[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s “How You Like That” video tops 1.1b views

Blackpink’s music video for “How You Like That” surpassed 1.1 billion views on YouTube, announced label YG Entertainment on Monday. 　 The video became the band’s sixth to reach the milestone following the music video of “Ddu-du Ddu-du,” “Kill This Love,” “Boombaya,” “As If It’s Your Last” as well as the performance video for “How You Like That.” 　 “How You Like That” is the main track from the

May 30, 2022

CJ ENM anticipated to hit jackpot with ‘Decision to Leave,’ ‘Broker’: experts

CJ ENM is likely to hit the box office jackpot as an investment distributor of two films -- “Decision to Leave” and “Broker” -- which won major titles at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, film critics said. Park Chan-wook won best director for “Decision to Leave” and Song Kang-ho won best actor for “Broker” at Cannes on Saturday. Some local film critics predicted that CJ ENM could sell as many tickets as it did pre-pandemic in 2019 with the two fi

May 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Yun Ji-on says he does not want to let go of Lim Ryung-gu, not just yet

Yun Ji-on, who has successfully carried out his role as a grim reaper Lim Ryung-gu in MBC’s fantasy drama “Tomorrow,” believes that it will be difficult to meet such a meaningful drama series and interesting character again. “The synergy, created by the staff and fellow actors, was splendid. I was able to work in a comfortable environment always surrounded by positive energy. I think I still live in the world of ‘Tomorrow,’” Yun said in a recent interv

May 30, 2022

Legendary band Songgolmae returns to rock on stage after 38 years

Iconic South Korean hard rock band Songgolmae is embarking on a nationwide tour this fall, Dream Maker Entertainment announced on Monday. Titled, “Yeolmang,” meaning “aspiration,” the tour will kick off in Seoul with two days of concerts, starting Sept. 11, at the Songpa Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul. The upcoming tour will be the long-awaited reunion of the band‘s two best-known members -- Bae Cheol-soo and Koo Chang-mo -- after some 38 years. The band, p

May 30, 2022

Violinist Yang In-mo becomes first Korean to win Sibelius competition

Violinist Yang In-mo became the first South Korean to win the top prize at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition on Sunday, yet another crowning achievement for the Paganini competition winner. The top honor came with a cash prize of 30,000 euros ($32,000) and a loan of a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin made in 1772. In addition, the Sibelius family awarded Yang a prize of 2,000 euros for the best performance of Magnus Lindberg’s “Caprice.” “I’m

May 30, 2022

'The Roundup' becomes most-watched film in 2022 to date

The Korean action comedy "The Roundup" has become the biggest hit film in 2022 to date, surpassing 6.5 million in total attendance, box-office data showed Monday. The sequel to the 2017 hit comedy "The Outlaws" garnered 1.79 million people over the Friday to Sunday period, bringing its combined total to 6.54 million, according to the Korean Film Council. It is the highest audience record set by all releases in 2022, outnumbering "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madne

May 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Hunminjeongeum’ oratorio sings of how Hangeul was created

Hunminjeongeum is the original name for Hangeul, the Korean writing system invented by King Sejong the Great in 1443, as well as the name of the official document that explains the reason for the creation of Hangeul and its usage. Now, the National Chorus of Korea attempts to present one of the most important inventions on the Korean Peninsula as a stage show. On May 31, the choral group, Klim Chamber Orchestra and Andong City Chorus will stage the oratorio at Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday.

May 30, 2022

Korean films that brought home Cannes awards

South Korean cinema brought home two trophies from this year’s Cannes Film Festival -- best director for Park Chan-wook of “Decision to Leave” and best actor for Song Kang-ho of “Broker.” While the two wins follow the Palme d’Or win by Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” in 2019, this year’s festival is all the more significant in that it is the first time there have been two Korean films winning at the same time at one of the three most acclaim

May 29, 2022

[Analysis] Korean cinema is having its moment in the sun

The 75th Cannes Film Festival was one of the most productive outings for South Korean movies to date, marking the first time the nation claimed two major trophies at one of the world’s most prestigious film events. It was another reminder of how the country’s cinema went from relative obscurity to claiming a bigger spotlight on the international stage. Song Kang-ho, star of “Broker,” became the first Korean in history to receive the best actor award, while Park Chan-woo

May 29, 2022

[Newsmaker] Director Park Chan-wook, master of mise-en-scene

South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s best director win at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday for his mystery film, “Decision to Leave,” is the director’s third prize at the international film festival. His iconic action noir “Oldboy,” indelible in the memory of many for the much-talked-about live octopus eating scene, brought him the Grand Prix in 2004, while horror film “Thirst” earned him the Jury Prize in 2009.  Marking his 3

