Trendy rapper Zico returns with 4th EP ‘Grown Ass Kid’

The season of upbeat music has arrived, and rappers are known to save their strongest material for summer, Zico made his grand return with his 4th EP, “Grown Ass Kid,” released Wednesday evening. This marks the solo artist‘s return nearly two years since he last released his “Random Box” in July 2020. It’s also his first material after officially being discharged from his mandatory military service in April this year. Zico dropped “Grown Ass Kid&rdq

Aug. 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen’s repackage album enters Billboard 200 at No. 4

Seventeen’s repackaged fourth LP hit Billboard 200 at No. 4, according to Billboard’s preview of the forthcoming chart that came out Sunday in the US. 　 The reissue of “Sector 17” is the 13-member act’s highest-charting album so far. Its 4th LP “Face The Sun” reached No. 7 in June and has remained on the chart for seven consecutive weeks. 　 The repackaged album sold over 1.12 million copies in its first week, becoming the band’s seventh million-

Aug. 1, 2022

Hybe indie label Ador launches first group NewJeans

NewJeans, the first girl group from Ador, an independent label under K-pop powerhouse Hybe, threw its glitzy hat into the ring with its namesake debut album on Monday. Hybe is the multi-label entertainment company home to several big-name K-pop labels, including Big Hit Music, the label behind superstars BTS. Brought together by Ador’s CEO and head producer Min Hee-Jin, NewJeans released its debut digital album “New Jeans” on Monday evening. As the name suggests, the band&

Aug. 1, 2022

Marking 25th anniversary, SIDance 2022 to bring dancers to Seoul

  The 25th edition of the Seoul International Dance Festival will feature 34 domestic and overseas dance companies from nine countries from Sept. 14, the organizer said Sunday. The SIDance festival, organized by the Seoul Section of the UNESCO International Dance Council, will take place at four locations in Seoul -- Seoul Arts Center, Sogang University, Seoul Namsan Guakdang and Oil Tank Culture Park -- for 19 days. The festival will kick off with “Hauntology” presented b

Aug. 1, 2022

Stray Kids releases new digital single

K-pop group Stray Kids put out its new digital single, titled "Mixtape: Time Out," on Monday, the group's agency said. "Aug. 1 is a meaningful day, when the name of the band's fandom 'Stay' was made, so the band prepared a surprise present to celebrate the fandom's birthday," JYP Entertainment said. "Mixtape: Time Out," released at midnight, is a rock genre song written by the members based on their experience from their latest trip to Gangw

Aug. 1, 2022

Seventeen lands at No. 4 on Billboard main albums chart

The latest repackage album from Seventeen has come in fourth on the US Billboard's main albums chart, becoming the band's highest-charting album. "Sector 17" was fourth on the Billboard 200, selling 34,000 equivalent album units, Billboard said Sunday (US time) in a preview of the upcoming chart. The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales and other digital sales records.

Aug. 1, 2022

[Herald Interview] UKiss’ Soohyun is hopeful a group activity is in store this year

It took Soohyun of UKiss years to drop his first solo EP, “Count on Me,” and the 33-year-old artist views the album as an achievement he’s made thanks to the help of many others. Soohyun’s first album has taken a great weight off of his shoulders and is packed with feel-good rock melodies bursting with jovial energy, which is exactly the spirit he hoped to share with the world as part of his first set of songs released under his new label. Soohyun -- along with two ot

Aug. 1, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Kang Daniel ready to tap into Japan

Kang Daniel has set his eyes on Japan, and will give fans a taste of his music with a single soon before releasing an EP. 　 He joined hands with Warner Music Japan in June and will drop the single “TPIR (feat. Miyavi)” first on Aug. 17, a collaborative work with Japanese guitarist Miyavi. The song will be a pre-release from his upcoming EP “Joy Ride.” 　 The EP will be his first album to come out in Japan, and consists of six tracks. They will be Japanese language versi

July 29, 2022

Kim Sun-wook to lead SPO in Gwanghwamun Square concert marking Liberation Day

Marking the 77th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day on Aug. 15., Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a special concert at Gwanghwamun Square on Aug. 14. Pianist and conductor Kim Sun-wook lead the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in the concert hosted by the Seoul City. The World Vision Korea Children’s Choir and Forte di Quattro will join the orchestra onstage for the concert that starts at 7:30 p.m. The program consists of works by Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Dvorak, as well as pop

July 29, 2022

Lee Jung-jae’s 'Hunt' to screen at TIFF 2022

Top actor Lee Jung-jae’s espionage action film “Hunt” will be screened at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, Lee’s agency Artist Company announced in a press release Friday. As the world’s largest public film festival, TIFF presents over 100 films in different sections based on genre and format, including Contemporary World Cinema, TIFF Docs and Discovery, among 10 other categories. “Hunt” has been selected for the Gala Prese

July 29, 2022

Marvel’s Korean superheroes assemble in ‘Tiger Division’

