Japanese film 'There is a Stone' wins grand prize at Jeonju IFF

The 24th Jeonju International Film Festival announced its award winners on Wednesday evening during a ceremony that took place at Jeonbuk National University's Samsung Cultural Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. A total of 17 awards in four categories -- international competition, Korean competition, Korean competition for shorts and special award -- were given out. Under the international competition category, Ota Tatsunari won the grand prize with his film, "There is a Stone.&q

May 3, 2023

Ex-foreign service employee fined for attempt to sell BTS Jungkook's lost hat

The Seoul Central District Court has fined a former foreign service employee 1 million won ($749) on charges of attempting to sell BTS member Jungkook's lost hat online, legal sources said Wednesday. The employee, whose identity has been withheld, put the bucket hat for sale on an online second-hand market for 10 million won in October, claiming the K-pop star had left it at the foreign ministry building in Seoul when he visited to apply for a passport. The seller deleted his offer and turn

May 3, 2023

Singer Im Chang-jung's stock fraud allegation fogs up mimiirose prospects

South Korean singer Im Chang-jung is being investigated by the prosecution and financial regulators for his alleged role in a stock price manipulation case. Eight stocks listed in the Korean stock market including Seoul Gas, Daesung Holdings and Sebang have plummeted to the daily limit of 30 percent through SG Securities Korea since April 24. He reportedly invested billions of won through individuals suspected to be responsible for the stocks' volatility. Im sold a part of his stake in his

May 3, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Monsta X’s Shownu, Hyungwon to debut as duo: report

Shownu and Hyungwon of Monsta X will form a subunit, a first from the six-member band, this summer, according to a local media report on Wednesday. Agency Starship Entertainment confirmed the news following the report. No specific timetable, though, has been set yet, it added. It will be Shownu’s first official activity since he was discharged from the mandatory military service last month. The band debuted in 2015 with EP “Trespass” and bandmates will pursue individual career

May 3, 2023

[Herald Review] Musical 'Rachmaninoff' bridges gaps between audience and classical music

People often overlook the fact that even the most talented musicians are still human beings, and we tend to remember only their most notable accomplishments. The naming of classical music pieces labeled with vital information such as the form, key and chronological order in which they were composed is not enough to convey the stories behind their masterpieces. Only those with a great curiosity and the willingness to explore beyond these labels will ever discover the stories of their creation.

May 3, 2023

Among Korean films at Jeonju IFF, queer films stand out

This year’s Jeonju International Film Festival, which opened on April 27, has nominated films of various genres and topics to the Korean competition, but what really stood out were the queer films that were nominated. “Of 111 Korean films that were submitted for the Korean competition section, we chose 8 feature films, two documentaries and one experimental documentary as finalists. A total of 11 films are nominated and they are either the first or second project of the filmmakers. I

May 3, 2023

[Herald Interview] Producer Oh Se-hyeok's journey from Seoul to Shanghai

Producer and playwright Oh Se-hyeok's musical, "The Brothers Karamazov," based on the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, ended its run at the Shanghai Grand Theater on April 16. By coincidence, on the same day, the Korean version of the same musical, which premiered in 2018, happened to be midway through its fourth run in Daehagno, Seoul. Set in 19th-century Russia, the musical covers the conflict between the children of Fyodor Karamazov: the abandoned sons of his f

May 3, 2023

JTBC’s ‘Doctor Cha’ captivates viewers with story of unusual resident

South Korea’s latest family medical drama “Doctor Cha” is slowly but surely garnering attention from both local and global drama viewers with a relatable, encouraging story of a middle-aged woman, Cha Jeong-suk. Many viewers empathized with Cha, who sacrificed her life and career for her family. The series' latest episode recorded a solid 13.2 percent viewership rating on April 29. “Doctor Cha” became the most viral drama series in the third week of April, with

May 3, 2023

K-pop veteran band BTOB hopes to gain global reach with mini album “Wind and Wish”

K-pop veteran boy group BTOB hopes its 12th mini album “Wind and Wish” can be a lucky charm to listeners. “As always, our members Hyunsik and Minhyuk produced all the tracks in this album. The tracks are perfect to tune into at this time of the year. We want to spread love, hope and luck with this album,” said the group’s leader Eunkwang during a press conference on Tuesday in Seoul. The mini album is BTOB's first since its third full-length album “Be Tog

May 3, 2023

BTS' Suga hits No. 2 on Billboard 200

BTS' member Suga's solo album "D-Day" landed at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 main albums chart, continuing the rise of his solo career. Suga has now tied the record set by his bandmate Jimin, who reached No. 2 on the chart in April with his solo album "Face." It was the highest chart position achieved by a Korean solo artist. The album's main song "Haegeum" entered Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at No. 58. This is Suga's second time

