[Today’s K-pop] BTS graces cover of Rolling Stone

BTS made cover of Rolling Stone’s June issue, becoming the first all-Asian band to appear on the front of the magazine. 　 The 54-year-old magazine declared it “iconic,” dramatically announcing: “Attention ARMY: after years of asking for it, BTS have finally landed on the cover of Rolling Stone.” 　 The media will roll out a collector’s edition box set that will feature eight collectible BTS covers, the newsstand cover with all seven members as well as seven

May 14, 2021

BTS becomes first all-Asian act to front Rolling Stone in magazine's history

K-pop sensation BTS is featured on the cover of the latest issue of US popular culture magazine Rolling Stone. "BTS appears on our June cover," the magazine tweeted Thursday (local time), posting an interview with the septet as the cover story on its website. The magazine said it is the first time that an all-Asian act has fronted the magazine in its 54-year history. The cover story, titled "The Triumph of BTS," features the birth of the seven-member boy band -- RM, Jin,

May 14, 2021

BTS to make guest appearance on 'Friends' special

K-pop superstars BTS will make a guest appearance on a reunion special of the popular American sitcom "Friends" later this month, according to Billboard. The seven-piece act will join the original cast of the '90s comedy and other top stars in the special to air May 27 on streaming service HBO Max, the US magazine said on its website Thursday (local time). Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and David Beckham will be among the others to be featured on the show. The reunion special comes 17 yea

May 14, 2021

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk, film director Lee Joon-ik win top prize at Baeksang Arts Awards

Korean comedian Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Joon-ik, the director of period film “Book of Fish,” won the grand prizes in the TV and film categories respectively at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. This year’s award ceremony took place at Kintex exhibition hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on Thursday night and it was hosted by comedian Shin Dong-yup and singer-actress Suzy. Yoo, the winner of this year’s TV categories’ grand prize, was recognized for hosting multiple suc

May 14, 2021

Director Lee Joon-ik of 'Book of Fish' wins grand prize at Baeksang Awards

Director Lee Joon-ik of the historical drama "Book of Fish" and comedian Yoo Jae-suk have won the grand prize in the film and TV categories, respectively, at this year's Baeksang Arts Awards. Lee, known as a master of period films in South Korea for his previous hits like "King and the Clown" (2005) and "The Throne" (2015), took the top prize for films at the prestigious entertainment awards show held at KINTEX exhibition hall on Thursday in Goyang, just northwest

May 14, 2021

BTS company Hybe unveils music museum dedicated to fans, artists

Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, Seventeen and Enhypen, has opened what it calls a "music museum" for its artists and fans at its new headquarters in central Seoul. The 4,700-square meter venue spread across two basement floors at Hybe Yongsan features giant screens that show a rotating selection of videos of its artists as well souvenirs from music production and miscellaneous objects that helped create the K-pop powerhouse. A preview of Hybe Insight on Wednesday began with an

May 14, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Those Who Wish Me Dead (US) Opened May 5 Action Directed by Taylor Sheridan Smoke jumper Hannah Faber (Angelina Jolie) lives with trauma after failing to save three children from a wildfire. One day, in a forest, she meets Connor Casserly (Finn Little), a boy on the run from the two assassins who killed his father. Hannah has to help Connor get out of the forest safely. 　 The Courier (US) Opened April 28 Thriller Directed by Dominic Cooke In 1960, Soviet agent Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) h

May 14, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] IZ*ONE’s Miyawaki Sakura leaves Japanese team: report

Miyawaki Sakura of the now-disbanded girl group IZ*ONE is leaving her original group in Japan, according to reports on Thursday. 　 In an interview with Japanese fashion magazine ViVi, Miyawaki announced that she has “graduated.” 　 Her activities as a member of IZ*ONE came to an end recently and she returned to her original group HKT48, but she recently said that she will leave the girl group, according to the article. 　 There has been speculation that she will join HYBE, formerly B

May 13, 2021

Musical ‘Dracula’ set for opening after COVID-19 hit

Musical “Dracula” has postponed its opening by two days, following a string of infections involving four of its cast members. Actor Son Jun-ho, who performs in the musical, was confirmed with the virus infection on April 23, followed by more infections among its main cast members such as Shin Sung-rok, Jeon Dong-seok and Kang Tae-eul. “To put on a performance of better quality, the opening date of the musical ‘Dracula’ has been postponed from May 18 to May 20,&r

May 13, 2021

‘Aloners’ a timely movie about solitariness: actor Gong Seung-yeon

Actor Gong Seung-yeon says her new movie “Aloners,” directed by Hong Seung-eun, reflects the feelings of loneliness that we have all been experiencing since the COVID-19 spread started last year. “We filmed this movie before COVID-19. Now we have all become used to keeping distance from each other and this movie is about how we can live well through this situation,” Gong said during a press conference held after a screening of the film at Lotte Cinema in Gwangjin-gu, Se

