Documentary film on people who are neither South nor North Koreans

One of the frequently asked questions of Koreans traveling abroad is: “Are you from the North or the South?” The protagonists of Kim Cheol-min’s independent documentary film, “I Am From Chosun,” would answer the question by saying they are from both, or perhaps neither. Kim’s documentary depicts his journey of learning about the Zainichi people in Japan, who are ethnic Koreans who moved to Japan mostly during the early 1900s before the Korean Peninsula was

Nov. 24, 2021

[Herald Interview] Yoo Teo shares his most personal stories in ‘Log in Belgium’

For director and actor Yoo Teo, releasing “Log in Belgium” as his debut film was never part of the plan. “Shooting a video was a way for me to endure the self-quarantine period in an unfamiliar city of Antwerp, Belgium, shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when countries closed their borders and locked themselves down,” Yoo said in a press conference Tuesday at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. He was in Antwerp working on the joint German-Japanese drama prod

Nov. 24, 2021

'Boy With Luv' becomes first BTS video to top 1.4b YouTube views

The music video for the K-pop supergroup BTS' 2019 hit "Boy With Luv" surpassed 1.4 billion YouTube views for the first time among videos from the group Wednesday. "Boy With Luv," the main track of the septet's sixth EP "Map of the Soul: Persona," hit the milestone at around 10 a.m., according to the group's management agency Big Hit Music. The feat was achieved about four months after the video passed the 1.3 billion mark. The upbeat track, featuring American si

Nov. 24, 2021

BTS again aims for first Grammy Award

Fresh from conquering the AMAs, K-pop sensation BTS now has its sights set on a gramophone shaped trophy, with a nomination for best pop duo or group performance for next year’s Grammy Awards. The group was nominated Tuesday for the prize for its megahit “Butter.” BTS received its first-ever Grammy nomination last year for “Dynamite,“ but failed to get a nomination for any of the top four overall Grammys. “Butter” was recognized alongside songs by big

Nov. 24, 2021

'Hellbound' tops Netflix's official weekly chart

South Korean fantasy horror "Hellbound" was the most-viewed TV show over a recent one-week period among those on Netflix, the global video streaming service said Wednesday. "Hellbound" topped Netflix's official weekly chart for non-English TV programs with 43.5 million hours of viewing for the week from Nov. 15-21, outnumbering "The Queen of Flower" with 38.6 million hours and "Squid Game" with 30.4 million hours. The feat is remarkable, considering &qu

Nov. 24, 2021

Renowned Japanese filmmakers head to S. Korea for new projects

Prominent Japanese filmmakers, including Cannes-winning Hirokazu Kore-eda, have been joining hands with South Korean productions amid the country's increased presence in the global cinema scene. Kore-eda, who won the top prize of the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for "Shoplifters," is working on the drama film "Broker" (working title) in South Korea with CJ ENM, the entertainment unit of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group. The film is now in post production.

Nov. 24, 2021

BTS nominated for Grammy award for best pop group performance

South Korean megastar BTS was nominated Tuesday (US time) for the best pop duo or group performance at the Grammy Awards for the second year in a row. The septet was nominated for the pop genre prize for their megahit "Butter," in a virtual ceremony streamed live. The group, however, did not score any nomination for the awards show's top four "general field" categories. 2021 marks the second consecutive year BTS was nominated for the best pop duo or group performance af

Nov. 24, 2021

Webtoon-based books to continue global webtoon fever

Naver Webtoon’s beloved webtoon series “True Beauty,” “Tower of God” and “Doom Breaker” will be published in book form in the fall of 2022, the company said in a press release Monday. American imprint Webtoon Unscrolled, launched by Wattpad Webtoon Studios, will publish the print editions, according to Naver Webtoon. The new imprint is part of Naver Webtoon’s push to expand its contents and webtoon IP, including TV series, movie adaptations and

Nov. 23, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Enhyphn to celebrate 1st anniversary all week

Enhypen piqued the interest of fans on Tuesday with a poster that bore the weeklong schedule for the first anniversary of the group’s debut. 　 Along with the poster, the band shouted out to its official fandom Engene, asking if they are ready to enjoy the anniversary with the hashtag “2021 Eniversary Stage 1122 Timetable.” The septet will celebrate the anniversary that falls on Nov. 30 with a string of content including family photos, two dance videos and a magazine that will b

Nov. 23, 2021

Russian conductor Gergiev to present power of music

Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is to present two unique performances Wednesday in Seoul, returning to the city for the first time in two years. “We were told only two or three weeks ago that we could visit South Korea and I’m thrilled that this performance can happen in the midst of the pandemic situation,” Gergiev, one of the world’s most celebrated conductors, told reporters in a press conference Tuesday. The 68-year-old energetic conductor will present two diff

