EXO's Baekhyun to drop new EP on March 30

Baekhyun, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, will return with the new album "Bambi" later this month, his management agency said Wednesday. The singer's third EP will carry six songs, including title track "Bambi," and will be available on streaming platforms starting 6 p.m. on March 30, according to SM Entertainment. The agency explained that "Bambi" is a R&B number that highlights Baekhyun's vocals. Details on the other five tracks will be released going forwar

March 17, 2021

'Minari' director says grandma's minari blesses him with Oscar nominations

Director Lee Isaac Chung of "Minari" said his six Oscar nominations, including best picture, are a blessing of his grandmother's minari, the watery plant that gives the film its title. "I couldn't imagine this happening as we struggled on the journey to make this film, and now I understand why Oscar moments are filled with endless thank yous," he said through Pancinema, the South Korean distributor of "Minari," on Wednesday. "I feel incredibly grateful to th

March 17, 2021

K-pop soloist Chungha to release Spanish version of 'Demente'

K-pop female soloist Chungha will release a full Spanish language version of the song "Demente" on Wednesday, the singer's management agency said. The new version of "Demente," a track from the singer's latest album, is set to drop at 1 p.m. on major global music streaming platforms, according to MNH Entertainment. The Latin-pop number, featuring popular Reggaeton rapper Guaynaa, was included in "Querencia," the singer's first studio album released last month. Th

March 17, 2021

JTBC’s one-act play continues with ‘Off the Course’

Broadcasting company JTBC continued its annual one-act play TV series “JTBC Drama Festa” with “Off the Course” which aired Monday and Tuesday. JTBC Drama Festa, which kicked off in 2017, gives rookie directors and screenwriters a chance to make a debut. Similar programs include KBS’ “Drama Special” and tvN’s “Drama Stage.” Although viewership rating remained low at less than 2 percent in previous years, actors, directors and screenwri

March 17, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] Super Junior goes back to beginning

Super Junior hosted an online media conference Tuesday and discussed its 10th studio album, “The Renaissance.” 　 “We were supposed to release it in December last year but wanted to push it to better quality,” said Leeteuk. With the LP that came out that day, fans will understand why the timeline was moved, he said confidently. 　 “EPs and singles are quite common these days but we’re coming out with an album filled with 10 tracks,” Eunhyuk went on. &ld

March 16, 2021

S. Korean actress Han Yeri contributes to Oscar-nominated original score of 'Minari'

Behind the original soundtrack of the drama film "Minari," nominated for best score at the upcoming Oscars and five other awards including best picture, is South Korean actress Han Yeri. "Minari" is Korean American director Lee Isaac Chung's semiautobiographical film about a family of Korean immigrants who start a farm in 1980s Arkansas in pursuit of the American dream from the point of view of David (Alan Kim) and his parents, Jacob (Steven Yeun) and Monica (Han Yeri). Alo

March 16, 2021

[Newsmaker] Oscar nomination caps Youn’s five-decade career

On Monday night, Youn Yuh-jung became the first South Korean actor to be nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress. She is being recognized at the 93rd Academy Awards for her performance in the US film “Minari,” directed by Lee Isaac Chung. “I am actually honored just to be nominated,” Yoon said in a statement released through her management agency after the announcement on Monday. “I am not a big fan of competition. I cannot even watch TV programs that r

March 16, 2021

French original ‘Les Miserables’ musical concert to come to Korea

The original French concert version of the musical “Les Miserables” will go onstage in South Korea on April 30 and run for about a month. The concert is inspired by the musical “Les Miserables,” adapted from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel of the same name. Since its French premiere in 1980, the musical has been performed in 44 countries before 70 million audience members. The concert version was staged in Seoul and Busan in 2019, and tickets were sold out for all per

March 16, 2021

Erick Oh’s ‘Opera’ nominated for Oscar in best animated short film category

South Korean director Erick Oh’s short animation “Opera” made the final list of nominees Monday for the Oscar for best animated short film. “It is such an incredible honor to have ‘Opera’ nominated for an Oscar!” said Oh from California. “I hope this recognition will bring a very positive impact on all the creators and audiences out there because ‘Opera’ presents a different way to view and enjoy the medium of animation.” The u

March 16, 2021

'Minari' celebrates 'history-making' Oscar nominations

Producers of "Minari" have celebrated its six Oscar nominations, including best picture, highlighting the "history-making" achievement of the drama film about a Korean American immigrant family. "'Minari' makes history," said a post on the official Twitter account of the film, directed by Korean American Lee Isaac Chung, on Monday (US time). "Congratulations to Isaac, Steven (Yeun), YJ (Youn Yuh-jung), Emile (Mosseri) and the whole 'Minari' family on their six

