Believers in the power of music to heal

  It had been raining all morning, when violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill stepped into the lobby of Myongji Hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday for a special performance for the hospital’s staff and patients. The acclaimed violist began the concert with the familiar “Bach’s Air on the G String” from the program, which he designed to be meditative. It was an emotional performance for the musician, for whom this was the first live performance in front

May 22, 2020

How Taeyeon’s ‘Happy’ came to life after ups and downs

When Taeyeon’s latest single “Happy” reached local charts’ top tier earlier in May, fans reveled in the long-awaited joy. The song was originally scheduled for release in March, but it was postponed after the singer’s father passed away on that same day. So when the song was finally out on May 4, fans flooded her social media with blessings and support, but there was also a special someone to whom it felt to the happiest. “When I heard the tragic news, obv

May 21, 2020

Epik High, Zico to perform at TikTok's online hip hop show

Epik High, Zico and other top South Korean hip hop stars will perform as part of an online concert hosted by video-sharing mobile platform TikTok next week, the company said Thursday. The company announced that it will hold the online concert, named TikTok Stage with Hiphopplaya, next Wednesday at 8 p.m. via the @tiktok_stage account on the platform. Hip hop trio Epik High, rapper-singer Zico and 20 other artists, including Jessie, Jay Park, Crush, Heize, Changmo and Sik-K, will take part in

May 21, 2020

Don’t be too optimistic about lifting of K-pop ban in China: experts

Despite K-pop artists landing endorsement deals in China as of late, pop culture and China experts are cautioning against being too optimistic. Earlier this month, G-Dragon from Big Bang made headlines after signing a contract with Chinese bottled water giant Nongfu Spring to promote the company’s tea brand Chapai. The news marks the first promising sign since China effectively banned K-pop in 2016, after South Korea decided to deploy the US anti-missile defense system THAAD. Soon after

May 21, 2020

[Herald Interview] Yubin, CEO and artist, is happier than ever

Yubin may be having the busiest year of her career, establishing her label rrr Entertaiment in February and now putting out a new digital single “Me Time.” Its release date, May 21 (521), read backward is the date she left JYP Entertainment, January 25 (125), 13 years after debuting as a member of Wonder Girls. The track has already garnered a buzz for mentioning JYP in the lyrics: “I’m freaky freakin’ happy / I feel free / THX JYP but Free now.” “

May 21, 2020

SPO cancels onstage concert amid COVID-19 fear

Though the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra had been looking into putting on an onstage full orchestral performance in front of the audience for its May 29 concert, the show was canceled late Wednesday afternoon following renewed concerns about the CVOID-19 spread. The Seoul City-funded orchestra had been looking into getting its 95 players tested for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 before rehearsals begin for the May 29 concert at the Seoul Arts Center, as it was considering to performing t

May 20, 2020

Sales of BTS’ ‘Map of the Soul: Persona’ underreported to IFPI

Overseas sales of BTS’ 2019 record “Map of the Soul: Persona” are believed to have been massively underreported to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for its prestigious annual global top albums chart. Earlier this year, the septet’s sixth EP was named the third bestselling record of the year in 2019 with 2.5 million unit sales by the London-based IFPI’s Global Top Album Chart. But what would have been a celebratory occasion was soon met wi

May 20, 2020

[Herald Interview] Sujeong of Lovelyz takes a leap as a solo musician

Sujeong of girl group Lovelyz returned to the music scene but on her own. It is the first time she is going solo since debuting in 2014 as the lead vocalist of the eight-piece band. Her first solo EP “Tiger Eyes” released Wednesday is packed with seven songs of various genres, from the pop-based EDM title, also called “Tiger Eyes,” to an R&B “Call Back” and acoustics “Your Name” and “zz.” “My voice is husky but isn’t

May 20, 2020

PIPFF to proceed offline next month amid COVID-19

The organizers of Pyeongchang International Peace Film Festival announced the details of this year‘s edition of the event slated for next month in an online press conference Tuesday. “We are proceeding with the festival in the hopes to heal what has been perished by COVID-19 and recover our peaceful everyday (existence),” festival director Pang Eun-jin said. The second edition of PIPFF, established in August 2019, will take place June 18-23 in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province,

May 20, 2020

Two S. Korean animated films invited to Annecy fest

Two South Korean animated films have been invited to a competition section of this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival, organizers said Wednesday. According to the 2020 lineup released by the France-based festival to be held online from June 15-30, "Beauty Water" and "The Shaman Sorceress" will compete in the Contrechamp competition category for feature films. A total of 10 animated films, including "On Gaku: Our Sound!" by Japanese director Kenji

May 20, 2020

[Herald Interview] Rapper Cheetah makes film debut with ‘Jazzy Misfits’

