AfreecaTV aims to broadcast diverse Korean content for global audience

AfreecaTV, one of South Korea’s biggest livestreaming service platforms, is exclusively broadcasting the K-pop idol survival program “Boys Planet” in Southeast Asia in real time with translations in various languages spoken in the region. The online platform, which airs the show every Thursday, has since garnered popularity across the region. The show, produced by Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM’s music channel Mnet, involves evaluating K-pop trainees through vari

April 4, 2023

Netflix Korea to roll out seven reality shows including adult talk show

Netflix Korea has announced a lineup of reality shows, including a new type of talk show and a zombie-themed reality show, in addition to their flagship dating shows and survival competitions. “We are ready to release at least seven different reality shows throughout the year,” Yoo Ki-hwan, Netflix Korea’s director in charge of non-fiction content, said during a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday. In recent years, Netflix Korea has collaborated with reality TV creators to pro

April 4, 2023

YG to launch Blackpink The Game

YG Entertainment is launching a mobile game utilizing Blackpink intellectual property with Takeone in the second quarter of this year. In Blackpink The Game, the player acts as the producer that nurtures Blackpink members into K-pop idols, YG said Tuesday. The player can run a training and business management simulations and decorate the avatars of Blackpink members. The players can also communicate with other users from around the world. Blackpink took part in the project by helping to creating

April 4, 2023

KOZ Entertainment’s 1st boy group produced by Zico to debut in May

Rapper and producer Zico is gearing up for the debut of his K-pop boy group. The first K-pop boy group of KOZ Entertainment is set to enter the music scene on May 30, according to KOZ Entertainment on Tuesday. KOZ Entertainment is an affiliate of Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, which was initially launched by Zico back in 2018. The sub-label currently houses Zico and singer-songwriter Dvwn. All eyes are on whether this group will turn out to be successful among the many others to also deb

April 4, 2023

BTS' Jimin tops Billboard Hot 100 as first K-pop soloist

BTS member Jimin landed atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his song "Like Crazy," becoming the first K-pop solo artist to top the singles chart in history. Jimin, the latest BTS member to debut solo, placed his song "Like Crazy" on top of the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart dated April 8. "Like Crazy" is the lead track of Jimin's first solo album "Face" which was released on March 24. This makes Jimin the first Korean soloist to grab the covet

April 4, 2023

Emerging choreographers to unveil new works at 'Next Step'

The third edition of the “Next Step” series of the National Dance Company of Korea, which aims to support emerging choreographers, is scheduled to unveil its final works in late April. Three choreographers selected in October last year -- two from the NDCK and one from outside of the organization -- have since been developing their own dance choreographies through comprehensive workshops with mentors from various fields including stage design, costume design, choreography and perform

April 4, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin hits Billboard 200 at No. 2 with solo album

Jimin of BTS entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2 with his first solo album “Face,” according to the publication on Sunday in the US. This is the highest spot for a K-pop solo musician and replaces that of his bandmate RM, whose solo album “Indigo” ranked No. 3 on the main albums chart in December last year. The six-track EP includes the main track “Like Crazy” and the pre-release “Set Me Free Pt. 2.” The latter hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No.

April 3, 2023

Webtoon-based animated series to entertain overseas viewers

After becoming a major source for smash hit TV dramas and movies, Korean webtoons seek to continue their success abroad with animation adaptation in overseas markets. Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, announced Monday that a romance webtoon “My Cross-dressing Crush" will be adapted into a Japanese animated series. "My Cross-dressing Crush" by Japanese webtoonist Pom ran at the service’s Japanese platform Line Manga from Decem

April 3, 2023

With flaming hot, elegant stage, Red Velvet reclaims 'queendom'

Thousands of people cheered as the lights of the KSPO Dome in Seoul shone bright, signalling the beginning of Red Velvet’s fourth concert, “R to V.” The excitement from the audience was palpable as the long-awaited concert kicked off after three years and five months of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On a lift, the queens appeared on stage wearing stunning jet-black outfits that made them look like five black swans. Red Velvet began their last day of the gig on Sunday wit

April 3, 2023

[New on the Scene] Kim Si-eun, who transparently becomes her character

When actor Kim Si-eun made her Cannes and commercial film debut in July Jung’s “Next Sohee,” many paid attention to how realistically Kim portrayed So-hee, a high school student exploited as an intern at a call center. “I’m sure any actor at my age must have been interested in playing So-hee, because it was a project helmed by July Jung and co-starring veteran actor Bae Doo-na. But besides that, for me, So-hee expressed a message that resonated deeply inside me, mak