May 29, 2022

[Herald Review] Seoul Jazz Festival soothes with eclectic music

Seoul Jazz Festival, which ran from Friday to Sunday at the Olympic Park’s 88 Jandi Madang, in southeastern Seoul, was filled with the audience’s joy, love, freedom, happiness and laughter. With the return of the landmark annual outdoor jazz fest after a two-year break as South Korea scrapped most of its COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, the first day of the fest kicked off under a scorching sun. About 10,000 festivalgoers flocked to the venue, hanging out on picnic mats and c

May 29, 2022

[Newsmaker] Song Kang-ho, prolific and versatile actor

Actor Song Kang-ho became the first Korean male actor to win an acting prize at the Cannes Film Festival, grabbing the award for best actor for his role as a “baby broker” in Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Broker” on Saturday. This marked the 55-year-old’s seventh invitation to the prestigious film festival, but it is the first title the veteran actor has won at Cannes. Song starred in several Cannes award-winning films, including Park Chan-wook&rsqu

May 29, 2022

Park Chan-wook wins best director, Song Kang-ho, best actor at Cannes

One of the world’s most prestigious film festivals has once again acknowledged the power of South Korean cinema. South Korea took home two major titles -- Park Chan-wook won best director for “Decision to Leave” and Song Kang-ho won best actor for “Broker” – at the 75th Cannes Film Festival that ended Saturday. Park’s thriller-romance film, “Decision to Leave,” about a detective who comes across a widow who is a prime suspect in his murder

May 29, 2022

Director Park Chan-wook says films made for the big screen should be watched at theaters

South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook said during a press conference in Cannes, France, on Saturday (French time) that the future of cinema is tightly connected with that of movie theaters, which bring incomparable cinematic experience. "Our experience to entirely focus on a film and enjoy it along with many people at a movie theater is out of comparison," he said in a press conference after the closing ceremony of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. He won Best Director for his latest feature

May 29, 2022

Seventeen hopes for Billboard No. 1 with 4th LP ‘Face the Sun’

Seven years is no short time when it comes to the lifespan of K-pop acts, especially if there are 13, or more, voices to mediate within the group. Seventeen, a 13-member boy band, passed the point with not a single hiccup, and has officially set off on its second chapter with a new full-length album, “Face the Sun.” Ahead of dropping the album on Friday afternoon, the band conducted a press conference at the Conrad Seoul hotel. “We’re returning with a full-length albu

May 27, 2022

Seoul Jazz Festival kicks off after two-year COVID-19 hiatus

  Seoul Jazz Festival, a landmark annual outdoor jazz fest, kicked off its three-day concert series on Friday. The in-person festival resumed after a two-year break as South Korea scrapped most of its COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. This year’s Seoul Jazz Festival took place at the Olympic Park’s 88 Jandi Madang in southern Seoul. While Friday’s performance was set to run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., some of the audiences came as early as 8 a.m. to get in a line to re

May 27, 2022

[Herald Interview] K-drama star Seo Hyun-jin nervous to present movie ’Cassiopeia‘

Even though K-drama star Seo Hyun-jin has appeared in numerous hit soap operas including “The Beauty Inside,” “Another Miss Oh,” and “Temperature of Love,” she found working on the upcoming feature film “Cassiopeia” nerve-racking. “This is my first proper leading role in a movie, so I am nervous and am very curious about the audience’s reaction,” Seo said during an interview with local reporters via videoconference on Thursday.

May 27, 2022

BTS headed to White House on May 31

Global K-pop phenomenon BTS is headed to the White House next week to speak with US President Joe Biden on rising anti-Asian hate crimes. The US presidential office on Thursday made an official announcement that the K-pop boy band “will join President Biden to discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years.” BTS’ visit to the White House will take place on Tuesday, t

May 27, 2022

Kore-eda says if 'Broker' is not fun, this would be his responsibility

CANNES, France -- Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda has said that he will take full responsibility for any criticism for his Cannes-competing drama "Broker" made with Korean creative minds. "Korea's star actors and renowned crew members participated in this project," the Japanese director told Korean reporters on Wednesday (local time) on the sidelines of the ongoing 75th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. "If the film isn't fun, it's all my fault." &quo

May 27, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Good Morning (Korea) Opened May 25 Drama Directed by Cha Bong-joo Soo-mi (Kim Hwan-hee) wants to die due to the difficult situation she had to face as an orphan. Seo-jin (Yoo Sun), a volunteer hospice worker who lost her daughter five years ago, saves Soo-mi as she is about to jump off a bridge. Seo-jin tells Soo-mi that she can learn how to die at the hospice center and suggests she join the volunteers. There, Soo-mi starts teaching In-soo (Lee Soon-jae) how to read and write Korean befor

May 27, 2022