Classical musicians perform Korean drama music in new album

A compilation of music from Korean drama series performed by world-class musicians will be released under the Deutsch Grammophon label in July. Titled ”Shades of Love,” the album featuring well-known classical musicians such as Philipp Jundt, Daniel Hope, Richard Yongjae O’Neill and Albrecht Mayer will be released July 9, according to Universal Music Group on Friday. “The Song for My Brother” from the drama series “Crash Landing on You” was released F

June 4, 2021

Netflix to release special episode of 'Kingdom' series next month

A special episode of Netflix's popular original Korean series "Kingdom" will be released next month, the US streaming media service said Friday. "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" will be released July 23 as a "sidequel" to the global Korean zombie sensation "Kingdom" (2019) and "Kingdom Season 2" (2020), according to Netflix. It tells the backstory of the resurrection plant, or "saengsacho" in Korean, which causes a mysterious plague that

June 4, 2021

Harmonica to lead orchestra onstage

Harmonicist Park Jong-seong, 36, will go on the stage with the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of conductor Baek Yoon-hak at the Gangdong Arts Center in eastern Seoul on June 13. Park has won awards with his harmonica at international competitions in Japan, China and Germany. The musician has also released three solo albums so far. “There have been occasions where I was invited to orchestral performances to play one or two works. But it is the first time to invite an orche

June 4, 2021

K-pop companies rush to create spaces for fans

In a sign of the growing importance of K-pop fans, major agencies and labels here are launching venues dedicated to them at their corporate sites. While companies have temporarily operated pop-up stores and exhibitions for K-pop fans, the recent openings of these permanent venues mark a shift in how they view fans for business growth. Hybe, the company behind BTS, Seventeen and Tomorrow X Together, in May opened Hybe Insight at its new company headquarters in central Seoul. The 4,700-square m

June 4, 2021

BTS to drop 'Cooler,' 'Sweeter' remix of latest single 'Butter'

BTS is set to release a "Cooler" and "Sweeter" remix of its Billboard-topping single "Butter" later Friday, its label said. The "Cooler" version brings a guitar sound to the summery number, while the "Sweeter" remix adds some R&B vibe to the song, according to Big Hit Music. The release is scheduled for 1 p.m., exactly two weeks after the seven-piece act rolled out "Butter" globally on May 21. Last week, BTS also dropped the "

June 4, 2021

BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' sets new YouTube record with 1.6b views

The music video for all-female act BLACKPINK's song "Ddu-du Ddu-du" has broken 1.6 billion views on YouTube. The 2018 hit broke the milestone at 7:22 a.m. Friday, setting a new record for a K-pop act, its management agency YG Entertainment said. The record came roughly 19 months after it became the first music video by a K-pop group to surpass the 1 billion mark in November 2019. "Ddu-du Ddu-du," the main track of the four-member band's first EP, "Square Up," rel

June 4, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Cruella (US) Opened May 26 Drama, Comedy Directed by Craig Gillespie Estella Miller (Emma Stone) is a rebellious child with a talent for fashion. After Estella causes some trouble in school, Estella’s mom Catherine (Emily Beecham) decides to move to London. On the way, she stops at a party hosted by Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson) to ask for financial assistance. At the party, Estella witnesses her mother being pushed off a cliff to her death by Dalmatians.  Pipeline (Korea) O

June 4, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Ghost9 does about face with new music

Ghost9 held an online showcase to introduce its fourth EP “NOW: When we are in love” on Thursday. 　 “We’ve returned after three months,” said Son Junhyeong, admitting that he was nervous and excited at the same time. The band has gone for a strong and charismatic image since its debut but is taking a fresher and more boyish turn, he explained. 　 It was not easy going making such a dramatic change, they admitted. They tried to tune their voices to clearer sounds an

June 3, 2021

Tablo co-writes Amazon Studios’ comedy series ‘Neon Machine’

Tablo of South Korean hip-hop band Epik High has penned a new comedy series for Amazon Studios’ with Emmy-winning producer Jason Kim. Tablo has been working on creating the story, with Kim, producer of HBO series “Barry” (2018), over the past two years. He recently concluded a deal with Amazon Studios to create the show, called “Neon Machine,”, according to the Korean Canadian rapper’s agency Hours Entertainment on Monday “Excited to announce my first

June 2, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Mamamoo brings out ballad-filled "WAW"

Mamamoo talked about the group’s new EP “WAW,” which came out Wednesday. 　 This is the first time the band is releasing an album that consists exclusively of ballads in its seven-year career. 　 “Since it is an all-ballad album, we paid extra attention to the vocals. So that each of the voices would complement each other, harmonize better,” they said. They are excited that the album would better show how they have grown, into better harmony and stronger chemistry,