Ten years after her debut as a rapper, Cheetah, whose real name is Kim Eun-young, is debuting as an actress with the film “Jazzy Misfits.” While acting was an unplanned event for her, as Kim put it, she is debuting big in the lead role, teaming up with veteran actress Cho Min-soo to portray a mother-daughter duo. In “Jazzy Misfits,” Kim plays Sun-deok, who also goes by the name Blue, a jazz singer who lives and works in Itaewon. She goes on a day trip with her mother -

May 20, 2020

Long-running TV programs disappear into history on new media trend

In recent years, many famous TV shows that had lasted around 20 years at public TV stations like KBS and MBC have disappeared into history amid changes in the media landscape. Over the past three years, the two broadcasters have ended or launched a complete facelift of around 10 long-running programs. MBC terminated its 23-year-old investigative journalism program "Sisa Magazine 2580" in August 2017 and the following year it stopped airing the hit reality show "Infinite Challe

May 20, 2020

[Newsmaker] Actress denies having partied in Itaewon amid outbreak

Actress Lee Min-jung on Wednesday denied allegations that she partied in Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon after the area emerged as a hotbed for coronavirus cluster infections earlier this month. "Lee did not visit Itaewon. Instead she went to a friend's birthday party at a cafe in Cheongdam (in southern Seoul). All she did was take a picture while dropping off a gift," a representative at MSTeam Entertainment, Lee's management company, told Yonhap News Agency over the phone on

May 20, 2020

New NCT 127 single packs a ‘Punch’

NCT 127 pulled zero punches with its new single, another powerful anthem that stays true to the group’s dynamic nature.  "Punch," released Tuesday evening, has been featured on “#127 Neo Zone: The Final Round,” the repackage album of the group’s second full-length album.  Also being promoted as the album’s lead track, “Punch” is a fierce urban soul hip-hop track that overflows with powerful synths, throbbing bass and industrial beat

May 19, 2020

Jeonju film fest announces 8 films in international competition

Jeonju International Film Festival organizers announced that eight films will compete in the international competition category this year, during an online press conference streamed Monday on Naver’s V Live channel. All eight films are either first or second films by rising directors with unique visions and styles. The lineup of finalists include the first fictional feature-length title from Chinese director Gao Ming “Damp Season” and Uruguayan director Alex Piperno’s s

May 19, 2020

BTS producer Bang Si-hyuk named executive producer of K-pop reality TV

Bang Si-hyuk, the chief producer for K-pop sensation BTS, will serve as executive producer in the upcoming reality TV show "I-Land," his company, Big Hit Entertainment, announced Tuesday. The new show airs on cable music network Mnet starting June 26. Bang will play a key role in unearthing and discovering fresh idol hopefuls and developing them into K-pop stars, the company said. The reality show is the first joint project between Mnet and Big Hit after the two established a joint

May 19, 2020

[Herald Interview] Transforming Korea’s traditional arts

Since the age of 5, percussion master Kim Duk-soo has dedicated his life to Korea’s traditional performing arts. Now, more than 60 years later, his dedication is as strong as ever. Kim, 67, is the founder of “samulnori,” a new school of traditional Korean music. Having its origins in the art of “pungmul,” an outdoor Korean traditional folk music genre, samulnori employs the jing (medium-sized gong), buk (barrel drum), kkwaenggwari (hand-held gong) and janggu (h

May 19, 2020

Hwang Jeong-eum, Yook Sung-jae offer mysterious counseling at ‘Mystic Pop-Up Bar’

South Korean rom-com queen Hwang Jeong-eum is returning to the small screen after two years -- this time as a mysterious, hot-tempered bar owner named Wol-joo in the upcoming JTBC drama “Mystic Pop-Up Bar.” Based on a popular Korean webtoon of the same title, the fantasy drama tells the story of Wol-joo and her employees, Han Kang-bae and Chief Gwi, who visit their customers in dreams to help them resolve their inner demons. Singer-actor Yook Sung-jae plays Kang-bae, and veteran ac

May 19, 2020

S. Korean directors poised to advance to Hollywood

Two talented South Korean film directors are set to make their directorial debut in Hollywood, which is seemingly opening its doors to the colleagues of Oscar-winning Bong Joon-ho. Director Jang Joon-hwan will direct the English-language remake of his 2003 science-fiction cult movie "Save the Green Planet!," with a script written by Will Tracy, according to CJ ENM. CJ ENM, which is behind the family satire "Parasite" that won four Oscar trophies, including best picture, wi

May 19, 2020

[Herald Review] NCT 127’s ‘Beyond Live’ was unexpectedly intimate

The long-awaited “Beyond Live” concert of NCT 127 finally happened Sunday, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Facing the release of their repackaged second full-length album on Tuesday, the nine-piece group performed the lead tracks “Punch” and “Make Your Day,” two days before their official release. They also sang “Boom,” a track from their second full-length album for the first time on stage. In keeping with the band’s full nam

May 18, 2020