Red Velvet recounts on performance in NK

Red Velvet talked about what it was like to perform in North Korea.The K-pop act attended a luncheon hosted by President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, as the girl band had visited Pyongyang last month to stage an art performance along with several other artists.  Red Velvet (South Korean joint press pool in Pyongyang)Before the lunch meeting, Red Velvet recounted the performance of their hit tracks “Bad Boy” and “Red Flavor” in Pyongyang to the press.“The North Koreans were unfamiliar

May 11, 2018

Ha Ji-won signs on for sci-fi reality series

Ha Ji-won has agreed to become a full-time cast member of a new tvN sci-fi series, according to her agency on Friday. Ha Ji-won (Yonhap)TvN’s new sci-fi reality show is designed to bring viewers information regarding Mars. The cast will visit the Mars Desert Research Station in the US state of Utah to film in June. The station offers a simulated Mars environment and space missions for Earth-based research. Girl group Gugudan’s Kim Se-jung and well-known celebrity explorer of “Law of the Jungle”

May 11, 2018

Seventeen to hold exhibition for 3rd anniversary

K-pop act Seventeen will hold a special exhibition to celebrate their 3rd anniversary since debut. The band’s management agency Pledis Entertainment released an official poster for the exhibition titled “17’S CUT – The Shining Moments of Seventeen and Carat for the Past 3 Years.” Carat is the nickname for Seventeen’s fans. Seventeen (Pledis Entertainment)The exhibition will take place at Teamwork Design at Seongdong-gu, Seoul from May 26 to June 3. A total of 11 groups of visitors will be permit

May 11, 2018

BTS' latest Japanese album becomes platinum, topping 250,000 in sales

Sales of K-pop sensation BTS' latest Japanese album topped the 250,000 threshold, grabbing the platinum record status from the Japanese record industry, its agency said Friday.The third full-length BTS album in Japan, "Face Yourself," has recently surpassed 250,000 copies in sales and won the certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan, according to Big Hit Entertainment.The record was released in the Japanese market on April 4. (Big Hit Entertainment)It is the fifth highest o

May 11, 2018

‘The Heiresses’ wins top international prize at Jeonju film fest

The 19th Jeonju International Film Festival announced a total of 12 awards across five categories, in a closing ceremony held in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday. The grand prize for the international competition and Korean competition went to Marcelo Martinessi’s “The Heiresses” and Jung Hyung-suk’s “The Land of Seong-hye,” respectively. Kwon Ye-ji’s “Dong-a” grabbed the grand prize in the Korean Competition for Shorts section, which saw 21 short films compete. (Jeonju IFF)“The Heiresse

May 10, 2018

Dreamcatcher wraps up ‘nightmare’ series with new EP

Unlike many K-pop girl groups that promote princess-like images with their singsong voices, fledgling act Dreamcatcher has embraced a darker side. Its work has often been spooky, yet hauntingly beautiful, weaved into its “nightmare” concept. And the seven-piece act put a final dot on its dark “nightmare” series with new EP “Escape the Era” staying true to its dark nature. “While our past songs have been themed around ‘nightmare,’ our new album is an album that puts an end mark to that project,”

May 10, 2018

Wind in the air at Seoul Jazz Festival

The annual Seoul Jazz Festival returns from May 19-20 with a lineup of musicians from Korea and abroad, at Olympic Park in eastern Seoul.Wind instruments take center stage this year with the presence of several internationally acclaimed wind instrumentalists, including Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, American solo trumpeter Chris Botti, American funk and soul jazz saxophonist Maceo Parker and American saxophonist and bandleader Branford Marsalis.In addition to the top names in win

May 10, 2018

Seungri joins DJ Walkzz, Julie Bergan for new song

Seungri of Big Bang will release a new song at midnight Friday, in collaboration with the Norwegian pair of DJ Walkzz and Julie Bergan.According to YG Entertainment, “Ignite” is the first in a line of collaborations with electronic dance music label Liquid State, for which Seungri is a promotional ambassador.It was announced earlier this year that Sony Music and Tencent Music Entertainment Group would found the label as a joint venture. Liquid State is planning a “Liquid Nights” EDM tour across

May 10, 2018

Experiments, collaboration at Jeonju international film competition

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province - Out-of-focus camerawork through cracked doors, surging sounds of the ocean, bending genre and form -- this year‘s international competition at the Jeonju film fest has all the hallmarks indie cinema audiences could expect. The 19th Jeonju International Film Festival, which features 241 films showing over 10 days, sees 10 films produced in 20 different countries compete in a veritable exhibition of experimentation and collaboration.  "Distant Constellation" (JIFF)“

May 9, 2018

Yoona to release collaborative single with Lee Sang-soon

Yoona of Girls’ Generation will release the single “To You” in collaboration with guitarist Lee Sang-soon at 6 p.m. Sunday.According to S.M. Entertainment, “To You” is a song written by Lee with lyrics by Yoona. The two appear in the second season of “Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast” on JTBC.  (S.M. Entertainment)The new track will be an acoustic ballad reminiscent of Jeju Island, the setting of the variety show, where K-pop star Lee Hyo-ri and her husband Lee Sang-soon provide lodging for guests at the

