COVID-19 concerns rise after some K-pop singers test positive

Concerns over spread of the new coronavirus in the local music industry are rising after some K-pop group members tested positive for the infectious virus earlier this week. Two members of girl group EVERGLOW -- Yiren and Si-hyeon -- have tested positive for the virus, their management agency Yue Hua Entertainment said Tuesday. Yiren first tested positive after she voluntarily got checked following news that one of her acquaintances had contracted COVID-19. Other members of the six-piece girl

Dec. 2, 2020

Romance film 'Josee' set for release in Asia this month

The romance film "Josee," based on the famous Japanese original movie, is set to hit theaters in Asia this month, the movie's distributor said Wednesday. Starring Han Ji-min and Nam Joo-hyuk, "Josee" is a Korean adaptation of the 1985 Japanese short story, "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," by Seiko Tanabe and the 2003 Japanese romance film of the same title, directed by Isshin Inudo. The cinematic version of the coming-of-age story of a girl in a wheelchair, nickna

Dec. 2, 2020

BTS rewrites Billboard history with 'Life Goes On'

It was not the first time that sensational K-pop boy band BTS had seen its name at the top of US music publication Billboard’s main singles chart, but this time it was different. Billboard on Monday announced via social media that “Life Goes On,” the lead track of the band’s latest album, “Be,” debuted at No. 1 on this week’s Hot 100, the coveted singles chart, becoming the first song sung predominantly in Korean to top the chart in its 62-year history

Dec. 1, 2020

‘My next goal is to celebrate my 30-year anniversary’: BoA

Recognized as one of the most foundational acts in K-pop, BoA is looking back at her 20-year-career with the release of her new album “Better.” “It still feels a bit weird that it’s already been 20 years. So many people have congratulated me, but I feel like people around me are putting more weight on it than I do,” said the K-pop icon with a laugh during an online press conference that was held ahead of the release of “Better” in Seoul on Tuesday. Si

Dec. 1, 2020

Women taking over movie screens

During a joint press interview held in September ahead of the release of “Diva,” actor Shin Min-ah told reporters that she was fascinated by the character of Yi-young, a woman who has a strong narrative in the movie. “These kinds of scripts telling women’s stories are very rare,” Shin said. “Diva,” a film about two female divers, is an example of women’s increasing influence in the South Korean movie industry, which was long dominated by men. N

Dec. 1, 2020

Netflix expanding investment in S. Korean content

US media giant Netflix is beefing up efforts to secure popular Korean-made films and shows as part of a strategy to boost its presence in the global streaming service market. Netflix, which launched its Korean service in 2015, said it set up a separate production firm, Netflix Entertainment Korea, which deals with fostering and financing up-and-coming Korean-language content, in September. "It is part of our efforts to introduce more Korean content to the world," Netflix Services Kor

Dec. 1, 2020

Netflix’s ‘Money Heist’ to get Korean remake

Netflix original Spanish drama series “Money Heist” will be getting a 12-episode Korean remake. Kim Hong-sun, producer of OCN dramas “The Guest,” “Voice” and “Black,” among others, will be producing the Korean remake, while Ryu Yong-jae, who wrote Netflix original series “My Holo Love,” will lead the screenwriting. BH Entertainment, which made the movie “A Single Rider,” and Zium Content, which made “Itaewon Class,&r

Dec. 1, 2020

'MIC Drop' becomes 4th BTS music video to hit 800m views

K-pop megastar BTS set another record on YouTube, with its music video for the song "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)" racking up 800 million views on YouTube, its agency said. YouTube views for the music video, released in November 2017, reached the milestone at around 6:56 a.m. Tuesday, according to Big Hit Entertainment. "MIC Drop" is a track that was originally included in the BTS album "LOVE YOURSELF: Her" that dropped in September 2017. It was later remixed by Am

Dec. 1, 2020

Enhypen makes grand debut with ‘Given-Taken’

Enhypen, a new boy group from the Mnet survival show “I-Land,” made its grand debut with the single “Given-Taken.” Having already caused a sensation prior to its debut, the seven-piece multinational boy band held an online media showcase Monday in Seoul, where it unveiled the single and talked about its solid rookie effort. Pop-hip-hop track “Given-Taken” comes off of the EP “Border: Day 1.” “As much as we were created on a survival progra

Nov. 30, 2020

Rookie band ENHYPEN hopes to be remembered as 'global, fan-made group'

ENHYPEN, the seven-piece new boy band consisting of reality audition program "I-Land" winners, said they want to build a legacy as a "global, fan-made group." "It would be an honor to be always remembered as a global, fan-made group since we are a group made together by global fans," member Jay said in the act's first-ever media showcase held Monday. "We feel happy and responsible when we are called a global, fan-made group since it was thanks to the love of

