Content business will be game changer in S. Korea’s soft power growth: ministry

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday it would focus on maintaining the global popularity of Korea media and broadcast content with an increased budget of 190 billion won ($149.9 million) for the creative content sector next year. “Korean content is receiving an unprecedented attention from the global audience. Many say that they are watching the drama series, film or TV show, because it is from Korea," First Vice Culture Minister Chun Byong-geuk said at CJ E

Dec. 27, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Big Bang’s Taeyang leaves YG Entertainment

Taeyang of Big Bang will leave label YG Entertainment and join The Black Label, said YG Entertainment on Monday. “We are sincerely pleased to deliver the news that Taeyang is making a fresh start,” said the company. It remains unchanged that Taeyang still is a family of YG Entertainment and a member of Big Bang, it added hinting that he will continue as a part of the veteran idol group. The Black Label is headed by Teddy, a creative director and songwriter best known for his works f

Dec. 26, 2022

2022 highlights of K-Pop: From rise of new female groups to long-awaited return of legends

Addictive rhythms and powerful choreography continued to propel K-pop up the global music charts in 2022. Korean artists have reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 -- the ranking of the best-performing albums and EPs in the US -- a record four times this year. Stray Kids was the first Korean act to top the chart this year with its album “Oddinary,” followed by Blackpink, (G)I-idle, and RM. Apart from the global chart-toppers, this year’s K-pop scene was undoubtedly dominate

Dec. 26, 2022

Tiffany Young joins Sublime agency

K-pop singer and actress Tiffany Young signed an exclusive contract with the agency Sublime. “We signed an exclusive contract with Tiffany Young who has an irreplaceable identity. We are glad to have Tiffany Young encompassing boundless influence join us. We plan to fully support her in expanding her capabilities in diverse sectors and also in her overseas career-related activities,” announced Sublime on Monday. Some renowned actors, actresses, and singers including Song Kang-ho, Rai

Dec. 26, 2022

Actor Song Joong-ki in a relationship: agency

Actor Song Joong-ki is in a relationship, entertainment agency HighZium Studio said Monday, confirming a local media report. “Song is dating a woman," Song's agency, also a content production firm, said in an official statement. HighZium Studio added that it cannot divulge any additional information about the woman, including her age and nationality. Speculation about Song's new girlfriend erupted Monday morning when a local media outlet reported that Song is in a relations

Dec. 26, 2022

Han Seok-kyu‘s ‘Recipe for Farewell’ a local hit

Watcha’s latest drama series “Recipe for Farewell” has staked out a spot in the streaming market's fierce year-end competition with its heartwarming story. The series revolves around a middle-aged man named Chang-wook (played by Han Seok-kyu) whose wife is terminally ill. The series develops as the husband learns to cook for his sick wife. “Recipe for Farewell” remained in the No. 1 slot on the service’s viewership chart for three consecutive weeks after

Dec. 26, 2022

New SPO music director will lead opening concert with Brahms

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's incoming music director Jaap van Zweden, will lead the opening concert of 2023 with his signature repertoire, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, at the Lotte Concert Hall, on Jan. 12 and 13. Van Zweden will lead the SPO six months earlier than originally scheduled. The Dutch conductor was scheduled to conduct regular SPO concerts in July, November and December in 2023. The Brahms' masterpiece took the German composer 21 years to complete

Dec. 25, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (US) Opened Dec. 14 Action Directed by James Cameron The sequel to 2009's “Avatar” tells the story of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Ney'tiri (Zoe Saldana) leaving their home and exploring regions of Pandora to fight a difficult war against humans. The film has brought the protagonists back with their three children for “a new kind of” family story, according to Walt Disney, and is largely set in water, also introducing

Dec. 24, 2022

Annual physical sales of K-pop albums set to hit record 80 mln in 2022: chart

  　South Korea‘s K-pop physical album sales are at the brink of reaching the 80 million milestone for 2022, thanks to the robust performance of boy band BTS and popular girl groups, a major music chart revealed Saturday. 　 　The annual physical sales of the top 400 K-pop albums had stood at 74.2 million as of Dec. 10, up 29.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the country’s benchmark Circle Chart. 　 　K-pop superband BTS sold 6.07 million physical copies during the cited p

Dec. 24, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids to roll out 1st LP in Japan

Stray Kids will release its first studio album in Japan on Feb. 22, announced label JYP Entertainment on Friday. The company uploaded a teaser trailer for the album on the day in which the eight members exuded confidence with thumping beats in the background. The album’s release will coincide with the band’s encore concerts in Japan. It is hosting two concerts each at Saitama Super Arena and Kyocera Dome Osaka, on Feb. 11-12 and Feb. 25-26, respectively. Meanwhile, its digital album

