KBS apologize for airing opera set in Japan on Liberation Day

State-broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System issued an apology after sparking controversy by airing the opera "Madama Butterfly" on National Liberation Day. Aug. 15 is celebrated as National Liberation Day in Korea, commemorating the nation's liberation from Japan in 1945. Early Thursday, KBS aired "Madama Butterfly," a Giacomo Puccini opera set in Japan, as part of its liberal arts program, "KBS Relay Seat." The opera, set in Japan's Nagasaki shortly afte

Aug. 15, 2024

[Herald Interview] Cheeze shifts from lovable to chilling for summer song

Cheeze, a one-person band known for vocalist Dalchong's lovely and clear voice, has returned with a hair-raising summer song. "Many people know me for my bright and lovely image, but I have various sides, including ballads and melancholy songs. I wanted to show that this image is also part of Cheeze," said Dalchong, the vocalist and producer of Cheeze during a group interview on Aug. 5. The band Cheeze, which debuted in 2011, started out as a quartet but has been a one-person band

Aug. 15, 2024

Documentary on BTS Jungkook's solo journey to open next month

A documentary film on BTS Jungkook’s journey as a soloist, “Jung Kook: I Am Still,” is to hit theaters next month. The film, featuring inside stories of Jungkook’s solo album preparation, unreleased interviews and scenes behind the stages, is the 10th BTS film presented by Hybe. It encapsulates the eight-month journey of Jungkook since his solo debut in July 2023. In Korea, the movie will be exclusively released at CGV theaters starting Sept. 18. It will be available worl

Aug. 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans' ‘Cookie’ music video surpasses 100 m views

NewJeans added another video to the list of those with more than 100 million views on YouTube. Its music video for “Cookie,” one of the three focus tracks from its debut EP, reached the milestone and became the group’s fifth to do so, following performance videos for “Hype Boy,” “OMG” and “Ditto,” as well as the music video for “Super Shy.” The single was touted as “the best song from the debut EP by the impressive young K-p

Aug. 14, 2024

Ador CEO claims sexual misconduct allegation orchestrated against her

What began as a power struggle between Hybe and Min Hee-jin, CEO of its subsidiary Ador, over her alleged attempt to seize management rights has now escalated to accusations of sexual misconduct with Min possibly suggesting that Hybe is behind this latest allegation. The sexual misconduct accusation against Min emerged last month amid the ongoing conflict between her and Hybe. A local media outlet reported Ador's internal feud, citing sources believed to be connected to Hybe. The report all

Aug. 14, 2024

[History through films] Korea’s turbulent politics of 1970s depicted in ‘Kingmaker’

The 1970s is an important era in South Korea's contemporary history, a turbulent time that shaped the country's politics. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, director Byun Sung-hyun's “Kingmaker” follows a group of politicians who attempt to replace the dictatorship with a democracy. Kim Woon-beom (played by Sol Kyung-gu) is an opposition party politician who dreams of becoming a president, despite having failed in four consecutive parliamentary elections. He comes across natu

Aug. 14, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Boynextdoor to return in September

Boynextdoor uploaded a teaser clip for its September return via agency KOZ Entertainment Tuesday. Dubbed “The Beginning of Countdown: 19.99,” the 16-second-long visual starts with a device dropped on a dark street that begins a countdown before someone snatches it up, revealing the title of the album along with the release date: Sept. 9. The boy band is returning about five months after its second EP “How?” which sold over 760,000 copies so far. The mini album was one of

Aug. 13, 2024

Why are UN, UNESCO tapping into K-pop?

In a digital age where the battle for hearts and minds is waged online, global organizations like the United Nations and the UNESCO are turning to an unlikely but powerful ally -- K-pop. With its massive, dedicated fanbases and global reach, K-pop has emerged as more than just a music genre -- it is a cultural phenomenon capable of driving social change. By partnering with groups like BTS and Seventeen, the UN and UNESCO are tapping into this energy, leveraging K-pop's influence to amplify

Aug. 13, 2024

Keep Olympic spirit alive with K-dramas, films

Though the 2024 Paris Olympics have drawn to a close, the excitement of the Summer Games may have left you craving more athleticism and sports drama. Not to worry, sports enthusiasts: Enter the world of Korean drama series and films, where Olympic athletes and sports themes take center stage in stories that blend competition, romance and heartfelt drama. Here’s a lineup of six -- three TV series and three films -- to keep your competitive spirit alive. 1. Twenty-Five Twenty-One (Drama) &

Aug. 13, 2024

Jun, Jeonghan to halt Seventeen group activities

K-pop sensation Seventeen will temporarily promote without two members while member Jeonghan enlists in the military and Jun pursues an acting career in China during the second half of this year. "Jeonghan is scheduled to fulfill his mandatory military service later this year. While most (of the group’s) prescheduled content has been completed, he will not be able to participate in the group’s promotion for its 12th mini album or the 'Seventeen [Right Here] World Tour,'

