[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Rose to drop another prerelease from solo LP

Rose of Blackpink will put out a B-side track from her upcoming first solo studio album on Friday, agency The Black Label said Tuesday. The track “number one girl” will be one of 12 tracks from her LP “rosie,” due for release Dec. 6. The single comes about a month after Bruno Mars collaboration “APT.” swept music charts in Korea and abroad. Inspired by a Korean drinking game, the infectious tune topped iTunes Top Songs chart in 40 regions and ranked No. 8 on B

Nov. 19, 2024

[History Through Films] ‘Default’: a tense political thriller on South Korea’s IMF crisis

The year 1997 remains one of South Korea’s most devastating periods since the Korean War. It was the year the country faced a devastating sovereign default, forcing the government to implement drastic measures such as market deregulation, budget cuts and the dismantling of labor protection laws — all in exchange for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Director Choi Kook-hee’s “Default” (2018) is a gripping and informative political thriller that brings

Nov. 19, 2024

Why are Yale students taking K-pop classes?

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — At Yale University, K-pop is not just a global music phenomenon -- it is the subject of serious academic inquiry. During the recent two-day K-Pop: Musical Production and Consumption conference on Thursday and Friday, 160 participants gathered to explore the genre’s history, industry dynamics and cultural impact. Among them were students from one of Yale’s five K-pop-related courses, including a class taught by Grace Kao, an IBM professor of sociology an

Nov. 19, 2024

[K-pop 101] How 'homma' became little helpers of Korean celebrities' rise to stardom

"Homepage masters," also known as “Homma” among K-pop fans, are superfans who, armed with professional cameras with sophisticated lenses, take high-quality pictures of their favorite artists. These superfans follow their artist’s official schedules such as fan meetings, concerts, end-of-the-year awards ceremonies and world tours. They use the pictures taken at these events to create content of their favorite artists, which gets redistributed by other fans to different

Nov. 19, 2024

Singer Ailee to tie the knot with actor Choi Si-hun

Singer Ailee is set to marry actor Choi Si-hoon next April, A2Z Entertainment announced Tuesday. The two met through a mutual acquaintance and have been openly dating for about a year. They became engaged in May after developing a deep bond built on love and trust, the agency said. "I have met someone who is not only supportive and caring, but also someone I can rely on. His understanding and consideration made me want to spend the rest of my life with him,” Ailee shared on her offici

Nov. 19, 2024

BTS’ Jin releases ‘Running Wild’ remix album

Jin of BTS is releasing the remix album, “Running Wild (Remixes),” at 2 p.m., Tuesday. The album contains eight versions of “Running Wild,” the main song in Jin’s first solo album “Happy.” The eight versions are the original version, instrumental, extended, band, ballad, holiday, Afropop and UK Garage versions. The extended version features an extra chorus, intensifying the song's energy, while the band version amplifies the song’s genre appea

Nov. 19, 2024

Lee Seung-gi to mark 20th anniversary with album release next month

Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi is celebrating his 20th debut anniversary with a new album next month. According to Big Planet Made Entertainment, Lee will drop “With” on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. This marks Lee’s first physical album release in four years since his seventh LP “The Project” in December 2020. Reflecting on this 20-year career as a singer, Lee shared his enthusiasm and vision for the upcoming album, the agency said. The album title symbolizes reuniting and colla

Nov. 19, 2024

Stray Kids to perform at Son Heung-min's home stadium as part of world tour

Stray Kids to perform at Son Heung-min's home stadium as part of world tour K-pop sensation Stray Kids will perform at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, home to English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and its star player Son Heung-min, on July 18, 2025, as part of their expanded "dominATE" world tour, becoming the first K-pop act to do so, the band's agency said Tuesday. JYP Entertainment announced that the tour will include 20 new concerts across Latin America, North America,

Nov. 19, 2024

[K-pop 101] Celebrate your fave K-pop artist’s birthday at a ‘birthday cafe'

Have you ever attended a birthday party without the guest of honor? That’s exactly what K-pop fans are doing: celebrating their favorite artists' birthdays at cafes that allow them to be used for this purpose. In Hongdae and Myeong-dong in Seoul, where many of these birthday cafes are located, you’ll find cafes decorated with neon signs, posters and balloons in honor of various K-pop idols. Fans from both Korea and abroad flock to these celebrations. “I live in Japan, but

Nov. 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] Woo Do-hwan on portraying complex character in rom-com 'Mr. Plankton'

For Woo Do-hwan, portraying the main character in Netflix's new romantic comedy series "Mr. Plankton" was far from purely romantic or comedic. The life of Woo's character Hae-jo, who was born through in vitro fertilization, spirals into turmoil from the age of 8 when it is discovered he was an unintended product of a sperm mix-up, and that the man he believes to be his father is not actually his biological father. The discovery tears the family apart as the mother dies and

