Enjoy night concerts at Deoksugung

The National Gugak Center, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Deoksugung Palace Management Office, is set to host nighttime concerts at Seokjojeon in the palace, Feb. 21-22 and 28-29, at 7 p.m. Built during King Gojong’s reign (1863-1907), Deoksugung’s Seokjojeon is the first European-style stone building built in Korea. Since 2015, several concerts have been performed at the historic venue. The one-hour-long nighttime concert, “Deoksugung Yayeon

Feb. 6, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Ive to meet fans in March

Ive will host fan meetups in Seoul on March 9 and 10, Starship Entertainment announced Monday. The second day’s live event will be broadcast online as well. The poster for the fan meeting was themed after the office of a fashion magazine, as the title “Magazine Ive” suggests, and showed the six bandmates in roles such as an editor and a photographer. The idols said they were happy and excited to meet fans at the event through the agency, adding they are preparing a lot to crea

Feb. 6, 2024

Netflix announces major Korean originals for 2024

Netflix on Tuesday unveiled a lineup of South Korean series and films that are scheduled to be released on Netflix in 2024. Among the Korean drama series that will hit the platform in the first half of this year is "A Killer Paradox," a webtoon-based thriller series that stars Choi Woo-shik and Son Suk-ku. The first episode of "A Killer Paradox" will stream on Netflix Friday. "Chicken Nugget," which follows the story of a father whose daughter turns into a chicken n

Feb. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Hirokazu Koreeda hopes to work again with Korean actors

Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda said he wishes to collaborate with Korean actors again, mentioning the names of new rising stars here during an interview with Korean media in Seoul on Monday. Koreeda, 61, was in Seoul over the weekend to meet with the local audience and talk about his latest film “Monster.” “Monster,” which opened in November, attracted 500,000 moviegoers here, the second-highest number for a Japanese non-animated film after 20002's “Even I

Feb. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'LTNS' draws portrait of modern Koreans via infidelity, broken marriages

Directors Lim Dae-hyung and Jeon Go-woon said they wanted to draw a portrait of modern people by portraying broken marriages in their six-part black comedy "LTNS." Short for "Long Time No Sex," the drama series follows the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn Jae-hong), a sexless couple who have been married for five years, who chase down unfaithful couples to extort money from them. The drama series delivers sexually explicit scenes and dialogue -- s

Feb. 6, 2024

More confident than ever, P1Harmony returns as 'heroes'

P1Harmony returned to the K-pop scene Monday with its first studio album, “Killin’ It,” exuding confidence following the group's successful world tour and performance at the Jingle Ball concert in the US. “Three years after our debut, we are finally introducing our studio album. We are happy but nervous at the same time. We tried to put a lot of our group’s strengths into this album," said Keeho of P1Harmony during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. Al

Feb. 6, 2024

Jung Il-woo breaks sexual mold with Molina in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'

The Korean production of the play “Kiss of the Spider Woman” kicked off its fourth run on Jan 21 with Jung Il-woo stepping into the role of Molina, a trans woman. Adapted from the 1976 novel by Argentine author Manuel Puig, the play revolves around two prisoners -- Molina and Valentin, a political prisoner. The two inmates with differing ideologies share a cell in the prison and gradually come to accept each other. Also cast in the role of Molina are Yi Youll and Jeon Bak-chan. Jung

Feb. 5, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Twice tops iTunes chart in 41 regions with pre-release

Twice landed atop iTunes' top songs chart in 41 regions with single “I Got You,” according to label JYP Entertainment on Monday. It is a new record for the nine-member act, which is set to bring out its 13th EP, “With YOU-th,” on Feb. 23. “I Got You” is an English-language single that was dropped in advance to the full release. It is the group’s third song in English, after “The Feels” and “Moonlight Sunrise.” “The Feels&rd

Feb. 5, 2024

Veteran actor Namkoong Won dies at 90

South Korea’s veteran actor Namkoong Won passed away at age 90 in Seoul on Monday, years after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Born on Aug. 1, 1934, he debuted as an actor with director No Pil’s “Bring Back the Night Once More.” Since then, he came to represent the Korean film industry from the 1960s to the 1980s, starring in more than 300 films including director Lee Man-hee’s “Six Shadows,” director Shin Sang-ok’s “War and Humanity,&rd

Feb. 5, 2024

[Indie spirit] Band Lucy aims to expand spectrum, with music full of childhood reminiscence

A bosom friend from childhood. This is the phrase that best represents the color and tone of Lucy, a four-member band that has quickly become one of the leading acts in the Korean band scene. "Our motto is ‘childhood.’ Childhood friends are the only ones who allow us to act immature even after we've grown up," said bassist and producer Cho Won-sang, 27. "I hope listeners feel that way whenever they play our music, just being themselves and free from anxieties,&rdq

