[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Gentlemen (US) Opened Feb. 26 Action, Comedy, Crime Directed by Guy Ritchie American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) starts selling marijuana as he enters college in London, coming to build a highly profitable marijuana empire in the city. When word gets out that he is looking to cash out of the business for good, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him. A War of Memories (Korea) Opened Feb. 27 Documentary Directe

Feb. 28, 2020

Tribute bands continue Beatles’ legacy

From the outside, Space the Beatles is just another establishment in the cool entertainment district of Hongdae in Seoul. But a step inside reveals a shrine where Beatles records, posters, artwork and books adorn the walls. Owner Seo Kang-seok counts himself as one of Korea’s biggest Beatles fans. “I listened to the song ‘Yesterday’ for the first time in my life (in 1984) and thought, ‘Wow, it’s very good,’” he said. The pub, opened in 2016, of

Feb. 28, 2020

Original shows turn the page for opera

Opera is often considered far-off from reality -- featuring aristocrats, princesses and talking animals. But the Korean opera scene is striving to produce original shows that resonate with a wider audience. Usually written in German or Italian, operas can be difficult to understand, even with translated lyrics, as they often feature stories that premiered in the 1700s and 1800s. However, more opera productions are tackling contemporary topics these days. Original productions written in Korean

Feb. 27, 2020

‘Sky Castle’ star returns as detective in melo-thriller ‘Nobody Knows’

Actress Kim Seo-hyung, who made her name with JTBC drama “SKY Castle” last year, is making a return to the small screen as a detective in upcoming mystery drama “Nobody Knows.” As fears of the new COVID-19 epidemic are increasingly seeing Koreans lock themselves behind masks and doors, the producer and cast of the new series on SBS say the drama may send a timely message about coexistence in society. “The show is about people living with each other,” produc

Feb. 27, 2020

BTS to release 2nd music video of 'ON'

K-pop boy band BTS will release the second and official music video of "ON," the lead track of its new album, on Friday. The new video, set for release at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, is the second music flick matching the main song of "Map of the Soul: 7," released last Friday. The upcoming video will be a visual and symbolic interpretation of the lead single, according to Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of BTS. Last Friday, BTS released the first music video, cal

Feb. 27, 2020

Hit by coronavirus, stages sit empty

With the COVID-19 alert level raised to the highest “red” level, the performing arts scene has been struggling, as theaters have sat empty of audiences and performances. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, performing arts theaters’ ticket sales from Feb. 1 to Tuesday recorded 18.4 billion won ($15.15), nearly down to half of the same peri

Feb. 26, 2020

Korean films opening despite coronavirus crisis

With the fear of the novel coronavirus driving moviegoers away from cinemas, Korea has witnessed mass cancellations of new film releases in recent few days. However, changing plans at the last minute is not a privilege all filmmakers enjoy, and a few Korean films, especially indie flicks produced by small companies, are biting the bullet and rolling out on schedule. Although prospects for such films may be not be the brightest, following is a short list of Korean films to hit local theaters i

Feb. 26, 2020

IZ*ONE's 'Bloom*Iz' tops Oricon weekly overseas album chart

"Bloom*Iz," the new album by female K-pop band IZ*ONE has topped Japan's latest Oricon weekly overseas album chart, the band's third No. 1 on the chart. The 12-track album's No. 1 victory on the Oricon weekly overseas album chart for the week of Feb. 17-23 follows two more No. 1s on the tally by IZ*ONE's two previous albums -- "Color*Iz" and "Heart*Iz." Since its release on Feb. 17, "Bloom*Iz" has sold 356,313 copies in South Korea, a record-high first

Feb. 26, 2020

TWICE signs partnership with US' Republic Records

In its bid to launch onto the world music scene, K-pop girl band TWICE has forged a partnership with a major American music label. TWICE's management agency said Wednesday that it forged the "strategic partnership" with Republic Records to help the girl band gain a foothold in the global pop market. Republic Records, under the wing of Universal Music Group, is home to such high-profile American artists as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Post Malone, as well as Canadian musician Dra

Feb. 26, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Japan's Oricon album chart

Having been reported to be on course to take over the top seats on the Billboard 200 and the British Official Albums Chart, BTS has also topped Japan's Oricon album chart with its latest album. According to latest chart results by Oricon on Tuesday, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," came atop the Oricon daily album chart dated Monday after selling 227,204 copies in Japan. The result adds to the BTS album's chart victories on the US and British charts. Earlier this week, Bill

