[Today’s K-pop] Ateez opens pop-up store in Seoul

A pop-up store opened in Seoul Wednesday for characters inspired by the members of Ateez, according to agency KQ Entertainment. As hinted by teaser content, including a video that contained animated characters who are chosen to be the mascots of a college ice hockey team. The cute characters, named Aniteez, were first introduced in February and a new range of merchandise will be available for purchase at the temporary store. Meanwhile, the band is spending its fourth-straight week on the Billboa

July 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] As pianist and now actor, Yoo Sun Hee bridges cultures

Acclaimed Italian director Nanni Moretti’s latest film, “A Brighter Tomorrow,” which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, features a Korean-Italian interpreter. The character is not just an interpreter of languages, but also a link across cultures, introducing for instance how to drink soju. Though it’s a small role, for pianist Yoo Sun Hee, who is expanding her artistic horizons by venturing into acting with this role, it signifies what she

July 3, 2024

All(H)ours makes shocking return as energetic goblins

With an aspiration to imprint themselves on K-pop fans worldwide, rising boy band All(H)ours is marking a return -- this time as charismatic goblins. All(H)ours is the first boy band from Eden Entertainment, the agency established by Cho Hae-sung, a former executive of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment. The septet debuted in January with “All Ours” and returned after about six months with the second mini album “Witness.” Lead track "Shock" is a drift phonk song

July 3, 2024

Lisa's new solo single sets guideposts for other Blackpink members

Since all Blackpink members terminated their solo contracts with YG Entertainment last year to embark on their individual paths, Lisa became the first among the four to release a new single. Titled “Rockstar,” it dropped on June 28 in partnership with RCA Records, setting a milestone for the other former members as they pursue their solo careers. The Thai K-pop star kicked off her solo venture with a bang. Her new single instantly ranked 8th on Spotify’s Global Chart in the US

July 3, 2024

Lisa's 'Rockstar' shows new route to ‘localized’ K-pop

Right after Lisa of Blackpink released her new solo single “Rockstar” on June 28, a heated debate ignited online between Korean and Thai fans about whether the song should be classified as K-pop or Thai pop. Lisa moved to Korea in 2011 at the age of 14 and underwent more than five years of training at YG Entertainment before debuting as a member of what is now K-pop's most successful girl group. Korean fans argue that her identity as a K-pop star justifies calling her new single

July 3, 2024

Asia’s largest genre film fest, 28th BIFAN, starts Thursday

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), Asia's largest genre film festival, will kick off its 28th edition Thursday, screening 225 short and feature films from around the world during its 11-day run. Opening the festival on Thursday is “Love Lies Bleeding,” a queer noir starring Kristine Steward and Katy O’Brien. Hong Kong action thriller “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” by Soi Cheang will close the festival. Both the opening and closing

July 3, 2024

Travel reality show starring Jimin, Jungkook of BTS to stream on Disney+

A new Disney+ original series featuring Jimin and Jungkook of BTS on a trip will begin streaming in August, filling the void for fans as they wait for the bandmates to fulfill their mandatory military service. The eight-part series titled "Are You Sure?!" will feature the travel logs of the duo from the megahit boy band as they journeyed in the United States, Jeju Island and Japan's Sapporo in 2023. According to Disney+, the series will feature the duo's spontaneous journey a

July 3, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jin to carry torch for Paris Olympics: report

Jin of BTS was named as one of the torchbearers for the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to local media on Tuesday. The artist will join a list of over 11,000 people carrying the flame across the country over 11 weeks until the opening ceremony on July 26. The torch arrived in France last week and Jin is expected to fly over soon, although no specifics have been announced yet. Jin was discharged on June 12 and instantly resumed activities, starting with a fan meeting the next day that fell on the

July 2, 2024

Paris Opera Ballet Gala comes to Seoul with etoile Park Sae-eun

Ballerina Park Sae-eun, the first Asian dancer to obtain the prestigious title of etoile, or principal dancer, at the Paris Opera Ballet, will head to Korea with her colleagues to perform the "Paris Opera Ballet Etoile Gala 2024” from July 20 to 24 at the Seoul Arts Center's Opera Theater in Seoul. The lineup includes six etoiles -- Park, Leonore Baulac, Valentine Colasante, Hannah O'Neil, Paul Marque and Guillaume Diop -- alongside four other members of the Paris Opera Ball

July 2, 2024

Katseye, Hybe’s first multinational K-pop girl group, off to disappointing start

K-pop powerhouse Hybe’s much anticipated first multinational K-pop girl group Katseye, formed in collaboration with Geffen Records, is failing to make a name for itself not only in the US, its target market, but also in Korea, the homeland of the genre. The K-pop sextet with only one Korean member, Yoonchae, has been at the center of questions as to whether a K-pop band that is mostly non-Korean could succeed. In the global market, two indicators of popularity and success -- Spotify and iT