March 16, 2021

First solo album by BLACKPINK's Rose hits more than half million preorders

The first solo album of Rose, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's main vocalist, has scored over 500,000 global preorders, a record number for a K-pop female singer, the singer's management agency said Tuesday. The album, titled "R," has sold a combined 505,000 units since its online release last Friday, including 404,318 units in CD and 49,058 in KiT, a type of physical album used for digital streaming, according to YG Entertainment. This marks the biggest presales for an album by a K-pop

March 16, 2021

S. Korean Youn Yuh-jung of 'Minari' nominated for best supporting actress at Academy Awards

Youn Yuh-jung was nominated for best supporting actress at this year's Academy Awards for her role in "Minari," becoming the first South Korean actress to achieve the feat. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled its final list of nominations for the 2021 Oscars Awards. The awards ceremony will take place next month. Youn, who plays an eccentric grandmother in "Minari," will vie for the prize of best actress in a supporting role with Maria Bakalova for &quo

March 15, 2021

[Today’s K-pop] BTS snaps up record 8 trophies in Japan

BTS collected eight trophies from a major Japanese music awards show, setting a record for a foreign artist. 　 According to the announcement from the 35th Japan Gold Disc Award Monday, the band was the winner in eight categories: best artist (Asia), album of the year (Asia), best three album (Asia, for two), best music videos (Asia), and song of the year by download (Asia) as well as the new awards best song of the year by streaming (Asia) and best five songs by streaming (Asia). 　 The group

March 15, 2021

BTS fails to win Grammy, but achieves K-pop milestone

Though K-pop superstar band BTS failed to secure a Grammy with its latest single, “Dynamite,” the septet delivered an epic performance as the first South Korean act to perform at the music event. The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were held Sunday night in Los Angeles in a hybrid format that featured pretaped performances. The septet’s single “Dynamite” -- the first single the group has performed entirely in English -- was nominated in the Pop Duo/Group Performance

March 15, 2021

Richard Yongjae O’Neill wins Grammy with concerto recording

Third time’s the charm for violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill. The three-time Grammy nominee took home the award for the best classical instrumental solo for his recording of Christopher Theofanidis’ “Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra” in the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards held on Sunday, local time. The recording was made under the baton of conductor David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony Orchestra. “This is a great day for the viola,” O’N

March 15, 2021

Two animated films set milestones at S. Korean box office

With the award-winning drama "Minari" topping the South Korean box office for about 10 days, two animated films from Japan and the United States have set milestones in the virus-hit film industry, data showed Monday. "Minari," a story about a Korean immigrant family who settles in rural Arkansas to pursue its American dream, garnered 130,000 people over the Friday-Sunday period, according to the data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). The semiautobiographical film of Kor

March 15, 2021

Even without a Grammy, BTS goes on

South Korean boy band BTS left the Grammys without an award in hand on Sunday, Los Angeles time, but still the journey goes on. BTS was nominated in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category at the 63rd Grammy Awards for its megahit single “Dynamite.” This year’s ceremony took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center without a live audience. The group vied against four other nominees, and “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande grabbed the final prize. Th

March 15, 2021

Megabox to look for startups’ ideas to attract more moviegoers

Megabox, a South Korean multiplex operator, on Sunday announced that it would join hands with the Korea International Trade Association to hold a startup meet up event to find a partner with fresh ideas in May. “We joined hands to respond to the industrial ecosystem, which changed after COVID-19 broke out, as well as look for a new growth engine together,” Megabox official said in a statement. The Korean multiplex operator said it will mainly look for startups with new business i

March 14, 2021

BLACKPINK's 'How You Like That' racks up 800m views

The South Korean all-female band BLACKPINK's music video "How You Like That" has garnered 800 million views on YouTube in what its agency said was reached in the shortest time for a female K-pop act. The quartet's music video of the hit song reached the milestone at 9:58 p.m. a day earlier, roughly 260 days after it was released on June 26, according to YG Entertainment. The agency said the band set the record about two months earlier than "Ddu-du Ddu-du," another of its hi

March 14, 2021

Rose of BLACKPINK sweeps iTunes charts in 51 nations with latest single

Rose of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK has dominated iTunes charts in 51 countries, with her latest solo song, her agency said Saturday. According to YG Entertainment, the song, "On The Ground," from her first solo album "R," topped iTunes Top Songs charts in countries that included the United States, France and Thailand. The English song has also landed on top spots in multiple local music streaming charts. The song's music video has garnered more than 36 million views on You

March 13, 2021