Aug. 13, 2024

Sony Music Korea, Japan to launch K-pop boy band KJRGL

Sony Music Korea and Sony Music Japan are preparing to launch a new K-pop boy band in September. The name of the group is KJRGL, which stands for “Kind (of) Just Right Good Luck,” according to Sony Music Japan. KJRGL consists of three Korean members and three Japanese members who have participated in TV K-pop contests and have spent several years as K-pop trainees. Kouki, one of the three Japanese members, was on the second season of “Produce 101 Japan.” Akira, another Ja

Aug. 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kard returns with easy-listening summer song

Coed K-pop quartet Kard releases its seventh EP, “Where to Now? (Part 1: Yellow Light)," Tuesday evening, the group's first album in 15 months. Known for its reggae music and powerful performance, Kard is presenting an easy-listening song for the first time on the new album. “New attempts were made in this album hoping that it will satisfy the public's listening needs. We've worked with songs with strong characteristics that many listeners could have found hard to

Aug. 13, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] EXO’s Baekhyun to return as solo act

Baekhyun of EXO will make a comeback as a solo musician on Sept. 6, he announced via agency INB100 Monday. He will bring out his fourth EP “Hello, World” about 3 1/2 years after his previous EP “Bambi.” The six-track album topped the iTunes Top Albums chart in 56 regions and sold over 1 million copies. His second solo EP “Delight," was the first million-selling album from a solo artist in 19 years in K-pop history. The singer hinted at the new album at his so

Aug. 12, 2024

Ive, on world tour, performs encore concert in Seoul

Popular K-pop girl group Ive, currently on a 10-month-long world tour, returned to the Seoul stage, reuniting with the group's global fanbase, Dive. The sextet held an encore performance of its first world tour, "Show What I Have," at the Kspo Dome in Songpa District, Seoul, on Aug. 10-11. Having kicked off the world tour last October at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Ive has since performed 37 shows in 27 cities across 19 countries, including stops in Japan, Asia, Europe, North America a

Aug. 12, 2024

Park Chan-wook’s next film stars Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin

South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook will begin shooting his new film “No Other Choice” starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin on Aug. 17, the film distributor CJ ENM said Monday. Based on the US novel titled “The Ax” by Donald E. Westlake, the movie revolves around Man-soo, an employee who is fired from his paper manufacturing company. Lee, who worked with Park on the 2000 mystery thriller “Joint Security Area” and the Korean section of 2004 horror trilogy &ldqu

Aug. 12, 2024

[Herald Review] Crossover music groups' joint concert proves deep spectrum of Korean music

Four crossover groups mesmerized fans with fresh, intense music, presenting a bold mixture of genres. "The Masterpiece," a concert featuring the crossover groups Fortena, Crezl, RabidAnce, and Liberante — formed through seasons 3 and 4 of JTBC's audition program Phantom Singer — was held over the weekend at Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo. The concert began with Fortena, a group of four tenors. The quartet opened the show with "Neapolis," which the group perform

Aug. 12, 2024

Day6 to set off on 3rd world tour next month

K-pop band Day6 is embarking on its third world tour next month. According to JYP Entertainment, Day6 will kick off its third world tour “Forever Young” with a three-day concert at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, Sept. 20-22. Day6 is set to take its show to Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 5, Bali on Oct. 13, Surabaya, Indonesia on Oct. 16, Jakarta on Oct. 19, Singapore on Nov. 22, and Bangkok on Nov. 30. The tour continues into next year with concerts in Hong Kong on Jan. 26, Osaka on Feb. 12-13,

Aug. 12, 2024

Livestreamer Seyeon’s explanation for meeting with Bang sparks further backlash

The controversy surrounding Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk's meeting with 23-year-old AfreecaTV streamer Seyeon in Los Angeles has intensified, despite her attempt to clarify the situation during a livestream Sunday. Seyeon addressed the issue during her internet broadcast on the local video streaming platform at 9 p.m. Sunday, following a notification she posted the day before. The explanation was prompted by a video released by American YouTuber "I am WalKing" last Thursday, which s

Aug. 12, 2024

Seungri faces fresh backlash over Indonesia 'Burning Sun' event

Seungri, a former member of the iconic K-pop group Big Bang, continues to face harsh criticism as he engages in controversial activities following his involvement in the infamous "Burning Sun" scandal. Despite serving time in prison, Seungri’s recent actions have sparked outrage among the public, with many questioning his lack of remorse. The controversy reignited Saturday when TVS Management, an international event organizer, announced that Seungri would appear as a special gues

Aug. 11, 2024

Disbanded B.A.P members return to fans after 6 years

After a lengthy hiatus, the former members of the disbanded group B.A.P have reunited and made their much-anticipated return to the stage, now performing under a new name. Debuting in 2012, the iconic boy band quickly rose to fame with their versatile sound, delivering powerful hip-hop anthems like “No Mercy” and “One Shot,” alongside lighter, more playful tracks such as “Stop It” and “Crash.” The band was disbanded in 2019, following the expiratio

Aug. 11, 2024