The Boyz to return next month with new album

K-pop boy group The Boyz is making a rapid comeback with a new album next month. The Boyz is releasing the EP “Phantasy Pt. 2 Sixth Sense,” which is the second part of its second LP “Phantasy” on Nov. 20, according to IST Entertainment. The group’s second LP is a trilogy of which the first part, “Phantasy Pt. 1 Christmas In August” was released three months ago and has helped the group see remarkable growth. The Boyz’ second full-length album, &ldq

Oct. 25, 2023

JYP Entertainment to build new headquarters

JYP Entertainment, the K-pop powerhouse that houses some of the major K-pop groups such as Twice and Stray Kids, is constructing a new building to be used as its headquarters. The agency announced Tuesday that it has bought 10,675 square meters of land in Gangdong-gu, Seoul from Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation. “The land will be used to establish a new office building for the agency. We anticipate expanding office space which is part of our mid-to-long-term business plan, helps i

Oct. 25, 2023

Genre-bending epic ‘Sun-sin’ explores inner struggles of national hero

The story of Adm. Yi Sun-sin, one of the most celebrated figures in Korean history, who led the country to victory against the Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598), has been reimagined in diverse mediums, including drama series, movies, novels and even a graphic novel in English. Set to premiere in November, “Sun-sin,” a genre-bending production by the Seoul Performing Arts Company brings together accomplished artists from various performing arts backgrounds, including

Oct. 25, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Enhypen expands Asia tour

    Enhypen added four cities in Asia extending its international tour, said agency Belift Lab on Tuesday. The band will perform seven times in Taipei, Singapore, Macao and New Clark City, Philippines in January and February next year. This extends its second tour “Fate” that began in Seoul in July and brought the seven members to Tokyo and Osaka in September before six cities in the US. The bandmates wrapped up the tour in Chicago in the US on Sunday. Meanwhile, the b

Oct. 24, 2023

Partial list of artists to perform at 2023 MAMA Awards unveiled

A partial list of artists performing at the 2023 MAMA Awards at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 28-29 was announced Tuesday. The awards organizer CJ ENM announced a total of eight K-pop groups that are confirmed to perform at the one of the biggest annual K-pop award ceremonies. The bands are Ateez, INI, JO1, NiziU, Riize, TVXQ, Xikers, and Zerobaseone. INI, JO1, TVXQ and Xikers will perform on Nov. 28, the first day of the event. INI is a K-pop boy group that recently topped Oricon’s Weekly Single

Oct. 24, 2023

Enhypen's 'Fate' tour draws 85,000 fans in the US

Enhypen's latest US concert tour ended Sunday, with a total of 85,000 fans having attended the shows. As part of its world tour, "Fate," K-pop boy band Enhypen held seven gigs in six stateside cities between Oct. 6-22. Kicking off in Los Angeles, the septet took the series to Glendale, Houston, Dallas and Newark, before the last show in Chicago on Sunday. At every show, the band delivered a fully-packed extravaganza of 25 songs, including hits like "Drunk-Dazed" and &quo

Oct. 24, 2023

Seventeen 1st male group this year to top Melon Top 100

Seventeen continues to set new records with its new album, "Seventeenth Heaven," including a top place on Melon's Top 100. Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday said the album and its title song, "God of Music," dominated the global music charts following its release at 6 p.m. on Monday. Among the feats achieved were a No. 1 spot on the nation's biggest music service provider Melon's Top 100 chart with "God of Music." Seventeen became the first boy band thi

Oct. 24, 2023

[New on the Scene] Lee Jun-young shows new level of villain in latest role

Actor Lee Jun-young, who was recognizable for his villainous roles in “D.P.” and “Mask Girl,” has shown another level of villian in his first film “Brave Citizen” directed by Park Jin-pyo. In "Brave Citizen," Lee stars as a student named Han Soo-gang (Lee Jun-young), dubbed "crazy dog" for his bullying antics, constantly beating up not-so-well-off classmates. His merciless bullying is hard to stomach, such as when Soo-gang puts a plastic ba

Oct. 24, 2023

Stray Kids honored with Prime Minister’s commendation at 2023 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

K-pop boy group Stray Kids received the Prime Minister’s commendation at the 2023 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards. The Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards honor figures of various fields -- singers, actors, comedians, directors and more -- who have contributed to the development of the local pop culture and art scene. The boy band was unable to attend the ceremony on Saturday due a concert it held in Seoul on the same day. “We are really grateful for having been honored with

Oct. 24, 2023

'The Boys' director says blending fact, fiction necessary to deliver message

Adding a completely new character to "The Boys" was necessary to make the based-on-a-true-story film more compelling, director Chung Ji-young said Monday. "Some people call me the Ken Loach of South Korea. But I create more dramatic devices than (he does) to share my story with a wider audience," Chung said at a press conference in Seoul. He referred to British director Ken Loach, who is famous for making films based on true events. "The Boys" revisits a 1999 case i

