Lee Jun-ho, Yoona to star in new rom-com ‘King the Land’

Singers and actors Lee Jun-ho and Yoona are set to star in an upcoming rom-com with the working title “King the Land.” According to local production company Npio Entertainment, the actors are confirmed to play the lead characters in the series and filming is scheduled to begin in the fall. While Lee plays an heir to a conglomerate, Yoona takes the role of a hotelier. Lee, who debuted as part of JYP boy band 2PM, made his name as an actor after starring in various hit series, inc

April 21, 2022

Anger mounts over tvN talk show that featured president-elect Yoon

Though cable channel tvN and President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol might each have had their own motivations for the talk show, the latest episode of “You Quiz on the Block” arguably backfired, raising growing criticisms against both the cable channel and Yoon. Hosted by the comedian duo Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho, “You Quiz on the Block” invited four guests to this week‘s episode, including Yoon. Nearly 20 minutes of the 100-minute talk show were dedicated to Yoon, who sh

April 21, 2022

Seoul Jazz Festival unveils star-studded lineup for in-person concerts

With the landmark Seoul Jazz Festival resuming in-person this year after a three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lineup of stars for this year’s festival has been unveiled. The 14th Seoul Jazz festival will be held over three days outdoors, starting May 27 at the Olympic Park’s 88 Jandi Madang in southern Seoul, according to the festival’s organizer Private Curve. It is set to feature a number of big-name artists who will come to Korea for the first time, officia

April 21, 2022

Oscar-winning Youn Yuh-jung eyes Emmy for 'Pachinko'

Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung has emerged as a key contender for an Emmy Award for her role in the drama "Pachinko," raising hopes she could be the first South Korean to win both an Oscar and an Emmy. At the Academy Awards last year, Youn was named Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the livewire grandmother role in the American immigration film "Minari" (2020), becoming the first South Korean to win an acting Oscar. About a year later, she stars in the latest Apple T

April 21, 2022

Bol4 gifts listeners with her ‘dream of Seoul’ through new EP

Singer-songwriter Bol4, whose real name is Ahn Ji-young, first moved to Seoul from her home city of Yeongju in 2014 to attend college. She officially kicked off her music career in 2016 after gaining fame through a TV audition program as a duo group. With her new EP, “Seoul,” Bol4 draws out the years of joys and sorrows of the restless years she spent in the city. “The EP ‘Seoul’ is Bol4’s Seoul. My Seoul embraces the different shades of my emotions, from t

April 20, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] TXT sells 810,000 copies of 4th EP in preorders

The upcoming EP of Tomorrow X Together sold over 816,000 copies in preorders, according to label Big Hit Music on Wednesday. 　 The preorders for the fourth EP “Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child” started only six days ago. This surpasses those of its second full album “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze” that recorded 700,000. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 5. It was the most-sold K-pop album, and the fifth-bestselling CD altogether, in the US last year, according to a Forbe

April 20, 2022

Netflix star Park Ju-hyun excited to present her first romance series

Actor Park Ju-hyun, 27, who caught local and global viewers’ attention with her portrayal of thieving high-schooler Bae Gyu-ri in Netflix’s “Extracurricular” (2020), has come back as a badminton player in “Love All Play,” a new sports romance on KBS. “I was also surprised to find that ‘Love All Play’ is my first romance drama. But, the biggest reason that I chose to star in the series was the charm of my character Park Tae-yang,” Park

April 20, 2022

In third year, aespa adds value to 2022 by eyeing global stage

Rookie girl group aespa is making headlines around the globe for one reason: The band will become the first K-pop female act to perform on Coachella’s main stage. S.M. Entertainment announced Tuesday that the quartet is performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the largest music event in the United States. Speculation of the group making its US concert debut began making rounds when the bandmates shared a few Los Angeles-related stickers on their social media, and fa

April 20, 2022

Screening of ex-justice minister documentary at Jeonju IFF sparks controversy

The Jeonju film festival organizer’s decision to screen “The Red Herring,” a documentary about the beleaguered ex-Justice Minister Cho Kuk, at the festival that kicks off next week has sparked controversy. Those who are critical of the screening and the film said that it is inappropriate to present a film that takes Cho’s side after a court found that his wife had forged documents in their daughter’s university application. “We have witnessed that films l

April 20, 2022

World-class pianists head to Korea after COVID-19 restrictions lifted

Several world-class pianists are poised to perform in Korea in the coming months, as the country returns to normalcy with most of the social distancing measures removed. The list of acclaimed pianists coming to Korea includes many familiar names, such as Maurizio Pollini, Yuja Wang and Rudolf Buchbinder. Legendary pianist Maurizio Pollini, 80, will take the stage twice in May in what would be his first recital in Korea. Also making a debut in the country is Yuja Wang, a Chinese pianist kn

