BTS' Suga begins military service

Suga of BTS began his mandatory military service on Friday. He will be fulfilling his compulsory military service by doing alternative service after receiving basic training for the first few weeks during boot camp. “I was able to come this far thanks to you ARMY (the name of BTS' fan community). Now it’s time for me (to begin my mandatory military service). I will do my utmost to fulfill my national duty. Stay warm as the weather is getting cold. Stay healthy and let’s me

Sept. 22, 2023

French drama series wins Grand Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2023

The French drama series titled “The Fragile Colossus” received the Grand Prize at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2023 on Thursday. SIDA 2023 honored a total of 11 drama series as well as 15 actors, screenwriters and directors from around the world in a ceremony held at KBS Hall in Seoul. The French drama series was praised for its in-depth depiction of sexual violence. The plot of “The Fragile Colossus” revolves around Sebastien, a former rugby player who was sexu

Sept. 22, 2023

Go Youn-jung to lead spinoff series of ‘Hospital Playlist’

TvN recently confirmed the launch of “Wise Resident Life” (unofficial translation) -- a new spinoff of its hit 2020 medical drama “Hospital Playlist” -- starring rising actor Go Youn-jung. The upcoming series will offer the medical stories of doctors and professors in Jongno branch of Yulje Hospital, the setting for the original "Hospital Playlist." Go, 27, who garnered both local and global drama fans’ interest with “Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shad

Sept. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Gang Dong-won says he’s ready to take on older roles

Dr. Cheon, the fake, comical exorcist Gang Dong-won portrays in the upcoming occult comedy flick “Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman,” has many similarities to the characters he played in 2009’s “Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard” and 2016’s “A Violent Prosecutor.” “I did intend to set the tone of Dr. Cheon character to be somewhere in between Woo-chi and Chi-won -- at least in the first half of the story where Dr. Cheon’s cunning wits had t

Sept. 22, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Sleep” (South Korea) Opened Sept. 6 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Jason Yu A pregnant Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi) discovers that her husband, Hyun-soo (Lee Sun-kyun), has started exhibiting strange behaviors while asleep. Overcome with anxiety that he may be a danger to the family, Soo-jin goes to great lengths to protect them and their baby. “A Haunting in Venice” (US) Opened Sept. 13 Mystery/Crime Directed by Kenneth Branagh Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot returns to his peace

Sept. 22, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Rose only one to renew with label: report

Of the four members of Blackpink, only Rose renewed her contract with label YG Entertainment, according to a local media report on Thursday. The rest of the foursome will find new agencies but are likely to set aside six months out of a year for group activities, it added. The management firm denied reports that it is still in discussion with all four members. The quartet’s exclusive contract with YG expired in early August. Although fans have been awaiting confirmation on whether the sup

Sept. 21, 2023

Fantasy Boys look forward to 'new tomorrow' with debut album

Fantasy Boys embarked on its journey as K-pop artists with its debut album “New Tomorrow” on Thursday. The group consists of 11 members who are among the top 12 finalists from MBC’s idol survival program “Fantasy Boys.” “Because our fans have supported us through the program up until now, we were able to introduce our debut album. With this album, we want to show that each of our members is talented in their own way,” said member Hong Sungmin during a pr

Sept. 21, 2023

CGV to screen Apple TV+ original film ‘Flora and Son’

Irish filmmaker John Carney’s latest movie “Flora and Son” will be screened exclusively at CGV theaters starting Friday. Viewers watching the 97-minute film at CGV theaters can get special gifts, including A3 posters, that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, the multiplex chain said. The audience can bring their tickets to the ticket counter to receive special “Flora and Son” merchandise for free. Helmed by the director of "Begin Again" (20

Sept. 21, 2023

2023 MAMA Awards to be held at Tokyo Dome in November

The MAMA Awards, hosted by CJ ENM, will be held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on Nov. 28-29. This is the first time a Korean award ceremony will be held at the Tokyo Dome, CJ ENM said Thursday. The MAMA Awards has been working toward the globalization of K-pop by hosting the event in various Asian countries in the past, including Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Japan. This will the second time that the event is being held in Japan, which is the second biggest importer of K-pop. The annual

Sept. 21, 2023

BTS renews exclusive contract with Big Hit Music

All members of the K-pop sensation BTS have decided to renew their exclusive contract with Big Hit Music, according to a press release on Wednesday. This means that all members will continue making new music as a full unit after they each complete their mandatory military duties. “Our board of directors reached a conclusion over the renewal of the exclusive contract with the seven members of BTS,” Hybe said in the press release. This is the group’s second contract renewal with

Sept. 21, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Lisa logs 1b Spotify streams with ‘Money’