Dec. 23, 2022

Ex-CEO of YG acquitted of blackmailing drug scandal whistleblower

The ex-chief of YG Entertainment, Yang Hyun-suk, has been ruled not guilty of threatening an informant in order to cover up a drug scandal involving a singer-rapper. The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday acquitted Yang of blackmailing and coercing a police source in an attempt to thwart investigations involving the agency's rapper, citing lack of evidence. Other officials of YG who had been indicted on the same charge was also acquitted. "The victim's testimony is not cre

Dec. 22, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Loona pushes back return amid controversy

Loona decided to put a hold on their album release, announced agency Blockberry Creative on Thursday. The group was set to return as an 11-member act with the EP “The Origin Album [0]” on Jan. 3, 2023, despite being in the middle of controversy surrounding the agency’s firing of Chuu for bullying employees. We have come to the conclusion that promoting the album without solving the situation is meaningless, said the management firm. Launching the group has been a long-term pro

Dec. 22, 2022

“Decision to Leave” shortlisted for Oscar

Award-winning director Park Chan-wook’s romance thriller “Decision to Leave” has made it to the 2023 Oscars shortlist for international feature films, according to the event organizer Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. A total of 15 films were chosen to advance to the next round of voting for the 95th Academy Awards, which is slated to take place on March 12 at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Prior to the ceremony, the Academy typically announces a shortlist of 10 to 15 fi

Dec. 22, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] New Jeans to debut on Japanese television

   New Jeans will appear on Japanese television for the first time next week, said agency Ador on Wednesday. The rookie group will be on Nihon TV’s year-end music award for most-listened to songs on Dec. 28, performing “Attention” for the first time on Japanese TV show. “Attention” is the focus track from its eponymous debut album that rolled out in August. The song topped daily chart on Melon, the largest music platform in Korea, for 18 days. It generated

Dec. 21, 2022

[Herald Interview] 'It was like playing a game at first, and my world has changed': WonJeong

Even just a couple of years ago, it would have been unheard-of for 10- and 20-something social media users to shrug off a video of a young man shouting out “Mama!” in a quirky, high-pitched voice. With the meteoric rise of TikTok, WonJeong, whose real name is Seo Won-jeong, is definitely in the opportune limelight as a creator. Over the last two years, the 26-year-old has become the nation’s No. 2 TikTok creator boasting more than 50 million followers, right next to K-pop pheno

Dec. 21, 2022

‘Decision to Leave’ and 3 other Korean films invited to Palm Springs International Film Festival

Next month’s annual Palm Springs International Film Festival will feature four Korean films including Park Chan-wook’s romance thriller “Decision to Leave,” nominated for the best international feature film award. Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Broker,” July Jung’s “Next Sohee” and Kim Jung-eun’s “Gyeong-ah’s Daughter” are among the 134 films from 64 countries that will be shown during the 34th edition of the 10-day festiv

Dec. 21, 2022

In a sign of recovery, SAC New Year's Eve Concert returns

The Seoul Arts Center’s New Year’s Eve concert is scheduled to return Dec. 31, the first time that the concert that marks the end of the year for many classical music lovers will be back on the stage since the last three years prior. Conductor Hong Seok-won, the artistic director of the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra, will lead the Korean National Symphony Orchestra for the SAC’s year-end concert, an annual tradition that started in 1994. Joining onstage are pianist Shin Chang-yong

Dec. 21, 2022

Twice to drop new English single in January, album in March

Twice is set to kick off the new year big with a new English song and a mini album. JYP Entertainment on Wednesday announced Twice will drop a new English song in January, before making an official comeback in March with its 12th Korean mini album. The English single will be a pre-release from the upcoming album, the company's announcement poster on Twice's social media showed. Hinting about the new releases were the words "Our Youth" written below Twice's name on the po

Dec. 21, 2022

Kara drops Japanese edition of 'Move Again' album

K-pop girl group Kara dropped a new album in Japan on Wednesday to mark their 15th anniversary. The Japanese-language album “Move Again” is their first album to be released in the country in seven years and six months. It carries six tracks including the lead track “When I Move” and a new track, “Queens,” exclusively unveiled in the Japanese edition of the album. Prior to the release of the Japanese-language album, the K-pop divas had made a stunning comeback

Dec. 21, 2022

Acclaimed soloists to perform with KBS Symphony Orchestra next year

KBS Symphony Orchestra and music director Pietari Inkinen unveiled a new program for the 2023 season with a list full of acclaimed soloists. The piano is at the forefront with half of the 12 regular concerts in the next season featuring internationally renowned pianists, including Van Cliburn Piano Competition-winning pianist Sunwoo Ye-kwon, Pascal Roge, Alexei Volodin and Queen Elisabeth Competition-winning Anna Vinnitskaya, Alice Sara Ott and Fazil Say. Violinist virtuoso Gidon Kremer, Japanes

Dec. 20, 2022