Finding ‘Super Band’

Following the success of music-related shows “Hidden Singer” and “Phantom Singer,” cable channel JTBC is launching a new audition show, “Super Band.” With its creators lamenting a lack of music by rock bands in Korea, the new Friday night show aims to form a band with the final contenders. The production team is looking into a nationwide or world tour for the band. “Music cannot be created solely with the voice. With the past shows, we asked ourselves why we could not see the entire process of m

April 11, 2019

BTS teaser video shows upcoming song is homage to iconic film 'Singin' in the Rain'

BTS has paid homage to the iconic film "Singin' in the Rain" in its music video for "Boy With Luv," the main track of the band's upcoming album, a teaser video showed Thursday.BTS released a second teaser video for "Boy With Luv" featuring American diva Halsey early Thursday, one day before the official release of the album "Map of the Soul: Persona." (Big Hit Entertainment)The newly unveiled 28-second teaser video showed BTS members in a theater lobby with posters for "Singin' in the Rain" on t

April 11, 2019

Upcoming film ‘My First Client’ deals with issue of child abuse

In 2013, a woman from Chilgok county, North Gyeongsang Province, fatally abused her stepdaughter and forced the girl’s sister to confess to murder, in a case that shockwaves across the country, sparking a nationwide debate that resulted in a special law on child abuse the following year.Six years later, a film based on the incident is to be released in May, directed by Jang Kyu-sung who has tugged at the heartstrings of moviegoers mostly through comedy. “My First Client,” follows the story of la

April 10, 2019

NCT 127's world tour expands to Mexico, Russia

The upcoming North American tour by boy band NCT 127 will be followed by new stops in Mexico and Russia, the band's management said Wednesday, announcing fresh overseas concert dates.Starting on April 24, the boy band will perform at a total of 12 concerts in 11 American and Canadian cities including Miami, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. (SM Entertainment)Adding to the global tour, NCT 127 will perform in Mexico City's Teatro Metropolitan on May 21 before hitting Russia's

April 10, 2019

Xiumin to join Army, becoming first EXO member to enlist

Xiumin, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, will enlist in the Army next month, becoming the first EXO member to temporarily leave the band to fulfill his military duty, its management agency said Tuesday.The 29-year-old, whose real name is Kim Min-seok, will start his 21-month military service on May 7 as an active-duty soldier, according to SM Entertainment. But the exact time and place of his enlistment ceremony will not be released to the public in keeping with his desire to make it a quiet affa

April 9, 2019

TV personality Robert Holley’s conservative background highlighted after drug admission

Robert Holley, a Mormon missionary-turned-TV personality, is facing accusations of purchasing and using unknown quantities of methamphetamine. Since first setting foot in Korea in 1978 as a missionary for the Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons, Holley has long been known and beloved here for his avuncular image, which is why his recent arrest over meth charges comes as a shock to many.Robert Holley (Holley`s official Facebook account)In his past TV appearances, the 58-year-old has

April 9, 2019

Actor Joo Jin-mo announces plan to marry medical doctor in June

Award-winning actor Joo Jin-mo announced Tuesday his plans to tie the knot with a medical doctor who made a name for herself through TV appearances.The news came after the 45-year-old actor confirmed his romantic relationship with the TV personality and the family doctor, Min Hye-yeon, early this year. (Yonhap)"Joon Jin-mo will wed Min in June," his management agency Huayi Brothers said. But the wedding ceremony will be kept out of the public eye, the company said, without releasing the date or

April 9, 2019

Roy Kim returns to investigations, tarnished name

K-pop singer Roy Kim returned to Korea on Tuesday morning to be investigated on suspicions he distributed lewd photos.The Korean singer arrived at Incheon Airport at around 4:30 a.m., and was expected to be questioned by police. Kim’s agency told local media that he is currently seeking an attorney.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently announced that Kim had uploaded lewd photos to a mobile messenger chat room that also included fellow musicians Seungri, formerly of Big Bang, Jung Joon-y

April 9, 2019

‘School of Rock’ musical to rock Korea in June

The hit musical “School of Rock” will be performed in Korea in its original language for the first time in June, as part of the first leg of the show’s international tour.Based on the 2003 comedy music film of the same name starring Jack Black, the musical features the original score from Andrew Lloyd Webber and follows out-of-work musician Dewey Finn on his quest to turn students of a prestigious school into rock musicians. It was first performed in 2015, with its original West End production w

April 8, 2019

IZ*ONE sets record as best-selling girl group, nudging TWICE

IZ*ONE, a project girl group formed through the idol competition show series "Produce," sold more than 130,000 copies of its latest album titled "HEART*IZ" in the first week of its sales, breaking a previous record set by TWICE."IZ*ONE's 'HEART*IZ' sold 132,109 copies during the April 1-7 period. ... It is a number higher than that set by TWICE, who had been the No. 1 girl group in album sales in the first week (of the album's release)," the management agency Off the Record Entertainment said, q