May 3, 2023

Teen Top to celebrate 13th anniversary with July comeback

Boy band Teen Top is set to return in July, marking their first group comeback in three years. The act's label TOP Media on Wednesday announced that Teen Top is gearing up to drop a new album in July. This will the five-piece's comeback after releasing its special album "To You 2020" in 2020. The label said that the members decided to return in time for the group's 13th anniversary, to thank fans who have stood by them. The new album will include a re-recorded version of

May 3, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jisoo, Lisa set record on Spotify with solo songs

Jisoo of Blackpink set a record on Spotify with her solo song, “Flower,” which fronted the album “Me.” It took the single only 32 days to generate 100 million streams, a record time for a K-pop female soloist. This replaces the record Lisa set with “Money” that achieved the feat in 37 days. Meanwhile, Lisa surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify with her first solo album “Lalisa” as of last week. She became the first K-pop solo artist to reach the

May 2, 2023

Hybe hits record high Q1 turnover

Hybe, the company behind BTS, hit a record high first quarter turnover this year, with the multi-label company's annual album sales amounting to over 9 million copies, the company disclosed on Tuesday. According to the report, the firm's first quarter sales came to 410.6 billion won ($306.8 million) while operating profits clocked in at 52.5 billion won, up by 44.1 percent and 41.7 percent on-year, respectively. Hybe mainly attributed its record earnings to the artists' album sale

May 2, 2023

Musical production company OD aims to make global splash with 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Il Tenore'

South Korean musical theater producer OD Company has announced plans to create at least three original works, as it aims to expand to Broadway and beyond. Led by CEO and chief producer Shin Chun-soo, the company is working on two musicals -- "The Great Gatsby," based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same title, and "Il Tenore," a story about three college students who fall in love with opera in the 1930s. "For genuine success in the global market, it is essen

May 2, 2023

Lee Dong-wook, Kim Hye-jun to star in 2024 Disney+ series

Walt Disney Co. Korea confirmed on Tuesday that actors Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun will star in “The Killer’s Shopping Mall,” a Disney+ original, as uncle and niece. The new mystery thriller is set for release in 2024, according to the global streamer. Adapted from a 2020 novel of the same title written by Kang Ji-young, the series will center around the story of Jung Ji-an, a young woman who is raised by her uncle Jung Jin-man following her parents' death. The story beg

May 2, 2023

BTS' RM and singer-songwriter Colde team up

BTS' rapper and leader RM is featured on singer-songwriter Colde's new album, Colde's label Wavy announced on Tuesday. Colde's new album featuring RM -- "Love Part 2" -- will be released on Thursday. "Love Part 2" is the second release from the singer-songwriter's "Love" series, which started four years ago in 2019 with "Love Part 1." The album marks Colde's return in over three years since the release of the EP "Idealism

May 2, 2023

tvN’s ‘Earth Arcade’ to return with second season set in Finland

The hit reality show “Earth Arcade” from 2022 will return with a second season on May 12, looking to continue its winning streak with a proven cast of stars. Helmed by TV director Na Young-seok, who was behind numerous smash hit variety shows including KBS’ “2 Days 1 Night” (2007-2012), tvN’s “Grandpa Over Flowers” (2013), “New Journey to the West,” “Three Meals a Day” and “Jinny’s Kitchen,” the upcoming pr

May 2, 2023

We don't need any forgiveness: Le Sserafim

Girl group Le Sserafim on Monday returned with its first full-length album, "Unforgiven." The 13-track album comes seven months after the group released its second EP, "Antifragile," in October. Ahead of the album's release at 6 p.m. on Monday, Le Sserafim members conducted a press showcase on Monday afternoon in Seoul ahead of the album release. "We're already making our second comeback. Time really flies. We've worked harder to exceed our fans' expectations, so please

May 1, 2023

Classical music returns to Gyechon Village with world-class performances

The Ninth Gyechon Classic Music Festival, organized by Chung Mong-koo Foundation and Korea National University of Arts, is set to return from May 26 to 28 at Gyechon Village in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. The festival will bring back its three-day schedule following pandemic-caused disruptions in recent years. In 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was held online only and last year, the festival was a two-day affair. Three different concerts are scheduled over the thr

May 1, 2023

[Herald Interview] Malene Choi’s ‘The Quiet Migration’ looks into adoptee’s process of individuation

Malene Choi’s “The Quiet Migration,” which is running in the international competition section at this year's Jeonju International Film Festival, along with nine other films, is the 49-year-old filmmaker’s sequel to her 2018 film “The Return.” A Danish Korean herself, Malene went to Denmark in 1974. In “The Quiet Migration,” Choi presents the story of a 19-year-old boy, Carl, who lives a quiet life in the Danish countryside with his adoptive p

May 1, 2023