ATBO to hold first Japan fan meeting

ATBO will meet with Japanese fans for the first time in February. According to the group's agency IST Entertainment, ATBO will hold the "2024 ATBO First Japan Fanmeeting Home Party" twice, at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo on Feb. 29 and Oval Hall in Osaka on March 2. As this is the group's first event to be held in Japan since debuting, the bandmates are reportedly making every effort to prepare satisfying performances. The seven-member group will present different shows in each city,

Jan. 19, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Alienoid Part 2” (South Korea) Opened Jan. 10 Action Directed by Choi Dong-hoon Lee Ahn (Kim Tae-ri) accidentally falls back in time to the late Goryeo Kingdom, and all she needs to do to come back to 2022 is to find the divine sword, which happens to also be sought by several different stakeholders for various reasons. “Wish” (US) Opened Jan. 3 Animation Directed by Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn Seventeen-year-old Asha interviews for an apprentice job to King Magnifi

Jan. 19, 2024

Director Jang Jae-hyun’s ‘Exhuma’ invited to Berlinale

Occult thriller "Exhuma" by Jang Jae-hyun, known as a master of Korean occult films, has been invited to the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. The film's distributor, Showbox, said Thursday that the movie will be presented in the Berlinale’s Forum section, dedicated to “avant-garde and experimental” film genres and discovering “fascinating new faces,” according to the festival organizer. Berlinale opens Feb. 15 for a 10-day run. Previously invi

Jan. 18, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ive drops 1st English-language single

Ive will put out its first English-language single, “All Night,” on Friday, according to an announcement by agency Starship Entertainment on Thursday. A teaser trailer for the music video was uploaded on the day set against an office scattered with document papers and confetti. The six members, dressed up for a girls’ night out, can be seen having a blast at the office with American singer and rapper Saweetie. Saweetie was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2022 as Best New

Jan. 18, 2024

'Argylle' actors say director Matthew Vaughn's new spy action thriller 'feels at home here'

Actors Henry Caville, Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell from English filmmaker Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming spy action thriller, “Argylle,” began a promotional tour in Seoul, Thursday. Director Vaughn, well-known here for his “Kingsman” spy franchise, was absent due to health reasons. “Argylle” follows Elly Conway (Howard), a reclusive author who writes best-selling espionage novels in which an agent, Argylle (Caville), unravels a global spy syndicate. B

Jan. 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'The Bequeathed' merges concepts of horror and family

Yeon Sang-ho, star director of mega-hits such as the 2016 zombie film "Train to Busan" and the 2021 Netflix original fantasy drama series "Hellbound," is back with "The Bequeathed," a new Netflix original thriller drama series. "The Bequeathed" is a 6-part series that focuses on a series of ominous events which occur after Yoon Seo-ha (Kim Hyun-joo) receives a family grave site as inheritance following the death of her uncle. Conflict heightens as her half

Jan. 18, 2024

'LTNS' satirizes realities of today's sexless, adulterous couples

The life of a married couple who have lost interest in each other will be examined in "LTNS," Tving's new original series, offering a no-holds-barred depiction of the realities of couples today, promised actors Ahn Jae-hong and Lee So-young, also known as Esom, during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "LTNS," short for "Long Time No Sex," is a 6-part drama series that uses black comedy to tell the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn

Jan. 18, 2024

KBS employees fined W30m for abuse and death of horse

A Seoul court on Wednesday fined three KBS employees a total of 30 million won ($22,338), holding them accountable for the death of a horse on the set of a drama production in 2021. The Seoul Southern District Court convicted the three employees -- a 59-year-old drama producer surnamed Kim, a martial arts director and an equestrian -- of animal abuse among other charges for the torture and killing of a horse while shooting a scene for the local broadcaster’s "The King of Tears, Lee

Jan. 17, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ateez to join Coachella festival, 1st for K-pop boy band

Ateez will make its debut appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival which is slated to be held in California in April, according to KQ Entertainment on Wednesday. It is the first K-pop boy band to join the lineup for the international music festival that began in 1999. This year’s lineup also includes fellow K-pop act Le Sserafim, as well as American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey and rapper Doja Cat. The eight-piece act’s second studio album, “The World E

Jan. 17, 2024

ARKO Selection presents diverse spectrum of works

ARKO Selection's second set of six productions scheduled for mid and late-January includes two family-friendly musicals, two contemporary dance performances and two music concerts. The topics covered in the productions range from borderline personality disorder to the life story of Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time. Other themes include human brutality and humanity in the digital age. The works are among the 28 new repertoires funded by Arts Council Korea, an

Jan. 17, 2024

Le Sserafim, Ateez to perform at Coachella

K-pop groups Le Sserafim and Ateez will perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year. Le Sserafim will take the stage on April 13 and April 20, while Ateez will perform on April 12 and April 19. The festival will take place on April 12-21 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California, according to the festival’s promoter Goldenvoice, Tuesday. Le Sserafim is the only K-pop girl group in the lineup for Coachella this year. The group’s performance at Coachella com

