'Captain Marvel' advance ticket sales top 240,000 in S. Korea

"Captain Marvel" has already sold 240,000 tickets two days ahead of its theatrical release in South Korea, data showed Monday.The advance ticket sales of the Marvel superhero film recorded 245,880 as of 7 a.m. Monday, topping the ticket presale chart for the ninth consecutive day, the data from the Korean Film Council showed. (Image captured from Marvel`s website)This exceeded the number of advance tickets sold for other Marvel solo superhero films: "Black Panther" (180,000), "Doctor Strange" (1

March 4, 2019

BTS to add five shows to sold-out world tour

K-pop boy band BTS plans to offer additional concerts on its upcoming tour of five cities in the United States and Europe, as tickets have sold out, its official website showed Sunday.(Yonhap)The five additional shows will be held at Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles on May 5, at Soldier Field in Chicago on May 12, at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey on May 19, at Wembley Stadium in London on June 2 and at Stade de France in Paris on June 8.The announcement came a day after the sale all tickets sold

March 3, 2019

BLACKPINK becomes first Korean cover girls for Billboard

A pink-hued photo image of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK hit the cover of the Billboard magazine's March edition, making the quartet the first Korean female music group representing the American pop magazine.The cover image of Billboard's March edition was released on its official website on Thursday (US time), showing the four BLACKPINK members, clad in colorful dresses, lying on their backs and staring up at the camera. (Alexandra Gavillet=Billboard)"After years training for US domination, K-pop'

March 1, 2019

Ultra Korea announces lineup for this year’s festival

Ultra Korea, the Korean leg of the worldwide Ultra Music Festival, has announced a new batch of artists that will participate in this year’s event.Martin Garrix, Skrillex, Porter Robinson’s new alias Virtual Self, Jamie Jones, Josh Wink, Eats Everything and Art Department have been added to the previously-announced lineup. Garrix, a Dutch DJ and record producer, was ranked No.1 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. In addition to his own work, he has collabo

March 1, 2019

Embarking on ‘Organ Odyssey’ with organist Park Joon-ho

Many of us have played the piano, the violin or the flute at some point in our lives. But how many of us have played the organ? The organ is an exquisite instrument, one that not many people get a chance to experience. As grand as a house, its complex structure puts it beyond comparisons with other musical instruments. As of now, there is only one functional grand pipe organ for classical music in Korea -- at the Lotte Concert Hall. A second, at the Sejong Art Center, is currently under repair.

Feb. 28, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

A Resistance(Korea)Opened Feb. 27Drama, HistoryDirected by Jo Min-hoAfter the iconic March 1 Independence Movement of 1919, one of its leading figures, Yu Gwan-sun (Go Ah-sung), is sentenced to three years in prison and sent to the infamous Keijo Prison, now known as Seodaemun Prison. But being confined to a tiny cell with dozens of inmates does not hold back Yu, her unconquerable spirit seeping out from behind the locked doors.Savaha: The Sixth Finger(Korea)Opened Feb. 20Mystery, Horror Directe

Feb. 28, 2019

BIGBANG's Seungri denies drug, sex-for-favors allegations in police questioning

Seungri of the popular boy group BIGBANG denied drug use and sex-for-favors allegations during a questioning, police said Thursday.An investigation team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent him back home after grilling him overnight.The 29-year-old singer, during the questioning, denied all suspicions surrounding him ranging from narcotics use to attempting to buy sex services for potential foreign investors. (Yonhap)He, in particular, stated that he never exchanged the text messages dis

Feb. 28, 2019

Big Bang's Seungri appears for police questioning on narcotics, sex-for-favors suspicions

Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appeared before police on Wednesday to face questioning on suspicions that he circulated narcotics and attempted to buy sexual services for potential foreign investors."I apologize for causing trouble," he told reporters as he arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul around 9:00 p.m. "I will faithfully respond to the investigation." Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appears before the Seoul Metropolitan Polic

Feb. 27, 2019

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s barefoot heroine ‘Cinderella’ to perform in Korea

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo will perform “Cinderella” from June 12-14 at the Seoul Arts Center, the first time the company is performing in Korea in 14 years.“Cinderella” is one of the iconic choreographic works produced by the ballet company’s longtime director Jean-Christophe Maillot, who has produced more than 30 ballets for the company, including “Vers un Pays Sage (1995), “Romeo and Juliette” (1996), “The Sleeping Beauty” (2001), “Le Songe” (2005), “Altro Canto” (2006), “Faust” (2007) and “L

Feb. 27, 2019

Ex-Wanna One member Ha Sung-woon kicks off solo career with self-produced EP

Ha Sung-woon, a member of popular K-pop boy band Wanna One, which disbanded earlier this year, officially launched his solo career Wednesday with his EP "My Moment," a collection of five tracks, all composed by him.His first solo record will hit the shelves and online music stores Thursday, propelling him into the increasingly competitive spring music scene.Ha is the second of the 11 former Wanna One members to go solo, following Yoon Ji-sung's release of his first solo album, "Aside." Ha Sung-w

