[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen’s 12th EP sells 2 million in 1 day

Seventeen’s 12th EP sold more than 2.49 million copies on its release day, agency Pledis Entertainment said Tuesday, citing a local tally. The EP “Spill The Feels” was released Monday and became an instant double million-seller, as did the group's previous compilation album “17 Is Right Here” in April. The new mini album debuted atop the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 18 regions and the main track “Love, Money, Fame (feat. DJ Khaled)” claimed the No.

Oct. 15, 2024

[Herald Interview] ‘Uprising’ director Kim Sang-man sees social ranks still around today

Director Kim Sang-man, whose last film was 2004’s “The Tenor - Lirico Spinto,” was hesitant at first to make a period action flick set in Joseon (1392-1910). He said it was because of the massive amount of historical evidence and ancient records he would have to reference, which might have limited his creativity when directing. What, then, led him to direct the period action film “Uprising”? The film, which follows the friendship, fate and rebellion of a young maste

Oct. 15, 2024

Vigilantism on YouTube: For justice or for views?

Today, YouTube exerts an equal or possibly greater influence over young audiences than traditional broadcasters, yet there is a lack of oversight concerning illegal content, including acts of vigilantism. The spread of such videos, crime experts caution, could result in dangerous outcomes, underscoring the need for authorities to ramp up efforts to curb the streaming of such content. Three weeks ago, a huge uproar ensued when a man in his 30s died when his car crashed into a parked trailer truck

Oct. 15, 2024

'Culinary Class Wars' to return with season 2

Netflix Korea’s megahit entertainment show “Culinary Class Wars” will return with a second season, Netflix said Tuesday. The streaming giant unveiled plans to release a new season in the latter half of 2025. Details regarding the concept, participants and filming schedule have yet to be finalized, according to the producers of the series. However, one creator of "Culinary Class Wars" said the show is hoping to invite celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay for the second season.

Oct. 15, 2024

BTS Jin to drop solo album 'Happy'

Jin of K-pop sensation BTS will release his first solo album next month. "Happy" will drop at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, the singer's agency Big Hit Music announced through the fan community platform Weverse. According to the agency, the upcoming album will convey the message of embarking on a journey to find happiness together. Jin will share his candid thoughts on happiness while expressing his warm feelings towards fans. "Happy" will feature six songs in various genres, all b

Oct. 15, 2024

SHINee’s Minho to release 1st solo LP ‘Call Back’ next month

Minho of the legendary K-pop boy group SHINee will return to the music scene with his first solo LP on Nov. 4. According to SM Entertainment, the LP “Call Back” carries a total of 10 tracks led by the titular track “Call Back.” Through his first solo release in two years, Minho hopes to prove the expansion of his musical spectrum and perform in a way he has never done before. Minho made a successful debut as a solo artist with his first EP “Chase” in December

Oct. 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin to drop solo album next month: report

Jin of BTS will roll out a solo album in November, according to a local media report Monday. Big Hit Music confirmed the news but did not specify a date. The artist dropped the digital single “Super Tuna” last week, adding a second verse to the original song from 2021. The single topped the iTunes Top Songs Chart in 57 regions and landed atop Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales Chart, as did the original song in 2022. His first official solo music was the single “The Ast

Oct. 14, 2024

No more ticket wars. Concert, musical films head to multiplex cinemas

Booking tickets online for a K-pop idol concert or a top-selling musical show, which sell out in several minutes or even seconds, is stressful. The high ticket prices, hovering above 100,000 won per ticket, are also agonizing. But at multiplex cinemas here, you can enjoy the exact same concert or musical on a large screen right in front of you and on an even-better sound system at just one-third of the price. In recent years, local multiplex cinema chains CGV and Megabox have been screening conc

Oct. 14, 2024

Enjoy jazz amid the falling leaves

As autumn settles in, jazz festivals are filling the calendars. Perhaps it was Nat King Cole crooning "the autumn leaves of red and gold" in his velvety voice, that forever tied fall with jazz.: As cooler temperatures settle in, jazz festivals fill the brief autumn season. Since its inception in 2004, the annual Jarasum Jazz Festival has been lighting up Korea's autumn. This year, 19 international and 17 Korean artists will be performing at the festival held at Jaraseom in Gapyeon

Oct. 14, 2024

[Herald Review] Seventeen showcases new songs in world tour ‘Right Here’

K-pop sensation Seventeen launched their world tour, “Right Here,” with two spectacular concerts at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. The event came just five months after their Asia tour, “Follow Again,” concluded in May. Drawing a crowd of approximately 58,000 fans to the stadium over two days, the concerts also attracted viewers from 107 countries through livestreaming on Weverse, an online platform for concert streaming. The concert kicked off with “Fear,&rdq

