BTS' new album sells over 860,000 copies in first week

K-pop boy band BTS' new album "Love Yourself: Answer" sold more than 860,000 copies in the first week since its release, data showed Friday.Sales of the album, released on Aug. 24, came to 868,052 copies for the first week, according to the album sales tracker Hanteo Chart.It was less than the sales performance recorded by BTS' preceding album "Love Yourself: Tear," which sold more than 1 million copies in the first week. (Big Hit Entertainment)Still, it marks solid sales for the album, which co

Aug. 31, 2018

Success of TWICE, abolition of one-man control, propel JYP’s ascent to No.1 entertainment firm

JYP Entertainment, the home for top-rung girl band TWICE, beat its long-time rival SM Entertainment to emerge as the biggest entertainment firm by market capitalization for the first time in nearly two decades this week.　Following steady growth since early this year, shares of JYP finished at 31,300 won (US$28.20) on the tech-intensive KOSDAQ bourse on Thursday, up 2.29 percent from a day earlier.　The hike pushed up JYP’s market capitalization to 1.09 trillion won, surpassing SM‘s market capital

Aug. 30, 2018

[Herald interview] Noemi Nakai hopes to connect Japanese and European film industries

As a person in the film industry whose life and work span both Japan and France, Noemi Nakai hopes to serve as a bridge between the two.Currently based in London, Nakai is an actress, film director and scriptwriter best known for her role in the 2016 Japanese hit film “Death Note: Light Up the New World.“ She also directed and wrote a short film, “The Last Dream,” a year later. Born in Japan to a Japanese father and a French mother, Nakai is comfortable with both countries and cultures and is fl

Aug. 30, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

On Your Wedding Day(Korea)Opened Aug.22Romantic comedyDirected by Lee Seok-geunSeung-hee (Park Bo-young) and Woo-yeon (Kim Young-kwang) are two high school students with feelings for each other. However, Seung-hee’s family situation forces her to move, and the two drift apart. Years pass, and the fates of the two entangle as they are reunited as university students, and then as young adults.The Witness(Korea)Opened Aug.15ThrillerDirected by Cho Kyu-JangAn ordinary office worker Sang-hun (Lee Sun

Aug. 30, 2018

BTS fastest in K-pop to 100m views with ‘Idol’

K-pop sensation BTS now holds yet another record after its “Idol” video hit 100 million views in less than five days.The video for the lead track off the new album “Love Yourself: Answer” had been watched more than 100 million times as of 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, the septet’s agency Big Hit Entertainment said.The record comes on the heels of the video’s “most watched in first 24 hours” title, which saw the group unseat American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift last week.(BTS' YouTube channel)“Idol” su

Aug. 30, 2018

Buddy cop comedy ‘Soul-mate’ shoots for light-hearted, family-friendly

The cast and director of upcoming comedy film “The Soul-mate” said the point of emphasis for the movie was the chemistry among the actors.“We had such a good time, and I got a big leg-up from Ma Dong-seok. I played the part of a ghost, which gave me trouble with moving and not touching stuff, but Ma gave me a lot of ideas. I was able to depend on him for that,” said Kim Young-kwang on his co-star. “The best thing that can happen to a director is being able to work with good actors. I just unleas

Aug. 29, 2018

What the return of Girls’ Generation means

Girls’ Generation announced Monday that it is set to re-emerge on the fall music scene, just over a year after releasing its 10th anniversary album, “Holiday Night,” last August.Though we won’t be seeing all eight members together this time, we will be treated to the next best thing: the subunit “OH! GG,” composed of Taeyeon, Yoona, Yuri, Hyoyeon and Sunny. The five are releasing a two-track album Sept. 5, and the lead single will be titled “Lil’ Touch.”  Girls` Generation (S.M. Entertainment)Fo

Aug. 29, 2018

[Album review] 20 years is just a number for Shinhwa

Shinhwa“Shinhwa Twenty Special Album ‘Heart’”Music & NewThere’s a saying that over 10 years, even the rivers and mountains change. In the 20 years since Shinhwa’s debut in 1998, the country has seen five different presidents in office, generations have shifted and fans have embraced a new definition of K-pop. So the 20-year anniversary album of Shinhwa, the longest-running K-pop act to date, is a nod to the band’s inexhaustible range of talent and passion. Titled “Heart,” the six-track album kic

Aug. 29, 2018

BTS to rerun on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’

BTS will be making a return appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” According to the show’s Ellentube webpage, the seven-piece act will appear on Thursday’s episode, which will be hosted by Mario Lopez and also feature actress Kathryn Hahn, as titular host Ellen takes the day off. “Then, it’s the global phenomenon BTS! The group makes waves wherever they go, and their ARMY is sure to follow! They’ve got another unbelievable performance in store, and it’s sure to get everyone excited for the ne

Aug. 28, 2018

‘Step-Up,’ KNCDC features new works by local choreographers

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company will introduce the new contemporary dance works of three young local artists from Sept. 6-9 at Seoul Arts Center’s Jayu Theater.The upcoming performances are part of the KNCDC’s “Step-Up” project, dedicated to finding, supporting and developing new works of local artists. Sixty-eight works were submitted for consideration, from which three works were selected: “Until Reaching a Blank” by Bae Hyo-sub, “Aboutdance Vol. 2: Told You So” by Lee Eun-kyung

Aug. 28, 2018

Murder confession tracked down in ‘Dark Figure of Crime’

A letter from a state penitentiary arrives, addressed to a veteran detective. The sender, a convicted murderer, boasts of the details of unknown murder cases for which he claims responsibility.And down the rabbit hole goes the determined detective, filtering through the pebbles of truth and lies the criminal has littered in front of him.Upcoming crime thriller “Dark Figure of Crime,” directed by Kim Tae-kyun, is based on the incredulous but true story from 2010. The murderer, who had already bee

Aug. 28, 2018

[Trending] Why do young Koreans go crazy for ‘Wassup Man’?

