[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Fifty Shades Freed(US)Opened Feb. 21Drama, Romance, ThrillerDirected by James FoleyBelieving they have left behind shadowy figures from their past, newlyweds Christian and Ana fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. But just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.Black Panther (US)Opened Feb. 14Action, Adventure, Sci-fi Directed by Ryan Coogler T’Challa

Feb. 23, 2018

[Weekender] ‘What’s your flashing green light?’

“Gatsby and I, it was such a perfect coincidence. I just immediately related to him.” When PH-1, a 25-year-old rapper from the US, finished recording two tracks for his latest EP -- both of which take critical aim at society -- he couldn’t find an overarching theme for the album. And while flipping through Netflix, he stumbled upon “The Great Gatsby” film based on F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s 1925 novel. And a light bulb switched on. “I thought of Gatsby as a person who has everything but at the same t

Feb. 23, 2018

[Weekender] Hip-hop: More than music

In the summer of 2013, Korea was set ablaze by a series of “diss tracks” shot out rapid-fire by local hip-hop artists. Rapper Swings kick-started it with a track attacking the entire Korean hip-hop scene to the beats of “Control” by Big Sean. It soon spread to engulf the scene within a month.Put aside the head-butting of the rappers, the amount of attention it got -- making headlines and being parodied by comedy shows, video games and celebrities across the country -- was a reminder that when so

Feb. 23, 2018

BTS' rapper J-Hope to release mixtape next month

J-Hope, a rapper from the K-pop boy band BTS, will release a mixtape next month, the group's agency said Friday. Big Hit Entertainment said the 24-year-old artist will put out a solo mixtape on March 2 for the first time since the group's debut in 2013. He will be the seven-strong act's third artist to do so, after leader RM in 2015 and Suga in 2016.  (Big Hit Entertainment)A mixtape is a self-produced, experimental album that is released free of charge to share an artist's own musical taste and

Feb. 23, 2018

K-pop boy band Seventeen to debut in Japan in May

The K-pop boy band Seventeen will make its debut in Japan in May, its agency said Friday.Fledis Entertainment said the 13-member act broke the news while holding a concert titled "SEVENTEEN 2018 JAPAN ARENA TOUR SVT" in front of some 15,000 fans at Yokohama Arena in Japan on Thursday."Will you follow our dream? We are debuting in Japan," the band said after singing a series of songs in Japanese. (Yonhap)The group's latest album "Director's Cut," out on Feb. 5, gained popularity in the country, r

Feb. 23, 2018

Rock singer Yoon Do-hyun returns with two new singles

Rock singer Yoon Do-hyun has returned with two new digital singles “Song Calling for You” and “Cold” Thursday. According to his agency Dee Company, the two songs have been produced by Yoon himself, and the entire recording process, as well as the shooting for the music video, was completed in London. An image for Yoon Do-hyun‘s new single “Song Calling for You” (Dee Company)　Yoon recorded “Song Calling for You” with the London Symphony Orchestra at Air studios in London, which was founded in 196

Feb. 22, 2018

YG’s new sitcom-variety show to be broadcast on Netflix

YG Entertainment’s upcoming variety program “YG Strategy Center” (working title) will be broadcast via online streaming platform Netflix. The K-pop agency announced Thursday that its new sitcom-variety program will premiere on Netflix, while the exact release date is yet to be set.  A promotion image for “YG Strategy Center” (YG Entertainment)Featuring a group of YG families including Seungri of Big Bang, Lee Jae-jin of Sechskies and comedian Yoo Byung-jae, the eight-episode Netflix series will

Feb. 22, 2018

[Herald Review] Match made in hell

Lee Seung-gi is a multi-talented entertainer who shines in many roles, excelling as a singer, a show host, comedian and actor. Sadly, “The Princess and the Matchmaker” is not one of them.Directed by Hong Chang-pyo, the flick marks the hallyu star’s return to the silver screen after being discharged from his mandatory military service last year. Filming was finished in 2015, but the movie was kept under wraps for nearly three years. Looking at the final product, it is not hard to guess why.The st

Feb. 22, 2018

So Ji-sub to return through ‘Terius Behind Me’

Actor So Ji-sub is to star in a new drama series “Terius Behind Me” (working title). So is to play the role of a character named Terius. The character is inspired by a widely-known Japanese comic “Candy Candy.” Although the original character is named Terrence in English, he is more referred to as Terius, in Korea.  So Ji-sub (51K)The veteran actor’s latest drama was “Oh My Venus” on KBS2 in 2016. He had lately been focusing on his filmography, featuring in various films. “Terius Behind Me” is s

Feb. 22, 2018

‘Children of Lesser God’ pursues reality amid fantasy

Despite the use of fantastical elements, OCN’s new series “Children of a Lesser God” looks to enhance the realism of drama, a new attempt in the crime-fantasy genre.The press conference for the drama series held Wednesday in Seoul had an unusually charged atmosphere: One of its actors, Jo Min-ki had been hit with several allegations of sexual abuse just the day before.  Mere hours before the press conference, Jo announced he was dropping out of the series in response to the sexual misconduct all