July 2, 2024

Jin of BTS to be torchbearer for 2024 Paris Olympics

Jin of K-pop phenomenon BTS will carry the torch for the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to a local media outlet on Tuesday. The K-pop star will soon depart for France to carry the Olympic flame, but details about the torch relay location and schedule have not been disclosed. The singer's involvement in the torch relay is believed to be due to BTS' popularity worldwide and the group's consistent message of "Love yourself" over the past decade. Jin's agency Big Hit Mu

July 2, 2024

StayC makes cheeky return with 'Metamorphic'

StayC is back, and full of confidence and charisma. The group's first full-length album "Metamorphic" was released Monday. It follows "Teenfresh," a mini-album that came out in August last year. The new album features 14 tracks, including unit and solo songs. "We have been preparing for this full-length album for a long time. As the album's title suggests, listeners will see a transformed version of StayC. We were worried about whether we could pull off all 14

July 2, 2024

Star-studded cast couldn’t save ‘Wonderland'

Movies with an all-star cast are normally guaranteed hits, as fans flock to the theater to see their favorite actors. However, the talented cast of director Kim Tae-yong’s fantasy romance “Wonderland” couldn’t save it from its shortcomings. The film portrays people reuniting through AI in a simulated virtual world called Wonderland. South Korean heartthrobs Suzy and Park Bo-gum star as a couple, while Chinese actor Tang Wei boasts good chemistry with Gong Yoo. Jung Yu-mi

July 2, 2024

B.A.P to return as quartet after more than 6 years

K-pop boy group B.A.P, which debuted as a band of six in 2012, is returning to the K-pop scene as a quartet of Bang Yong-guk, Jung Dae-hyun, Yoo Young-jae and Moon Jong-up. Their comeback comes after six years. The quartet is due to release a new single in August under the new name Bang&Jung&Yoo&Moon, according to MA Entertainment, the group's agency. Bang&Jung&Yoo&Moon has been showing how the group is getting ready for the comeback through a documentary series call

July 2, 2024

BTS suits to be exhibited at Jewelry Museum

The custom suits BTS members wore for their Grammy Awards performance in March 2021 will be on exhibit at the Jewelry Museum in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, from Sept. 7 to Dec. 15. The city-run museum will showcase the custom suits that E-Land Group, a local clothing retailer, acquired in an auction. The agreement on the exhibition was signed by the city and the retailer’s private museum. E-Land Group bought the customs at Julien’s Auctions in January 2022, a year after the seven K

July 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Star producer Jung Jong-yeon wants to create different genres, IPs

With a string of hit shows such as tvN's "The Genius" and "Great Escape" series, as well as Netflix's "Devil's Plan," producer Jung Jong-yeon is seen as having popularized reality shows centered on solving puzzles and intellectual challenges. Jung has now returned with a new Netflix original reality show, "Agents of Mystery," a six-part series where celebrities, including Karina of aespa, singer John Park, actor Kim Do-hoon, comedians Lee Eu

July 1, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Zion.T leaves label after 8 years: report

Zion.T decided not to renew his contract with The Black Label, which expired recently, according to a local media report on Monday. The label confirmed the news following the report. The singer had signed with the YG Entertainment affiliate headed by producer Teddy in 2016 after he left Amoeba Culture. His future activities will be overseen by Standard Friends, a company he established two years ago, joining the likes of rappers Wonstein and Giriboy. Zion.T debuted in 2011 with single “C

July 1, 2024

[Herald Review] aespa kicks off world tour with intense performance

Aespa held the second “Synk: Parallel Line" concert in Seoul over the weekend as it started a world tour. Over Saturday and Sunday, approximately 12,000 spectators attended the concert held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium. On Sunday, the quartet appeared on the stage in dazzling black attire, and kicked off the concert with intense tracks -- “Drama,” “Black Mamba,” and “Salty & Sweet.” Members changed into bright costumes with metallic fabric, and fill

July 1, 2024

NCT Wish drops new single ‘Songbird’

SM Entertainment's Japan-based K-pop boy group NCT Wish dropped a new single, “Songbird,” on Monday. More than 630,000 copies were pre-sold in Korea and Japan, the highest number of pre-orders since MCT Wish's debut in February. “Songbird” is a pop-dance song over a catchy guitar riff. The song conveys a hopeful message of flying high to make a miracle -- a motif of the lyrics is a bird that brings luck. The music video for the Korean version of "Songbird&q

July 1, 2024

Maestro Chung Myung-whun likely to lead KBS Symphony Orchestra

Conductor Chung Myung-whun might lead the KBS Symphony Orchestra as the next music director. Discussions with Chung are in the final stages, an orchestra official told The Korea Herald on Monday. It would be Chung's first time leading a Korean orchestra after nine years. Since stepping down from his positions as director of both the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015, Chung has not held a directorial role. Instead, he has been conducting vario

July 1, 2024