Music industry on alert as K-pop singers test positive for COVID-19

The Korean music industry is on alert as a growing number of singers have tested positive for the coronavirus amid an ongoing fourth wave of infections. Lee Min-hyuk of K-pop boy band BTOB was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, the band’s agency Cube Entertainment on Saturday. After Lee found out that his vocal coach tested positive for the coronavirus, he took two polymerase chain reaction tests and the results came out negative for both. However, he started showing symptoms on Fr

July 18, 2021

Korean presence felt at Cannes 2021

 Two years have passed since the 2019 film, “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. Although Korean films were not among the 24 competing feature films at the festival’s 74th edition, the firm presence of the Korean cinematic scene was acknowledged by the appearance of its star directors and actors. Director Bong Joon-ho proudly announced the opening of the festival on July 6, while actor Lee Byung-hun took the stage to

July 18, 2021

Hwang Jung-min returns to big screen as himself in ‘Hostage: Missing Celebrity’

Veteran actor Hwang Jung-min returned to the big screen playing himself in the upcoming movie “Hostage: Missing Celebrity” directed by Pil Gam-seong. Hwang said he did not feel pressured playing the character based off his own life. “I actually enjoyed it. I thought that the audiences would take the situation in the film as being more real,” Hwang said during an online press conference held on Thursday. The actor added that it was interesting to read about his own kid

July 17, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen cancels offline fan meet

Seventeen will not meet fans in person during its fifth fan meet “Seventeen in Carat Land,” agency Pledis Entertainment said Friday. 　 Through its official fandom channel Weverse, the company announced that it would cancel the in-person meet for the event after the social distancing guideline was strengthened as the country seeks to overcome another COVID-19 wave. 　 The 13-member group was originally planning to host the fan meet events in southern Seoul from Aug. 6-8, both off- a

July 16, 2021

Young Korean director wins 2nd prize at Cannes awards for student filmmakers

Director Yoon Dae-won’s “Cicada” has won the second prize at the 24th Cinefondation Selection, the Cannes Film Festival announced Friday. “Cicada,” a Korean short film portraying a transgender prostitute Chang-hyun and his old friend, was invited to the Cinefondation, a category for student filmmakers. Cinefondation, established in 1998, is devoted to spotlighting new talents in the film industry. This year’s selection consisted of 17 short and medium-leng

July 16, 2021

LG Arts Center bids goodbye to Gangnam era

  The LG Arts Center has wrapped up its last production at its theater in the Gangnam area, putting a comma to its some 20-year run. Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus,” helmed by Yang Jung-ung who directed the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, ended its run at the LG Arts Center in Yeoksam-dong Thursday. It is the last show produced by the arts center while it is located in southern Seoull. Managed by the LG Yonam Cultural Foundation, the non-p

July 16, 2021

Robert Downey Jr. to star in director Park Chan-wook’s HBO drama

Robert Downey Jr. is joining director Park Chan-wook’s upcoming drama “The Sympathizer,” US online entertainment trade publication Deadline reported Friday. The drama is an adaptation of Viet Tanh Nguyen’s 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title, a spy thriller work of historical fiction. The story centers around a spy from North Vietnam in the South Vietnamese army. The drama will follow the character in exile in the US, depicting the struggles of a communi

July 16, 2021

Korean ballerino to hold recital at Mariinsky Theater

Ballerino Kim Ki-min, a principal dancer of the Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, will hold a recital celebrating the 10th anniversary of his joining the renowned Russian ballet troupe. Kim‘s recital, titled “An Artistic Evening with Kimin Kim,” at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, will be the closing performance of the theater’s XXIX Music Festival Stars of the White Nights, according to the Mariinsky Ballet website. It will mark Kim’s second r

July 16, 2021

Unlikely K-pop act rules Korean music charts

MSG Wannabe, an all-male act that formed on the popular Korean TV show "Hangout With Yoo," is going strong on South Korean music charts. The eight-piece act is far from a typical K-pop band. The group consists of a comedian, singers and actors -- including two in their 50s and three in their 30s -- and their name MSG Wannabe comes from monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is often derided here for being a junk food ingredient but making food flavorful. Nonetheless, the project group t

July 16, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Medium (US) Opened July 14 Thriller Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun A documentary team follows Nim (Sawanee Utoomma), a shaman living in a mountain village in Thailand. After Nim’s sister Noi (Sirani Yankittikan) refused to become the designated shaman years ago, she succeeded in the role instead. One day, Nim finds out that her niece Mink (Narilya Gulmongkolpech) has developed some strange symptoms. Black Widow (US) Opened July 7 Action Directed by Cate Shortland Following the e

