Musical ‘Kpop’ featuring Luna to hit Broadway

“Kpop,” an original musical about what it takes to be a K-pop star, is hitting Broadway in October after five years as a smaller scale show that has grown in popularity in tandem with the global rise of Korean music. “Kpop” premiered as an immersive off-Broadway show in the fall of 2017. The production received the 2018 Richard Rodgers Award, three Lucille Lortel Awards, including best musical, the Off Broadway Alliance Award, and seven Drama Desk Award nominations. It

March 31, 2022

[Herald Interview] World’s top DJ hopes to work with BTS

K-pop has become a truly global phenomenon, thanks to its distinctive blend of melodies, powerful choreography and an endless parade of attractive performers. Amid the popularity of K-pop worldwide, an increasing number of big-name artists are wooing Korean musicians. It is a desire shared by Brazilian DJ Alok, who has worked with global artists such as John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Jason Derulo, Dua Lipa and Steve Aoki. While the world’s top DJ is still thirsty for more collaboration project

March 31, 2022

MBC presents new webtoon-based drama ‘Tomorrow’

Terrestrial broadcaster MBC starts airing a new fantasy series “Tomorrow” on Friday. The broadcaster’s new Friday-Saturday drama is an adaptation of a highly rated Naver Webtoon of the same title created by author Llama. Helmed by Kim Tae-yun, the director and screenwriter behind hit films “Perfect Number” (2012) and “New Trial” (2016), the series presents a star-studded lineup, including veteran actors Kim Hee-sun, model and actor Lee Soo-hyuk, actor

March 31, 2022

TWICE to hold encore concert in L.A. after sold-out tour of US cities

K-pop girl group TWICE will return for a one-day encore concert in Los Angeles as part of its fourth world tour that took it to five US cities, including L.A., in February, the group's agency said Thursday. The nine-piece group will hold the concert at the 22,000-seat Banc of California stadium on May 14 (US time), becoming the first K-pop girl group to hold an individual show at a stadium in North America, JYP Entertainment said on the band's official social media channels. The band played seve

March 31, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids sweeps Billboard charts

Stray Kids topped six Billboard charts including Billboard 200 with its latest EP and main track, according to the publication’s tally that came out on Tuesday in the US. 　 The EP, named “Oddinary,” was No. 1 on Billboard’s top album sales, top current album sales and world albums chart, as was lead track “Maniac” on world digital song sales chart. The band landed atop the artist 100 list. 　 This is the first time the eight-member act made it onto Billboard

March 30, 2022

Stage set for T1, Gen.G to clash for LCK Spring title

Two Korean League of Legends powerhouse teams -- T1 and Gen.G -- are set to face each other for this year’s spring title, with esports fans and spectators excited to watch the two battle it out in the first in-person showdown in almost three years. “In accordance with the government’s COVID-19 measures, a total of 3,500 seats will be available for the upcoming finals. We hope to bring a stadium filled with the crowd’s chants this summer,” said the secretary-gener

March 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Producer Apro: ‘This is my story but also yours’

“Apro is different” is the signature sound that presents singer-producer Apro in his music. But surprisingly, the repeating message of his artworks, whether it be music, paintings or exhibitions, was that “we are all the same people.” And this key message permeates his forthcoming studio album, which he is currently unveiling song by song through a monthly project called “Avenue.” During a recent interview with The Korea Herald conducted following the releas

March 30, 2022

Rush of K-pop comebacks to fill in April music craze

As the cherry blossom season is a time of new beginnings, a handful of K-pop acts are vying to control domestic and international music charts with new releases. From heavyweights to up-and-coming bands, many artists are gearing up for a spin next month. Following is a list of musicians ready to showcase their new songs and meet fans at concerts.  1. Exo’s Suho - April 4　 Suho of boy band Exo will come out with his second solo album, “Grey Suit,” Monday evening. The si

March 30, 2022

Hybe to turn Las Vegas into ‘BTS city’ in April

With BTS set to hold four live concerts in front of fans in Las Vegas next month, Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the boy band, is turning Sin City into BTS City through its The City project. The event will be held next month as part of the company‘s efforts to improve the fan experience for those traveling to the city for the live shows. BTS City will start welcoming visitors from Tuesday until April 17 and will take place at Allegiant Stadium, where the group will be performing, a

March 30, 2022

‘Queendom’ season 2: Six female K-pop acts face fiercer competition

Mnet’s hit survival program “Queendom” is returning with a second season, featuring six high-profile female K-pop acts vying to take home the top honor, along with an opportunity to air its global comeback show through the cable channel. The show will take on the same format as the previous season, which ended in October 2019, but this time also allows global fans to participate in the voting to pick their No. 1 “global queen.” The program’s first season r

March 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Yoo Yeon-seok takes part in long-awaited global project ‘Vanishing’

For Korean star Yoo Yeon-seok, an opportunity to work with actors and staff from different countries was something that he has been longing to do. “I always had lots of interest in global projects but unfortunately I did not have much opportunity,” Yoo said during his interview with a group of local reporters via videoconference Tuesday. He finally got the chance to work on the global project “Vanishing” directed by French director Denis Dercourt in the fall of 2020.

