[Today’s K-pop] Twice adds concert to LA show

    Twice will perform one more time in Los Angeles on May 15, label JYP Entertainment announced Thursday. 　 The group is performing at Banc of California Stadium on May 14 and tickets for the live show sold out as soon as they became available. The stadium accommodates 22,000 people. 　 Label JYP Entertainment decided to add another concert on the following day. The nine-member act toured the US -- from Los Angeles to Atlanta and New York -- in February as part of its fourth in

April 7, 2022

‘Disturbing, but important’: ‘I Want to See Your Parent’s Face’ deals with school bullying

Director Kim Ji-hoon’s new film, “I Want to See Your Parent’s Face,” tells a deeply uncomfortable story about school bullying. The cast, who have come to realize the weight of the subject matter, pleaded with moviegoers to come to the theater to watch the film during an online press conference held Thursday. “Since the movie is about school bullying, audiences might feel uncomfortable watching it. Even though it can be uncomfortable, I think it is a topic that w

April 7, 2022

Naver Webtoon, Munpia hold 1 billion won web novel contest

  Naver Webtoon and Munpia, a web novel platform, are on the hunt for the next big web novels, or novels published online, boasting 1 billion won in prize money.   The two companies said Thursday that their web novel contest will open May 11 with two rounds: the first round for fantasy, action, modern, sports and alternative history via Munpia and the second round for romance and fantasy romance works via Naver Webtoon.  The organizers said the prize money is the largest

April 7, 2022

Kim Tae-ho shares his excitement for ‘Seoul Check-In’

Star TV director Kim Tae-ho, 46, is all confidence in presenting his upcoming reality show “Seoul Check-In,” the first project that Kim directed after leaving terrestrial broadcaster MBC in 2021. “Lee Hyo-ri is an amazing source for producing a show. Everything about her becomes a story when the camera is shooting her. I believe Lee’s straightforward gestures and frank attitude are the charms that electrify viewers,” director Kim said in an online press conference

April 7, 2022

Seventeen to drop first all-English single ‘Darl+ing’ next week

K-pop boy group Seventeen will release its first all-English language single titled “Darl+ing,“ hoping to expand its presence in the global music scene, the band’s agency Pledis Entertainment said Thursday. The 13-member group posted an image of its upcoming digital single’s title poster on its official social media at midnight. The group’s mood teaser, concept photos, voice messages and official teasers are also set to be unveiled in order. “Darl+ing&rdqu

April 7, 2022

YG Entertainment vocal trainer to release ‘Where Would We Go’

Lee Dong-soo, a vocal trainer to K-pop musicians at YG Entertainment, will release her new single “Where Would We Go” on Friday at noon via music streaming platforms, according to Local High Records on Thursday. The teaser video for the upcoming single, a 16-second video clip showing an animated whale swimming in the night sky, was released on Local High Records’ official social media channels on Wednesday. “Where Would We Go” is a jazz pop-style song about longin

April 7, 2022

Ghost9 sets off on second journey with sixth EP ‘Arcade: V’

Having successfully wrapped up their first musical series “Now,” rookie boy band Ghost9 is back to embark on their new journey, “Arcade: Vow.” Ahead of dropping their new album “Arcade: V” on Thursday, the act conducted a joint interview with local press in a cafe in Seoul to talk about the new album and their recent US concert tour, “Into the Live: Now.” In January, Ghost9 traveled to four cities in the US, launching their first overseas conce

April 7, 2022

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

  Tomorrow X Together will make a comeback early next month, local media reported Wednesday. 　 Label Big Hit Music confirmed the news following the reports. 　 The band’s previous album was “The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape,” a repackage of its second full album “The Chaos Chapter: Freeze,” from August last year. The second LP peaked at No. 5 on Billboard 200, a career high, and also made the publication’s year-end charts. It is the only K-pop male musi

April 6, 2022

Don’t politicize BTS, some fans tell South Korea’s incoming president

Should BTS perform at the inauguration ceremony for South Korea’s incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol? Some fans say just leave the group alone. After a member of Yoon’s transition team said Tuesday that a BTS performance is being discussed for the May 10 event, fans of the K-pop juggernaut flooded the committee’s website with posts opposing it. “Please do not politicize BTS,” one post uploaded on Wednesday read. On the presidential office’s website, a simil

April 6, 2022

Hybe denies rumors of school bullying surrounding soon-to-debut group Le Sserafim

Hybe has denied school bullying rumors raised against a member of the label‘s soon-to-debut girl group Le Sserafim on Wednesday. “After the online rumors surrounding Kim Ga-ram were raised, we made efforts to confirm the facts. Such allegations were edited with malicious intent to problematize past events,” the K-pop agency said in a press release. After Source Music, an agency under Hybe, introduced Kim as the second member of Le Sserafim on Tuesday, several netizens claimin

April 6, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Time for K-pop to diversify’

Korean popular music, often abbreviated as “K-pop,” has become one of the most popular music genres around the world. In the span of a few decades, K-pop has grown from a regional sensation to a cultural powerhouse, fueled by the local agencies and artists’ endeavors to tap into the global music scene. While the first generation of K-pop groups got their start in the early 1990s to 2000s backed by major entertainment firms, a mover and shaker behind K-pop’s global rise

April 6, 2022

[Video] What is the ‘Pokemon Bread’ that BTS' RM can’t get enough of?!

