[Herald Review] All riddles solved in ‘Alienoid Part 2,’ but movie still a muddle

Putting the disgraceful performance at the box office of “Alienoid Part 1” behind him, renowned moviemaker Choi Dong-hoon returned with the second part to the Korean sci-fi flick that combines Korean folklore, a year and six months after the first part released in theaters. “Alienoid Part 2” continues to tell the story of magician-like gurus, or “dosa” in Korean, from the late Goryeo Kingdom and their connection to aliens, robots and humans living in 2022. Whi

Jan. 9, 2024

Riize named by Apple Music as artist to watch in 2024

The year 2024 will be a big year for K-pop rookie group Riize, according to Apple Music's prediction. Riize was the only K-pop act among the five artists named on Apple Music’s 2024 Artists to Watch list, announced on Monday. Bloody Civilian, Flyana Boss, Kenya Grace and The Last Dinner Party are the other artists named on the list. Riize’s latest single, “Love 119,” was also included among 50 singles chosen for the “Shazam: 2024 Trend Playlist" announced

Jan. 9, 2024

Aespa to remake Seo Tai-ji and Boys’ ‘Regret of the Times’

Aespa is remaking "Regret of the Times," the hit single by K-pop group Seo Tai-ji and Boys. Part of SM Entertainment’s “Remastering Project," aespa's remake of the song will be released via major music platforms on Jan. 15 at 6 p.m., according to the entertainment agency. Aespa’s music video for the remake will be unveiled on SM’s YouTube channel at the same time. An alternative rock song with energetic band sounds and anti-establishment lyrics, &ldq

Jan. 9, 2024

Itzy releases new album, to embark on 2nd world tour

K-pop girl group Itzy proved its members were born to be superstars, showing off their confident and powerful identity in a new mini album, “Born to Be,” released Monday. The group, known for its music that revolves around the message of “respecting and loving oneself,” returned with an album filled with powerful performances that shows Itzy is more confident than ever. “We tried to overcome our limits. That includes trying out diverse music genres and challenging o

Jan. 8, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] (G)I-dle to bring out 2nd LP

(G)I-dle will return with a second studio album on Jan. 29, the group's agency Cube Entertainment said Monday. A logo motion clip for the LP, “2,” was uploaded showing the letter “i” transformed into the No. 2. The album comes about eight months since the group's sixth EP, “I Feel,” and almost two years after the first full album, “I Never Die.” The sixth EP entered the Billboard 200 at No. 41 and sold over 1.16 million copies in its first week, a

Jan. 8, 2024

Webtoon based drama series to dominate in early 2024

Drama series adaptations of renowned South Korean webtoons are set to open the new year, riding high on the continued success of Korean webtoon-based dramas on global streaming services. "Man and Woman," a 10-part drama series adaptation of the hit Naver webtoon series of the same name, began airing on cable TV network Channel A Dec. 26 and continues through to Feb. 27. The webtoon series ranked seventh on Naver Webtoon's Top 10 most-read list despite its R-rating, meaning you hav

Jan. 8, 2024

Korean American director's 'Beef' wins big at 81st Golden Globe Awards

Korean American director Lee Sung-jin’s road-rage drama on Netflix, “Beef,” won big at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, which took place in Beverly Hills on Sunday night local time. Along with best TV series, the two lead actors in “Beef” – Steven Yeun and Ali Wong – won the best actor and actress awards, respectively. The awards marked the first Golden Globes win for both Yeun and Wong. In his speech after being named Best Male Actor in a Limited Series, K

Jan. 8, 2024

Multinational groups look to expand global scope of K-pop

In a bid to more actively target the global market, South Korea's major entertainment agencies are gearing up to debut increasingly diverse groups with multinational members. Katseye, a new girl group under Hybe, will debut in the US this year. The six-member group was created through “The Debut: Dream Academy,” a global audition show jointly conducted by Hybe and Geffen Records. Katseye's members hail from a range of different countries, including Switzerland, the Philippi

Jan. 8, 2024

Matthew Bourne’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Simon Stone’s Korean production in LG Arts Center’s stellar lineup

Opened in October 2022, LG Arts Center Seoul last year celebrated the first anniversary of its relocation to Magok, Gangseo-gu, from Gangnam, attracting audiences totaling 290,000 over the year. The center recently unveiled the lineup for its contemporary music and performing arts series, "CoMPAS24," featuring 12 shows in dance, classical music and theater, with world-renowned artists from around the globe. Among the standout names headlining the season are renowned choreographer Matth

Jan. 7, 2024

[Herald Interview] Conductor behind 'Maestra' explores new musical territory

ㅡ In the recent TV drama series “Maestra,” South Korea’s prominent actor Lee Young-ae plays a charismatic conductor. Based on a 2018 French thriller “Philharmonia,” "Maestra" centers around world-class conductor, Cha Se-eum, who returns home to lead a local orchestra after conquering New York. Chin Sol, a young South Korean conductor, was responsible for Lee's transformation into a charismatic conductor in a space of a few months. “Actors seem

