often based around communities. “On the way home” One fan phenomenon is named after the Korean expression that literally means “the way home after work,” a

Aug. 30, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Twice’ Jihyo hits Billboard 200 at No. 14 with solo EP

Jihyo of Twice entered Billboard 200 at No. 14 with her first solo EP “Zone,” the publication tweeted Monday. It is the second highest spot for a solo female K-pop musician, after only bandmate Nayeon who notched No. 7 spot last year. Separately, Twice will go live at four more stadiums across the world, expand its ongoing international tour to 42 concerts in 25 cities in total, according to label JYP Entertainment on Tuesday. The management firm announced the additional destination

Aug. 29, 2023

Hybe x Geffen begins girl group project 'Dream Academy,' unveils 20 finalists

Hybe, the company behind the global K-pop phenomenon BTS, has embarked on its blockbuster girl group project, "The Debut: Dream Academy." Marking the start of the new project, Hybe and its partner on the journey, Geffen Records, held a press conference on Monday at IGA Studios in Santa Monica, California. Hybe founder and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO and Chairman John Janick spoke at the event and addressed the initiative and plans for the project. Al

Aug. 29, 2023

'Revenant' a ghost story about lost generation

SBS' "Revenant," an occult thriller series crafted by star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, ended with an 11.2 percent viewership rating last month. The positive response for a terrestrial broadcaster whose ratings have plummeted in recent years is thought to be a result of the use of folklore to shed light on today's social issues. "Revenant" takes familiar characters from folklore and puts them in a modern setting, dealing with day-to-day life problems. While the story r

Aug. 29, 2023

FT Island to release new album next month

FT Island is returning to the music scene next month with a new album. The band’s last release was its eighth EP, “Lock Up,” in December 2021. The band unveiled a teaser clip of its upcoming ninth EP on social media on Monday. The teaser clip for the album scheduled for release on Sep. 7 shows the band performing in a living room. It also casts a spotlight on the performance of the three members of the band -- lead vocalist Lee Hong-gi, bassist Lee Jae-jin and drummer Choi Min

Aug. 29, 2023

Hwasa to return solo next month

Hwasa is set to release a new solo album next month with a concept that will highlight another aspect of herself as a singer. P Nation unveiled a teaser image for Hwasa’s upcoming album on social media Tuesday, showing Hwasa surrounded by pink balloons in the shape of various letters of the alphabet. This solo comeback scheduled for Sept. 6 comes two years after Hwasa’s single “Guilty Pleasure.” The upcoming album is also Hwasa’s first release under the new agency,

Aug. 29, 2023

Nodeul Island to turn into outdoor stage for 'Swan Lake' and 'The Barber of Seville'

Every Saturday and Sunday night from Oct. 14 to 22, a small island at the center of the Han River will be turned into a stage for spellbinding ballet and opera performances. Under the theme of “Timeless Classic,” the second edition of Hangang Nodeul Island Festival by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture will present one ballet and one opera, bringing together Korea’s top performers. After presenting “The Magic Flute” at the inaugural festival last year, this y

Aug. 29, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kang Full says popularity of ‘Moving’ still feels unreal

While the superhero action series “Moving” has made history by becoming the most watched Korean original series on Disney+ and Hulu, topping TV series charts in various countries, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian nations, screenwriter Kang Full confessed that the series' success doesn't yet feel real. Instead of relishing in the show's positive reviews, Kang said he spends more time worrying about viewers' reactions after new episodes ar

Aug. 29, 2023