May 13, 2021

K-pop rookie Enhypen sweeps Oricon album charts ahead of Japan debut

K-pop boy band Enhypen has topped Japan's key monthly music chart with its latest album after ranking No. 1 on the weekly and daily album charts, its management agency said Thursday. The group's second EP, "Border: Carnival," sat atop Oricon's monthly album chart for April, which was released Wednesday, according to Belift Lab. Previously, the EP ranked No. 1 on the Japanese music tracker's daily album chart on April 30, four days after its release. It also stayed atop Oricon's week

May 13, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] ITZY to release English version of new hit

ITZY hopes to add momentum to the global popularity of its latest EP by releasing an English version of title track on May 14, the group‘s label JYP Entertainment on Wednesday. 　 The group will share a lyric video for “Mafia In The Morning,” the title track from its fourth EP “Guess Who,” along with the song and put out a performance clip the next day on its YouTube channel. 　 The five-piece act entered the Billboard 200 for the first time since its debut, rankin

May 12, 2021

Finnish conductor takes helm of KBS Symphony Orchestra

The KBS Symphony Orchestra has appointed Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen as its chief conductor and music director. The orchestra announced Tuesday that the Finnish conductor, 41, would fill the post. It had remained empty for two years, since conductor Yoel Levi left in 2019. The new conductor will begin in January and is set to stay until the end of 2024. Inkinen, who is also a violinist, studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He is currently the chief conductor of the

May 12, 2021

‘More COVID government aid needed for local theaters’

Local multiplex operators on Wednesday urged the government to come up with more effective financial support plans for theaters that have been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives of the Korean Theater Association, as well as four local multiplex operators -- CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q -- gathered at Megabox Dongdaemun in Seoul to express their concerns about the plight they have been facing. “The movie industry is a competitive cultural business that can b

May 12, 2021

BTS to perform new single 'Butter' at Billboard Music Awards

K-pop superstars BTS will put on its first performance of the upcoming release "Butter" at the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) scheduled for later this month. The seven-piece act will be performing at the annual music awards for the fourth consecutive year, unveiling "Butter" at the ceremony scheduled for May 23 (US time), according to the BBMAs. The performance comes just two days after the scheduled release of the act's second English single "Butter," which will

May 12, 2021

S. Korean dance company teams up with Coldplay for Brit Awards performance

The South Korean dance group Ambiguous Dance Company has made a surprise appearance during British rock band Coldplay's latest performance at the Brit Awards. The dance company, known for its unique choreography and playful vibe, performed alongside Coldplay in its performance of its new single "Higher Power" during the music awards ceremony held in London on Tuesday (local time). Six members of the dance group appeared as neon-colored holograms as the British rock band sang the gala

May 12, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Shinee’s Taemin collaborates with Taeyeon

Taemin of Shinee has joined forces with Taeyeon, of Girls’ Generation, for a track from his upcoming EP, said label SM Entertainment on Tuesday. “If I Could Tell You,” one of the five tracks from its third solo EP “Advice,” will feature the songstress and the two will sing the delicate feelings between close friends who are on the verge of love. Dreamy electric piano tunes and soft synth sounds will add to the harmony of the musicians in the R&B number. 

May 11, 2021

‘Les Miserables’ concert mired in copyright feud

The “Les Miserables” concert by K&P Entertainment, slated to take place this month in Seoul and Busan, has become mired in a copyright dispute. On Monday, Les Miserables Korea, which holds performance rights to the Korean-language version of the English musical in Korea, claimed that the upcoming concert is an unauthorized production that violates the musical’s copyrights. K&P Entertainment on Tuesday refuted the claim, saying that the upcoming concert is based on

May 11, 2021

K-pop rookie Enhypen tops Japanese music chart, set for Japan debut

Boy band Enhypen has rocked Japan with its latest EP, topping a key music chart in the Asian country for two straight weeks ahead of its official debut there. The seven-piece act's second EP "Border: Carnival" sat atop Japanese music tracker Oricon's weekly album charts in the latest data compiled between May 3-9, extending its winning streak. The two-week record, the first for both Japanese and overseas acts on the weekly chart compiled this year, is the latest in the K-pop rookie's

May 11, 2021

ITZY debuts on Billboard 200 with new album 'Guess Who'

K-pop girl group ITZY has landed on Billboard's main albums chart for the first time in the third year of its debut. The five-piece act's latest EP "Guess Who," reached No. 148 on the Billboard 200, which compiles the week's most popular albums in the United States, according to its agency JYP Entertainment. Billboard separately shared a list of new debuts on one of its Twitter accounts. The full chart will be updated Tuesday (US time). "Guess Who" also made its first appe

May 11, 2021