July 16, 2021

Kakao Entertainment to merge with music streaming platform Melon

Kakao Entertainment announced Thursday that it has decided to merge with South Korea’s leading online music streaming platform, Melon. The decision comes as Kakao aims to secure competitiveness and leadership in the showbiz industry. The two companies jointly agreed at a board meeting held Thursday and attended by both sides. The deal is expected to be finalized through a shareholders meeting on Sept. 1. Under the merger, one share of Kakao will be exchanged with around 7.8 shares of

July 15, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS may collaborate with Coldplay: report

Another bout of speculation on a collaboration between Coldplay and BTS emerged after lyrics from “My Universe,” thought to be the British band’s new song, was registered on lyrics database MatchLyrics on Thursday. 　 BTS’ label Bit Hit Music, however, said that it cannot confirm the news and asked fans for their understanding. 　 There have been talks about a potential collaboration since April when Chris Martin was reported to be in Korea. Earlier in June a tweet appear

July 15, 2021

Actor to return to stage after COVID-19 quarantine

Actor Cha Ji-yeon is to return to the musical stage after a positive test for COVID-19 forced her into quarantine. “Cha tested negative for the virus on Wednesday and checked out of the residential treatment center,” her agency, C- JeS Entertainment, announced Thursday. “She will carry on with the schedules for musicals ‘Red Book’ and ‘Gwanghwamun Sonata,’ while complying with the government’s social distancing rules.” The veteran actor w

July 15, 2021

EXO's D.O. unveils details for upcoming solo EP

D.O., member of K-pop boy band EXO, on Thursday released the details of his debut solo EP ahead of the album's scheduled release later this month. SM Entertainment earlier announced the singer will drop his first-ever solo release, titled "Empathy" in Korean, on July 26. The eight-track album, which includes six new tracks in addition to two bonus tracks, will be fronted by the main track "Rose," the agency said Thursday. D.O. wrote the lyrics for "Rose," it added

July 15, 2021

BTS logs top US CD album sales in first half of 2021

BTS became the top-selling artist in total CD album sales in the United States in the first half of this year, according to Billboard on Tuesday (US time). The K-pop juggernaut sold 573,000 copies of its CD albums from Jan. 1 to July 1, the most by a single music act in the US, Billboard said, citing MRC Data, a music sales data provider. American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift came in next with sales of 414,000 units. In terms of broader physical album sales that took vinyl albums and casset

July 14, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] NCT’s Taeil sets Guinness record with Instagram account

Taeil of NCT set a world record with his Instagram account, Guinness World Records announced Tuesday in the UK. 　T he idol broke the record for the fastest time to reach 1 million followers on Instagram, as he reached the seven-digit milestone in just one hour and 45 minutes after his first post, it said. 　 He announced on a fandom application that he opened an account on Instagram on July 6. 　 “I never imagined myself becoming a Guinness World Records title holder,” he said after

July 14, 2021

National Theater of Korea set for 2021/2022 season

Though the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has been threatening the local performing arts scene, the National Theater of Korea is gearing up for a new beginning with its 2021-22 season. The theater announced the 2021-22 season program, which includes a total of 56 works slated to run from Sept. 1 to June 30. Most of the works will be presented at the newly renovated Haeoreum Grand Theater, which is to officially open in September. The season will kick off with the National Orchestra of

July 14, 2021

Korean music YouTubers attempt to popularize classical music

Classical music is not often a popular choice nowadays among the younger generation, but Korean classical music YouTube channels are hoping to shatter the stereotype of being boring for the general public. From using variety show and vlog formats to doing covers, a growing number of YouTubers are creating diverse, fun and easy content while using classical music-related elements. “Towmoo” is one of the leading classical music YouTube channels that focuses on creating entertaining

July 14, 2021

BTS performs 'Permission to Dance' on Jimmy Fallon show

Superband BTS appeared on the popular American talk show "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday (US time), putting on its first TV performance of new release "Permission to Dance." The band's seven members appeared holding violet and purple balloons to perform the upbeat track at an indoor stage filled with balloons. Dancers wearing white and orange later joined the band for a group choreography session. It marked the band's first performance of the new song on

July 14, 2021

BTS to join global live show to fight COVID-19, climate change

K-pop sensation BTS and dozens of top international artists will join Global Citizen Live, a 24-hour broadcast show intended to help fight COVID-19, climate change and extreme poverty in September, the organizer said. Global Citizen, an international advocacy group based in New York, announced details of the global philanthropic concert Tuesday. The epic daylong show will take place Sept. 25, featuring live performances and events filmed in major cities across six continents, including Seoul,

July 14, 2021