May 9, 2018

Gang Dong-won invited to Cannes while promoting film

Actor Gang Dong-won was seen late Tuesday on the red carpet of the 71st Cannes Film Festival.According to YG Entertainment, Gang was formally invited there as a guest while visiting the city to promote his upcoming film “Tsunami LA.” It is a disaster film set in Los Angeles, the first Hollywood flick for the 37-year-old actor.  Gang Dong-won (YG Entertainment)The agency did not comment on media reports that Gang met with French filmmakers for a potential role in a film made there.This year’s Can

May 9, 2018

[Album review] Ben, please stick to what you’re good at

Ben“Recipe”Genie MusicSingers are divided into two categories: Those who have consistently released albums under their names and those whose resumes are fronted by “soundtracks” and “featuring.”  Ben belongs to the latter, as most of her songs, technically not hers, have been soundtracks of drama series until her first full-length album “Recipe” recently came out.  Unfortunately, there seems to be a reason why her voice was heard mostly in sad ballad songs. Her voice has a narrow spectrum; it su

May 9, 2018

Teen Top returns with energy of ‘Seoul Night’

Seoul is a city that never sleeps; bright with glowing neon signs and buzzing with every hustle and bustle. But the city is also where the members of K-pop act Teen Top became K-pop stars. Nine years on, the group -- which deserves the title of “veteran” in this fast-paced industry -- embodied the energy of a bright night in the capital with its new EP “Seoul Night.”“Our new album is the album we’ve participated in the most. It will remind fans of Seoul’s dazzling night and deliver its bright en

May 9, 2018

‘Lawless Lawyer’ seeks justice in corrupt city

Cable channel tvN’s new courtroom drama series “Lawless Lawyer” aims to set itself apart from other works of the genre, with its lawyers winning not just lawsuits, but also fights. The new Saturday-Sunday series features actors Lee Joon-gi and Seo Ye-ji as the main leads. Lee is to play a gangster-turned-lawyer who seeks revenge against the powerful. The story takes place in the fictional city of Kisung, where corruption is rampant.  Lee Joon-gi and Seo Ye-ji pose for photos at a media briefing

May 8, 2018

Infinite’s Sungkyu takes up arms for his country

Sungkyu of Infinite will be the first in his boy band to begin his mandatory military service on May 14, his agency said Tuesday, confirming the surprise announcement the singer made during his concert the day before.“We were shocked too, because it wasn’t something he discussed with the company beforehand,” said Woolim Entertainment on enlistment of the 29-year-old. He will receive basic training at the boot camp in the 22nd Division of the Army in Gangwon Province. Sungkyu (Yonhap)Sungkyu will

May 8, 2018

Park Shin-hye to show ‘Memories of Alhambra’

Actress Park Shin-hye will star in tvN’s new drama series “Memories of the Alhambra.”Park is to take the role of a character named Jung Hee-ju, who owns an old hostel in Granada, Spain. Hyun Bin is the other protagonist in the series, playing a mysterious man who visits the hostel on a business trip.  Park Shin-hye (SALT Entertainment)Alhambra, which means “red palace” in Arabic, is a palace located in the city of Granada, a popular tourist destination. The actress is currently traveling in Spai

May 8, 2018

Comedian Park Myung-soo to be featured in health-themed show

Comedian Park Myung-soo will star in a new health-themed variety show, according to OtvN on Monday.“Today Tomorrow” (working title) will feature a cast of middle-aged men traveling around the country to ease their health concerns with healthy food after undergoing medical checkups.  Park Myung-soo (Yonhap)The program hopes to resonate with middle-aged men who strive to find a balance between work and a healthy lifestyle, and provide health tips, said its director Sung Jong-kyu. “It’s quite an ob

May 7, 2018

Dua Lipa ‘rules’ first solo concert in Seoul

Just like her first name, which means “love” in Albanian, Dua Lipa’s first solo concert in Seoul overflowed with love and passion, as the 22-year-old London-born artist repeatedly blurted out “I love you so much” to screaming fans. There was no fixed choreography for her songs, but the perpetual motions of her arms and legs throughout the 90-minue set showed how much the singer -- whose hair was slightly disheveled from headbanging and perspiration --was enjoying her sold-out show in Seoul on Su

May 7, 2018

'Avengers 3' becomes fastest foreign film to break 8 million admissions in S. Korea

"Avengers: Infinity War" surpassed 8 million in attendance on Sunday, the 12th day since it hit South Korean theaters, box-office trackers said.According to computerized box-office figures from the Korean Film Council, the latest release from Marvel Studios logged about 7.76 million in accumulated ticket sales as of Saturday. An additional 276,252 people viewed the movie by 9 a.m. Sunday, bringing its cumulative total to 8.03 million, its local distributor Walt Disney Company Korea said.In this

May 6, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Champion(Korea)Opened May 1Comedy, Drama Directed by Kim Yong-wanMark (Ma Dong-seok) is a Korean-American adoptee working as a bouncer, but with a dream of becoming an arm-wrestling champion. Jin-Ki (Kwon Yool), a promoter dreaming of turning his life around through Mark, invites Mark to his birthplace for an arm-wrestling tournament.Avengers: Infinity War(US)Opened April 25Action, Adventure, FantasyDirected by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Thanos (Josh Brolin) wants collect all of the Infinity Stone

May 4, 2018