SHINee, EXO, NCT 127 members to come together in one boy band in Oct.

In collaboration with an affiliate of American entertainment giant Universal Music Group, South Korea's biggest music label SM Entertainment will unveil a new boy band in Oct. that will bring together highly accomplished artists under its wing.Under the joint project with the US-based Capitol Music Group (CMG), home for such famous music acts as Katy Perry and the Beatles, SM will globally launch the seven-member band SuperM, SM said in a press release.  The dream team's lineup is made up o

Aug. 8, 2019

Asia's biggest K-pop awards MAMA reconsiders Japan, Hong Kong as event venues

The Mnet Asian Music Awards, or MAMA, the biggest annual K-pop awards series held outside of South Korea, is reconsidering Japan and Hong Kong as its destinations for this year's event, according to the event's organizer.Having been among the biggest consumers of K-pop outside of Korea, Japan and Hong Kong have hosted the high-profile K-pop event for the past two years, welcoming in an army of A-list K-pop artists to their cities, including BTS, Wanna One and actors Park Bo-gum and Song Joong-ki

Aug. 8, 2019

Comedic talents team up for ‘Cheer Up, Mr. Lee’

Cha seung-won is a rather peculiar presence in the Korean cinema scene. Standing 188-centimeters tall without a hair out of place, his model-turned-actor looks like a slick James Bond villain, but he has left a lasting mark as a funnyman in early to late 2000s.The actor will appear in his first comedy film since 2007 as an overgrown man-child in the upcoming “Cheer Up, Mr. Lee.” He plays the protagonist Cheol-su, who comes face-to-face with a daughter he never knew existed.“I&r

Aug. 7, 2019

Novus String Quartet to go on tour with Prague-inspired music

The Novus String Quartet is to embark on a nationwide tour, highlighting composers from the Czech Republic.The tour, slated to take place Aug. 27 to Sept. 1, kicks off in Gwangju and will move on to Seoul, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province before a final concert in Seoul. Titled “Slavic,” the program includes Dvorak String Quartet No. 7 in A minor, Janacek String Quartet No. 1 “The Kreutzer Sonata” and Smetana String Quartet No. 1

Aug. 7, 2019

National Theater Company of Korea cancels performance of play by pro-Japanese playwright

The National Theater Company of Korea has canceled scheduled performances of a play by pro-Japanese playwright Lim Sun-kyu, amid growing economic and political tensions between Korea and Japan. The work was scheduled to be staged Sept. 27-Oct. 13 at Baek Sung-hee & Jang Min-ho Theater in Seoul. “Binghwa” (1940) is a late Japanese colonial period play carrying pro-Japanese elements that was submitted to a drama contest organized by Japan as part of its cultural policy.Lim&rsq

Aug. 6, 2019

Kim Hee-chul, Twice’s Momo deny dating reports

Kim Hee-chul of Super Junior and Momo of Twice have denied rumors that they are dating.  A local media outlet reported Tuesday that Kim and Momo have been in a relationship for two years after first meeting through a TV entertainment show in 2017.However, both sides quickly sent out official statements refuting the claim.Kim’s agency S.M. Entertainment said, “The two are close only as co-workers in the industry,” while Twice’s label JYP Entertainment called the rumor

Aug. 6, 2019

BTS' 'Bring The Soul: The Movie' poised for strong showing at S. Korean box office

As South Korean K-pop sensation BTS is returning to the silver screen with its documentary film "Bring The Soul: The Movie," people are waiting to see whether the boy band can join other local movies to break the monthslong Disney dominance at the local box office."Bring The Soul" is its third documentary film about their behind-the-scenes lives during their "Love Yourself" world tour, aimed at promoting their "Love Yourself" album series last year, as wel

Aug. 6, 2019

Angelina Jolie’s eldest son to study at Yonsei University

Actress Angelina Jolie’s eldest son Maddox will study at Yonsei University’s Underwood International College starting fall this year.Maddox is slated to begin his first semester as a life science and biotechnology major early next month at the school’s international campus in Songdo, Incheon. According to several local news outlets, the 18-year-old chose to attend a South Korean college because of his interest in K-pop and Korean culture. In November, the Hollywood actress

Aug. 6, 2019

K-pop festival in Busan to hold audition for wannabe-stars

The annual Busan One Asia Festival will hold an audition for future K-pop stars, the city officials said Monday.According to Busan Metropolitan Government, this year’s festival will feature “Music Label on BOF,” an event that will provide a stage for the next generation of entertainers in the music industry. It is being co-hosted and co-organized with Cube Entertainment.Those wishing to participate can apply from Aug. 5 to Sept. 24 after downloading the form at the festival hom

Aug. 5, 2019

Cellist Yang Sung-won’s trio to go on Korean tour

Trio Owon, consisting of cellist Yang Sung-won, pianist Emmanuel Strosser and violinist Olivier Charlier, will embark on a nationwide tour in November in celebration of its 10th anniversary.The tour will kick off in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on Nov. 15, followed by performances in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Nov. 16; at the Changwon International Chamber Music Festival in Seoul on Nov. 18; and Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, on Nov. 22. The final concert will be held Nov. 24 i

