Rookie group Tempest soars high to achieve dreams with ‘On and On’

Rookie boy group Tempest made a speedy comeback with its third EP, “On and On,” on Tuesday. The new release marked the act’s return to the stage just three months after the release of its second EP “Shining Up” in August. The septet aims to show a strong will to achieve its dreams through the latest EP, the band’s leader Lew said at a press showcase event held at Sungshin Women's University in Seoul ahead of the EP’s release at 6 p.m. “Listene

Nov. 22, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ music video surpasses 1.6b views

The music video for BTS’ “Dynamite” reached 1.6 billion views on YouTube, label Big Hit Music said Tuesday. It became the band’s second video to reach the milestone, after that of “Boy With Luv (Feat. Halsey).” “Dynamite,” which came out in August 2020 as the septet’s first English-language song, made K-pop history when it topped Billboard’s Hot 100 shortly after its release. The disco pop single stayed atop the chart for three weeks a

Nov. 22, 2022

‘King’s Affection’ wins International Emmy

Public broadcaster KBS announced that its romance series “The King’s Affection,” locally known as “Yeonmo,” won an award at this year’s International Emmy Awards, held Monday in New York. According to the nominations announced by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the series that aired last year was listed in the category for best telenovela, which recognizes excellence in telenovelas produced and initially aired outside of the US. &l

Nov. 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Director believes 'Somebody' is more than a crime thriller

From a serial killer’s ruthless murders to terrified victims not knowing what to do, Netflix’s latest Korean original series “Somebody” offers everything one might expect to see in a frightening thriller series. Yet, director Jung Ji-woo says he really created a melodrama that looks a lot like a suspense thriller. "Somebody" presents a story about a dating app developer Kim Sum (played by Kang Hae-lim), who wishes to find someone who can truly understand her. Sh

Nov. 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Musician Yang Bang-ean aims for another peak after marking 25th anniversary

Yang Bang-ean, a composer, pianist and producer born and based in Japan who holds Korean citizenship, frequently used the words “development” or “evolution” when answering reporters' questions on Monday. When he decided to rearrange “Echoes,” which he composed in the early 2000s, for his new album, it was because he “had to develop further this personally important piece.” The 62-year-old also said he wants daily evolution and to keep showin

Nov. 21, 2022

Can sequels replicate the success of hit originals?

December will see a host of series looking to repeat the popularity of their previous seasons once again with the launch of their second seasons. Netflix’s “Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area Part 2” is one of the two projects that are expected to heat up the clash of drama series. The crime thriller, whose first part was released in June, in the upcoming season, presents the stories of the individual gang members and the intense tension between the group of thiev

Nov. 21, 2022

[Herald Interview] Eyeing immortality, TransFixion puts out another soccer anthem

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Qatar on Sunday, South Korea united to cheer for the national team, chanting and singing songs together. Local artists release World Cup-themed songs every season to add to the festive spirit. “For Victory” and “The Shouts of Reds” are among the popular cheering songs released by veteran modern rock band TransFixion. “We went on a hiatus for about four years after releasing our debut album ‘Come Back to Me' in 2002

Nov. 21, 2022

[Exclusive] Monsta X’s Jooheon to make acting debut through global project ‘Lost in America’

Jooheon, the rapper and music producer of boy band Monsta X, will make his acting debut through CJ ENM's global project. An industry insider told The Korea Herald on Monday that the rapper has been cast in CJ ENM's "Lost in America" as a K-pop idol who speaks fluent English and that he’s currently preparing for the role. The film revolves around the story of a Korean boy group that heads to New York for its debut but ends up stranded in Texas with no money and mobile ph

Nov. 21, 2022

BTS' Jungkook unveils new song 'Dreamers' at Qatar World Cup

The 2022 Qatar World Cup kicked off Sunday with K-pop super-band BTS' member Jungkook unveiling a new tournament song during the opening ceremony. As the first South Korean singer to release a song for a World Cup soundtrack, Jungkook performed "Dreamers" live during the opening ceremony at Al-Bayt Stadium in Qatar. The song's feature artist Fahad Al Kubaisi performed with Jungkook on Sunday. The seven-act ceremony lasted around half an hour, paying tribute to the 32 partic

Nov. 21, 2022

[Herald Review] With joy and happiness, Eric Nam reunites with Korean fans after 4 years

A stage decorated like a flamboyant broadway set that radiated blue lights with a live band session -- drums, bass and a guitar -- welcomed singer-songwriter Eric Nam’s fans in Seoul on Sunday. A series of pop tunes, including Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” and Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” came out from the speakers before the concert started, hyping up the first crowd here to meet the singer in concert in nearly four years. And as the clock struck 7:04