March 30, 2022

'Business Proposal' tops Netflix viewership chart for 2nd week

South Korean romantic comedy "Business Proposal" topped Netflix's latest weekly viewership chart of non-English TV shows for the second 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 30.9 million hours of viewing for the week of March 21-27 to lead Netflix's official top 10 list for non-English TV programs available on the service, according to the company. The show, based on the

March 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Clarinetist Cho Sung-ho to bring rare Baroque pieces to stage

   Clarinet player Cho Sung-ho discovered his passion for wind instruments when he played the recorder for the first time in fifth grade. He had been exposed to music from an early age by his mother who was a piano teacher, and by his maternal grandfather who was a professional violinist. “For some reason that I couldn’t pinpoint, I wasn’t a big fan of the violin or the piano, but once I played the recorder, I knew I had a knack for wind instruments,” Cho tol

March 29, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo’s Moonbyul to mark solo return next month: report

Moonbyul of Mamamoo will release new solo music in April, according to a local media report Tuesday.   　 Agency RBW Entertainment confirmed the news following the report.   　 She put out her third solo EP, “6quence,” in January, marking her first in almost two years. The EP topped iTunes top albums chart in 20 regions and sold over 70,000 copies in the first week.   　 Her first solo EP, “Selfish,” came out in 2018, as the second member of the quintet to

March 29, 2022

Netflix stars Park Ju-hyun, Lee Yoo-mi to return with sports dramas

Actors Park Ju-hyun and Lee Yoo-mi, who made a name for themselves in Netflix’s Korean originals, are returning to the small screen as athletes. Park, 27, who caught global viewers’ attention with her performance of Bae Gyu-ri, a kleptomaniac high school student in “Extracurricular” (2020), is set to play badminton player Park Tae-yang in upcoming KBS sports drama “Love All Play.” The 16-part sports romance centers around a renowned badminton player, who w

March 29, 2022

[Herald Interview] Artist Lang Lee sings about the less fortunate, the weak

There are many titles that could be used to describe Lang Lee -- from singer-songwriter and writer to film director and cartoonist. The 35-year-old multitalented artist has striven hard to tell people what the world in which she lives is like through different forms of art. Lang Lee is mostly known as a singer-songwriter, although her music is overshadowed by the popular music styles of today. After debuting in 2012 with her first full-length album “Yon Yonson,” the artist has focu

March 29, 2022

KeSPA announces five esports coaches for Hangzhou Asian Games

The Korea e-Sports Association on Monday named five coaches to lead its esports national team for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Of the eight medal events at the 2022 Asian Games, South Korea is set to compete in five -- FIFA (by EA Sports), HearthStone, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile and Street Fighter V. The legendary LoL coach Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun, who won 10 domestic titles and 3 international championships, is expected to lead the national team in winning

March 29, 2022

Stray Kids top Billboard's main albums chart for third time as K-pop artist

South Korean boy group Stray Kids debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's main albums chart with their latest EP "Oddinary," the US music magazine said Tuesday, becoming the third K-pop act ever to top the chart. The seven-track album began atop the Billboard 200 chart dated April 2 with 110,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending March 24, Billboard said on its social media channels. It added that the album was not just the first chart-topper for the act but

March 29, 2022

Womance dramas dominate Korean television

Hit television dramas portraying the special bond between female characters have given rise to a genre called “womance.” A combination of the words “woman” and “romance,” womance refers to the non-sexual, tight bond between female characters that goes above and beyond ordinary friendship. Though there have been many films and television shows centering around “bromance” – a combination of the words “brother” and “romance

March 29, 2022

[Today’s K-pop] Oh My Girl ready to sing “real love” in 2nd LP

Oh My Girl held a media showcase Monday to introduce its second studio album “Real Love.” 　 “We still have our bright and cheerful sides, but this album also shows us as more mature and solid,” said YooA. 　 It has been about three years since its first LP “The Fifth Season.” The group members hope that this new album would permeate like a subtle and gentle perfume. 　 The focus track “Real Love” highlights the wide range of vocals of the seven me

March 28, 2022