Feb. 27, 2019

Seungri fiasco marks latest headache for YG

Seungri, the youngest member of BigBang and the latest headline generator of YG Entertainment, expressed his willingness Wednesday to fully cooperate with the police investigation into the allegations surrounding him -- ranging from drugs, to police corruption and brokering prostitution.“Seungri has told us that he is truly sorry to everyone for all the issues that had been caused by him in the past month, and said he wishes to appear before the investigators as soon as possible to take drug tes

Feb. 27, 2019

BTS ranks second in 2018 artist chart by intl recording federation

K-pop boy band BTS ranked second among the top ten global recording artists of 2018, named by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, becoming the first Korean musicians to make it on the chart, the chart result showed Wednesday.The Global Artist Chart of 2018 was uploaded on Tuesday (US time) on the official website of IFPI, the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide.(IFPI Twitter @IFPI_org)Drake, a Canadian rapper, took No. 1, and BTS, coming in s

Feb. 27, 2019

NCT 127 to begin tour of 11 N. American cities in April

K-pop boy band NCT 127 will visit 11 North American cities in April as part of its ongoing first-ever world tour, the group's agency said Wednesday.The North American leg of NCT 127's world tour, "NCT 127 World Tour 'Neo City - The Origin,'" will kick off at Prudential Center in New Jersey on April 24 and then move to 10 other cities, according to SM Entertainment. (S.M. Entertainment)The itinerary includes Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and two Canadian cities, Vancouver and Toron

Feb. 27, 2019

[Newsmaker] Police target Seungri in sex-trade investigation

Seoul police on Tuesday said they had launched an investigation into an allegation that K-pop star Seungri of Big Bang ordered his employees to procure sexual favors for his investors at a nightclub.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, its special crime squad will seek to verify a recent report by SBS funE showing text messages it claimed the singer had written. The messages indicated that he and his employees had attempted to procure prostitutes for two men accompanying an investo

Feb. 26, 2019

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski appreciates ‘DNA’ of orchestra

When conductor Vladimir Jurowski leads the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on March 7, it will likely be his last appearance here as the principal conductor of the orchestra founded in 1932. Jurowski, who has led the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007, will be stepping down at the end of the 2020/21 season, heading to the Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich where he will take up the post of music director. In a recent email interview, he described his

Feb. 26, 2019

Lee Sun-kyun plays corrupt police in 'Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage'

With his mild demeanor and low baritone voice, Lee Sun-kyun has the look of a gentle soul. This is ironic given that he is playing a police officer that he describes as “a total scumbag” in director Lee Jeong-beom’s upcoming crime film “Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage.” “(My character) is a police officer, but he really is trash,” said Lee in describing his character Jo Pil-ho, during a promotional press conference for the film in Seoul on Monday. “He doesn’t compare to other characters that I have

Feb. 26, 2019

Kim Tae-hee and Rain awaiting birth of second child in September

Kim Tae-hee and Rain, one of South Korea's top star couples, are awaiting the birth of their second child in September, the actress' management agency BS Company said Tuesday."There is a piece of warm, good news from Kim Tae-hee ... Kim Tae-hee has recently conceived her second child and is expected to give birth in September, becoming a mother of two children," BS Company said. (Yonhap)"Upon news of the child that once again came like a blessing, Kim is currently taking a rest with a heart full

Feb. 26, 2019

BTS wins big at major Japan music awards

K-pop boy band BTS scooped up five prizes at the annual Japan Gold Disc Award on Tuesday, a major music awards ceremony hosted by the country's Recording Industry Association.BTS won Best Asian Artist at the 33rd Japan Gold Disc Award, while its 3rd full-length Japanese album, "Face Yourself," released in April last year was given awards for Album of the Year and Best 3 Albums, according to the list of this year's awardees.  (Big Hit Entertainment)The septet scored another Best 3 Albums award fo

Feb. 26, 2019

Actor Lee Jong-suk to enlist in Army next month

Actor Lee Jong-suk will be temporarily away from his fans from next month to complete his mandatory military duty as a public service worker, his management agency said Tuesday."Lee will begin his alternative military service as a public service worker on March 8," A-Man Project said in a release. (A-man Project)Able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve in the military for about two years.The 30-year-old actor was judged not fit for active duty because of a knee injury he sustained in a

Feb. 26, 2019

EXO's 'Tempo' music video hits 100 mln YouTube views

The music video for K-pop boy band EXO's song "Tempo" hit the threshold of 100 million YouTube views on Monday, adding to the collection of the band's songs that have achieved that feat, SM Entertainment said."Tempo" is the main track off EXO's fifth full-length album, "Don't Mess Up My Tempo," released on Nov. 2, which topped the iTunes album charts in 48 countries and regions upon its release. (S.M. Entertainment)It also ranked as high as 23rd on the main Billboard 200 album chart. "Don't Mess

Feb. 25, 2019