Aug. 5, 2019

Kang Daniel, Jihyo of Twice dating, agencies confirm

K-pop singers Kang Daniel and Jihyo of girl group Twice are in a romantic relationship, their respective agencies confirmed Monday. “It has been confirmed that the two are dating with good feelings toward each other,” Kang’s Konnect Entertainment and Twice’s JYP Entertainment said.  Earlier in the day local media outlet Dispatch broke the news, saying the two K-pop stars had started dating earlier this year. The publication also revealed photos of Jihyo arriving at K

Aug. 5, 2019

YouTubers caught recommending illegal camping

Wilderness camping spots have been an increasingly popular item for Korean YouTubers, but unlike in other parts of the world, camping out in the wild is illegal in Korea.According to a report by Korean broadcaster SBS on Sunday, some South Korean YouTubers trespassed into off-limits areas and even encouraged their viewers to do the same. In one of the videos shown in the report, the YouTuber makes his camping spot on a rock next to a pool of water below the waterfall and then heads straight into

Aug. 5, 2019

BTS Jimin sets new record with 3 songs with 50m streams on Spotify

Jimin of boy band phenomenon BTS has become the first Korean singer to have three songs on Spotify to each surpass 50 million streams.Seven months after “Intro: Serendipity” and “Lie” hit 50 million streams on Spotify, Jimin has extended his record and set a new high-water mark for Korean singers with “Serendipity (Full Length Edition).” No other Korean act has achieved two songs with 50 million streams on Spotify since Psy pulled off the feat with “Gang

Aug. 4, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Ghost Walk’ delves into life through eyes of a specter

What does it mean for someone to live? To lead a life that is beyond mere survival, to bring meaning to a moment of fleeting existence on Earth?Yu Eun-jeong explores the existential question in her first feature film, the cleverly-directed and poignant “Ghost Walk,” through the eyes of someone who is no longer among the living.The film follows Hye-jeong (Han Hae-in), a factory worker whose provincial life is devoid of any fun, challenges, or emotional stimulation, shutting herself do

Aug. 4, 2019

Model warns of legal action against rumors over video with Kangta

Racing model Woo Joo-ahn will take legal measures against people spreading false rumors about her on the internet following a recent incident involving her ex-boyfriend, singer-songwriter Kangta.“I will take legal action against those spreading false stories, libelous comments, insulting rumors,” Woo said on Instagram on Sunday.“(The legal action) will cover the three main portals, Instagram and major online communities,” Woo added. On Thursday, Woo, 29, mistakenly upload

Aug. 4, 2019

YouTuber under fire for abusing dog during live show

A YouTuber here is facing heated public criticism and possible punishment over his behavior in live broadcasts. An online petition calling for authorities to punish the streamer gained almost 120,000 signatures in just four days after he was seen apparently abusing his dog in livestreaming video.  The online petition, which also calls for tougher rules against such abusive acts on the video platform, was filed on the presidential office website on Monday. The online petition will be reviewe

Aug. 1, 2019

Maestro Chung Myung-whun to conduct, perform at upcoming concert

Maestro Chung Myung-whun will play the piano and also take the baton at One Korea Orchestra’s upcoming concert. One Korea Orchestra, led by the 66-year-old maestro, will hold its third performance at the Seoul Arts Center on Aug. 18, presenting Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor. The organizers had hoped to invite a North Korean pianist to perform the Mozart piece, but failed. Instead, Chung will play the piano for the piece.&n

Aug. 1, 2019

Mountains and music: Olympic city PyeongChang lifted up by classical music

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- A two-hour drive from Seoul, PyeongChang is widely known as a Winter Olympics host city filled with ski slopes, rental shops and resorts. But this week PyeongChang got a sudden infusion of classical music.“A Different Story,” the 16th Music in PyeongChang event also known as the Great Mountains Music Festival, kicked off Wednesday and will continue until Aug. 10. 　Located 700 meters above sea level in PyeongChang, the Alpensia Resort welcomed visitors

Aug. 1, 2019

Disgraced Produce X 101 faces class-action suit amid the downfall

The name of “Produce X 101,” the most recent installment in Mnet’s TV talent show franchise pitting K-pop trainees against each other, is likely to go down in infamy, as fans are suing the program’s producers for allegedly fixing the competition.Local law firm Mast Law & Consulting said Thursday it has filed a class-action suit on behalf of 260 “citizen producers” -- the label the show gives fans voting for their favorite contestants on the show -- accusin

Aug. 1, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Exit(Korea)Opened July 31Action, ComedyDirected by Lee Sang-geunYong-nam (Jo Jung-suk) is a young loser struggling in the job market with no real marketable skills. At his mother’s 70th birthday party, he runs into Ui-ju (Im Yoon-ah), an old crush from his college rock-climbing club. Then, a terrorist attack in a nearby building forces Yong-nam to act so he can get the family to safety.Divine Fury(Korea) Opened July 31Mystery, Action, FantasyDirected by Jason KimPark Yong-hu (Park Seo-joon

Aug. 1, 2019