    Lisa of Blackpink garnered 1 billion plays with solo song “Money,” according to the music platform on Wednesday. It is the first song from a K-pop female musician to achieve the feat. “Money,” the B-side track from her first solo album “Lalisa,” is the most streamed song from a K-pop solo artist on the platform, as is the album for a K-pop solo album. The performance video for “Money” surpassed 900 million views on YouTube as of

Sept. 20, 2023

[Herald Interview] Behind the scenes of Jongmyo Jeryeak with singers who breathe life into royal ceremony

Just as a conductor raises the baton in a Western classical orchestra, the “jipbak,” or the person playing the “bak” -- a wooden clapper used in Korean court and ritual music -- signals the beginning of the performance. Then the “chuk,’ a green box-drum that also signals the start of a royal ceremony, is struck nine times. Dressed in navy blue uniforms, the dancers in formation move gracefully and deliberately, with precise movements. As the musicians start to

Sept. 20, 2023

[Herald Review] Gang Dong-won in ‘Dr. Cheon’ gives viewers a welcome sense of deja vu

Actors often say they strive to show a different side of themselves in their latest films. But actor Gang Dong-won’s performance as Dr. Cheon in “Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman,” seems very familiar, as if he intended to act like he has done in the past. His comical swordsmanship and his impactful role as Dr. Cheon is reminiscent of his characters in “Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard” (2009) and “Kundo: Age of Rampant” (2014). His cunning wit is also sim

Sept. 20, 2023

Seventeen to drop 'Seventeenth Heaven' on Oct. 23

Boy band Seventeen is set for a grand finale to a busy year with its 11th EP "Seventeenth Heaven," its agency announced Wednesday. Pledis Entertainment said the group's next release would be "Seventeenth Heaven" on Oct. 23. The agency unveiled a poster that showed a red festival wristband with Seventeen's name and the new album title written around it. "Seventeenth Heaven" will be the group's first release since its record-setting album "FML"

Sept. 20, 2023

BTS' V debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 at No. 51

BTS’ V continues to thrive with his first solo album “Layover.” “Slow Dancing,” the title track of V’s album “Layover,” landed at No. 51 on Billboard’s Hot 100 dated Sept. 23. This is V’s third debut on the respective chart after his single “Christmas Tree,” an original soundtrack of the Korean drama series “Our Beloved Summer,” landed at No. 79, and “Love Me Again,” one of the tracks from a previous

Sept. 20, 2023

Evnne aims for the bull's-eye with debut album 'Target: ME'

Jellyfish Entertainment’s new boy group made its grand debut on Tuesday with its first mini album “Target: ME.” Evnne consists of seven members who took part in Mnet’s idol survival program “Boys Planet” but failed to make it into the final debut team. Their experience in the competitive show has nurtured them into skilled K-pop artists capable of singing and rapping live while dancing, as shown with their performance of the fast-tempo debut title track &ldquo

Sept. 20, 2023

Netflix Korea to bring Western flavor with ‘Song of the Bandits’

Global streamer Netflix is scheduled to present a Korean interpretation of popular Westerns with its upcoming period action drama “Song of the Bandits.” With about 70 percent of land covered by mountainous regions, not many Korean films and dramas are in the Western genre, which are typically set in dusty towns and desert-like wilderness. “The series will present a new style of Korean period drama. ‘Song of the Bandits’ adds Asia’s cultural and historical el

Sept. 20, 2023

[Herald Interview] Singer-songwriter Yuju on 'Dalala,' liberation and staying true to herself

A member of once-famed girl group GFriend, singer-songwriter Yuju says one of her most liberating moments is when she strolls down the bustling streets of Gangnam, going unnoticed by anyone. With a cap over her head and mask covering the face, Yuju says she often goes on such night strolls in the glitzy neighborhood to get closer to the people and feel the energy. It was on one of those nights that her new song, "Dalala," was born, the singer recalled during an interview with local med

Sept. 20, 2023

[Herald Interview] Filmmaker Kang Je-gyu waited 3 years for ‘Road to Boston’ to open in cinemas

Director Kang Je-gyu's "Road to Boston" depicts the obstacle-laden path for Korean marathoners to participate in the 1947 Boston Marathon, but the film's journey to the screen was just as arduous. The film wrapped up shooting in January 2020, but Kang had to wait three years and eight months to see the film open in theaters. “It was hard, to be honest,” Kang told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Sept. 12. “Back then, I was expecting the film to b

Sept. 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] Song Kang-ho on why he doesn't do international projects

A household name in South Korea, actor Song Kang-ho returns to the screen in director Kim Jee-woon’s ensemble comedy “Cobweb,” marking their fifth project together. With “Cobweb,” Song visited Cannes for the eighth time. He said he joined "Cobweb" with a desire to wow the audience through the concept of "this is exactly what a movie is." “What intrigued me about ‘Cobweb’ was that it was not a typical genre film. The movie is abo

Sept. 19, 2023