Nov. 30, 2020

EXO’s Kai goes solo with R&B pop album

Eight years since making a splash debut as a member of K-pop idol group EXO, Kai is dropping his first solo album, “Kai,” Monday. “The album comprises stories that Kim Jong-in (his real name) wants to reveal to the world through Kai,” the 26-year-old artist said during an online press conference Monday morning. Resembling the stylish yet powerful energy of Kai, the upcoming album will showcase six R&B pop tracks, which the singer said “will make listeners nat

Nov. 30, 2020

Film festival by directors to be held online

The CMR—Directors Week, a film festival organized by and for film directors, will be held from Tuesday to Saturday. The festival has been held under the name Chungmuro International Musical Film Festival, but in September, the film festival organizer Junggu Cultural Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Directors Guild of Korea to turn the musical film festival into a film festival for directors this year. The organizer added that the MOU aims to boost the film industr

Nov. 30, 2020

IZ*ONE to release new EP next month amid vote-rigging controversy

K-pop act IZ*ONE will release a new album next month, its management agency said Monday, amid a lingering controversy over vote-rigging in the audition program that it debuted through. The band will drop its fourth EP, "One-reeler/Act Ⅳ" on Dec. 7, Off the Record said. The album, the first from the group in six months, carries six songs, including the main track "Panorama," "Mise-en-Scene" and "Island," focusing on the 12 members' youth and growth. IZ*O

Nov. 30, 2020

BTS again tops Billboard 200 with latest album 'BE'

"BE," the latest album by K-pop megastars BTS, has landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's fifth album to top the Billboard's main albums chart. "BTS lands its fifth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as 'Be' bows atop the tally," US music publication Billboard reported Sunday (US time). "The set, which was released via Big Hit Entertainment on Nov. 20, arrives with 242,000 equivalent album units earned in the US in the week ending Nov. 26."

Nov. 30, 2020

Netflix becomes major Hallyu medium

With many Korean dramas and movies heading to Netflix, the platform, with services in 190 countries, is becoming a major medium for the spread of Korean pop culture. Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency’s African sector recently mentioned Netflix as one of the reasons for the popularity of Korean culture in South Africa. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs announced in October that South Korea’s favorability is at 60 on a zero-to-100 scale, the highest yet. Besides favorabil

Nov. 29, 2020

Kim Sun-wook, Chung Kyung-wha duo to go onstage on Dec. 18

Pianist Kim Sun-wook will take the stage with violinist Chung Kyung-wha on Dec. 18 at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. At the recital, the duo will present the complete Johannes Brahms violin sonatas. Chung is one of the first generation of classical musicians in Korea. She has released more than 33 recordings over the past 40 years. She is especially recognized for her repertoire of the three Brahms violin sonatas, having released a recording of the sonatas on EMI Classics with piani

Nov. 28, 2020

Song Kang-ho, Kim Min-hee make list of ‘25 Greatest Actors’ by NYT

Actors Song Kang-ho and Kim Min-hee were included in the list of “The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century (So Far),” as arranged by the New York Times. On Wednesday, the New York Times released a list of 25 actors, along with a comment that reads “these are the performers who have outshone all others on the big screen in the last 20 years.” In the list of 25 internationally known screen figures, two Koreans claimed spots: Song Kang-ho and Kim Min-hee. The New York T

Nov. 27, 2020

Musical delves into the dark side of ‘Black Mary Poppins’

Though inspired by the well-known “Mary Poppins” series, local original musical “Black Mary Poppins” tells a different story of the famous nanny with a magical, black umbrella. The story is loosely based on Australian novelist P. L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins” series, which has been made into numerous films. However, different from other films or drama adaptations, the musical is set in 1926 Germany, amid the impending rise of Nazism. Mary Poppins is giv

Nov. 27, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Good Neighbor (Korea) Opened Nov. 25 Drama Directed by Lee Hwan-kyung Agent Dae-kwon (Jung Woo) is tasked with watching over influential opposition party politician Lee Eui-sik (Oh Dal-su), who seems to have plans to run in the next presidential election, and his family 24/7. Dae-kwon moves into a house next door and slowly becomes a neighbor close to the politician and his family. 　 Run (US) Opened Nov. 20 Thriller Directed by Aneesh Chaganty Diane (Sarah Paulson) gives birth prematurely to

Nov. 27, 2020

COVID-19 plagues drama productions

With the resurgence of COVID-19 in Seoul, many dramas were forced to halt production as actors tested positive for the new coronavirus or came in contact with people who had. So far, 10 dramas across multiple broadcast stations have halted production when actors and staff tested positive. They are “The Penthouse: War in Life” (SBS), “The Spies Who Loved Me” (MBC), “The Moon Rising River,” “Bossam,” “Snowdrop” (JTBC), “Sisyphus:

Nov. 25, 2020