Stray Kids perform new single, ‘Lose My Breath,’ on GMA

K-pop boy group Stray Kids performed its new English digital single, “Lose My Breath,” on stage for the first time on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday. “We do have some good news. We are preparing a tour. It’s big news because it’s been so long since we’ve prepared for something so big,” group member Felix said during a talk session with local fans in the studio before the special performance. When asked by a fan about the creative process

May 17, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Late Night with the Devil” (Australia) Opened May 8 Horror/Thriller Directed by Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes Things go horribly wrong during the live broadcast of a successful variety late-night talk show Night Owls in 1977, as the show’s host Jack Delroy invites special guests for the occult-themed episode on Halloween. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (US) Opened May 8 Action/Sci-fi Directed by Wes Ball A young ape goes on a journey many years after the re

May 17, 2024

Mark of NCT unveils first solo single, ‘200’

Mark of the K-pop boy group NCT released his first solo single, “200,” on Thursday. The single “200” is a rock number with trendy, fast-tempo bass and drum sounds. Mark took part in writing the lyrics and composing the single, which is about a fateful meeting with someone that leads to a perfect relationship in which together the couple shines even brighter. Mark used cartoons and a vintage-style video filter to give the song's music video an early 2000s look. Mark a

May 16, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Kep1er extends life as septet: report

Kep1er will begin a new chapter as a seven-member group, according to a local media report Thursday. The group debuted in January 2022 with survivors of the audition show “Girls Planet 999: Girls Saga” and was supposed to disband in July. Seven members, however, decided to renew their contracts to continue as Kep1er, a first for an idol group launched through such a program in Korea. Kang Yeseo and Mashiro will return to their original agency and join another girl group Limelight, ad

May 16, 2024

Treasure to release new single ‘King Kong’

K-pop boy group Treasure is releasing a new single on May 28, according to YG Entertainment. This comeback comes after nine months. Treasure unveiled a 14-second teaser clip on Wednesday that has “My love is like” written on a typewriter, hinting that the new single will be about love. Choi Hyun-suk and Yoshi of Treasure took part in writing the lyrics to the single, and renowned K-pop producers including Airplay, Jared Lee and Choice37 took part in composing. “The single bring

May 16, 2024

Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?

If NewJeans, the popular K-pop girl band under the music label Ador, were "given" a year and a half "break" after their Tokyo Dome concerts in Japan next month as Hybe CEO Park Ji-won promised the parents of NewJeans members, the still-new band could be critically impacted, music critics said Thursday. Three parents of NewJeans members met with Park on April 25 -- the day Ador CEO Min Hee-jin held a press conference to refute an alleged attempt to usurp the management rights

May 16, 2024

'Furiosa' speeds into the Cannes Film Festival

CANNES, France (AP) — Start your engines. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” rolls into the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, returning George Miller's dystopia-on-wheels to the Croisette promenade and launching one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. The latest “Mad Max” film, starring Anya Taylor-Joy as a young Furiosa, is premiering in Cannes almost exactly nine years after “Mad Max: Fury Road” debuted at the French festival. Miller, who has se

May 15, 2024

Robots, puppetry breathe life into musical adaptation of ‘A Thousand Blues’

On a white Christmas, a building collapses trapping a woman named Bo-gyeong in the basement. Amid the ruins and darkness, Darpa, a rescue robot navigates the debris to locate signs of life. Outside, people gather in despair, praying for a miracle, while the woman’s mother pleads for her daughter’s rescue. Darpa spots Bo-gyeong and calculates the survival odds: body temperature at 35 degrees Celsius, an 88 percent chance of another collapse, and only 20 seconds left. It estimates Bo-g

May 15, 2024

NewJeans to headline palace show

K-pop girl group NewJeans will perform Tuesday for the first time since a dispute started between the group’s label Ador and Hybe, the label’s parent company, on April 22. The two-hour show, which starts at 7 p.m. on May 21, will mark the occasion of the official renaming of the Cultural Heritage Administration as the Korea Heritage Service. The five-member girl group is one of 12 K-pop singers and groups that will perform in front of Heungnyemun, one of the gates of Gyeongbokgung, a

May 15, 2024

'The Roundup: Punishment' sets another record with 10m admissions

The crime-action film "The Roundup: Punishment" set another record by attracting more than 10 million viewers on Wednesday, after 22 days of screening, data showed. According to the data from the movie's distributor, ABO Entertainment, the fourth installment of the "The Roundup" crime-action film franchise topped more than 10 million. With Wednesday's record, three installments in the "The Roundup" series attracted more than 10 million viewers each. "

May 15, 2024

Jennie, Stray Kids's Met Gala attendance puts them on 'digital guillotine' blacklist