Feb. 5, 2024

IU to present 2 lead tracks for 6th EP, collaborates with NewJeans’ Hyein

Singer-songwriter and actress IU took part in the production of her sixth EP, “The Winning,” to be released on Feb. 20, according to Edam Entertainment. IU is recognized as a talented music producer, having participated in album production since her fourth EP “Chat-shire” in 2015. The upcoming extended play will be led by two title tracks — “Shopper” and “Spore.” Composer John Lee who has previously worked with IU on her hit tracks “Leo

Feb. 5, 2024

Entertainment industry split over plan to mandate holdback period for state-funded films

The Culture Ministry’s plan to mandate a grace period of possibly up to six months before films that received government funding are released on streaming platforms like Netflix is being met with mixed reactions by the local entertainment industry, including film distributors and streaming platform operators. In November, the ministry temporarily instituted a “holdback” period for films with a production cost of over 3 billion won which received state funding, requiring the dis

Feb. 5, 2024

Health concerns grow for (G)I-dle with members falling ill back to back

A string of health issues plaguing (G)I-dle members is impeding the group’s promotion of the new album, “2.” (G)I-dle’s Shuhua is taking a break from group activities due to health concerns, according to Cube Entertainment. “Shuhua has not been feeling well since Friday, and plans to suspend all of the schedule planned,” announced Cube Entertainment via fan community platform Weverse on Saturday. The group had been scheduled to hold a fan signing event that da

Feb. 4, 2024

Traditional performances for Lunar New Year festivities

The Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays are a time when there is more than the usual offering of traditional performances. The National Dance Company of Korea, National Gugak Center and Seoul Namsan Gukakdang are set to create special ambiances which capture the essence of the traditional holiday. 'Festival' with National Dance Company The National Dance Company of Korea, affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, is ushering in the Year of Blue Dragon with a special holiday produc

Feb. 4, 2024

[Herald Review] Even scene-stealing kitty cannot rescue 'Argylle'

After a trio of “Kingsman” movies, director Matthew Vaughn decided on a change of pace, playfully approaching a spy caper with less violence in “Argylle.” It even stars a cute kitten who appears more often than the protagonist. Yet, the movie is just another pastiche of spy action with whimsical action and little else. “Argylle” follows Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a reclusive author and a cat lady who writes bestselling espionage novels in which the nam

Feb. 4, 2024

Stray Kids to headline festivals in Milan, London

Stray Kids is headlining major music festivals in Europe in July -- I-Days in Milan and BST Hyde Park in London -- for the first time as a K-pop boy group. Stray Kids is taking the stage at the Ippodromo Snai San Siro in Milan, Italy, on July 12 for I-Days. They will then perform at Hyde Park in London on July 14 at BST Hyde Park. I-Days is a music festival that began in 1999 and has since then boasted a star-studded lineup of performers including Green Day, Liam Gallagher, blink-182 and Justin

Feb. 3, 2024

Timothee Chalamet to visit Korea ahead of release of 'Dune: Part Two'

American actor Timothee Chalamet will visit South Korea ahead of the release of "Dune: Part Two" later this month, according to a local news outlet on Friday. Chalamet will be visiting Korea during the week leading up to the release of the film, according to the media outlet. In Korea, "Dune: Part Two" is to be released on Feb. 28. The detailed schedule of the visit, including dates and the lineup of actors participating in the visit, are currently being coordinated, the news

Feb. 2, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Astro’s Cha Eunwoo to show depth as solo act

Cha Eunwoo of Astro floated teaser video for his upcoming first solo album on Friday. The singer and actor demonstrates his acting chops in the 50-second clip, driving a car in the rain before lighting up a cigarette with tears in his eyes. The clip also unveiled the title of the solo album: “Entity.” Cha recently finished shooting the music video for the album in Los Angeles, according to his agency Fantagio. He was recently spotted with American actor India Eisley, sparking rumors

Feb. 2, 2024

Film director Park Kwang-su appointed as new chairman of BIFF

Veteran film director Park Kwang-su has been appointed as the new chair of the Busan International Film Festival. Via a general meeting held at the Busan Cinema Center on Thursday, Park was designated to lead the annual film festival for the next four years. Park’s four-year term began Friday, and can be extended for one additional term. The appointment comes as the BIFF Executive Recommendation Committee unanimously nominated Park as the sole candidate for the position on Dec. 22, 2023, f

Feb. 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Ahn Jae-hong, Esom capture realism in modern romance via 'LTNS'

South Korean actors Ahn Jae-hong and Lee So-young, better known as Esom, said they attempted to capture realism, portraying romance of the modern couples living through the contemporary age, in their latest work "LTNS." Korean streaming platform Tving's six-part comedy drama series "LTNS," which is short for "Long Time No Sex," centers around the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn) -- a sexless, married couple -- as they chase unfaithfu

Feb. 2, 2024