Maestro Chung Myung-whun welcomes new year in Venice

Maestro Chung Myung-whun kicked off 2019 by conducting “New Year’s Concert 2019” in Venice, Italy. The annual concert, in its 16th edition, was performed four times from Saturday to Tuesday at the historic Teatro La Fenice, also known as the La Fenice opera house. Chung led the venue’s previous New Year’s concert, too.  Maestro Chung Myung-whun (Teatro La Fenice)The first part of the concert was exclusively orchestral, with the performance of Beethoven Symphony No. 7. The second half was dedicat

Jan. 2, 2019

[K-talk] Hwang Chi-yeul to release 2nd album in 12 years

Singer Hwang Chi-yeul will return with a new album on Jan. 21.The upcoming record will be his second album since his debut in 2007 with the album “Five Senses.” Representing the singer, How Entertainment said Wednesday, “The album will feature Hwang’s unique yet sentimental voice.” (Yonhap)Hwang released the EP “Be Myself” in April last year. The 36-year-old singer rose to stardom in 2015 after nearly a decade in obscurity. Since then, Hwang has established himself as one of the hottest K-pop so

Jan. 2, 2019

High-profile Korean YouTuber switches to Twitch

YouTube star Na Dong-hyun, better known as “Great Library,” began streaming his shows on Twitch on Monday, steering many of his fans to the game-streaming platform.Na, who has some 1.9 million YouTube subscribers, is one of the most recognizable names on YouTube in Korea. However, he announced Sunday that his platform of choice for live streaming will be Twitch. 　 (Screenshot from YouTube)“Using the YouTube live platform for two years, I experienced many troubles. There were some features that d

Jan. 1, 2019

EXO’s Kai and Black Pink’s Jennie reportedly dating

There might be a new power couple in K-pop on the horizon as reports have revealed EXO’s Kai and Black Pink’s Jennie are dating.The singers, from two of K-pop’s most popular groups, were seen walking while holding hands in a park in Mapo-gu in Seoul, Dispatch reported Tuesday morning.(Yonhap)Pictures obtained by the media outlet show the two going for a drive around Sangam-dong before having a stroll at Haneul Park where the two were seen layered up in a coat and a scarf to brace for the cold.Th

Jan. 1, 2019

[Herald Review] YB Band wraps up ‘Momentum’ tour in Seoul with unwavering rock spirit

Wrapping up a whirlwind of a year with ear-splitting rock sound, over 4,000 concertgoers at YB Band’s Seoul concert either let go of their bygone days or brought up long-buried emotions with the band’s thought-provoking songs and stories. If there’s any reason why people chose the veteran rock band over younger and trendier musicians for their year-end concert, it’s probably the band’s masterful onstage tricks that it has crafted for over two decades and its ever-developing musicality. And YB Ba

Dec. 31, 2018

[Herald Interview] Korean duo seeks to spread happiness through singing

YouTube is full of videos of cover songs, but not all amateur artists win over viewers. Coed duo Darlim&Hamabal however, was special from the start. When the two debuted on YouTube in December 2017, many saw their potential and predicted the duo would succeed.Darlim&Hamabal soon grew to become one of the most distinguished artists in Korea’s YouTube scene, garnering more than 184,000 viewers in a year. The team also made a name for itself among global music fans by singing J-pop and popular movi

Dec. 31, 2018

Lawmaker praises San E’s ‘Feminist’ in rant about gender inequality

Lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung voiced his concerns over the growing sentiment that young men are being subjected to “reverse discrimination,” and urged his online followers to listen to rapper San E’s “Feminist” to better understand their struggle.The member of the minor conservative Bareunmirae Party took to Facebook on Sunday and praised San E’s song, saying society continues to tell young men that they are “oppressing women,” which he said creates antagonism. In a lengthy post, the lawmaker also said

Dec. 31, 2018

So Ji-sub wins top prize at MBC Drama Awards

Once considered just another pretty face, So Ji-sub has effectively solidified his position as one of the top actors on the small screen, notching his first top acting award from one of the three network television broadcasters in Korea.So won the grand prize at the annual MBC Drama Awards held Sunday at the MBC Media Center in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. The honor was for his performance in the MBC drama “My Secret Terrius,” which aired between Sept. 27 and Nov. 15 and peaked with a 10.5 percen

Dec. 31, 2018

Looking ahead to Korea’s 2019 classical music season

The 2019 classical music season is a promising one, with numerous stars and prestigious orchestras set to perform in South Korea. Here’s a taste of what lies ahead.  The London Philharmonic Orchestra (Vincero)Star pianists play Rachmaninoff in JanuaryKorea’s 2018 classical music scene opened with pianist Cho Seong-jin’s first-ever nationwide tour. The date on the calendar has changed, but again it is Cho who will be raising the curtain. Cho will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D M

Dec. 31, 2018

‘Running Man’ star Lee Kwang-soo dating actress Lee Sun-bin

Reports that model and actor Lee Kwang-soo is in a relationship with actress Lee Sun-bin have been confirmed by the two celebrities’ agencies.Lee Kwang-soo’s agency, Kingkong by Starship, said on Monday that “Lee Kwang-soo and Lee Sun-bin have been dating for five months after meeting each other on the ‘Running Man’ TV show.” (Yonhap)Representing Lee Sun-bin, Imagine Asia has also confirmed their relationship.The two first met in September 2016 when they were filming the SBS TV program “Running