Nov. 18, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen subunit BSS to return soon: report

The return of Seventeen subunit trio BSS is pending, according to a local media report Monday. The subunit of Seungkwan, Dogyeom and Hoshi had already finished shooting a music video in Seoul, it added. The group's agency, Pledis Entertainment, only said it would make an announcement when the date is finalized. The trio was launched in 2018 with digital single “Just Do It” and dropped first single album “Second Wind” in February last year. It nabbed eight trophies fr

Nov. 18, 2024

Emu Cinema sheds light on filmmaker Lee Myung-se’s works

Emu Cinema, an independent arts theater in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is holding a special exhibition highlighting filmmaker Lee Myung-se and his works. Four of his films -- “Their Last Love Affair” (1996), “Nowhere to Hide” (1999), “M” (2007), and his latest, “The Killers” (2024) -- will be screened throughout the month. On Tuesday, Lee will hold a special talk with audience members on his movie “Nowhere to Hide,” celebrating the movie’s

Nov. 18, 2024

[Herald Review] Jin celebrates first solo album release, brings happiness to fans

Jin mesmerized fans with his wide musical spectrum and vibrant energy at the fan showcase “Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage” on Sunday. Held Saturday and Sunday, the showcase marked the first live performance of songs from Jin's first solo album "Happy." Over two days, Jangchung Arena in Seoul was packed with approximately 3,800 fans. As Jin appeared on stage by parting the red curtains, the arena erupted into thunderous cheers. "Two days ago, my album was re

Nov. 18, 2024

BTS star Jin celebrates solo album release with fan showcase in Seoul

Jin, a member of global K-pop sensation BTS, marked the release of his first solo album, "Happy," with a two-day fan showcase in Seoul. The 33-year-old artist, who completed his mandatory military service earlier this year, expressed his excitement about reconnecting with BTS fans, known as ARMY. "Since returning to civilian life, I've been looking forward to meeting ARMY in person. Thank you for filling the seats and joining online as well. I feel excited and nervous,"

Nov. 17, 2024

TikTok's inaugural awards in Korea honor 16 creators and artists

TikTok's annual award ceremony celebrated the creativity and influence of top creators and artists here who shaped trends and inspired the TikTok community throughout the year. The first-ever TikTok Awards held in Korea took place Friday at the Peace Hall of Kyunghee University in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. Previously held in the UK, Malaysia, and Indonesia, this marks the event's inaugural year in Korea. About 250 TikTok creators and artists attended the event, hosted by Eric Nam and Jin H

Nov. 17, 2024

K-pop's global fandoms, musical evolution discussed at Yale

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, hosted a two-day K-pop conference under the banner of “K-Pop: Musical Production and Consumption” on Thursday and Friday, featuring discussions by scholars in social sciences and the humanities alongside presentations by industry professionals. Sixteen speakers delivered talks across four sessions, examining topics ranging from fandom dynamics and musical identity to K-pop’s historical trajectory and global ma

Nov. 17, 2024

Stalker fans, or 'sasaeng' continue to plague entertainment landscape

The darker side of fame continues to haunt stars as the South Korean entertainment scene has recently been rocked by a series of incidents involving "sasaeng" fans -- meaning obsessive fans who engage in behaviors that invade the privacy of celebrities, including stalking. IST Entertainment, home to the popular K-pop group The Boyz, revealed on its fan cafe site Thursday that member Sunwoo was ambushed by a sasaeng fan hiding in the emergency stairwell where the group members live as h

Nov. 17, 2024

Former Riize member Seunghan to debut solo next year

Seunghan, who left boy band Riize due to a controversy surrounding his private life, is set to debut as a solo artist in the latter half of next year. SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan is preparing for his solo debut, which is targeted for the second half of 2025. The agency stated, “He is undergoing systematic training, receiving support in production, management and other areas necessary for a solo debut.” “Updates regarding Seunghan will be shared through his newly la

Nov. 17, 2024

Your idols' style by agency

The popularity of K-pop has grown significantly in recent years, reaching a point where many around the world at least recognize the names of several groups, if not their music. Younger audiences especially have become familiar with K-pop and can distinguish its sound from other genres. However, global K-pop fans new to the genre may struggle to recognize the unique styles of the powerhouse agencies behind some of the biggest groups. For fans of the genre with an appreciation of its history, how

Nov. 16, 2024

BTS' Jin tops iTunes charts in 70 countries with 'Running Wild'

Jin of K-pop superband BTS has topped iTunes charts in 70 countries with his latest release, "Running Wild," his agency said Saturday. The lead track of his new album, released Friday, claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes' Top Songs charts across various nations, such as Australia, Finland and Brazil, as of 9 a.m. the following day, according to BigHit Music. His first solo album, "Happy," landed atop the iTunes "top album" charts in 48 countries, including Japan,

Nov. 16, 2024