Oct. 23, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] TXT hits Billboard 200 at No. 3

    Tomorrow X Together’s third studio album charted No. 3 on the Billboard 200, according to the chart preview the publication posted on Sunday in the US. The LP “The Name Chapter: Freefall” is the ninth album from the band to enter the main albums chart, the second-most for a K-pop artist, only after BTS. The five-piece act placed all three albums from this year on the chart as well. Its fifth EP “The Name Chapter: Temptation” came out in January an

Oct. 23, 2023

Billlie opens a new world in 'Side-B: Memoirs of Echo Unseen'

Girl group Billlie made its long-awaited return Monday with its first single, "Side-B: Memoirs of Echo Unseen." The four-track package comes seven months since the release of its fourth EP, "The Billage of Perception: Chapter Three," in March. Billlie's Haram, Tsuki, Siyoon, Sheon and Haruna on Monday held a press conference in Seoul ahead of the album's release later that evening. Moon Sua and Suhyeon are currently on a break due to health concerns and did not take

Oct. 23, 2023

Fifty Fifty’s agency terminates contract with 3 of 4 group members

K-pop agency Attrakt has notified Saena, Sio and Aran of Fifty Fifty of the termination of their exclusive contracts. “We notified Saena, Sio and Arin of Fifty Fifty, excluding Keena, of the termination of their exclusive contracts on Thursday,” Attrakt announced Monday in a press release. “This move comes as these three members show no remorse for breaching the contract with the agency. We will discuss what actions we will take against these members later on,” the statem

Oct. 23, 2023

Lee Sun-kyun drops out from ‘No Way Out’

Prolific actor Lee Sun-kyun, who has recently come under police investigation for suspected drug use, is dropping out from his latest project, “No Way Out,” a mystery thriller series that began shooting this month. According to the entertainment industry, the production company notified its actors and staff that shooting would be postponed for two weeks to reorganize the cast. Following the police announcement on Friday concerning the investigation into Lee, staff of “No Way Ou

Oct. 23, 2023

[Herald Review] Stray Kids perform new standard of '5-star' show

Thousands of international fans gathered at Gocheok Sky Dome, the biggest concert venue in South Korea, on Sunday for the last day of the K-pop boy band Stray Kids’ “5-Star Dome Tour 2023 Seoul Special.” Stray Kids’ signature red rippled through the dome to signal the beginning of the globally popular artists’ show. Soon, members of the group jumped one by one on the stage from an underground lift, eliciting deafening roars from the audience. Stray Kids were dressed

Oct. 23, 2023

'Seventeenth Heaven' logs record-high 5.2m preorder sales

Seventeen continues its record-setting streak with its 11th EP "Seventeenth Heaven," racking up 5.2 million copies in preorder sales. "Seventeenth Heaven" tallied pre-order sales of 5,206,718 units, the group's agency Pledis Entertainment said on Monday citing the data from the album's distributor YG Plus. The album will come out later at 6 p.m. This marks a milestone for both K-pop and Seventeen, as it had been the group's own album -- the 10th EP "FML&qu

Oct. 23, 2023

Singer-songwriter Oohyo returns with new album

Singer-songwriter Oohyo is dropping a new album, "Oohyo Returns," on Monday. The extended play marks Oohyo's first step as she sets off on her independent journey, the album's distributor Mirrorball Music said in a statement. An album celebrating her ninth debut anniversary, "Oohyo Returns" is packed with old and new sounds from the singer. According to Mirrorball Music, the album includes revised versions of three previously released songs -- "Teddy Bear,"

Oct. 23, 2023

NewJeans, Ive win first national culture merit

K-pop girl groups NewJeans and Ive were awarded a national culture merit on Saturday for their role in the promotion of Korean culture and arts. The rookie groups were recognized with the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation at the 14th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards. The ceremony was held on Saturday at Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul. "We are honored to receive such big award. We feel grateful to our fans, Bunnies, and everyo

Oct. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Ian Bostridge enjoys incorporating great works of literature into music

The Hic Et Nunc! music festival, which strives to focus on subtly changing trends in the classical music world, is set for its sixth edition next month. From Nov. 9-22, Hic Et Nunc!, a Latin phrase that means "here and now," will present six main programs with its organizer Sejong Soloists, featuring emerging Korean musicians as well as acclaimed international musicians like tenor Ian Bostridge and saxophonist Steven banks. Presenting the festival's goal of nonconformity and bound

Oct. 22, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Brave Citizen,' a delightful comic action flick that punishes school bullies

Director Park Jin-pyo, behind the 2005 romance movie “You Are My Sunshine,” has returned with a delightful comic action hero flick that shows a straightforward tale of a high school teacher seeking vengeance on a school bully. In Park's "Brave Citizen," substitute civic education teacher So Si-min (Shin Hae-sun) silently endures exploitation, having to grade test paper of her peers, and sexual harassment by the vice principal, for the sole purpose of making it as a ful

Oct. 22, 2023