April 20, 2022

Singer Cho Yong-pil likely to return with new album this year

Legendary Korean singer Cho Yong-pil is likely to release his first new album in nine years sometime this year, according to music industry sources and local media Wednesday. The 72-year-old singer has recently started working on a new album, aiming to release it within this year, according to reports. He is said to be considering various genres and concepts for the upcoming album. If Cho drops an album this year, it would be a follow-up to his 19th full-length album “Hello,” rele

April 20, 2022

Japanese pianist Yuhki Kuramoto gears up for Korea concert tour

Japanese New Age composer and pianist Yuhki Kuramoto is returning to Korea for a nationwide tour starting in May. The 70-year-old musician will kick off the tour on May 15 with a Jeongseojin Spring Classic performance in Incheon, followed by recitals in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, on May 20; Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province on May 21; Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 27; and Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, on May 28. The tour will wrap up at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul on June 5. Th

April 20, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin to collaborate with Ha Sungwoon for OST

Jimin of BTS will sing a duet with Ha Sungwoon for the soundtrack of a drama series, according to Nyamnyam Entertainment on Tuesday.     The two idols -- who are known to be friends -- teamed up for drama series “Our Blues,” which boasts an A-list cast that includes Lee Byung-heon, Cha Seung-won and real-life couple Shin Min-a and Kim Woo-bin.   　 Jimin’s soothing vocals and Ha’s captive voice struck a perfect harmony and made the song even more beau

April 19, 2022

The 11 years of Apink, and beyond

Maintaining a lengthy career or relationship for over a decade is no easy feat for anyone, but in the tumultuous showbiz industry it’s an even rarer achievement. And K-pop idol group Apink managed this, marking their 11th anniversary since debut on Tuesday, and promising yet more years together. The band dropped a new special single, “I Want You to be Happy,” at 6 p.m. Tuesday in celebration of the milestone. Just as with their past anniversaries, the song was a gift for fa

April 19, 2022

Pianist Son Yeol-eum to step down from TV show

Virtuoso pianist Son Yeol-eum is stepping down as the host of MBC’s classical music program “TV Art Show.” Terrestrial broadcaster MBC announced that Son, who has been hosting the show since 2018, will be leaving “TV Art Show,” seeking to spend more time on her career and overseas performances. Though many viewers were surprised when the much sought-after pianist who performs around the world joined the show, she became the longest-serving host of “TV Art S

April 19, 2022

Legendary pianist Pollini to perform in Korea, commanding unprecedented price for tickets

Maurizio Pollini, who is considered one of the world’s leading pianists, is coming to South Korea for the first time for two recitals next month. The 80-year-old pianist will take the stage on May 19 and May 25 at Seoul Arts Center. Much anticipated by his fans, his 100-minute recital, titled “The Emperor of Piano: ‘Once in a Lifetime,” marks Pollini‘s Korea debut. However, the upcoming recitals are also gaining attention for a different reason -- the exorbitan

April 19, 2022

Disney+ drama ‘Sixth Sense Kiss’ to be released in May

Video streaming platform Disney+ on Tuesday announced that it will release sci-fi romance drama “Sixth Sense Kiss,” starring actors Yoon Kye-sang and Seo Ji-hye, in May. The drama is an adaption of Naver Series’ famous web novel with the same title. The novel has more than 732,000 subscribers and drew over 29.3 million cumulative views on Naver Series’ global platform. The web novel, written by author Got W, centers on a young woman, who has the special ability to be a

April 19, 2022

Ten K-pop singers star in horror film ‘Urban Myth’

The Megabox Coex branch in Seoul on Monday was crowded with fans with cameras, an uncommon scene for most press preview and press conference events. Given that the event was for the upcoming horror film “Urban Myth,” however, which stars 10 current and former K-pop stars, the crowd could be expected. Jaehyun of Golden Child, SeolA and Exy of WJSN, Shownu of Monsta X, Arin of Oh My Girl, Min-hyuk of BTOB, Ju Haknyeon of the Boyz, solo artist Alexa, former Lovelyz member Seo Ji-soo

April 19, 2022

Songkran Music Festival to hit Korea in July

Songkran Music Festival will be held in Korea for the first time in July, fighting off the summer heat with water and heart-thumping music, according to the festival organizer BEPCTangent Creative on Tuesday. S2O Korea will take place at Seoul Land in Gwacheon, about 20 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 9 and 10. It will feature top electronic dance musicians while 1 million liters of water is dumped on the audience, the organizer said. Songkran Music Festival has its roots in Songkran, a 1

April 19, 2022

6 out of 10 Koreans support BTS’ alternative military service

Six out of 10 South Koreans support the alternative military service of K-pop sensation BTS, whereas a larger number than that agreed the septet could contribute better by promoting the national prestige through alternative service than by serving active military duty. According to a survey of 500 adults nationwide by pollster Realmeter, 65.5 percent of the respondents answered that they agreed the members of BTS should serve alternative military service, whereas 30.2 percent were against it a

April 19, 2022