If you asked which YouTube channel was the most popular among young Koreans these days, “Wassup Man” would be near the top of the list. “Wassup Man” -- otherwise known as Joon Park, a member of the legendary K-pop group G.O.D. -- is enjoying a new heyday with the channel, which makes the most of his outgoing personality as he visits the trendiest neighborhoods and tries out various restaurants and activities.  (Studio Lulu Lala)Since launching “Wassup Man” in June, Park has taken viewers to Ikse

Aug. 28, 2018

JYP Entertainment to hold auditions in North America

JYP Entertainment is holding its 2018 global auditions in the US and Canada in an effort to discover new talent to follow in the footsteps of stars such as Got7, Twice and Stray Kids. (JYP Entertainment)The first auditions will take place in Los Angeles on Oct. 13 and will then move to Toronto on Oct. 20, New York City on Oct. 27 and Hawaii on Nov. 3. They are open to anyone born between 1994 and 2007. Participants are asked to choose one category: vocals, rap, dance, acting or modeling. The suc

Aug. 28, 2018

Henry to make Hollywood film debut

It looks like Henry, formerly of Super Junior-M, is set to spread his wings as an actor stateside, as he is set to star in new Hollywood film “A Dog’s Journey.”The announcement was made by Amblim Partners, a US film company headed by legendary director Steven Spielberg, on Sunday to mark National Dog Day in the US. It said the singer-turned-actor has been cast as onscreen character Trent in the upcoming movie, a sequel to last year’s “A Dog’s Purpose,” a heartwarming family film that used a dog’

Aug. 27, 2018

Kim Jung-hyun to step down from drama ‘Time’ midway

Actor Kim Jung-hyun is to quit his role in MBC drama “Time” due to health concerns. Kim, who has been starring in the Wednesday-Thursday drama series “Time,” decided to step down from his role, according to network MBC and his agency O& Entertainment on Sunday. O& Entertainment issued a statement saying that Kim has been unable to eat or sleep properly. Kim Jung-hyun (O& Entertainment)“Kim has been shooting the drama while receiving treatment, with the determination to not trouble the production

Aug. 27, 2018

Hong Jin-young sells own brand out via home shopping

Singer Hong Jin-young’s newly launched cosmetic brand sold out upon airing on home shopping TV.Sunday was the fourth show that aired beauty products of Hong’s beauty company Hong Shot. The batch of the products prepared on the GS Home shopping program on Sunday included One Shot foundation, Concealer compact, Lip Tint and a sponge set. (J.One Cosmetic)As Hong herself appeared on the show to introduce the products and demonstrate them, the stock sold out before the program’s end. According to the

Aug. 27, 2018

US playwright, 'king of comedy' Neil Simon dead at 91

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Neil Simon, the prolific and Pulitzer Prize-winning US playwright celebrated as the king of comedy who won more Oscar and Tony nominations combined than any other showbiz writer, died on Sunday. He was 91.The brains behind more than 30 plays, 20 screenplays and five musicals, Time magazine dubbed him the "patron saint of laughter."Many of his works are classics of 20th century American theater and Simon has been credited with playing a seminal role -- along with film director W

Aug. 27, 2018

BTS’ ‘Love Yourself’ Seoul concert the culmination of its history

Even the clouds knew what to do for BTS’ Seoul concert. The gray skies erupted into a downpour that abated into a drizzle as the clock ticked toward 6:30 p.m., when the highly anticipated BTS’ concert in Seoul for “Love Yourself” kicked off at Olympic Stadium in Seoul. The ground was still wet, but more than 45,000 concertgoers hurried their steps to their seats to greet the boy band who has rewritten the history of K-pop. Amid ear-shattering screams and feverish chanting, BTS kicked off the set

Aug. 26, 2018

BTS sends message of carpe diem through festive mood of 'Idol'

As top K-pop stars BTS bring their "Love Yourself" album series to an end with their fourth and final record under the theme, the boy band wanted to send out the message of carpe diem through the festivities featured in the album's main track "Idol" and its music video, the septet said Sunday.The members defined the overriding theme of "Idol" and their ongoing world concert tour, "Love Yourself," as "festival" in a news conference held at Seoul Sports Complex ahead of their concert here. (Big Hi

Aug. 26, 2018

‘I used to blame myself a lot’: BTS Jimin

“Loving oneself is harder than loving others,” to quote a line from one of BTS’ new songs. And Jimin confessed that he has been struggling with self-love as well, sharing a few of the insights he’s gained over the past two years while promoting the group’s multiyear “Love Yourself” series. “What I realized from our narrative is that we’ve been failing to love ourselves while urging others to do so. I’ve contemplated whether I’m on the right track and what I’ve been living for,” said Jimin during

Aug. 26, 2018