Nov. 23, 2021

BTS’ fate on military duty may be decided this week

Whether or not the members of K-pop sensation BTS will soon be off to the military could be decided this week. Fresh off of their triple win at the American Music Awards on Monday, when the singers took home the artist of the year award, the future of the boy band depends on Thursday’s National Assembly defense committee subcommittee meeting. Changes to the Military Service Act are to be discussed there, and the lawmakers could decide to grant service exemptions to pop artists who have he

Nov. 23, 2021

'Hellbound' regains Netflix's No. 1 post

The South Korean fantasy horror "Hellbound" has regained the global No. 1 position on Netflix's popular TV show rankings. According to data released by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol on Monday (US time), "Hellbound" rose one notch to top the list of the most-watched Netflix TV shows, replacing the former No. 1 "Arcane," an animated series based on the online battle game "League of Legends." The Korean-language show debuted No. 1 on the day after its

Nov. 23, 2021

After big night at AMAs, will BTS earn Grammy nomination for 2nd year?

After BTS won the artist of the year, considered the top honor, at the American Music Awards (AMAs), beating out big names like Ariana Grande, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, all eyes are now on the South Korean group's next challenge -- the Grammy Awards. Will a gramophone-shaped trophy be an added jewel for the K-pop megastar who has bagged two of the three largest music awards in the United States this year? BTS won artist of the year, favorite pop duo or group and favor

Nov. 23, 2021

SF9 says ‘Rumination’ describes their identity

As the frosty season is just around the corner, boy band SF9 hopped on the winter music craze by bringing out a song for chilly nights to warm listeners into a sensual mood. The group dropped the 10th EP, “Rumination,” nearly four months after the previous release to stake out an identity as performers on another level. In an online press conference Monday, the band said its 10th EP is a prequel to their “9lory” universe, which talks about the history of the nine ban

Nov. 22, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Twice ranks No. 3 on Billboard 200 with 3rd LP

Twice’s third studio album, “Formula of Love: O+T=<3,” landed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, according to the publication on Monday. 　 This marks the strongest record for the group whose previous EP, “Taste of Love,” entered the chart at No. 6 in June, and is the fourth-highest position for a K-pop act, following BTS, SuperM (both No. 1) and Blackpink (No. 2). 　 The nonet also became the first Korean girl group to have two albums among the Billboard 200’

Nov. 22, 2021

[News Focus] Winning three awards at AMAs, BTS’ universe makes Army proud

BTS indeed is the biggest boy band in history. The seven-member boy band on Monday bagged three trophies at this year’s American Music Awards, including the top prize -- the artist of the year. The 49th Annual AMAs was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “Four years ago, we gave this first-time-ever TV live performance at this stage, AMAs, it was ‘DNA,’ and we were too excited and nervous at the time. And it’s been a long and amazing ride since then, bu

Nov. 22, 2021

BTS writes history as the first Asian act to win top prize at AMAs

BTS achieved another landmark feat at the American Music Awards on Sunday, bagging three trophies in total, including Artist of the Year. During the 2021 AMA ceremony on Sunday (US time) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, the K-pop superstars picked up prizes in three categories -- Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Pop Song, for their hit “Butter.” BTS is the first Asian act in history to be nominated and win Artist of the Year at the AMAs. The other

Nov. 22, 2021

Netflix’s ‘Hellbound’ mesmerizes viewers with different charms from webcomics

Netflix’s latest Korean original “Hellbound” has caught the attention of both local and foreign fans with horrifying depictions of death and episodes full of suspense. The series, directed by the mastermind behind megahit zombie sensation “Train to Busan” Yeon Sang-ho, is an adaptation of a highly rated webtoon of the same title, also by Yeon. Though Yeon said he tried “not to veer much from the original webcomics,” avid readers of the webtoon that end

Nov. 22, 2021

Netflix’s Christmas gift: Star-studded ‘The Silent Sea’

Netflix will ring in the Christmas season with the sci-fi mystery “The Silent Sea,” its last Korean original series of the year. The platform on Monday announced the show’s release on Dec. 24 and unveiled a mysterious poster showing a lone astronaut in outer space. The series, which revolves around a group of space explorers on a classified mission to an abandoned research facility on the moon, is an adaptation of a short film of the same title by director Choi Hang-yong. T

Nov. 22, 2021

S. Korea's 'Hellbound' debuts at No. 1 spot on Netflix

The South Korean fantasy horror "Hellbound" has topped the world's popular TV show rankings on the day after its release. According to data by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, the Korean-language Netflix original became the most-watched TV program on the streaming platform Saturday (US time), a day after its global premier. The show placed No. 1 on the most-watched show list in 24 nations, including South Korea, Belgium and Mexico, while it finished third in several countries lik

Nov. 22, 2021