[Herald Interview] Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon explore paradoxical nature of family in 'The Bequeathed'

South Korean veteran actors Kim Hyun-joo and Park Hee-soon said, through their latest work "The Bequeathed," they wanted to ask their audience about the meaning of family. Netflix's six-part mystery thriller "The Bequeathed" tells the story of Yoon Seo-ha, who becomes mired in a series of ominous events including the murder of her husband, after inheriting a family grave site from her deceased uncle. The series explores the concept of family in depth, while incorporating

Jan. 28, 2024

[Herald Review] Senior actors prove age is just a number in sold-out 'Waiting for Godot'

The sepia-toned stage stands vacant except for a leafless tree and a solitary rock. The actors appear equally disheveled in their muted, grubby suits, sporting scruffy grey hair. And nothing dramatic unfolds. The two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), wait and wait for Godot, who never arrives. While one might ask where's the fun in watching someone simply waiting, waiting and waiting, the Korean production of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” which kicke

Jan. 28, 2024

Health issues halt (G)I-dle's comeback activities

Girl group (G)I-dle has suspended all activities ahead of the release of the group's second full-length album on Monday due to the health issues of two of its members. "Minnie and Yuqi visited the hospital the previous day due to fever and migraines. We decided to suspend all schedules of the two members and they will focus on getting enough rest and treatment following the medical team's instructions," Cube Entertainment, the group’s agency, said Saturday. The agency a

Jan. 28, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS logs 1.4b views with ‘Mic Drop’ remix video

The music video for BTS’ 2017 hit song “Mic Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)” surpassed 1.4 billion views on YouTube on Friday, said label Big Hit Music. It is the band’s 14th music video to hit the milestone, following those of “Dynamite,” “Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)” and “DNA.” “Mic Drop” is from its fifth EP “LOVE YOURSELF 承 ‘Her’” and DJ Steve Aoki spun it into an electro trap number which topped iTunes

Jan. 26, 2024

ARKO Selection’s February performances offer contemporary twist on classics

ARKO Selection will unveil its third set of productions in early February, offering two traditional performances, one musical, one dance performance and one music concert, which reinterpret classics and transcended traditions. Such works are among the 28 new repertoires funded by Arts Council Korea, an organization committed to fostering diverse arts and cultural activities in the country. The male "changgeuk" performance, "Salome," which is a reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde&

Jan. 26, 2024

VCHA debuts with single album ‘Girls of the Year'

JYP Entertainment’s new girl group VCHA debuted with the single album “Girls of the Year” Friday. VCHA is the first multinational girl group that JYP has launched in the US. The group consists of six members from Korea, the US, and Canada. They were chosen through JYP and the American music label Republic Record’s K-pop girl group production project “A2K” which aired on YouTube in July last year. The single album is led by the titular track “Girls of the

Jan. 26, 2024

Korea Film Archive recovers movies from 1960s, 70s

The Korean Film Archive said Friday that it recovered 16 Korean movies from the 1960s and 70s that were previously unavailable for viewing due to lost sound and deleted scenes. These movies are meaningful as they are from the Korean film industry’s so-called “first renaissance,” KOFA explained. “Recovering Korean films produced in the 1960s and 70s is a remarkable feat considering that it was when renowned filmmakers like Kim Ki-young and Shin Sang-ok actively produced mo

Jan. 26, 2024

Ten of NCT to debut solo next month

Ten of the K-pop boy group NCT is making his official solo debut in February. According to SM Entertainment, Ten will release his first solo mini album "Ten" on Feb. 13. He is the second member from NCT to debut solo, following Taeyong who released "Shalala" last year. The EP carries a total of six tracks, all sung in English. Ten, a Thai member of the multi-national idol group, made his debut as part of NCT U in 2016. He has also participated as a member of different boy g

Jan. 26, 2024

K-pop stars use NFT, fan reward systems to fight ticket scalping

With ticket scalping plaguing the local music scene, South Korean singers are adopting various methods to prevent fans from having to pay extortionate sums for concert tickets. Singer Jang Beom-jun recently announced that the ticket sales for his concert next month will be using the blockchain system, with the tickets being sold as non-fungible tokens that cannot be sold to anyone but the initial buyer. Jang had sold out the concert scheduled for this month, but cancelled all reservations due to

Jan. 26, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Wish” (US) Opened Jan. 3 Animation Directed by Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn Seventeen-year-old Asha interviews for an apprentice job to King Magnifico in the Kingdom of Rosas on the day of her grandfather Sabino's 100th birthday. The interview goes well until Magnifico declines Asha's request for Sabino's wish to be granted, seeing the wish as a potential threat to his power. “Alienoid Part 2” (South Korea) Opened Jan. 10 Action Directed by Choi Dong

Jan. 26, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Wonka’ is sweetest take on a childhood dream

Timothee Chalamet piles on the charm in “Wonka” to provide a mesmerizing back story of one of Roald Dahl's most famous characters. Throughout the 116-minute runtime, it’s hard to take your eyes away from the fantasy-like journey Wonka (Chalamet) takes to open a chocolate shop and become the world-renowned chocolatier, a promise that he made his mother. The movie begins with Wonka pompously stepping into a town in Europe with 12 sovereign coins in his pocket and an old hat.