April 3, 2023

Le Sserafim back with 1st LP 'Unforgiven' on May 1

Le Sserafim is set to drop its first full-length album, "Unforgiven," on May 1. The five-piece girl group announced through Weverse on Monday the release of the new album "Unforgiven" next month. The album will be the first full-length album since the group's debut in May 2022. The album, set for release a day before the group's first anniversary, will embody Le Sserafim's desire to venture forth on its own path no matter what other people say of them, the grou

April 3, 2023

BTS' Suga to release solo album 'D-Day'

Suga, rapper of the K-pop phenomenon BTS, will release his new solo album on April 21, giving fans a sneak peek of the album with a pre-release single on Friday. Through Weverse, a fan community platform, Suga disclosed Monday that he is set to return with a solo album, "D-Day," on April 21. Big Hit Music, the label behind BTS, soon followed up with a statement, stating that Suga is set to release the album under his alias Agust D. According to the label, "D-Day" is set to ma

April 3, 2023

Disney+ to release new BTS Suga doc series

Disney+, the flagship streaming service of US media giant Walt Disney Co., has announced the release of music documentary “Suga: Road to D-Day.” The upcoming series features Suga, the 30-year-old artist and one part of K-pop sensation BTS, traveling through different cities, including Seoul, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Malibu in California, San Francisco and more, sharing his innermost stories and offering a glimpse into his work behind the scenes. This is not the first time the global streame

April 2, 2023

[From the scene] Tongyeong International Music Festival 2023: Back in full bloom

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- As the audience awaits the 21st Tongyeong Festival Orchestra’s first performance to kick off Friday evening, a sudden burst of applause erupts from one side of the audience. Stealing the thunder was former President Moon Jae-in, in attendance at the controversial music festival founded to commemorate the late composer Yun I-sang. In his first time visiting the festival, Moon paid respects to Yun at his tomb, located right next to the Tongyeong concer

April 2, 2023

Director Na Hong-jin to helm star-studded thriller ‘Hope’

Award-winning director Na Hong-jin will take the helm for “Hope,” assembling a veteran cast from around the world. The thriller will mark Na's first film since his commercially and critically acclaimed success “The Wailing,” released in 2016. Hwang Jung-min and Zo In-sung will appear as a police officer Beom-seok and a young hunter Sung-ki, respectively. Hollywood power couple Michael Fassbender from “X-men” and his wife Alicia Vikander from “The Da

April 2, 2023

‘Decoy’ to return with part 2 in April

Local video streaming service Coupang Play’s crime thriller “Decoy” is scheduled to release part 2 of the 12-episode series in April. “Decoy” focuses on the story of a man behind South Korea’s biggest financial fraud case, who dies while in hiding from the police. The story develops as the deceased criminal is named as a suspect in a new murder case, eight years after his death. The first half of the series came to an end in early February as the two lead char

April 1, 2023

‘The Glory’ stars Lim Ji-yeon, Lee Do-hyun dating

It has been revealed that actor Lim Ji-yeon and her on-screen enemy in the hit drama series “The Glory,” Lee Do-hyun, have been a couple, their agencies confirmed Saturday. “The two have become intimate as co-stars and developed such intimacy into a romantic one as a couple. We understand that their relationship has just started and the two are in the beginning stages of getting to know each other. The two have been taking things slowly so please congratulate them,” Lim&r

April 1, 2023

SM Entertainment founder Lee looks to the future as company appoints new management

Lee Soo-man, the founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment, said Friday he was moving toward the future in a press statement issued ahead of the company's regular shareholders meeting here, where new management was appointed. "Today marks the end of an era for SM Entertainment, which was named after me," he said in the statement sent to reporters before the meeting began at the company's headquarters in Seoul. Lee did not attend the shareholders meeting. He said

March 31, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jimin sells record 1.45m copies of solo album

The first solo album from Jimin of BTS sold more than 1.45 million copies in the first week, according to label Big Hit Music on Friday. It is a record for a solo musician in K-pop history. EP “Face” sold over 1.02 million units on the day of release, becoming a million-seller in a single day. This is the first time for a solo act since a local chart started tallying first-week sales. It also landed atop all three of Oricon’s weekly charts -- the weekly digital album ranking,

March 31, 2023

Transcending boundaries, Tongyeong's leading musical festival returns

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- South Korea’s leading classical music event, the “Tongyeong International Music Festival,” kicked off Friday with the theme “Beyond Borders.” The festival's 21st installment, led by Korean composer Chin Unsuk as the music director for the second year, runs until April 9, featuring renowned domestic and international musicians and unique programs. “Beyond Borders” embodies Chin’s intentions to transcend

March 31, 2023