Jan. 17, 2024

Hui of Pentagon sets off solo on ‘Whu Is Me: Complex’

Hui of K-pop boy band Pentagon has now begun his solo career, releasing his first official solo album, “Whu Is Me: Complex,” on Tuesday. The artist opted for a self-explanatory title for his first EP. “I asked myself ‘Who am I?’ while working on this album. I concluded that Hui is just who I am, me. I added the word ‘complex’ because it was my complex that led me to work hard on overcoming the things that I do not like about myself,” Hui said durin

Jan. 17, 2024

Kyuhyun to embark on first solo Asia tour

Singer Kyuhyun plans to embark on his first solo Asia tour since his debut. His agency, Antenna, released a poster for the "2024 Kyuhyun Asia Tour Restart" on its official social media, announcing the schedule for Kyuhyun's Asia tour. Kyuhyun will kick off the Asia tour with a three-day concert at Blue Square MasterCard Hall in Yongsan, Seoul, from March 8-10. The soloist will then meet with fans in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Osaka and Yokohama in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and

Jan. 17, 2024

IU to hold first world tour in 5 years

Singer and actor IU will hold a world tour for the first time in five years. IU is set to perform four times at the KSPO Dome in Seoul on March 2-3 and March 9-10, kicking off the "IU H.E.R. World Tour Concert," according to IU's agency, EDAM Entertainment on Wednesday. The meaning of the concert title will be revealed later, the agency said. IU will tour 18 cities in 12 countries including Seoul; Yokohama, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Jakarta, Indonesia; Hong Kong; Manila, t

Jan. 17, 2024

[Herald Interview] Park Seo-joon, Han So-hee say historical themes drew them to 'Gyeongseong Creature'

Actors Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee said they most wanted to portray the lives of people living in 1945, when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, through their roles in "Gyeongseong Creature." The final episode of the first season of the 10-part Netflix original series aired on Jan. 5. "Gyeongseong Creature" tells the story of Jang Tae-sung (Park Seo-joon) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee), who investigate clandestine operations taking place in a hidden basement of a hospita

Jan. 17, 2024

'Captivating the King' to capture love-hate relationship between king and spy

Sparks are set to fly as South Korean actors Jo Jung-suk and Shin Se-kyung star in tvN's new historical romance drama "Captivating the King," in which they will portray a love-hate relationship between a king and a spy. The 16-part drama series centers around the relationship between Lee In (played by Jo Jung-suk), who rises to the position of king of Joseon, and Kang Hee-soo (played by Shin Se-kyung), a spy who approaches him seeking revenge. "Although it is a fusion histo

Jan. 17, 2024

Choi Min-sik returns with “Exhuma,” his first-ever occult flick

Veteran actor Choi Min-sik of “Old Boy” who gained huge popularity last year with Disney+ series “Big Bet” stars in his first-ever occult flick, “Exhuma,” directed by "K-occult master" Jang Jae-hyun. “I personally don’t watch scary films. I suffer after watching them. But I not only had curiosity in the occult genre, I wanted to know more about how the director would delve into this superstitious, abstract concept in a cinematic way,&rdqu

Jan. 17, 2024

BTS members RM, V complete basic military training

RM and V of K-pop supergroup BTS completed five weeks of boot camp training Tuesday, the Army said, after enlisting late last year to carry out their mandatory military service. The two members earned the rank of private after undergoing various training, including basic combat and chemical, biological and radiological defense drills, at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, 152 kilometers south of Seoul. At the boot camp graduation ceremony, the two members received an award as elite trai

Jan. 16, 2024

Seven K-pop albums among the top 10 CD sales in US in 2023

Seven of the top 10-selling pop music CDs in the US in 2023 were K-pop albums, with the other three albums all coming from pop superstar Taylor Swift. Swift's "Taylor's Version" topped the list with a total of 800,000 sales, according to an annual report for 2023 released by Luminate, an American music and entertainment industry data research firm. The singer's 10th studio album, "Midnights" and "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," both sold about 260

Jan. 16, 2024

Golden Girls to tour 12 cities

Golden Girls, a new K-pop group consisting of four legendary female singers Insooni, Park Mi-kyung, Shin Hyo-beom and Lee Eun-mi, will tour 12 cities nationwide starting February. They are also reportedly pushing for overseas concerts as well. The Golden Girls will perform in Daejeon, Cheongju, Busan, Gwangju, Uijeongbu, Incheon and Changwon, starting with a concert at Kyunghee University's Peace Hall in Seoul Feb. 3-4. Golden Girls is a new K-pop group produced by Park Jin-young of JYP Ent

Jan. 16, 2024