BTS' 'Fire' music video logs over 300 mln YouTube views

The music video for K-pop act BTS' "Fire" has been watched over 300 million times on YouTube, becoming the band's second video to reach the milestone.The view count for the video, which was uploaded on May 1, 2016, stood at 300,169,178 as of 9:20 a.m. Monday, becoming the second BTS video to rise above the 300-million mark after "DNA." K-pop boy band BTS (Yonhap)"Fire" is the lead track of BTS' "Epilogue: Young Forever" album. It ranked No. 3 on YouTube's 2016 list for the world's most-viewed K-

March 12, 2018

Actor Lee Min-ho to start army basic training

Actor Lee Min-ho on Thursday will start his four-week basic training at Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province.The actor‘s agency MYM Entertainment on Sunday confirmed Lee will be joining basic training. The agency added that there will be no official meeting ahead of his entering the center.  Actor Lee Min-ho (MYM Entertainment)After the four-week training, Lee will return to his public service worker duty at the Suseo Social Welfare Center, where he has been serving f

March 11, 2018

R&B icon, Solid to return with new album

Legendary Korean R&B trio, Solid, is to return to the music scene with a new album after a 21-year absence. After rumors surrounding the band’s return surfaced in the recent months, the trio officially announced that it will release a new album titled “Into the Light” on March 22.  Teaser image of “Into the Light” (Solid)Solid -- consisting of Chong Jae-yoon, Lee Joon and Kim Jo-han -- was an iconic R&B act in the Korean music industry in the 1990s. Debuting in 1993, the group sold over 4 millio

March 11, 2018

YG asks fans to refrain from sending letters to enlisted G-Dragon

After G-Dragon of Big Bang enlisted in the Army in February, the military training center is experiencing difficulties with an excessive number of fan mail addressed to the global star. The singer-rapper’s agency, YG Entertainment, issued a notice on its social media account and website Saturday. The statement read, “G-Dragon is in a difficult position within his military unit as the amount of incoming mail from fans is excessive.”  G-Dragon enters the basic training camp at Cheorwon, Gangwon Pr

March 11, 2018

Police found suicide note left by actor Jo Min-ki

Police said Saturday they have found a suicide note left by actor Jo Min-ki, who took his own life Friday following a series of sexual abuse allegations.    In the six-page note, he apologized to his family and students at Cheongju University, where he taught acting from 2010 through early this year, police said, declining to reveal the full text to maintain the privacy of his bereaved family.    (Yonhap)The actor was found hanged at about 4 p.m. Friday in a storage unit in the basement of the o

March 10, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

The Vanished(Korea)Opened March 7ThrillerDirected by Lee Chang-heeThe body of a recently deceased business mogul Yoon Sul-hee (Kim Hee-ae) goes missing, and the widower Park Jin-han (Kim Kang-woo) is called in by the police for questioning. It soon becomes apparent that Park hides a dark secret related to his wife’s death and detective Woo Jung-sik (Kim Sang-kyung) attempts to dig up what Park has buried. Tomb Raider(US)Opened March 8Action, AdventureDirected by Roar Uthaug Lara Croft (Alicia Vi

March 9, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Entertainer’ Lee Seung-gi eyes new album this year

There was a time when Lee Seung-gi was hailed as the “Korean little brother” -- referring to his wholesome, likeable image that was beloved by those across all ages.Now 31, the actor/singer/show host said he wants to be remembered just as an “entertainer,” who approaches various sectors of entertainment in an equally devoted and serious manner. “I like that the nickname has gradually phased out. People all know me now as Lee Seung-gi, and that’s how I like it. A rare entertainer in Korea who doe

March 9, 2018

Director Hong Sang-soo ended romance with actress Kim Min-hee: report

Award-winning Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo has recently broken up with actress Kim Min-hee, about one year after they went public with their extramarital relationship, an online media outlet reported Friday."The two broke up a month ago," Sports World said, citing a movie industry person who is well acquainted with Hong's situation. "Hong had worried about Kim's future very much." Director Hong Sang-soo (left) and actress Kim Min-hee are seen together during a press conference where the two co

March 9, 2018

B1A4 singer Sandeul denies rumors of involvement in sexual violence

Sandeul of K-pop group B1A4 on Friday denied rumors of being the perpetrator in a "Me Too" allegation raised against an unidentified boy band singer."(The alleged assailant) is not with our company. We will actively deal with the spread of false information," WM Entertainment, the singer's management agency said in a statement.The statement was released in response to the Sports Seoul newspaper's report alleging an unidentified boy group singer having raped a female acquaintance six years ago. R

March 9, 2018

Actors Lee Dong-wook, Suzy confirm dating

Actors Lee Dong-wook and Suzy are going out together, Lee's agency said Friday."The two first met and came to know each other at an unofficial occasion and recently developed a romantic relationship," Starship Entertainment said.Lee, 36, made his acting debut in 1999 and rose to stardom across Asia for his grim reaper role in "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," the 2016-2017 megahit drama on the cable channel tvN. (Yonhap)The 23-year-old singer-actress, whose real name is Bae Suzy, debuted as