Marvel Comics’ Korean superhero squad will take center stage in their first solo series, “Tiger Division,” set to be released on Nov. 3. Marvel announced a five-issue limited series for “Tiger Division” last week at San Diego Comic-Con. The seven Korean superheroes are: Taeguekgi, the powerful patriot with a heart of gold; White Fox, a character based on the nine-tailed fox legend; K-pop star Luna Snow; mysterious sorceress Lady Bright; street-brawling demigod Mr

July 29, 2022

BTS’ J-Hope to make history as first K-pop headliner at Lollapalooza 2022

J-Hope of K-pop sensation BTS will make history as the first Korean musician to take the main stage at Lollapalooza, an annual four-day music festival held in Chicago’s Grand Park. He is scheduled to perform as the main headliner on Sunday (US time). This year’s Lollapalooza kicked off on Thursday at noon, with some 170 big-name artists set to perform on eight different stages. J-Hope will perform onstage between 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. (US time) on the last day of the rock festival. A

July 29, 2022

Two Korean films invited to Toronto film fest

Two directorial debut films of South Korean star actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung have been invited to this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the films' distributors here said Friday. According to Megabox Plus M, the espionage film "Hunt," written and directed by "Squid Game" star Lee, will be presented at the Gala Presentations section at the 47th TIFF slated for Sept. 8-18. Starring Lee and Jung, "Hunt" is a story about two rival in

July 29, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Hansan: Rising Dragon (Korea) Opened July 27 War Directed by Kim Han-min In 1592, Joseon loses its capital city, Hanyang, to Japan in just 15 days after Japan invaded the country, starting a six-year war known as the Imjin War. In a series of defeats, the Korean forces are on the verge of collapse and King Sunjo flees from the capital. While the Japanese navy gathers a large-scale force around Busan, Adm. Yi Sun-sin (Park Hae-il) prepares for a battle to turn the tide of war. Minions: The

July 29, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez challenges itself with new EP

Ateez held a media showcase to bring out a new album in Seoul Thursday. 　 The EP “The World Ep. 1: Movement” is the beginning of a new series, said Mingi, and aims to awake people who feel like they are repeating an endless rounds of routine. 　 It also is a challenge for the bandmates as they tried a new style in terms of music, said Yeosang. The seven-track EP includes focus track “Guerrilla” that features psychedelic sounds. 　 “To many, Ateez signifies strong

July 28, 2022

TO1 return as funky drummers with 3rd EP ‘Why Not??’

K-pop boy band TO1 on Thursday dropped its 3rd EP “Why Not??,” marking its return to the music scene after eight months. TO1 is a nine-piece multinational K-pop group consisting of Dong-geon, Chan, Ji-su, Jae-yun, J.You, Kyung-ho, Daigo, Renta and Yeo-jeong. This is its first album with three new members -- Daigo, Renta and Yeo-jeong -- who joined the group last year. After dropping the new album, the group conducted a press conference in Seoul on Thursday afternoon to discuss i

July 28, 2022

KBS2’s ‘Listen-Up’: Fierce competition for top music producers to take over song charts

Television network KBS2’s upcoming K-pop producer battle program “Listen-Up” is set to premiere on Saturday at 10:35 p.m., with a group of local music producers competing to make new songs that can take over the top charts on music streaming services. The program will feature 10 producer teams -- Ryan Jhun, Paloalto, JungKey, Peakboy, Kim Seung-soo, Pateko, Doko, Las, AB6IX‘s Lee Dae-hwi, BIG Naughty -- while hip-hop act Dynamic Duo is set to make its emcee debut. View

July 28, 2022

‘Hunt’: breathtaking gunfight, psychological warfare in lawless Korean Peninsula

Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut “Hunt,” an espionage action film, offers thrilling action scenes with seemingly unending gunfire and a heart-pounding rivalry between two intelligence agents. For some moviegoers, the long-awaited reunion of top actors Lee Jung-jae – who also stars in the film -- and Jung Woo-sung is enough to hold their expectations high for the movie. Lee seemed a little nervous when he introduced himself as a director for the first ti

July 28, 2022

[Video] Everything about India’s first K-pop idol, Sriya from Blackswan

We have been receiving many messages from our Indian viewers about how to become a K-pop idol here, so we decided to invite India’s first K-pop idol, Shreya Lenka. Shreya is about to debut with the K-pop band Blackswan as Sriya. From why she decided to debut here, to what it was like to secure that one spot competing against 4,000 applicants and her goals as a K-pop idol, Shreya shared with us her Korea journey! Park Sun-yeong, Kim Su-hyeon and Lee Ji-min contributed to this report. By K

July 28, 2022

IU to hold concerts at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in September

K-pop diva IU, the star of Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's first Korean-language film "Broker," will return as a singer this fall. She will hold "The Golden Hour" concerts on Sept. 17 and 18 at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul, her agency, EDAM Entertainment said Thursday. It marks her first concerts in three years since the "Love, Poem" shows held in four South Korean cities and six other Asian countries in 2019. She will be the first female

July 28, 2022