K-pop celebrities' attendance at the 2024 Met Gala last week has landed them in hot water, along with other celebrities who attended the event, for their silence on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since Jennie of Blackpink and the boy group Stray Kids attended the gala on May 6, some fans have been calling on the celebrities to speak publicly about the war. The names of celebrities at the fashion event were shared on social media platforms, alongside calls to boycott them by unfollowing or bl

May 14, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Zerobaseone sells 1 million albums in 1 day for 3rd time

Zerobaseone’s third EP sold over 1 million copies on the day of its release, as did its two previous albums, said agency WakeOne Entertainment on Tuesday, citing a local tally. The rookie band is the first in K-pop history to achieve the feat. Its first and second EPs have both sold over 2 million units so far. The EP “You Had Me at HELLO” was released Monday and topped the iTunes Top Albums Chart in 22 regions while the title track “Feel the POP” landed atop its

May 14, 2024

YG to release first Blackpink digital collectibles

YG Entertainment will release digital collectibles using its girl group Blackpink's intellectual property. Blackpink’s first-ever digital collectibles will be released through VeVe, a New Zealand-based company specializing in licensed digital collectibles, from May 22-26, says the agency. A digital collectible is a unique or limited-edition copy of a virtual item. Blackpink’s digital collectibles are inspired by “Pink Venom,” the group’s hip-hop single released

May 14, 2024

‘When We Bloom Again’ depicts bereaved families’ strife, sorrow after Sewol tragedy

Over the past decade since the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which claimed nearly 300 lives of high school students on a field trip, numerous documentaries on the tragedy have been made. In contrast, there have been just a few feature films, likely because this genre requires a careful and sensitive approach to dramatizing of the disaster. In “When We Bloom Again,” which has the Korean title “On the Day when Cotton Blooms,” (direct translation), the story is told from two di

May 14, 2024

(G)I-dle to embark on third world tour

K-pop girl group (G)I-dle will kick off its third world tour in August. Cube Entertainment, the band's agency, revealed the poster of the world tour "iDOL" through the group's official social media channels Tuesday. The five-member group will kick off the world tour in Seoul with two days of concerts on Aug. 3-4, according to the unveiled poster. The group will then meet fans in a total of 14 cities, including Hong Kong; Tokyo; Tacoma, Washington; Oakland and Anaheim, Califor

May 14, 2024

Rain to meet fans in Korea, Japan

Singer Rain, also known as Jung Ji-hoon, is set to meet fans through performances in Korea and Japan. Rain will hold the solo concert "Still Raining" on June 8-9 at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul. The upcoming concert marks Rain's first solo performance in Korea since his "The Squall" concert in 2015. It is also an extension of the tour concert held in the United States last November under the same title. The title "Still Raining" signifies

May 14, 2024

Pianist Baik Kun-woo releases first-ever Mozart album

South Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo kicked off his Mozart trilogy project Tuesday with the release of “Mozart: Piano Works 1." The Deutsche Grammophon album marks the first Mozart album by the 78-year-old pianist, who has an extensive discography of more than 30 albums. "Mozart's works are inherently difficult. It feels like bringing pure, natural music just as it is. After much contemplation on how to interpret it, I discovered the 'as is' music that Mozart captu

May 14, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' offers meticulously crafted scenes, layered characters

Upon its release in 2011, the classic Hollywood blockbuster IP Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy, backed by Oscar-nominated VFX techniques, captivated audiences worldwide with its shocking story of primates challenging humans as the dominant species on Earth. The series is back seven years later with a meticulously crafted fourth installment, which effectively prompts the question of what it means to be human -- and whether it will be possible for different species with high intelligence to co

May 14, 2024

Zerobaseone dreams big with third EP in 'Youth' trilogy

K-pop rookies Zerobaseone wrapped up their “Youth” trilogy with a third EP, “You had me at HELLO,” released Monday. This album comes after the band’s two million-selling EPs: “Youth In The Shade,” which kicked off its “Youth” trilogy about how the hardships youth face make them shine even brighter, and “Melting Point,” about becoming a thorn to protect their fans who have made their dreams of becoming K-pop artists come true. Zero

May 14, 2024

NewJeans' members' parents complained to Hybe, email shows

Embattled Ador CEO Min Hee-jin has drawn NewJeans’ members' parents into the ongoing dispute between Hybe and herself in an bid to strengthen public sentiment against the parent company, Hybe said Monday. A local media outlet, Monday, disclosed an email from the parents of NewJeans’ members sent to Hybe through Ador on April 3. Ador, one of the 11 subsidiaries of Hybe, is the music label behind NewJeans. In the email, the parents expressed their regret towards Hybe CEO Park Ji-w

May 13, 2024