[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen marks 7th anniversary with donation to UNESCO

　 Seventeen made a donation to UNESCO to mark its seventh anniversary of debut, said the organization’s Korean National Commission on Thursday. 　 The contribution will help support underprivileged children and youths in Asia and Africa to receive education, through the commission’s global education program. 　 The band said through a statement that they were more than pleased to be able to participate in such a significant program in time for the anniversary, adding that it is a sma

May 26, 2022

[Herald Interview] BTS a ‘wonderful musical companion’ : Big Hit Music producer Pdogg

K-pop has become one of the most popular music genres in the global music scene, thanks to local artists’ active promotion of their songs. Seven-piece boy band BTS is one of the biggest music sensations in K-pop history, dominating global music charts and awards with its megahits. “Butter,” “Spring Day,” “Blood, Sweat and Tears,” “Fake Love” and ”Dynamite” are but a few of BTS’ songs that are well recognized around the wor

May 26, 2022

Disney+ is ready to bring smile to your face with ‘Kiss Sixth Sense’

US-based content giant Disney+ is seeking to make its name in the South Korean streaming scene with the enchanting, fantastical rom-com “Kiss Sixth Sense.” “I really enjoyed the original web novel. From the storylines to the love triangle of the lead characters, every scene was lovely and charming. I am certain that the viewers will enjoy the series along with the warm weather and pleasant spring breeze,” director Nam Ki-hoon said in an online press conference Wednesda

May 26, 2022

Korean web-based comics make presence known in world

While webtoon-based Korean films and TV series have risen as a tried-and-true source of fresh ideas for creators throughout the world, a growing number of Korean digital comics are making their own presence felt on the global stage. "Navillera: Like a Butterfly," written by Hun and Jimmy and published by Kakao Entertainment, was nominated for the Best Webcomic section at this year's Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, or Eisner Awards for short. The four other nominees are "Ba

May 26, 2022

'The Roundup' becomes most-watched Korean film in pandemic era

The action comedy "The Roundup" has become the most-watched Korean film in the pandemic era, box-office data showed Thursday. The sequel to the 2017 hit comedy "The Outlaws" garnered 342,000 people Wednesday, bringing its combined total to 4.51 million, according to the Korean Film Council. It surpassed the attendance record of the previous No. 1 pandemic-era hit "Deliver Us from Evil," which was released in August 2020 and posted 4.35 million in attendance. Starrin

May 26, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] GOT7 tops iTunes chart in 95 regions with namesake EP

GOT7 proved itself strong placing its eponymous EP on iTunes top albums chart in 95 regions. 　 It became the second K-pop artist ever to rank No. 1 on iTunes top albums chart in more than 90 regions. 　 Focus track “Nanana” landed atop the top songs chart in 71 regions. 　 The seven bandmates reunited to put together the album about 1 1/2 years since they split off into different agencies when their seven-year contract with JYP Entertainment expired. They, however, have insisted th

May 25, 2022

Pink Sweat$ counts on ‘big energy’ at first performance in Korea as Seoul Jazz Festival’s headliner

American R&B singer-songwriter Pink Sweat$, who is set to meet his fans in Korea for the first time, said that he expects to see some “big energy” from the audience. In a press conference held on Wednesday at InterContinental Seoul Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, the artist expressed his excitement for the upcoming Seoul Jazz Festival, which is set to run Friday to Sunday. The first thing the musician said as soon as he walked into the venue was “thank you” in K

May 25, 2022

Kakao Entertainment webtoon 'Navillera' vies for 2022 Eisner Awards

South Korean webtoon “Navillera” will be competing in the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, Kakao Entertainment announced Wednesday. According to the company, “Navillera” has been nominated in the best webcomic category alongside “Batman: Wayne Family Adventures” by CRC Payne and StarBite, “Isle of Elsi” by Alec Longstreth, “Lore Olympus” by Rachel Smythe and “Unmasked” by Breri and Nuitt. Named after Will Eisner, a pion

May 25, 2022

Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Leave' draws favorable media reviews at Cannes

South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook's latest feature film, "Decision to Leave," has attracted high scores and favorable reviews from foreign news media following its premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival earlier this week. Screen Daily, British film magazine Screen International's daily magazine for the film festival, reported Tuesday (French time) that the Korean film took an average score of 3.2 out of 4, the highest score yet on its Cannes jury grid for this

May 25, 2022

[Video] Why I left everything behind to do stand-up comedy in Spain

What makes your heart beat? Would you give up your stable life for something adventurous? For Kim Byung-sun, the first-ever Korean comedian to stage Spain’s Got Talent, it’s not a matter of question. “Life itself is already rocky and unstable. Better just enjoy it!” Now a YouTuber with over 630 thousand followers, he gave up everything he had and went to Spain, a completely foreign country to do standup comedy. Come and be inspired by his story! Video by Team Konnect K