March 9, 2018

Herald Philharmonic holds spring concert

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursday held its fifth annual concert at Seoul Arts Center, with music ranging from movie scores to orchestral choral works.“I hope the visitors to concert to feel fully the breath of the upcoming spring through the Herald Philharmonic’s music,” said Namkoong Won, Honorary President of Herald Corp.  The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra held its fifth annual concert at Seoul Arts Center on Thursday. (By Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)The Herald Philharmonic Orch

March 8, 2018

Big Bang to release unpublished song

Popular boy band Big Bang will put out an unpublished song performed by all five of its members for the first time in about a year, the group's management agency said Thursday."Big Bang will release a song produced in its entirety," YG Entertainment said in a release. "As Taeyang and Daesung are set to enter the Army after G-Dragon, it will be happy news to the group's fans in and out of the country who are saddened by the group's break."Big Bang performs during its "Big Bang 2017 Concert Last D

March 8, 2018

Joy to be ‘The Great Seducer’ of love

MBC’s new Monday-Tuesday drama “The Great Seducer” aims to show the value of love through characters who don’t believe in it. Park Soo-young, better known as Red Velvet‘s Joy, and rising star Woo Do-hwan are to play the lead roles. In the drama, they are young 20-somethings. After being hurt by family issues, the two do not believe that love exists. Woo will try to seduce Park, as his friend suggests a “dangerous love game.” The storyline is based on the famed French novel “Dangerous Liaisons,”

March 8, 2018

Soprano Sumi Jo, gospel singer Sohyang to perform at Winter Paralympics opening

Korean soprano Sumi Jo and gospel singer Sohyang will perform together in the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, according to her agency SMI Entertainment and event organizers Thursday. The two singers will sing “Here as One,” the anthem for the event, during the opening ceremony that will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. The song was composed by Italian musician Federico Paciotti.  Sohyang, left, and Sumi Jo (SMI Entertainment)“’Here a

March 8, 2018

Achim Freyer to bring his ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ to Korea

Acclaimed German artist Achim Freyer will stage “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” one of Wagner’s “Gesamtkunstwerk,” -- a term coined by the composer, meaning a work of art making use of various art forms -- in Seoul over a period of nearly two years.“We finished a three-hour bauprobe (staging try-out) at the Seoul Arts Center on Monday without singers. Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” is a magnificent piece and a precious present given to us because it’s an archetype work in which its intellectual

March 8, 2018

[Video] Mamamoo gets mellow, returns with yellow spring vibe

Having been one of the few K-pop groups that brought booming girl power to the stage, Mamamoo this time portrayed a mellow and bright image. The four-piece act’s new spring-inspired EP “Yellow Flower,” released Wednesday, veers away from the group’s previous powerful image. Mamamoo’s sixth EP, “Yellow Flower,” is the first of the group’s new project series called “Four Seasons,” through which the act will showcase four albums that combine one seasonal color and a matching member’s characteristic

March 8, 2018

Apink to return with single in April

Girl group Apink will return with a new single in April, the group’s agency Plan A Entertainment said Thursday. According to the agency, the six-piece act will release the song to celebrate its seventh anniversary this year. It will be the group’s first release since “Pink Up” in June last year.  Apink (Plan A Entertainment)Band leader Park Cho-rong hinted at the upcoming song in a Naver V live broadcast last week.Apink made its debut in April 2011 with its first EP “Seven Springs of Apink.” Oft

March 8, 2018

Yoo Byung-jae’s comedy show set to launch on Netflix

From March 16, Netflix subscribers will be able to enjoy a “good laugh” from a stand-up comedy show by Korean TV personality Yoo Byung-jae. A Netflix original, “Yoo Byung-jae: Too Much Information,” is the first Korean entertainment show produced by the world’s leading internet entertainment service.  The poster for “Yoo Byung-jae: Too Much Information” on Netflix (Netflix)Yoo shot the show in 2017 and pre-released short clips have been popular, gaining more than 10 million views online. Yoo was

March 8, 2018

MBC's long-running show to conclude on March 31

MBC's long-running variety show "Infinite Challenge" will have its finale on March 31, a top MBC official said Wednesday. Cast members of "Infinite Challenge" (Yonhap)"The existing show will end on March 31, and we're planning on a new show," Kwon Seok, director of MBC's entertainment bureau, told reporters after a PR event for another MBC program.MBC producer Choi Haeng-ho will helm the new show, while current director Kim Tae-ho is set to leave after more than 12 years with "Infinite Challenge

March 7, 2018

More actresses accuse Kim Ki-duk, Cho Jae-hyun of sexual assault

More allegations of sexual assault involving filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyun were raised Tuesday night in an episode of MBC’s investigative news show “PD’s Notepad.”Kim, who has won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, has been accused of sexually assaulting an actress, while veteran actor Cho has been accused of sexually assaulting staff on set and students at a college where he taught.  Kim Ki-duk (left) and Cho Jae-hyun celebrate winning the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice

March 7, 2018