Feb. 22, 2018

Jo Min-ki’s flip-flop on sexual misconduct with students further sparks fury

Veteran actor Jo Min-ki was adamant about his innocence, at least until Tuesday when he confronted a slew of sexual misconduct allegations. Will Entertainment, the agency representing the embattled actor, even threatened to take strong legal action against those who spread “groundless rumors” about the alleged sexual misdeeds Jo committed while he was teaching at a local college.On Wednesday, Jo flipped his “innocent victim” position as further accounts surfaced, detailing his nearly decadelong

Feb. 21, 2018

[Herald Review] Sanctuary in the ‘Little Forest’

The fact that “healing” -- referring, in Korea, to the process of relieving stress with relaxing activities -- was the key word of 2010s shows Koreans’ frustrations with the hectic city life. In a county where over half of the population is concentrated in the metropolitan area, farming has become something of a symbol for the laid-back life that city-dwellers dream of.Director Yim Soon-rye’s “Little Forest” follows a young woman typically deemed a failure -- she fails to land a teaching job, an

Feb. 21, 2018

Tiger JK seeking new talent to share SXSW stage with

Tiger JK has confirmed his participation in the upcoming South by Southwest in Texas, and is looking for up-and-coming hip-hop musicians to take to the stage with him at the festival.His agency Feel Good Music announced Wednesday that the rapper will handpick two hip-hop musicians through the MMT Korea Festival to be held on March 2 at Konkuk University in Seoul. The winning musician will share the stage at the SXSW with Tiger JK and rapper Junoflo, who will also participate in the selection pro

Feb. 21, 2018

[Album review] BoA stands between conformist and No. 1 on new album

BoA“One Shot, Two Shot”(Iriver)Successfully blending futuristic sounds with hip-hop dance beats, the veteran singer’s first ever EP “One Shot, Two Shot,” features two of BoA’s greatest strengths: conforming to a trend but keeping her excellence. The seven-track collection, which includes the previously released “Nega Dola” and “Camo,” is also a testament to how BoA was able to stand tall on her own throughout her 19-year career.The opener and title track “One Shot, Two Shot” is a deep-house danc

Feb. 21, 2018

Wax vows to keep Joan of Arc spirit until 70

Throughout her 20-year career, Wax has been typecast as a nationally acclaimed but secretive balladeer. Her biggest hit, “Fixing My Makeup,” a tear-jerker of a post-breakup song, has been on the list of people’s favorite karaoke sing-alongs for more than a decade, while her personal life has been veiled from the public. “Due to my balladeer image and vocal, people think me as a serious person. But I want to dismantle that image,” Wax, 45, whose real name is Cho Hye-ri, told The Korea Herald in S

Feb. 20, 2018

Soprano Julia Lezhneva makes first visit to Korea

Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva will perform with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by British conductor Paul Goodwin at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul on Thursday. Julia Lezhneva / Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraTitled “Baroque Extravaganza,” the concert features a program of Baroque and early Classical era music, including Handel‘s Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 4, as well as Recitativo “Solitudine Amate,” aria “Aure Fonti” and “Brilla Nell’Alma” from Handel‘s opera “Alessandro.” Lezhneva will also pe

Feb. 20, 2018

Stage director apologizes for sexual harassment, denies rape allegations

Acclaimed stage director Lee Youn-taek on Monday apologized for his acts of sexual harassment which he admitted went on for 18 years but denied allegations of rape.During a press conference held at the 30 Studio in Jongro-gu, Seoul, on Monday, Kim So-hee, head of the Yeonhee Street Theatre Troupe, said that the troupe had been aware of the various sexual misconduct allegations involving Lee and that she has decided to disband the group in order to take responsibility. Lee Youn-taek speaks at a p

Feb. 19, 2018

Open ‘Gate’ for comic satire of reality

Caper film “Gate” hopes to be “better than the news,” keeping the elements of comedy while reflecting reality by satirizing Choi Soon-sil. The main plot of the film centers on a group planning to rob a secret safe. The former thieves, a prosecutor, a hacker and two friends team up, each for their own reasons. Veteran actors Jung Ryeo-won, Im Chang-jung, Jung Sang-hoon, Lee Kyung-young, Lee Moon-sik and rookie Kim Do-hoon form the main cast of the comedy caper. The cast of “Gate” (JNC Media Group

Feb. 19, 2018

Mamamoo eyeing March 7 release

Mamamoo said Monday that the girl group is eying a new release on March 7, two months after releasing “Paint Me” in January.The group’s agency Rainbow Bridge World confirmed reports on the planned date for the new release, although it added that there is a possibility for a last-minute change. Mamamoo (Rainbow Bridge World)It was reported earlier in the day that the girl group left for New Zealand on Feb.14 to shoot a music video for the new song, with the members actively involved in the song,

Feb. 19, 2018

Ye Hak-young caught drunk driving

Model-actor Ye Hak-young was charged with driving under the influence. He is to face legal punishment once again after the drug scandal in 2009. Ye was caught by the police Friday morning, sleeping in his car on the streets of southern Seoul. His alcohol level was 0.067 percent at the time, enough to get his driver’s license revoked.  Ye Hak-young (Ye’s social media account)Though not arrested, he will soon be summoned to the police for further investigations. Ye was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in

Feb. 18, 2018