May 25, 2022

Lightsum returns as performance queens with first EP ‘Into the Light’

Eight-piece girl group Lightsum returned to the stage Tuesday with the act’s first EP “Into the Light,” ready to set the stage on fire with their upgraded performances. Lightsum, consisting of members Sangah, Chowon, Huiyeon, Nayoung, Yugeong, Hina, Jian and Juhyeon, conducted a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, several hours before dropping the album. Having debuted in July 2021 under Cube Entertainment amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the group’s first in-perso

May 24, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT sets record on Oricon chart with 4th EP

Tomorrow X Together topped Oricon’s weekly album chart for next week with its fourth EP. 　 The boy band became the first international artist to put six consecutive albums on the chart, according to an Oricon report published Tuesday. 　 EP “minisode 2: Thursday’s Child” headed straight to the top of its daily album chart. It entered Billboard 200 at No. 4 and topped iTunes’ top albums chart in 43 regions. The EP also is the band’s first million-selling albu

May 24, 2022

Ballet Festival Korea returns despite lack of funding

The 12th edition of Ballet Festival Korea will be held with 26 performances in June, the organizing committee said Tuesday, with Seoul Arts Center as the co-organizer. Under the theme of “Open Up the New Ordinary Days,” the festival will showcase old and new ballet productions by both established and emerging dancers from June 9-29. Some of the highlights include the opening performance, “Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven,” a 2015 production by M Ballet Company,

May 24, 2022

Mnet to launch dance programs to promote globalization of ‘K-dance’

South Korean cable music channel Mnet will launch a series of dance programs throughout the year to pave the way for globalizing “K-dance” with the producers of last year’s hit dance competition show “Street Woman Fighter.” Starting with “Be Mbitious,” which is slated to air at 10:20 p.m. on Tuesdays, the cable channel is planning on broadcasting “Anybody Can Dance” and “Street Man Fighter,” the programs’ producers said in

May 24, 2022

‘The Roundup’ director on overcoming hardships while filming in Vietnam amid COVID-19

For “The Roundup” director Lee Sang-yong, filming a movie amid the COVID-19 pandemic was an experience he will not until the day he dies. “We visited Vietnam for the first time in September 2019. We searched for locations to shoot the film and also finished casting Vietnamese actors. We planned to start shooting there at the end of February 2020. So a week before that, part of our team went to Vietnam. Actor So Suk-ku was also there, but we soon heard from the consulate that

May 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kassy says love has two meanings: affection and breakup

Love can mean different things to different people, according to singer-songwriter Kassy. “Love could mean two things for people according to what kind of relationship they are in. If they are really into someone, then you would gravitate toward love. But if your love has died, then love could mean breaking up,” the musician said, describing her latest digital double single album, “Love & Hate.” The two-song package released Thursday marks a return for the solois

May 24, 2022

K-pop agencies have a denial problem when it comes to bullying scandals: experts

Less than a month after making her debut, Kim Ga-ram of rookie girl group Le Sserafim halted all her activities as bullying allegations against her escalated. On May 20, the sextet’s management company Source Music announced the singer’s temporary suspension via the group’s fan community platform Weverse. “After discussing with Kim Ga-ram, she will take a break to ease her mind. ... Le Sserafim will continue its activities as a five-piece act until she returns,&rdquo

May 24, 2022

Park Chan-wook returns to Cannes with romance 'Decision to Leave'

CANNES -- South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook has said that his latest Cannes-competing feature "Decision to Leave" is a precocious romance that is not as intense as his previous revenge-themed works, like "Oldboy" (2003), but is one that he really wanted to make. "Decision to Leave," which premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Monday (French time) as one of the in-competition films of the festival, is about a police detective who falls in love with a woman s

May 24, 2022

Gurzenich Orchester Koln returns to Korea with Clara-Jumi Kang

Gurzenich Orchester Koln will be performing in South Korea for the first time in five years, this time with violinist Clara-Jumi Kang as the soloist, according to production company Vincero. Led by conductor Francois-Xavier Roth who has helmed the orchestra since 2015, the 195-year-old orchestra will perform at Seoul Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on July 8. Outside of Seoul, the team will bring the same program to Andong Culture and Arts Center in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province on July 7. Th

May 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Composer Paul Chihara on new viola concerto inspired by Arirang and Richard Yongjae O‘Neill

On Thursday and Friday, beloved violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill performed with his usual gusto for Korean audiences. Under the baton of music director and conductor Osmo Vanska, O’Neill and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra performed Sibelius’ Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63. What made these concerts particularly significant was his rendition of Paul Chihara’s “Concerto for Viola and Orchestra: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Hero.” The piece was uniq

May 24, 2022