BTS snatches sixth No. 1 debut on Billboard 200 with 'Proof'

BTS' new album, "Proof," has topped the US Billboard's main albums chart for this week, becoming the sixth chart-topper from the South Korean group, the chart's operator said. The anthology album landed atop the Billboard 200 by earning 314,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending June 16, Billboard said Sunday (US time). "The overwhelming majority of that unit figure was driven by CD album sales," it added. Billboard 200 ranks the mos

June 20, 2022

[Newsmaker] South Korean pianist Lim Yun-chan becomes the youngest winner of Van Cliburn Int'l Piano Competition

Lim Yun-chan, an 18-year-old South Korean pianist, became the winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, the organizer announced Saturday. Lim, the youngest to win the competition’s gold medal, also took home two additional awards: the audience award and the best performance of a new work. Lim also won a cash prize of $100,000 for the gold medal and $7,500 for the special awards. For the next three years, he will also get substantial man

June 19, 2022

‘My Perfect Roommate’ director inspired by cohousing experiment, homeless grandma

An idea of two total strangers -- a grandmother with a spare room and a college student -- becoming a “family” might be as novel as it sounds, but it is an actual experimental room-sharing program that inspired director Lee Soon-sung for his upcoming film “My Perfect Roommate.” The room-sharing project has been running since 2013 in the northwest district of Nowon in Seoul and connects university students that are looking for a place to stay with elderly people who li

June 19, 2022

Super Junior to drop new LP next month

Long-running K-pop group Super Junior will release the first volume of its 11th full-length album next month, the group's agency said Saturday. Label SJ said the five-track "The Road: Keep on Going" will be out July 12, and will be followed by the second volume and the complete combined version later in the year. "This is a comeback album where you can feel both of Super Junior's own mature feelings and absolute charisma," the agency said in a release. Super Junior plans t

June 18, 2022

'Broker' tops 1 mln admissions

"Broker," the first Korean-language film project by Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda, surpassed 1 million admissions Saturday, the movie's local distributor said. The film hit the milestone at 8:30 a.m., becoming Kore-eda's first film to reach 1 million in South Korea, CJ ENM said. Released June 8, the flick was at No. 3 after "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" and "The Roundup" at the daily box office in the country Friday. Starring Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won

June 18, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie considering HBO drama: report

    Jennie of Blackpink is considering appearing in an upcoming US television series, according to local media reports on Friday. 　 She was offered a not yet specified role for “The Idol,” an HBO drama set in music industry. The series will evolve around a female pop idol who falls for a mysterious club owner who is also a modern-day cult guru. 　 The cast includes Lily Rose Depp, the female lead, and is co-created by musician The Weekend and Sam Levinson, director of

June 17, 2022

Director Lee Joon-ik to make small screen debut through Tving, Paramount+

In response to the increasing popularity of streaming platforms, numerous top movie stars have crossed over to streaming services. Big-name film directors, including Lee Joon-ik, are no exception. “I am feeling a mixed bag of emotions,” director Lee said during a Paramount+ press conference held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, central Soul, on Thursday. “I am excited and nervous to present my series to viewers on a streaming platform for the first time.” Lee, 6

June 17, 2022

Netflix orders new seasons of hit Korean originals including 'Squid Game'

Global streaming giant Netflix has recently announced its plans to renew a slew of its hit Korean-language originals, like the smash-hit survival drama "Squid Game," for more seasons in an apparent bid to gain fresh momentum as the pandemic winds down. Earlier this week, Netflix confirmed that "Squid Game" (2021) will return for a second season. It was the official announcement by the streamer of the continuation of the nine-part series that grabbed headlines in the West, alt

June 17, 2022

BTS' new album 'Proof' sold over 2.75m copies in 1st week

K-pop supergroup BTS' new album "Proof" sold over 2.75 million copies in the first week of its release, a record for all K-pop albums released so far this year, its agency said Friday. The anthology album had sold a total of 2,752,496 copies as of Friday, just a week after it became available, Big Hit Music said, citing data from Hanteo Chart, a local album sales tracker. It was the highest first-week sales of any album released this year to date and the second-highest first-week

June 17, 2022

BTS' Jungkook to release collaborative single with US singer-songwriter

Jungkook, a vocalist of K-pop giant BTS, will drop a collaborative single with US singer-songwriter Charlie Puth next Friday. Puth unveiled a video of Jungkook and him humorously discussing their plans to release "Left and Right" on TikTok on Friday. The BTS member sang a verse of the song from the left and right sides of the microphone in turn just like the song's title at the request of the American artist. In the video, Puth did not hide his big expectations for the collaborati