April 8, 2019

BTS releases teaser video of new album's main track featuring Halsey

K-pop superstars BTS released Monday a teaser video of "Boy with Luv," the main track of the band's upcoming album "Map of the Soul: Persona," featuring young American singer and songwriter Halsey. The 46-second video, uploaded on BTS' official homepage and SNS accounts at the start of Monday, begins with an image of Halsey in a ticket box. She hastily closes the box office and leaves the movie theater before briefly encountering BTS in front of the theater.  (Big Hit Entertainment)The scene is

April 8, 2019

BTS to wrap up world tour in Thailand

Global K-pop sensation BTS will wrap up its monthslong world tour in Thailand later Sunday, its management agency said, having drawn a combined 250,000 fans in four countries in Asia alone.Big Hit Entertainment said the boy band's fourth leg of the "Love Yourself" world tour will conclude at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Sunday. BTS performed to a sellout crowd at the same venue Saturday.(Yonhap)BTS began its world tour in Seoul last August, in promotion of its "Love Yourself" album

April 7, 2019

Korean stars lend helping hand to fire victims

With the nation’s eastern region suffering from one of the worst blazes in recent years, Korean celebrities have stepped up to send relief funds to the people of Gangwon Province. “Gangnam Style” artist Psy has reportedly donated 100 million won ($87,873) to the Hope Bridge-Korea Disaster Relief Association, a private relief organization, which has been collecting relief funds for victims of the fire.  IU (Yonhap)Singer IU also reportedly donated 100 million won through ChildFund Korea, specific

April 7, 2019

Twice wraps up dome tour in Japan, amassing 220,000 fans

Twice on Saturday wrapped up its three-week tour of domed arenas in Japan, which had attracted 220,000 fans. It was the first K-pop girl group to hold such a tour in the country.The nine-piece girl group held a concert in Nagoya Dome, as part of the last leg of the “Twice Dome Tour 2019 #Dream Day” that spanned three cities and five concerts. It was packed with fans who sent messages of support to the singers.Fans had also received a treat as officials at the band’s agency JYP Entertainment had

April 7, 2019

NTC 127 teams up with Universal Music Group to enter US market

Boy band NTC 127 will expand into the US pop market in cooperation with a music label under the entertainment giant Universal Music Group, the band's local management agency said Friday.SM Entertainment said it signed an agreement with Capitol Music Group on Thursday (US time) on the promotion of NCT 127's music content. CMG's sub-label Caroline Distribution will be in charge of distributing NCT 127's music in the global market. (SM Entertainment)CMG is a prominent music label that has such high

April 5, 2019

BTS nominated for 2019 Billboard music award

K-pop superstars BTS was nominated in the Top Duo/Group category for the upcoming 2019 Billboard Music Awards set for May, as well as in the Top Social Artist category, which the septet has conquered for the last two years, according to Billboard on Friday.Billboard released the lineup for nominees in the 56 award categories for the event to be held at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 1, in a post uploaded Thursday (US time). 2019 Billboard music award : 2019 NomineesBTS will compete wit

April 5, 2019

20th annual Jeonju IFF to commemorate 100 years of Korean film

The upcoming Jeonju International Film Festival will be a celebration of the festival’s 20th anniversary, looking at a century of Korean filmmaking and different forms of cinema.“We (at Jeonju IFF) strongly believe that the essence of the film lies not in its technology, but in the free-flowing expression,” said Kim Seung-soo, chairman of the Jeonju IFF organizing committee, at a press conference in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday, where the opening and closing films for one of the larg

April 4, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Shazam!(US)Opened April 3Action, Adventure, Comedy Directed by David F. SandbergBilly Batson (Asher Angel/Zachary Levi) has trouble adjusting to his new foster home, obsessing over the biological mother he lost as a little child. His life turns upside down when he is summoned by ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou) and is given all his powers. But this makes him the target of Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), a champion of evil beings.Birthday(Korea)Opened April 3DramaDirected by Lee Jeong-eonThe

April 4, 2019

Bolbbalgan4 to debut in Japan in June with 'Galaxy'

The K-pop female indie duo Bolbbalgan, also known as BOL4, will debut in Japan in June with a Japanese translated version of their 2016 hit song "Galaxy," their management agency Shofar Music said Thursday."Having signed with the famous Japanese music production firm King Records, Bolbbalgan4 will officially debut in Japan on June 5," according to the agency. (Yonhap)Their Japanese debut music will be a Japanese version of "Galaxy," a 2016 song that helped consolidate the music duo's solid prese

April 4, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Another Child’ marks successful directorial debut of Kim Yoon-seok

Character building, building up of tension, attention to detail and other qualities that made Kim Yoon-seok one of the best actors in Korea are also what make him a good director. Kim has created some of the most memorable characters in Korean cinema through understanding his characters. In “Tazza: The High Rollers,” the most talked-about character was Kim’s Agwi, despite his appearing in just five scenes, and the actor depicted a cold-blooded menace who believes he is doing right in “1987: When

April 2, 2019