Have you noticed BTS' RM posting Pokemon stickers on his instagram lately and wondered what it’s all about? Check out our video!  By Team Konnect Kim Min-Jung(minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon(jychoi@heraldcorp.com) Kim Jeong-ryul(ryul@heraldcorp.com) Park Sun-Yeong(psyworld0710@heraldcorp.com)

April 6, 2022

Netflix movie ‘Yaksha: Ruthless Operations’ director aims to show Asian spy film‘s power

There has been no shortage of Hollywood spy movies, but we have not seen many well-made Asian spy films, Na Hyeon who directed the Netflix movie “Yaksha: Ruthless Operations,” said during an online press conference held Tuesday. “Through Netflix, I think we can show the world that an Asian spy movie also can be entertaining,” Na added. Na’s film introduces Kang-in (Sol Kyung-gu), a ruthless leader of a secret National Intelligence Service team who is also known a

April 6, 2022

So Ji-sub to lead MBC series ‘Doctor Lawyer’

Top actor So Ji-sub is set to return to the small screen in MBC medical-thriller “Doctor Lawyer,” premiering May 27. His last drama series, “My Secret Terrius” was back in 2018. In 2020, he married TV celebrity Jo Eun-jung. Helmed by Lee Yong-suk, the TV director behind SBS hit historical dramas “Iljimae” (2008) and “Daepungsu” (2013), “Doctor Lawyer” is one of the most anticipated MBC series in the first half of the year for its sta

April 6, 2022

'Business Proposal' stays atop Netflix non-English TV show chart for 3rd week

South Korean romantic comedy "Business Proposal" retained the No. 1 position on Netflix's latest weekly viewership chart of non-English TV shows for the third consecutive week, the global video streaming service said Wednesday. The TV series, which has aired every Monday and Tuesday on SBS from Feb. 28, marked 32.5 million hours of viewing for the week of March 28-April 3 to lead Netflix's official top 10 list for non-English TV programs available on the service, according to the compa

April 6, 2022

Fall headfirst into love with Ive’s ‘Love Dive’

The cherry blossom season has arrived, and rookie girl group Ive has returned with its second digital single, “Love Dive,” released Tuesday evening, to fill in the warm-weather playlist. This marks the sextet’s return in nearly four months since they last released its debut single, “Eleven,” last December. In a press conference Monday, Yujin described the band’s second single as an “album that has a dual meaning.” She said the term “dive&r

April 5, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Red Velvet releases 1st Japanese LP

Red Velvet will put out its first full album in Japan on Wednesday, announced label SM Entertainment on Tuesday. 　 The LP is titled “Bloom” and will consist of 11 tracks, including main track “Wildside.” The song contains a message to support those who never give up in reaching their goals. New songs in Japanese, such as “Jackpot,” “Snap Snap” and “Color of Love,” also will be included. 　 The female quintet has released two extended p

April 5, 2022

Retired sports stars start new life in television

More Olympic medalists and sports icons are showing up on television, starring in a variety of shows. Though many retired athletes have returned as broadcast commentators or coaching staff in the past, sports stars today are making small-screen appearances in a wide range of shows, from sports-related shows to comedy and reality TV. Cable channel MBN’s sports show “Back to the Ground,” which aired its first episode on Tuesday, centers around retired baseball players who form

April 5, 2022

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s new project ‘more violent’ than ‘Squid Game’

“Squid Game” director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s next film will ”surely be another controversial film,“ according to the director. Hwang revealed the working title for his new project, “K.O Club,” also known as “Killing Old People Club,” during a panel session on Monday at MipTV, an international trade fair for TV and media that takes place in parallel with the Cannes International Series Festival from April 4 to 6. “It will be more violent t

April 5, 2022

National Orchestra of Metz to tour Korea

France’s National Orchestra of Metz will embark on a Korean tour later this month, the first foreign orchestra to perform in the country this year, signaling a return to normalcy in international music tours. The orchestra, led by music and artistic director David Reiland since 2018, will perform in five Korean cities from April 29 to May 3. Reiland, the Belgium conductor who has also been leading the Korean National Symphony Orchestra since January, will take the baton for the five pe

April 5, 2022