Nov. 21, 2022

[World Cup] BTS star Jungkook unveils new single to kick off 2022 World Cup

The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Sunday with BTS star Jungkook performing a new single in an opening ceremony built on a message of inclusion and diversity. Jungkook, a member of the award-winning K-pop group, performed the song "Dreamers" with Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, some 50 kilometers north of Doha. "Dreamers," produced by Grammy Award winner RedOne at Katara Studios in Doha, is the latest single off the official World Cup soundtra

Nov. 21, 2022

School bullying scandal-ridden Shim Eun-woo returns with horror film ‘Seire’

First time after the school bullying scandal broke out in March last year, Korean actor Shim Eun-woo is returning to the big screen with the horror film "Seire" directed by Park Kang. During the press conference for the new film held at CGV Yongsan on Thursday, Shim talked about making her return. “All of us, including the director, actors, and staff had focused on this project while shooting. I am glad we are releasing the film so many people can get a chance to watch it,&rd

Nov. 20, 2022

Passing the baton: Workshops to help future conductors take the stage

David Reiland, the Artistic Director of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra, stands next to Ahn Yeo-ryeong, one of the four up-and-coming conductors selected for a workshop organized by the orchestra. Ahn conducts Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor in front of Reiland and a group of audience members who keenly observed the interaction between the two conductors as well as with the orchestra. Ahn shows conspicuous movements and expressions, to which the Luxembourgian conductor who has bee

Nov. 20, 2022

'Sexy but kind': Bibi shrugs off the censors

Bibi is truly a one-of-a-kind musician in K-pop, especially as a young female artist who speaks through her music about raw emotions that are not often publicly discussed. With her debut LP "Lowlife Princess -- Noir," dropped Friday afternoon, Bibi has set herself out as a singer who won't compromise on self expression. On Friday morning, Bibi invited media to a cinema in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, and premiered the three new music videos from her first full-length album, which were u

Nov. 20, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin sets record selling 1m copies of 1st solo album

The first solo EP from BTS’ Jin sold more than 1 million units, a first for a single from a solo K-pop musician. “The Astronaut” was rolled out in October and sold over 770,000 copies in its first week, a record for a solo single. It entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 51 and topped its world digital song sales chart. It was No. 1 on the iTunes chart in 103 regions in total, the artist’s third solo song to achieve the feat. In UK, the EP debuted on Official Singles

Nov. 18, 2022

Choi Soo-young hopes to warm viewers heart with ‘Please Send Me a Fan Letter’

A member of a top idol group and a successful actor with several hit drama series, Choi Soo-young -- widely known as Sooyoung of girl group Girls’ Generation -- is no stranger to the life of a celebrity. However, playing a popular celebrity named Han Kang-hee was not the only reason she decided to star in the MBC rom-com “Please Send Me a Fan Letter.” “Of course, I could relate to many things in the series and to my character Kang-hee. But I felt that our series present

Nov. 18, 2022

[Exclusive] Multinational Asian stars collab to show 'One Asia'

Presenting Asia as it is. This simple yet determining idea is what brought together a number of superstars from across Asia to work together on an ambitious project. “Seeing hate against Asians escalate after the pandemic, I thought it’s time we bring such issues to the table. Asian communities should play leading roles in shaping the definition around Asia,” Director Lee Jung-sub said during an exclusive interview with the Korea Herald in early November ahead of the release of

Nov. 18, 2022

[Graphic News] Lee Jung-jae cast for Star Wars series

　Smash-hit Netflix series “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-jae will star in “The Acolyte,” an upcoming Star Wars series to be streamed on Disney +, according to production company Lucasfilm. 　“The Acolyte” is a mystery thriller written and directed by Leslye Headland for Disney+ and has begun production in Britain, Lucasfilm said in a release posted on its website. 　Among other main cast members are Amandla Stenberg of “The Hate U Give,” Manny Jacint

Nov. 18, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids’ 7th EP sells 3m copies

The seventh EP from Stray Kids has sold over 3 million copies, the group's label JYP Entertainment announced on Thursday. “Maxident” reached the milestone one month after its release, and the band became the second K-pop act to ever reach the figure, after BTS. The EP topped the Billboard 200, marking the eight-member act’s second time reaching the top of the chart. It has remained on the chart for five weeks. The band held two concerts in Jakarta, Indonesia, last weekend and

Nov. 17, 2022

[Herald Interview] Sarah Brightman returns with Christmas concert after six years

Returning to Korea after about six years, Sarah Brightman, the most commercially successful soprano in the world, will take the stage with her greatest hits and personal holiday favorites to warm the hearts of Korean fans. The iconic soprano is set to perform at KBS Arena, located in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, on Dec. 3, as part of her world tour of “A Christmas Symphony,” which she kicked off last year in the US. “I am very excited to be coming back to Korea with my ‘A C

Nov. 17, 2022