Dec. 31, 2018

[K-Talk] Shoo of girl group S.E.S. prosecuted for ‘habitual’ gambling

Shoo, a member of S.E.S., a girl group popular in the 1990s, has been prosecuted for habitually engaging in overseas gambling, the prosecutors’ office said Friday.The prosecution filed the criminal charge of “habitual gambling” against the 37-year-old entertainer whose real name is Yoo Soo-young. She was indicted without physical detention.According to the prosecutors’ office, Shoo engaged in gambling on several occasions in foreign countries, including Macau from August 2016 to May this year. T

Dec. 30, 2018

[K-talk] First-generation idol group g.o.d drops 20th anniversary album

First-generation K-pop boy band g.o.d will drop an album on Jan. 10 in celebration of its 20th anniversary.Representing g.o.d, Sidus HQ said Thursday the upcoming album will consist of 10 tracks, including not only new songs but also remakes of the group’s biggest hits. (iHQ)A remake of “Road,” the title track of g.o.d’s fourth album, was arranged by MeloMance’s Jeong Dong-hwan. Singers IU, Henry, Yang Da-il and Jo Hyun-ah are also featured in the remake.The boy band will hold a concert at the O

Dec. 30, 2018

Choi So Bin Ballet to start 2019 with ‘Cinderella’

The Choi So Bin Ballet will highlight its 2017 production “Cinderella” at a show slated for Jan. 12 at the Yongin Poeun Art Hall in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Based on one of the world’s most beloved folktales, the hourlong “Cinderella” is accompanied by the classical music of Johann and Josef Strauss with delightful choreography to match. The ballet is well-suited to young families, the ballet company added. Leading the show is ballerina Choi So-bin, who is also the ballet company’s artistic di

Dec. 30, 2018

Box office roundup for second half: stronger showings for Korean films

In the first half of the year, more foreign films than Korean films ruled at box office, including “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” and “Black Panther.” Although, Korean films actually managed to sell more tickets than the year before, it was largely due to the success of films released last year, particularly “Along with the God: The Two Worlds Days” and “1987: When the Day Comes.”“Believer” was the only film released in 2018 to surpass 4 million ticket sales, with the

Dec. 30, 2018

[Video] D-Crunch hopes to spread own stories around the world

Diamonds are rock-solid, but they’re not unbreakable, says D-Crunch.With its name abbreviated from Diamond-Crunch, referring to the group’s powerful performance and musicality fit to crush diamonds, the fresh K-pop rookie overflows with youthful energy and ambitions.Having just started to make its mark in the K-pop scene, the nine-piece group of Hyunwook, Hyunho, O.V, Minhyuk, Hyunwoo, Hyunoh, Chanyoung, Jungseung and Dylan said it hopes to spread its messages around the globe. (Video shot by Li

Dec. 28, 2018

Screening of BTS film axed in Russia for being ‘gay’

A screening of BTS’ concert film scheduled in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan has been canceled following accusations that the group is “gay.”The group’s hit film “BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul” was set to be played at a cinema in the city of Makhachkala after hundreds of local fans led a social media campaign to screen the documentary film in their city. (Yonhap)But Cinema Hall, the local cinema where the film was to run, canceled ticket sales just a day after its opening, Russi

Dec. 28, 2018

Drummer of 30-year-old band SSAW dies of cancer

Jeon Tae-kwan, the drummer of the 30-year-old rock band SSAW, or Spring Summer Autumn Winter, has died of renal cancer at the age of 56, his bandmate said Friday."I inform you of heartbreaking news. Last night, drummer Jeon Tae-kwan passed away," Kim Jong-jin said.   This image of Jeon Tae-kwan is captured from the official blog of SSAW. (Yonhap)"After struggling with renal cancer for the past six years, Jeon couldn't overcome the illness and breathed his last breath with his family by his side,

Dec. 28, 2018

Nominees announced for the 3rd Korea Musical Awards

The annual Korea Musical Awards on Thursday announced the nominees in major categories including best musical, best leading and supporting actors and actresses and best music.Operators of the KMA on Thursday held a press conference to reveal the nominees and details of the upcoming ceremony, set for 7 p.m. on Jan.14 at Blue Square in Yongsan, central Seoul. Only musicals that opened between Dec. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30 this year were eligible to be nominated, and the awards for best musical and bes

Dec. 27, 2018

Actor Cha Joo-hyuk detained over illegal drug use

Actor Cha Joo-hyuk, who was a member of K-pop group Co-Ed, has been taken into police custody for illegal drug use. The latest incident came less than two weeks after Cha was released from prison. He had served an 18-month sentence for illegal drug use and drunk driving. (Yonhap)According to police, Cha was taken into custody on Tuesday for disorderly conduct after causing a scene at an apartment in Seocho, Seoul.During their investigation, police began to suspect that Cha took illegal drugs and

Dec. 27, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Take Point(Korea)Opened Dec. 26Action, Adventure, DramaDirected by Kim Byung-woo On the day of the US presidential election in 2024, Ahab (Ha Jung-woo) and his team of elite mercenaries embark on a secret CIA mission to abduct North Korea’s armed forces minister in an underground bunker below the Korean Demilitarized Zone. However, they get caught in the crossfire that causes tensions to escalate to the brink of World War III.Bumblebee(US)Opened Dec. 25Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Directed by Travi

Dec. 27, 2018