Feb. 26, 2020

Monsta X becomes 3rd K-pop band to make top 5 on Billboard 200

Monsta X, a six-piece K-pop boy band, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, becoming the third K-pop band ever to make the top five on the album tally. "All About Luv," the band's new album, came in fifth on the album chart dated Feb. 29, Monsta X's first entry on the Billboard 200 that makes the band the third Korean group to break into the chart's top five, according to the latest chart results by Billboard. So far, BTS has had three No. 1s on Billboard 20

Feb. 26, 2020

Hong Sang-soo's latest film gets premiere at Berlinale

Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s “The Woman Who Ran” got its world premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on Tuesday. Three more screenings of the film are expected through Friday at the annual film festival, where it is competing for the Gold and Silver Bear prizes, the highest honors of the event. Hong’s film is competing against 17 other titles from 17 countries. This is Hong’s fourth time in competition at the Berlinale, following “Night

Feb. 25, 2020

With new director at helm, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company announces 2020 program

With new artistic director Nam Jeong-ho at the helm, the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company has announced its 2020 season program, featuring dances inspired by diverse subjects, from primitive rituals to artificial intelligence. At “Opening,” the first production to open 2020, the national dance troupe will feature two dances -- “Beyond Black” and “The Rite of Spring” -- from April 17-19 at the Seoul Arts Center.   “Beyond Black,” cre

Feb. 25, 2020

BTS rocks New York's Grand Central with debut performance of 'ON'

Putting on the debut performance of "ON," the lead track of the new BTS album "Map of the Soul: 7," the South Korean super band has rocked Grand Central Terminal, a symbolic public space in New York City.  The septet unveiled a premiere performance of "ON," pre-filmed in a deserted Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, through "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," a US late night show, on Monday (US time). With the performance, the septe

Feb. 25, 2020

BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' on way to No. 1 on Billboard 200

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album of K-pop super band BTS, is bound to debut atop the Billboard 200 next week, the band's historic fourth No. 1 on the chart, Billboard said on its website Monday. "The set, which was released Feb. 21 via Big Hit Entertainment, could earn 300,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending Feb. 27, with most of that sum driven by album sales," the US magazine said.  If confirmed as forecast, it marks the band's fourth Billboar

Feb. 25, 2020

After remarkable seven years, BTS looks inward on ‘Map of the Soul: 7’

BTS says its new album “Map of the Soul: 7” reflects on the septet’s seven-year journey together. “‘Map of the Soul 7’ contains our stories -- all the emotions we experienced from the seven years we worked as BTS and our feelings toward fans,” bandmate J-Hope said during the global press conference for the album in Seoul on Monday. Following Friday’s release of its fourth studio album and a series of promotions in the US, the septet was back in S

Feb. 24, 2020

Coronavirus empties theaters, box office

The film industry continues to suffer as people stay away from cinemas amid the increasingly rapid spread of COVID-19, and scheduled movie releases are now being put on hold. The number of theatergoers, which saw a small recovery in the second week of February, plummeted again over the weekend, with 474,979 people going to the movies on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council. The figure represents a steep drop of almost 60 percent from the previous weekend. The total number

Feb. 24, 2020

BLACKPINK's 'Boombayah' tops 800m YouTube views

The video for "Boombayah," the debut single of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, topped 800 million views on YouTube, making the quartet the only K-pop act with two music videos that have achieved the feat, the band's management agency said Monday. The video reached the milestone Monday morning, emulating the band's earlier "Ddu-du Ddu-du," according to YG Entertainment. "With this, BLACKPINK got to own two music videos that have more than 800 million views as the first K-

Feb. 24, 2020

Monsta X's 'All About Luv' lands at 5th on Billboard 200 chart

"All About Luv," the first full-length American album by K-pop boy band Monsta X, landed at fifth on the Billboard 200 chart for this week, the music magazine has said. "The set, which is the act's first all-English language album, launches with 52,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Feb. 20," Billboard said on its website Sunday (US time), citing Nielsen Music/MRC data. Released Feb. 14, the album's latest feat made Monsta X the third K-pop act

Feb. 24, 2020

Film industry slump continues amid virus fears

Snowballing coronavirus infections have continued to cast a pall over the film industry, with new releases delayed and events canceled. Thriller flick “Time to Hunt” will tentatively postpone its release and cancel all promotional events, including premieres, the film’s distributor Little Big Pictures said Sunday in a statement. The company made the decision in response to the government’s call to refrain from mass gatherings. “Time to Hunt” was slated to

Feb. 23, 2020