Oct. 14, 2024

Pressured by fans, troubled singer Seunghan leaves Riize for good

Just two days after announcing the he was rejoining K-pop act Riize, Seunghan on Monday said he is leaving the group for good. The decision comes following a heated response from within the group's fan community, known as Briize, over his return. Wizard Production, SM Entertainment’s production team in charge of Riize, released an official statement signed by directors Kim Hyeong-guk and Lee Sang-min in which they apologized for the confusion caused by the announcement of Seunghan&rsq

Oct. 14, 2024

CN Blue returns to pure band sound with “X”

Although it has been 14 years since its debut, this year marks “another beginning” for CN Blue with the trio's contemplative 10th mini-album, "X." Although it is the band's 10th album, band leader and vocalist Yong-hwa feels as nervous and excited as when the band debuted each time a new album is released. “At the same time, I still feel the fire alive inside me,” he said in an interview with a group of reporters on Oct. 7 in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The

Oct. 14, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Jung-nyeon''s TV debut brings fresh take with cast straight out of webtoon

The highly anticipated series "Jung-nyeon," which aired its first two episodes on Saturday and Sunday, is the first Korean drama to delve into the world of "gukgeuk" -- a type of performance art that took Korea by storm in the 1950s -- with a cast which appears to have been plucked directly from the original webtoon. Set in 1950s Korea, "Jung-nyeon" follows the titular character as she pursues fame as a gukgeuk artist—a female performer skilled in pansori, a

Oct. 14, 2024

Busan film fest ends with lingering controversy over streaming platform presence

The 29th Busan International Film Festival ended Friday after a 10-day run during which it hosted 145,238 guests and screened 224 films from 63 countries. The BIFF organizers said the seat occupancy rate at its 28 screens in seven Busan theaters reached 84 percent, a slight increase over last year's 82 percent. This marks the highest seat occupancy in the festival’s history, surpassing even the pre-pandemic years when it featured more than 300 films. This year’s New Currents Awa

Oct. 13, 2024

K-pop song once recommended by Nobel laureate Han Kang returns to music charts

Han Kang, who made history by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, is now also influencing the music scene. According to major local music platform Melon, K-pop sibling duo AKMU’s “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love,” which Han Kang had previously recommended, has made a resurgence on Melon’s Top 100 and Daily charts. As of Sunday, the song climbed to No. 43 on Melon’s Top 100 and No. 27 on the Daily chart. "How Can I Love the Heartbre

Oct. 13, 2024

Riize speaks out on Seunghan’s return

Riize’s Wonbin asked for fans' support and understanding regarding suspended member Seunghan's return to the team. “I’ve decided to share my thoughts on Seunghan’s return to prevent more confusion to Briize (fandom name),” Wonbin took to the fan community platform Weverse on Sunday to share. “We’ve had many discussions with Seunghan and the company (SM Entertainment) over a long period. Please understand that the members have been deeply contem

Oct. 13, 2024

Jennie tops iTunes charts in 47 countries with 'Mantra'

K-pop star Jennie has topped iTunes charts in 47 countries, including the United States, with her latest release, "Mantra," her agency said Saturday. The Blackpink member's new digital single, released Friday, claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes' Top Songs charts across various nations, such as Brazil, Singapore, the Philippines and Mexico, as of 9 a.m. the following day. With this, she became the first K-pop female soloist to top the chart in the US this year, according to OA E

Oct. 12, 2024

'Heavy Snow,' Han So-hee's big screen debut, examines stereotypes of beauty

"Heavy Snow," exploring a fragile yet beautiful romance budding between two friends, examines societal perceptions faced by those with striking physical beauty. “Heavy Snow” follows aspiring actor Soo-ahn (Han Hae-in) as she falls in love with her beautiful schoolmate, popular teen actor Yoon-seol (Han So-hee). Riding high on its artistic qualities, the film has been invited to a number of domestic and international film festivals, including the Jeonju International Film Fe

Oct. 11, 2024

Former Ador CEO gains ground in legal battle with Hybe, as whistleblower reveals plagiarism evidence

The ongoing legal conflict between Min Hee-jin, former CEO of Ador, and Hybe has taken another turn, as an internal whistleblower provided new evidence for the accusation that Illit, a rookie K-pop girl group under Belift Lab, plagiarized the concept of NewJeans. The evidence was revealed in a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Friday. Belift Lab is a sister company of Ador, as both are subsidiaries of Hybe. New evidence has surfaced concerning Illit’s alleged imitation o

Oct. 11, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Riize’s Seunghan to rejoin next month

Seunghan of Riize will return and the band will reorganize as a seven-member act from November, said label SM Entertainment Friday. The management company broached the subject with a lengthy statement, telling fans how the band was originally planned as a septet and how deeply repentant he has been. Seunghan suspended activities about a year ago after a series of scandals followed him from debut. After the announcement, he uploaded a handwritten letter apologizing again for letting fans and ba

Oct. 11, 2024