Aespa is back from Kwangya

K-pop girl group aespa is back, making its long-awaited return with a new album 10 months after the release of its last album. Aespa's new mini album, “My World,” will be out on May 8, according to an announcement by SM Entertainment on Monday. This is the group's third mini album following its previous mini album “Girls” which was launched last July. The new album comprises a total of six tracks in which aespa will continue to tell its story evolving around Kwa

April 17, 2023

Pansori's contemporary spin in ‘Peerless Pansori’

"Pansori," or Korean traditional narrative signing, gets a youthful makeover in the third edition of the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s pansori concert “Peerless Pansori” which will take place at the National Theater of Korea's Daloreum Theater in early May. The "Peerless Pansori" project was launched in 2021 with the aim to create opportunities for young pansori singers to explore the music and mise-en-scenes with contemporary interpretations. T

April 16, 2023

Government to promote Korean TV series at Cannes series festival

The South Korean government said Sunday it will hold special screening and showcasing events at this year's Cannes International Series Festival to promote Korean-made content to global media and producers. Three Korean TV and web series are invited to the festival's non-competition Rendez-vous section -- "Island" (2022), "Midnight Horror: 6 Different Nights" (2022) and "Pale Moon" (2023) -- at the sixth edition of the festival, also known as Canneseri

April 16, 2023

[Herald Interview] The 'Mamma Mia!' journey after 20 years in Korea

When the "Mamma Mia!" musical's associate producer, Paul Garrington, and associate choreographer Leah-Sue Morland first came to Korea, it did not occur to them that the trip would foster a connection that would last more than 20 years. Garrington vividly remembers his first visit to Korea in 2002, when his company was putting on a production in Japan. They were still exploring possible production opportunities in Korea, where the musical industry was in a very early stage. Garri

April 15, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Killing Romance,’ a stress-relieving piece with kitschy comedy and nonsensical characters

Director Lee Won-seok’s upcoming fantasy comedy “Killing Romance” revolves around three characters -- chaebol scion Jonathan Na (Lee Sun-kyun), former superstar Hwang Yeo-rae (Lee Ha-nee) and long-time test taker Beom-woo (Gong Myung). The plot starts with Yeo-rae abandoning her actor career after receiving critical reviews for her bad acting. She leaves Korea to go on vacation and lands in Quala Island, where Na is waiting to save her life -- and her heart. The couple ties the

April 15, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] aespa to return May 8: report

Girl group aespa will make a much-anticipated return on May 8, according to a local media report Friday. SM Entertainment confirmed the news following the report. More details and a timetable for promotions will be announced soon, the company said, asking fans to keep their expectations high. It has been about 10 months since the release of the group's second EP “Girls,” which went on to hit the Billboard 200 at No. 3. The EP sold 1.64 million copies in preorders and became the firs

April 14, 2023

Jung Kyung-ho, Jo Woo-jin comedy film ‘Boss’ starts shooting

Jung Kyung-ho of TvN’s hit TV drama “Crash Course in Romance” (2023) and Jo Woo-jin from 2022 Netflix series “Narco-Saints” will join forces for the upcoming comedy film tentatively named “Boss.” According to production firm Hive Media Corp., the actors began shooting earlier this month. “Boss” revolves around a gangster group called Sikgu and the members trying to escape the election of choosing the next leader as they try to live different

April 14, 2023

BTS to release soundtrack for animated film 'Bastions'

Global K-pop sensation BTS will drop a new original soundtrack for the animated film "Bastions." The seven-piece boy band is set to sing the main original soundtrack for the 3D action-hero flick, according to Thymos Media on Friday. "Bastions" is produced and invested by local IT company Nable Communications. A 30-second clip featuring the septet's voices was also posted on the movie's social media platforms on Friday, officially announcing BTS as the singers of its

April 14, 2023

Beethoven specialist Rudolf Buchbinder to perform all 32 piano sonatas in Korea

Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, who is considered the top authority on Beethoven, is embarking on a seven-day journey with Korean audiences, performing all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas. In his eighth visit to South Korea he will take the stage for seven days, kicking off the series with Sonatas Nos. 1, 4, 10, 13 and 14 -- the famed "Moonlight Sonata" -- on June 28. The sonatas will be grouped together across the different performances, with each concert featuring a selection of five

April 14, 2023

‘Cobweb,’ ‘Hopeless’ invited to Cannes Film Festival

Director Kim Jee-woon’s upcoming black comedy “Cobweb” and director Kim Chang-hoon’s debut film “Hopeless” have been invited to this year’s Cannes Film Festival, according to the event’s organizers Thursday. No South Korean films have been selected to compete for the main prize, the Palme d’Or, at the 76th edition of the festival running from May 16-27. In the out of competition section is “Cobweb,” Kim Jee-woon's first featu