June 2, 2021

Ballet Festival Korea to share ‘Blended Experiences and Emotions’

The 2021 Ballet Festival Korea will take place at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul from June 15 to 30, presenting shows that reflect the changing times under the theme of “Blended Experiences and Emotions.” Eleven dance troupes from Korea are participating this year, putting on a variety of ballet performances from classic works to experimental contemporary ballet movements.  “(After the festival) we will work on staging these shows outside of Seoul,” Park

June 2, 2021

Local movie theaters to give discount to vaccinated people

South Korean movie theaters said Wednesday that they have started a program to give price discounts to vaccinated people for this month as part of marketing strategies to fill virus-hit empty cinemas. Under the one-month campaign starting Tuesday, those who have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccines can buy two tickets at 5,000 won ($4.50) or 6,000 won each at three major multiplex chains, CJ CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox. A ticket for a weekday movie screening costs around 12,000 wo

June 2, 2021

With 'Butter,' BTS makes 3rd debut atop Billboard Hot 100

K-pop supergroup BTS has achieved another historic milestone, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard's main singles chart with its latest single, "Butter." "BTS' "Butter" bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart," Billboard said Tuesday (US time), citing figures from MRC Data showing how the song drew 32.2 million streams and sold 242,800 downloads in the week ending May 27. These figures put the new single fourth on the Streaming Songs chart and No. 1 o

June 2, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Monsta X returns with 9th EP

The bandmates of Monsta X talked about their ninth EP “One of A Kind” on Tuesday. 　 “This album is a handiwork that shows the pure essence of Monsta X,” said Jooheon. He produced the title track “Gambler,” a first for the musician since he debuted six years ago. He wanted to make a song that would clearly show off the group, he added. 　 Calling himself a “witness” to how Jooheon poured himself into the song, Kihyun proudly declared it “per

June 1, 2021

Indieground streams 22 indie films from 1990s

The Korean Film Council is hosting special screenings aimed at showing life in 1990s South Korea. A total of 22 short films from the 1990s will be available through the virtual cinema of Indieground, a center created by the state-run Korean Film Council to facilitate distribution of indie and art films. The works selected for “Hello, ’90s” are considered significant in the history of Korean independent film, and offer a glimpse into Korean society in the ’90s. The onli

June 1, 2021

Netflix rom-com ‘Sweet & Sour’ asks, ‘Does love have an expiration date?’

New Netflix rom-com “Sweet & Sour,” directed by Lee Gye-byeok, begins with a cliched but popular question: Does love have an expiration date? “When dating someone there are not just sweet and sour moments. There are also bitter moments. I wanted to show that realistic side in the movie,” the director said during an online press conference Tuesday. Jang-hyuk (played by Jang Ki-yong) and Da-eun (played by Chae Su-bin) are a couple who embark on a long-distance relati

June 1, 2021

Kim Sun-wook to debut at Berlin Philharmonic with Chin Un-suk’s concerto

Pianist Kim Sun-wook will have his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic, performing composer Chin Un-suk’s piano concerto. On Saturday Kim, the winner of the 2006 Leeds International Piano Competition, will perform Chin’s piano concerto with the prestigious German orchestra at the Berlin Philharmonic concert hall, under the baton of Sakari Oramo, the chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. The Berlin Philharmonic explained Chin’s work as a “brilli

June 1, 2021

CJ CGV to screen evening meditation movies from next week

South Korea's leading cinema chain CJ CGV said Tuesday it will screen two meditation movies starting next week to help people enjoy tranquility in the evening after being busy in the daytime. "Peace of Mind," featuring the beauty of oceans, the sky and space, along with a meditation guide, will be screened from June 9-18, according to CGV. From June 23 to July 2, "Body Scan" will be shown to allow viewers to enjoy self-reflective body movements at movie theaters. The movie

June 1, 2021

S. Korean drama productions enter US market with co-production, acquisition

Two major South Korean drama productions are entering the US market through joint production and corporate acquisition, as Korean shows are enjoying increasing popularity around the world via online video steaming services. Studio Dragon said Tuesday it has agreed to co-produce a drama series with US company Skydance Television for Apple TV+. JTBC Studios said it signed an agreement to acquire US television and film studio Wiip on Monday. Studio Dragon is affiliated with CJ ENM, the nation's

June 1, 2021

Performing arts scene recovering on eased social distancing

The virus-hit South Korean performing arts sector is heading for a recovery this spring after plummeting last year, thanks to recently eased social distancing rules, data showed Tuesday. The combined revenue of 2,700 theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances reached 70.5 billion won ($63.6 million) over the March-May period, according to the data by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS). The amount more than doubled from the 25.4 billion wo

June 1, 2021