Jan. 7, 2024

Hybe’s new girl group I’ll-It to debut as 5-piece without Youngseo

I’ll-It, the soon-to-launch girl group from the K-pop powerhouse Hybe’s subsidiary Belift Lab, will debut as a five-piece instead of a sextet as announced earlier. Such change comes as one of the members, Youngseo, has left the agency. “Following in-depth discussions about future activities, Belift Lab and Youngseo have come to a mutual agreement to terminate the exclusive contract,” announced Belift Lab on the fan communication platform Weverse on Friday. “I’

Jan. 7, 2024

Celine Song’s ‘Past Lives’ named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics

Korean Canadian filmmaker and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut, “Past Lives,” was named Best Picture of 2023 at the National Society of Film Critics Awards. “Past Lives,” a semi-autobiographical romantic drama film about Korean writer Nora (Greta Lee) living in New York who reunites with her childhood sweetheart, Hae-sung (Teo Yoo), after 20 years, won the top prize at the 58th annual awards. Other contenders were “Oppenheimer” and “The Z

Jan. 7, 2024

Seventeen, NewJeans win top honors at 38th Golden Disc Awards

K-pop boy band Seventeen notched Album of the Year at the 38th Golden Disc Awards Saturday with its 10th EP, “FML.” The Golden Disc Awards, one of the most prestigious annual K-pop awards, took place at Jakarta International Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday. “We are grateful to have members that work hard. We think we have continuously shown growth each year at the Golden Disc Awards. We are so proud to receive this top honor today," said Mingyu of Seventeen duri

Jan. 7, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans tops 400m Spotify streams with ‘Super Shy’

NewJeans garnered 400 plays on Spotify with “Super Shy,” according to agency Ador on Friday. It is the group’s fourth song to achieve the feat after “OMG,” “Ditto” and “Hype Boy.” “Super Shy” is one of the three title tracks from its second EP “Get Up” that came out in July last year. It enjoyed eight weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 and nine weeks in the top 10 among Spotify’s global top songs chart. The rook

Jan. 5, 2024

Park Eun-bin drops first single ahead of fan concert

Actress Park Eun-bin released her first digital single, "Present," on Thursday, ahead of her first fan concert. The new album consists of three songs, including the vibrant, catchy title song, “Do-re-mi-fa," a rhythmical electronic pop genre song, "Into The Light," and a heartfelt ballad, "Now." Park has released some songs from the TV series she had starred in, but this is the first official album of her career. While Park was already well-known for her

Jan. 5, 2024

'Gyeongseong Creature' spin-off webtoon to be released

Kakao Entertainment, a content arm under Korea’s IT giant Kakao Corp., said Friday that a spin-off webtoon series of the Netflix original "Gyeongseong Creature" will be released on Kakao Webtoon and KakaoPage starting Jan. 20. Netflix's 10-part thriller drama "Gyeongseong Creature" centers around the stories of Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee), who infiltrate a hospital in the city of Gyeongseong (now Seoul) in 1945 -- where human experime

Jan. 5, 2024

Riize, VCHA listed as noteworthy artists in 2024 by Grammy.com

SM Entertainment's Riize and JYP Entertainment's VCHA were named "25 Artists To Watch In 2024," according to Grammy.com on Thursday. Among those listed, the two K-pop groups were the only Korean artists. "(The group) has solidified themselves as one of K-pop’s fifth-generation leaders. Their mini-album, “Get A Guitar,” sold over one million copies in less than a week and quickly landed them at the top of Korea’s music charts," Grammy editors

Jan. 5, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Noryang: Deadly Sea” (South Korea) Opened Dec. 20 History/Action Directed by Kim Han-min In 1598, the seven-year Japanese invasion of Korea nears the end as Joseon national hero Adm. Yi Sun-sin leads an allied fleet of Joseon and Ming to the Noryang Strait and annihilates the Wae army. “12.12: The Day” (South Korea) Opened Nov. 22 Drama/Action Directed by Kim Seong-su Over the course of nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979, Gen. Chun Doo-gwang (Hwang Jung-min) attempts a coup,

Jan. 5, 2024

ARKO Selection introduces 3 meditative music concerts, 2 plays, 1 opera

ARKO Selection's first set of six productions scheduled for early to mid-January include three meditative music concerts, two plays highlighting female independence fighters's activities, and one darkly reimagined opera. The productions are among the 28 new repertoires supported by Arts Council Korea, an organization committed to fostering diverse arts and cultural activities in the country. "Minyo Cello" will take place Saturday at the ARKO Arts Theater in Daehakro, Seoul, p

Jan. 4, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo’s Wheein to hold 1st solo concert

Wheein of Mamamoo will host her first concert as a solo act, The Live announced Thursday. The singer will take to the stage in Seoul on Feb. 24 and 25 for the first time on her own in her 10-year music career. The concert is likely to expand into a tour, as the title “1st World Tour: Whee In The Mood [Beyond]” suggests. The name of the concert also comes from her first solo studio album, “In the Mood,” that was released in October last year. Wheein debuted as part of Mam

Jan. 4, 2024