April 14, 2023

More webtoons coming to TV

After proving themselves as major TV hits, more popular webtoon series are being adapted into TV dramas in Korea and around the world. The Grimm Entertainment announced Wednesday that the webtoon studio had signed copyright contracts related to its beloved series “Manager Kim” and “Hannamdong K-House” (unofficial translation) for their drama adaptations. “Manager Kim,” an action webtoon series illustrated by Jeong Jong-taek, revolves around Kim, a single fathe

April 14, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“John Wick: Chapter 4” (US) Opened April 12 Action Directed by Charles F. Stahelski Legendary hit man John Wick embarks on a journey to defeat the High Table. He goes to New York, Paris, Berlin and Japan to seek out the most powerful players in the underworld, fighting against old friends who turned into foes. “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” (Japan) Opened April 12 Animation/Fantasy Directed by Hara Keiichi Based on the Japanese novel of same title by Mizuki Tsujimura,

April 14, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] (G)I-dle readies for May comeback: report

(G)I-dle is gearing up for a return in May, according to a local media report Thursday. Agency Cube Entertainment confirmed the news following the report. The group’s previous album was its fifth EP “I Love” in October last year. The group entered the Billboard 200 for the first time with the EP at No. 71. The mini album topped iTunes top albums charts in 40 regions and sold more than 678,000 copies in the first week, a record for the five-member act. (G)I-dle debuted in May 2

April 13, 2023

3 Korean drama series to be screened at Canneseries in non-competition section

Three South Korean drama series – “Pale Moon,” “Midnight Horror: 6 Different Nights” and “Island” -- will be screened in the non-competition Rendezvous section of the sixth Cannes International Series Festival, widely known as Canneseries, which runs from Thursday until April 19 in the French city. This free screening program will hold conversation sessions for international drama fans with invited directors and actors. The program starts at 2 p.m. local

April 13, 2023

Lee Chaeyeon is ready to "KNOCK” on hearts of many with 2nd EP

K-pop performance queen Lee Chaeyeon is back to knock over the music scene with her second mini album, “Over The Moon.” This comeback comes six months after Lee Chaeyeon made her debut as a solo artist last year with her debut album, “Hush Rush.” “I tried to put my bold and adventurous characteristics into the album, in which the concept is to depict diverse identities, from a high school honor student to a wannabe,” Lee Chaeyeon introduced her new album at a

April 13, 2023

Singer Park Jihoon turns dark with 'Blank or Black'

Singer Park Jihoon returned Wednesday with his seventh EP "Blank or Black." The album marks the singer-actor's return six months since the release of his sixth EP, "The Answer," in October. Park held his first solo press conference on Wednesday ahead of the album's release later in the evening and discussed his new album and its making. During the event, Park said the album will captivate people into the depth of his charms. "The album portrays my irresistible

April 12, 2023

[Herald Interview] Mephisto is an irresistible role for versatile actor Park Hae-soo

South Korean actor Park Hae-soo emerged as an international star with his unforgettable performances in "The Squid Game" in 2021 and "The Accidental Narcos" last year. Park is a familiar face on TV now but he’s currently taking the stage at LG Art Center every night in front of some 1,300 people in the audience as Mephisto, the devil, in “Faust.” Park said the role of Mephisto was too tempting an opportunity to pass up and so he returned to the stage for the

April 12, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Enhypen to return in May: report

Enhypen is set to make a comeback in May, according to a local media report on Wednesday. Its last album, the group's third EP “Manifesto: Day 1,” hit the Billboard 200 at No. 6. It stayed on the chart for six weeks in a row before reentering it twice, in October and December. The mini album and its first studio album “Dimension: Dilemma” from 2021 each sold one million copies. The boy band hosted its first international tour last year holding 22 concerts in 12 cities. I

April 12, 2023

[Herald Interview] Nothing fazes Byun Joong-hee, who began acting at 64

For Byun Joong-hee, who taught science at a Seoul boys’ middle school for 39 years, November is an especially nostalgic time. It was when her teachers’ drama troupe would put on its annual performance. “I began acting by joining a small group of teachers who performed in plays for fun. But after my first performance, my lips were dry and I felt like my mouth was full of sand, even after drinking water. I came back home and the thought came to me while doing the dishes -- I ne

April 12, 2023

Joo Won excited to star in antihero drama 'Stealer: The Treasure Keeper'

Actor Joo Won is returning to the small screen for the first time in three years with action-packed comic series “Stealer: The Treasure Keeper.” The 12-part action drama revolves around Hwang Dae-myung, who lives his life as a Cultural Heritage Administration official during the day and becomes a cultural artifact thief named Skunk at night. Aware that Skunk steals illegally owned national treasures, the members of Team Karma -- an unofficial heritage repatriation team -- approach Da

April 12, 2023