[Today’s K-pop] ＆Team to host fan concert for 1st anniversary

Multinational boy band ＆Team will greet its fans in Korea and Japan to celebrate its first anniversary, said agency Hybe Labels Japan on Monday. It will host concerts in Saitama, Japan and in Seoul on Sept. 3 and 9, respectively, to mark the occasion. The events will be livestreamed online for its fans as well. The nonet was formed through an audition program in September last year and officially debuted in December under Hybe’s Japanese affiliate. In the meantime, the bandmates flew in f

Aug. 7, 2023

U-Know Yunho tries a new way of promoting 3rd solo EP with short film

U-Know Yunho of TVXQ jumped into a metaverse that he named Nexus in his new solo album “Reality Show,” released on Monday. The artist’s third solo mini album “Reality Show” comprises a total of six tracks that revolves around a single story. The story is about the protagonist Noah, who is an introvert who spends most of his time secluded from the real world, but becomes a totally different person when he dives into a virtual world with the help of his AI assistant S

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Review] Suga ends solo tour, bids farewell before enlistment

BTS' Suga on Sunday concluded his first solo world tour, "Suga | Agust D Tour ‘D-Day,’" following three days of encore concerts in Seoul. Although the tour came to an end, it marked the start of a new path in the musician's solo career. The encore shows, titled "'D-Day' The Final," were held in Seoul's KSPO Dome from Friday to Sunday, rounding out Suga's four-and-a-half-month solo tour, which kicked off in the US in April. They were a

Aug. 7, 2023

S. Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol wins Karajan prize

South Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol clinched the prestigious Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award in Salzburg, Austria, on Sunday. Taking to the stage at the main auditorium of the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation, Yoon led the Camerata Salzburg orchestra in performances of four works in the final competition: Overture from Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (The Barber of Seville); Mozart’s Aria for Soprano and Orchestra in F major, K. 538; a chamber orchestra piece t

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘D.P. 2’ had to complete unfinished story: Jung Hae-in, Han Jun-hee

Hoping to live up to the viewers’ love for the first season of “D.P.” and high expectations for the next installment, director Han Jun-hee decided at the end of 2021 to return with a second season. The director had never expected to make a second season while shooting the original series, which was released in August 2021. And the unplanned season 2 made Han think hard about the story he wished to share with the audience in “D.P. 2.” “I needed to know why I wo

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor Ju Ji-hoon couldn’t ask for more working with favorite team in ‘Ransomed’

For Ju Ji-hoon, his latest action comedy, “Ransomed,” means something different compared to his previous works because it was a project with two of his favorite colleagues, director Kim Seong-hun and actor Ha Jung-woo. Ju and Kim have worked together on the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” and with Ha on another megahit film, “Along with the Gods.” “For the first time in my acting career, I decided to star in ‘Ransomed’ without even readin

Aug. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] What becomes of ‘Privacy’ under constant surveillance

Indian film star Rajshri Deshpande had a rough time getting to Korea for the world premiere of “Privacy” at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival earlier this summer. “It was chaos,” she said. Her flight from Delhi had been delayed six hours, meaning she would land at Incheon Airport just as she should be at the festival’s opening ceremony. The film’s director, Sudeep Kanwal, was doing everything he could. “I was holding ground,” he sai

Aug. 7, 2023

KNB presents back-to-back productions of modern, classical ballet

The Korean National Ballet is set to present separate productions of modern and classic ballet in August, with a back-to-back schedule. Kicking off on Aug. 25, “Triple Bill” features three distinct works within a single program, while “Ballet With Commentary, Le Corsaire” is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 3. Both productions will be staged at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. In “Triple Bill,” the audience will experience

Aug. 6, 2023

Will Blackpink survive the 7-year curse?

YG Entertainment girl group Blackpink will mark its seventh debut anniversary on Tuesday. After making its debut in 2016 with singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” Blackpink has flourished as a popular world-renowned K-pop girl group enchanting the public with its imposing charm and topping major music charts in the US and in the UK. But as their seven-year exclusive contract with YG Entertainment is close to being expired, all eyes are on whether the members -- Jennie, Lisa

Aug. 6, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Smuggler” (South Korea) Opened July 26 Crime/Action Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan Jo Choon-ja (Kim Hye-soo) returns to her old town after three years away. Her best buddy, Um Jin-sook (Yum Jung-ah), who spent time in prison on a smuggling conviction during that time, feels betrayed when Choon-ja reappears. But they soon resolve their misunderstanding and collaborate on a mutual goal. “Elemental” (US) Opened June 14 Animation Directed by Peter Sohn Four different anthropom