Jan. 25, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NCT’s Taeyong to drop 2nd solo album next month

Taeyong of NCT is gearing up to return again as a solo musician, according to SM Entertainment on Thursday. He will bring out his second solo album on Feb. 26, approximately eight months since his first EP, “Shalala.” He was the first of the boy band to drop a solo album -- seven years after the group's debut. The previous EP topped iTunes top albums chart in 31 regions, as did the title track on top songs charts for 14 regions. The musician participated in writing the words and mel

Jan. 25, 2024

NewJeans wins Group of the Year at 2024 Billboard Women In Music Awards

NewJeans won Group of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Women In Music Awards, becoming the first K-pop female act to take home such an honor. NewJeans is attending the ceremony to take place on March 6 at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, according to the group's agency, Ador. Billboard Women In Music Awards is an annual event held by Billboard, established in 2007 to recognize women in the music industry who have made significant contributions to the business. Other honorees for this year&

Jan. 25, 2024

Babymonster to return as septet next month with new single

With Ahyeon back in the group, Babymonster is releasing its new single “Stuck In The Middle” on Feb. 1 YG Entertainment made the surprise announcement of the new release with a video on its official YouTube channel on Thursday. “Ahyeon has fully recovered and she is now back recording the singles for the group’s upcoming album. We wanted to drop this announcement that many of you have been waiting for as soon as possible,” YG founder and executive producer Yang Hyu

Jan. 25, 2024

How ‘Sing Again’ stays a hit brand in a sea of audition shows

A 27-year-old office worker Choi Ji-yeon recently bought a ticket for a concert of the Top 10 participants of the audition program “Sing Again 3.” Tickets for the concert sold out within 10 minutes of opening, showing the popularity of the program. “I have been a big fan of the program since its first season. In the recent season, I’m obsessed with the voice of So Soo-bin, the runner-up of the show,” said Choi. “Audition program is one of the most common theme

Jan. 25, 2024

‘Past Lives’ receives 2 nods at 2024 Academy Awards

Korean Canadian director and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut “Past Lives” has been nominated in two categories -- best picture and original screenplay -- at this year’s Academy Awards slated to take place on March 10. At the 96th edition of the world’s top film festival, also known as the Oscars, eyes are on whether “Past Lives” could repeat the success of Lee Isaac Chung's heartwarming family drama “Minari," which was nominate

Jan. 24, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans ties Blackpink’s record on Billboard 200

NewJeans’ second EP ranked No. 197 on Billboard 200, extending its stay on the main albums chart to 26 weeks, said agency Ador on Wednesday. This ties the record streak Blackpink set with first full album “The Album,” and is bested only by BTS. The rookie group’s EP “Get Up” debuted atop Billboard 200 in August and “Super Shy,” one of the three focus tracks, enjoyed an eight-week stay on Billboard’s Hot 100, peaking at No. 48. The single is

Jan. 24, 2024

[Herald Interview] After dream come true in 'Les Miserables,' Lumina begins real journey

On Tuesday evening, the 112th performance of the third run of the musical “Les Miserables” took place at Blue Square in Seoul. During the intermission, a couple in seats in the 10th row discussed whether Eponine was biracial, while two other women in the same row, seemingly in their 50s, praised her singing. Eponine is a character from Victor Hugo's 1862 novel "Les Miserables." Despite being the daughter of the unscrupulous Thenardiers, she assists her friend Marius, w

Jan. 24, 2024

Inspire Arena aims for paradigm shift in live concert experience

YEONGJONGDO, Incheon -- Inspire Arena, the first multipurpose arena in South Korea created and managed by Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort, aims to offer a whole new experience for concerts, festivals and sporting events. That begins with visitors buying tickets indoors and waiting in the lobby that can accommodate up to 6,000 for the event to start. Making the wait less tedious is the lobby's kinetic chandelier, or Rotunda. Three main gates at the arena help divert traffic and the aren

Jan. 24, 2024

Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop to lead movie adaptation of ‘Omniscient Reader’

Actors Lee Min-ho and Ahn Hyo-seop have been cast as lead actors in the movie adaptation of “Omniscient Reader,” a popular web novel that has garnered 200 million views since 2018. “Omniscient Reader” follows the story of Kim Dok-Ja (Ahn), whose world turns upside down when the novel he’s reading comes to life. In the new world, Kim is the only one who knows the story’s ending, which is why he must do everything in his power to change the course of the outco

Jan. 24, 2024