BTS' V tops iTunes charts in 87 countries with new solo single

BTS member V topped the iTunes Top Song charts in 87 countries around the world with his new solo single, "FRI(END)S," on Saturday, less than 24 hours after its release, his agency, BigHit Music, said. The digital single was also at No. 1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song and European iTunes Song charts, respectively, as of 8 a.m. Released at 1 p.m. Friday (Korean time), the pop soul song is the artist's first solo project since "Layover," his debut solo album released in Sep

March 16, 2024

Pro-Putin Russian ballerina's Seoul performance canceled amid backlash

A Seoul ballet performance featuring Russia's star ballerina, Svetlana Zakharova, was canceled Friday due to public backlash over staging shows by individuals supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin, especially amid the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. The Ukrainian-born Russian principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet was scheduled to perform in "Modanse" at the Seoul Arts Center on April 17 and 19-21 with leading dancers from the same ballet troupe. Despite her position

March 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen to debut at Glastonbury

Seventeen will join the lineup for this year's Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first K-pop act to do so, according to Pledis Entertainment on Friday. The 13-member act will perform at one of the UK's largest music festivals along with the likes of Dua Lipa, Cold Play, SZA, LCD Soundsystem and Little Simz. The outdoor event will last for five days starting June 26. The band was also invited to headline Lollapalooza Berlin slated for September 7-8. In the meantime, Seventeen will ki

March 15, 2024

Ryu Jun-yeol, Han So-hee spotted together in Hawaii; agencies decline to confirm dating rumors

South Korean actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee have been spotted on vacation at the same hotel in Hawaii, but both the actors' agencies on Friday declined to confirm rumors that the two are dating. According to posts on social media, Han and Ryu were reportedly seen vacationing together at a luxury hotel swimming pool in Hawaii. Amid the circling dating rumors, Ryu's agency released an official announcement. "It is true that Ryu is staying in Hawaii for photography work. We kindl

March 15, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Dong-jun challenges himself in 'Korea-Khitan War'

Kim Dong-jun, an actor and member of the K-pop group ZE:A, said he felt a lot of pressure in his role in "Korea-Khitan War," not only because it was such a large-scale project, but also when it came to portraying King Hyun-jong of the Goyreo Kingdom. Kim said he used the pressure he felt as an opportunity to challenge himself and tried to reflect the pressure in his acting. "Korea-Khitan War" is a 32-part historical drama produced by KBS, which narrates the story of the eig

March 15, 2024

Hwasa to hold first fan concert in April

Hwasa, who is continuing her music career both with girl group Mamamoo and as a solo artist, will hold her first stand-alone concert to meet fans. According to P Nation on Friday, Hwasa will host "Hwasa the 1st Fancon Tour 'Twits' in Seoul" at Sejong University's Daeyang Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul on April 20. Through the event, Hwasa will showcase a variety of sections, ranging from games to talk segments, as well as colorful performances, the agency added. Along with t

March 15, 2024

Stella Jang to hold stand-alone concert with four different personas

Singer-songwriter Stella Jang is set to hold a solo concert in April. The upcoming concert, dubbed "Interstellar Festival 2024," will be held at the Noduel Live House on Nodeul Island, Seoul, at 6 p.m. on April 13 and 5 p.m. on April 14. The poster, released through the singer's official social media, includes mysterious space-themed images. The concert will be a festival-style performance that will include various artists appearing on the stage. Stella Jang will deliver a unique

March 15, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Past Lives” (US) Opened March 6 Drama/Romance Directed by Celine Song Deeply connected childhood friends Hae-sung (Teo Yoo) and Nora (Greta Lee) are pulled apart when Nora's family emigrates from Korea to Canada. Time passes and the two are finally reunited for a fateful week after 24 years. “Poor Things” (US) Opened March 6 Comedy Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos Bella (Emma Stone), a Frankenstein-like woman brought back from the dead by scientist Godwin Baxter (Will

March 15, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink hits 1b Spotify streams with ‘How You Like That’

Blackpink added another record under its belt as it reached 1 billion plays on Spotify with “How You Like That,” according to label YG Entertainment on Thursday. It is the first K-pop girl group -- and third female band, only after Fifth Harmony and Spice Girls – to hit the milestone with a single song and did so in the shortest time at three years and eight months. The group has amassed 12.6 billion streams on the platform so far and won a Guinness World Record last year as

March 14, 2024

Lun8 sings about ‘youth’ in 2nd EP, ‘Buff’

K-pop rookies Lun8 returned with a new mini album, “Buff,” on Wednesday after seven months. “This album is about youth full of dreams and that we can make the dreams come true by creating a positive synergy when together,” said Chael of Lun8 during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. Lun8 consists of seven Korean members -- Chael, Jinsu, Junwoo, Dohyun, Ian, Eunho and Eunseop -- and one Japanese member, Takuma. The group debuted on June 15, 2023, with its first mini