June 17, 2022

Singer Lee Mu-jin to drop first EP next week

Up-and-coming star Lee Mu-jin will put out his first EP since his debut four years ago, his agency said Friday. The album titled "Room Vol. 1" will hit music services next Thursday, Big Planet Made Entertainment said. The 21-year-old singer debuted in 2018 with "Sanchaek" but rose to fame only after appearing on the cable channel JTBC's music audition show "Sing Again" and finishing in third place in 2021. He later swept music charts around the country with &qu

June 17, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Witch: Part 2. The Other One (Korea) Opened June 15 Action Directed by Park Hoon-jung So-nyeo (Shin Shi-a), who possesses special powers, is the lone survivor of a secret laboratory that was attacked by intruders. After she escapes from the lab, So-nyeo meets Kyung-hee (Park Eun-bin) and saves her life. Guided by her new friend, So-nyeo learns about life outside of the lab. Meanwhile, the chase is on to capture So-nyeon. Among those hunting her are Dr. Baek (Jo Min-soo), who returns to

June 17, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Aespa’s “Savage” music video tops 200m views

The music video of aespa’s “Savage” surpassed 200 million views on YouTube as of Wednesday, according to label SM Entertainment. 　 The group now has three videos that reached the milestone, becoming the fifth K-pop girl group to achieve the feat after Blackpink, Twice, Red Velvet and Itzy. 　 “Savage” was released in October 2021 and the group’s first EP of the same title entered Billboard 200 at No. 20, only 11 months since aespa debuted. It also is a record

June 16, 2022

Yim Jae-beom finds his voice after 7 years of isolation

Veteran Korean singer Yim Jae-beom has returned to the music scene in seven years with the new song “Consolation,” through which he hopes to not only heal others but himself as well. Ahead of dropping the new song, Yim conducted a press conference on Friday afternoon to talk about the new song which marks the prologue to his newest “Seven,” album. Yim’s last musical release was his 30th anniversary album “After The Sunset: White Night“ in November 201

June 16, 2022

Paramount+ launches in S. Korea on Tving with high hopes, goals

Paramount+ landed in South Korea Thursday as a free-to-view addition to Tving, local entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM‘s subscription-based streaming platform. “It is no secret that Korean-made content is becoming one of the most important things in the world. CJ ENM and Tving are playing a crucial part,” Mark Specht, managing director for Central & Northern Europe and Asia in Paramount Global, said in a press conference held at Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, central Seou

June 16, 2022

The Blue Man Group actors invite Korean audiences for fun ride

The Blue Man Group, a nonverbal stage show that blends art, technology, music and comedy, finally returns to South Korea after a pandemic-induced delay, marking their first time back since 2008. The show “that is not meant to be taken too seriously” will provide a pleasure and fun to Korean audiences as the three bald and blue characters with a special vision explore the world without words. The Blue Man Group features three bald and blue characters, a result of an hourlong make

June 16, 2022

MBC's 'Hey! First Time in KOREA?' to return to pre-pandemic format

Terrestrial broadcaster, MBC, announced that their hit reality telivision-travel show “Hey! First Time in KOREA?” would return to its original broadcast format of a foreigner living in South Korea who invites friends from their home country to visit. Since its premiere in mid-2017, the program has invited visitors from more than 35 countries, including Germany, the US, South Africa, Finland and Nepal. In response to the travel restrictions and social distancing rules imposed during

June 16, 2022

Our goal is to remove ‘K’ from ‘K- content’: MCG founder Brian Koo

Showbox CEO Kim Do-soo held a media day event at Seoul Dragon City in Yongsan-gu, Seoul to share the company’s vision for global expansion with Silicon Valley-based investment company Maum Capital Group on Wednesday. The event came after Showbox -- one of the “big four” Korean film investment distributors -- in April announced that it had secured a 140 billion won ($108 million) in funding from MCG. The US investment firm was established last year by Koo Bon-woong, also know

June 16, 2022

BTS dismisses rumors about team disbandment

K-pop supergroup BTS flatly rejected rumors Thursday that the band is taking steps to disband itself following its recent announcement of a pause in group activities. "We'll try to show good performances either as a team or individuals," RM, the band leader, said in a post to Weverse, a K-pop fan community platform. He said he has received the most phone calls in his nine-year career since the band unveiled its plan to take a break from group activities in order to focus more on s

June 16, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen announces Asia tour plan

    Seventeen on Wednesday announced plans for the Asian leg of its upcoming world tour. 　 The band will perform seven times in September and October, in Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Singapore, said agency Pledis Entertainment. This will be an extension of the 13-member act’s North American tour that will bring it to 12 cities from Aug. 10. 　 On June 25-26, the band will perform in Seoul at Gocheok Sky Dome, launching its first overseas tour in almost 2 1/2 years. 　 Its f

June 15, 2022