Aug. 5, 2023

Pentaport Incheon opens big, rocks out in sweltering heat

"We performed right here in front of an empty field three years ago, and it's awesome to be back with a full crowd!" South Korea's long-loved rock band Galaxy Express shouted to a frenzied crowd Friday at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, which was held via livestream for two years due to the pandemic. Even the sweat-dousing humid weather couldn't hold back the live music enthusiasts from sticking close to the main stage and jumping up and down to the band's psyc

Aug. 4, 2023

[Herald Interview] Park Seo-joon, Park Bo-young see selves in ‘Concrete Utopia’ roles

Actors Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young said the characters they played in upcoming disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” are similar to their actual personalities. Park Seo-joon plays Min-sung, a reliable, seemingly good-hearted neighbor who is sometimes shy and reserved. He is one of the residents of Hwanggung Apartment building No. 103, the only building to have survived a major earthquake. Min-sung quietly supports Young-tak (Lee Byung-hun) to keep things in order and establish a sy

Aug. 4, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s ‘Pink Venom’ music video tops 700m views

The music video for Blackpink’s “Pink Venom” surpassed 700 million views on YouTube, YG Entertainment said Friday. The video was unveiled in August last year and set a record as the most viewed music video from a female act in 24 hours, logging 90.4 million views on the platform. It also hit the milestone of 100 million views in the shortest time for a K-pop girl group, at 29 hours and 35 minutes. “Pink Venom” is a prerelease from its second studio album, “Bo

Aug. 4, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Memphis' brings Korean audiences to 1950s Tennessee despite limitations

The musical "Memphis" presents the story of the white disc jockey Huey Calhoun, who was one of the first in the 1950s to play music by Black artists, and how his love for rock 'n' roll became the catalyst for a groundbreaking chapter in the history of US music. This story takes place in 1950s Memphis, Tennessee where the racial divide was pervasive everywhere, in the night clubs and restaurants, as well as in music and romantic relationships. In its Broadway run from 2009 to

Aug. 4, 2023

Rebooted Treasure heads to Tokyo Dome

K-pop boy band Treasure is making a foray into Japan's prestigious concert hall, the Tokyo Dome, YG Entertainment said. On Friday, the agency announced its rookie band is holding a fan meeting under the title "'Hello Again' Tokyo Dome Special" at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 12. The biggest concert venue in Japan, the Tokyo Dome is a coveted concert venue for K-pop singers. The five-city 20-show series will start on Sept. 2-3 at Fukuoka's Kokusai Center and continue over

Aug. 4, 2023

[Herald Review] Dystopian black comedy ‘Concrete Utopia’ has questions instead of message

When it comes to ‘living in an apartment,’ or specifically ‘owning an apartment,’ many Koreans perceive that differently from simply having a place to live. An apartment could be someone’s life goal or another’s deep grudge. In that context, “Concrete Utopia” raises questions about the contradictions humans face when put in extreme situations -- such as when your apartment building becomes the only place in Seoul that has survived a devastating ear

Aug. 3, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lee Byung-hun loves black comedy projects for allowing him to bring creative ideas

Lee Byung-hun finds acting in black comedy flicks exciting, as there is room for him to suggest creative ideas and improvisation, or even slapstick action sequences. According to Lee, his upcoming “Concrete Utopia” is not a mere disaster flick, but a black comedy that realistically depicts human nature in an extreme environment. “For some comic scenes in the movie, not just me but the entire staff really enjoyed shooting. I think the black comedy genre gives me room to suggest

Aug. 3, 2023

Popular webtoon series 'Moving' now a Disney+ TV series

Webtoon writer Kang Full’s popular webtoon series “Moving,” which achieved a total of 200 million views, has been transformed into Disney+ TV series to be released Aug. 9. The series centers on the lives of seemingly ordinary people with hidden super powers. The stories of “Moving” revolve around Lee Mi-hyeon (played by Han Hyo-ju) who has extraordinary physical abilities such as exceptional hearing, and falls in love with her colleague Kim Du-sik (played by actor Z

Aug. 3, 2023

Summer stunner Kwon Eun-bi returns with 'The Flash'

Soloist Kwon Eun-bi is out to solidify her image as a sexy summer queen that she gained with her steamy performance at the 2023 Waterbomb music festival with new single "The flash." "I'm back after 10 months with my first solo single, and it's a summer album," she said during a press showcase in Seoul on Wednesday. "I always try to show a new side with my albums, and this time I've brought three songs of different genres, all tuning in with the summer seas

Aug. 3, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin cinches 3 Guinness World Records

Jimin of BTS now has three titles from Guinness World Records on his own, the British reference book announced on Wednesday in the UK. He has two records with his 2018 single “Promise” on streaming service SoundCloud so far. The track became the most streamed song on the platform with 330 million plays as of June. It is the first self-written song from the artist and still remains the most streamed track in its first 24 hours of release at 8.5 million, dethroning Drake’s &ldqu

Aug. 3, 2023