March 14, 2024

J-Hope to connect with dancers around the world to rediscover dancing

J-Hope released the main trailer of his upcoming documentary series, “Hope on the Street,” on Thursday. The six-episode documentary series shows J-Hope visiting Osaka, Paris, New York and his hometown of Gwangju in Korea to connect and dance with street dancers on the scene. “It all started with dancing. I am curious to look back at what genres of dance I used to work with and also to look back on my roots. I want to find an answer to what the future I dream of is,” said

March 14, 2024

Seventeen to headline Lollapalooza Berlin

K-pop boy group Seventeen will headline Lollapalooza Berlin, scheduled to take place at the Olympiastadion and Olympiapark Berlin in Germany Sep. 7-8, according to Pledis Entertainment. Launched in 2015, Lollapalooza Berlin is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. This is the first time that Seventeen is performing at a renowned music festival in Europe. They are also the only K-pop artist invited to the event this year. Other headliners performing at Lollapalooza Belin this year include

March 14, 2024

[What to Play] Start spring with a little luck

Although it is the third month of the year, March can be a month of new beginnings, as sprouts poke through the ground and a gentle spring breeze shakes off the dust of a dark winter. Celebrating the beginning of a new semester and the warmth of spring, The Korea Herald presents some cheerful songs to wish for luck in the heart-throbbing season. Peppertones – “Good Luck to You” Peppertones, a duo of Shin Jae-pyung and Lee Jang-won, formed in 2003 after the two friends met

March 14, 2024

AleXa to tour six American cities

Singer AleXa will kick off her American concert tour and visit six local cities. AleXa will begin her United States tour concert dubbed, "Sick of you US Tour," on March 29, local time. The tour will open in New York, move to Chicago, Atlanta and Tulsa, Texas, before ending in Los Angeles. Concert title "Sick of you" is an extension of AleXa's latest song title, "Sick," which was released in the US on Feb. 23. AleXa has prepared a "love and concern counseli

March 14, 2024

Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17" to open in Korea on Jan. 28 next year

Moviegoers will have to wait a little bit more to finally see Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming work "Mickey 17." The movie distributor Warner Bros. Pictures said Thursday that Bong’s first new work in six years will first release in theaters here on Jan. 28, 2025, before opening in other countries around the globe. “Mickey 17,” which completed production in England in December 2022, will be Bong’s first movie since “Parasite.” The

March 14, 2024

Two Korean drama series invited to Canneseries

Two Korean dramas "Tarot" and "Pleasant Outcast" are set to appear at Canneseries, held from April 5 to April 10 in France. "Tarot," produced by Studio X+U, a mid-form content production studio under telecommunications provider LG Uplus, was invited to compete in the short film competition section of the Cannes International Series Festival. With this, "Tarot" became the first Korean title to compete in the short film section. "Tarot" revolves ar

March 14, 2024

'Physical:100 Underground' to feature skilled participants, quests of increased difficulty

The second season of Netflix Korea's flagship survival competition show "Physical: 100" will feature formidable participants, including renowned national athletes, taking part in quests of increased difficulty, the show's producers said Thursday. "Physical: 100" series features 100 contestants competing in survival matches to see who is the most physically fit. The winner gets prize money of 300 million won ($228,000). Its first season unveiled last year became a gl

March 14, 2024

[Herald Interview] YooA looks to break boundaries, fly high with new single album, ‘Borderline’

YooA of Oh My Girl hopes to show off her chic side in her first solo single album, “Borderline,” which is set to be released at 6 p.m., Thursday. “As a solo artist, I hope to showcase what I do best, one bit at a time. In this new album, I thought I could best demonstrate a mature, dark and chic feminine version of myself,” said YooA during a group interview with local reporters in Seoul on March 7. “Borderline” is led by the title track “Rooftop,”

March 14, 2024

[Herald Review] Two Victor Hugo stories unfold on musical stage

Two musicals based on works by French author Victor Hugo are attracting audiences in Korea: “Les Miserables” and “Notre-Dame de Paris.” Both musicals are inspired by stories written by the prominent French writer, poet, and playwright and utilize a sing-through format, where the majority, if not all, of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken. The musicals include melodies that are iconic numbers worth enjoying on a live stage. “Belle (Beautiful),” sung by Q

March 13, 2024

[Indie spirit] With gentle comfort, Kim Sawol portrays raw emotions

Singer-songwriter Kim Sawol is a sincere yet mysterious figure, a quality that is often reflected in her music. Not much is known about the soft-voiced musician, including her real name and age. She uses the stage name "Sawol," the Korean word for April, which is the month of her birth. Kim explained that she began her musical journey without disclosing any of her personal details because she is shy. "I am a musician, which means I need an audience. But paradoxically, I didn&rsquo

March 13, 2024