Naval war film 'Noryang' surpasses 3 mln admissions

"Noryang: Deadly Sea," a movie about South Korea's legendary naval admiral Yi Sun-sin, surpassed 3 million cumulative viewers on the 11th day of opening, Lotte Entertainment said Saturday. Director Kim Han-min's final installment of his trilogy about the 16th century admiral recounts the last naval battle between a retreating Japan and the allied forces of the Joseon and the Ming dynasties that pursued them. As of 3 p.m. Saturday, the 2.5-hour epic film took up 34.2 percent

Dec. 30, 2023

K-pop idols set to return as solo artists in January

January is set to be filled with K-pop idol group members making a comeback as solo artists. Kim Sung-kyu, leader of boy group Infinite and a solo vocalist with a unique voice, will release a new song on the first day of 2024. According to his agency, DoubleH TNE, Kim will release the new song, "Feeling," at 6 p.m on Jan. 1, as part of the project called "Re:Born project" -- a collaborative project that presents a combination of music beyond genres and generations. Kicked off

Dec. 30, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Noryang: Deadly Sea” (South Korea) Opened Dec. 20 History/Action Directed by Kim Han-min In 1598, the seven-year Japanese invasion of Korea nears the end as Joseon's national hero Admiral Yi Sun-sin leads an allied fleet of Joseon and Ming to Noryang Strait and annihilates the Wae army. “12.12: The Day” (South Korea) Opened Nov. 22 Drama/Action Directed by Kim Seong-su Over the course of nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979, Gen. Chun Doo-gwang (Hwang Jung-min) attempts a

Dec. 30, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans sells most-ever albums for K-pop female act

NewJeans sold more than 4.39 million units of albums so far this year, the most-ever for a K-pop female act, according to a local tally Friday. The rookie girl group achieved the feat with three albums: its namesake album from August last year and single “OMG” from January, as well as second EP “Get Up," which was rolled out in July. All three albums each sold over a million and the latest is likely to sell over 2 million, as it had logged more than 1.99 million in sales

Dec. 29, 2023

Blackpink members not renewing individual contracts at YG: agency

All four members of the K-pop sensation Blackpink are leaving YG Entertainment to pursue their solo careers. “We recently extended our exclusive contract with Blackpink for its group projects. We agreed not to proceed with an additional contract for each member’s individual activities,” said YG Entertainment in a press release on Friday. YG announced on Dec. 6 that the four-member group had renewed an exclusive contract with the agency for group activities. Since their debut in

Dec. 29, 2023

Twice to perform at Nissan Stadium in Japan next summer

K-pop girl group Twice will hold standalone concerts at Nissan Stadium, the biggest multipurpose stadium in Yokohama, Japan, in July next year. The group announced the upcoming concert during a gig at the PayPay Dome in Fukuoka, Japan, Thursday. Twice will later hold standalone concerts at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, Japan, July 13-14, 2024, as well as at Nissan Stadium on July 27 and 28. Twice will become the second K-pop act to perform at Nissan Stadium, following legendary K-pop boy band T

Dec. 29, 2023

Jeon Hye-jin’s upcoming comedy action flick, ‘Mission: Cross,’ delays release

Upcoming comedy action flick “Mission: Cross," starring actor Jeon Hye-jin, has delayed its theatrical release, according to distributor Plus M Entertainment. “Mission: Cross,” directed by Lee Myung-hoon, initially was to hit local theaters during the Lunar New Year in February 2024. But Plus M Entertainment said the release has now been delayed, without mentioning the concrete reason. The specific date of the film's release has not been decided, it added. Industry in

Dec. 29, 2023

‘Excessive’ police questioning over celebrities’ alleged drug use comes under fire

Controversy is brewing over the police's excessive investigation of celebrities following the sudden death of actor Lee Sun-kyun. Lee was found dead in an apparent suicide on Wednesday, days after police questioning amid suspicions of illegal drug use. According to the police, the alleged case of illegal drug use against Lee was first made public on Oct. 19 through a report by the local media. It was when the case was still in the confidential initial stage of investigation. But the leaka

Dec. 28, 2023

Actors, directors mourn death of Lee Sun-kyun

Actors and those in the entertainment industry in South Korea on Thursday turned out in force to say goodbye to prolific actor Lee Sun-kyun who took his own life in Seoul on Wednesday. Lee, 48, had been under police investigation since October over suspicions of using illicit drugs on several occasions earlier this year. Scores of actors and directors that Lee had worked with paid their respects at Lee’s funeral altar at the Seoul National University Hospital funeral hall in Jongno-gu, Seo

Dec. 28, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie hits Billboard’s Hot 100, 1st as solo act

Jennie of Blackpink made Billboard’s Hot 100 with single “One Of The Girls,” according to chart previews that became available on Tuesday in the US. It is part of the original soundtrack for drama “The Idol,” fronted by The Weeknd, and featuring co-star Lily Rose Melody Depp. The song charted at No. 100 on the main singles chart and is Jennie’s first entry on the tally as a solo artist. Her solo special single from October, “You ＆ Me,” ranked No.

Dec. 27, 2023

Entertainment industry cancels press events to mourn Lee Sun-kyun's death

A series of press conferences and interviews were canceled following Lee Sun-kyun's sudden death on Wednesday. As Korean actors and entertainment industry insiders express their condolences, more industry events are likely to be canceled over the next few weeks. Local broadcaster tvN said Wednesday it would reschedule the live online press conference for its new romantic comedy drama "Marry Me Now" to Jan. 1. The press conference was prepared to take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Act

Dec. 27, 2023

Broadcasters' year-end music festivals mired in controversy

Broadcasters' year-end music festivals have come under fire for poor production value, counterfeit tickets and selecting overseas venues over domestic ones, making it hard for K-pop fans to attend. The "SBS Gayo Daejeon 2023,” which was held at Inspire Arena in Yongjeong-do, Incheon, on Christmas Day, several accidents threatened the safety of artists in attendance. A man jumped over the safety line while girl group aespa was about to leave the red-carpet photo wall. A bodyguar

Dec. 27, 2023

[Herald Review] Monster horror series 'Gyeongseong Creature' disappoints

Touted as the most anticipated Netflix original Korean drama series of the second half of the year, "Gyeongseong Creature," the latest work of director Jung Dong-yoon, fell flat upon its release. Set against the backdrop of Gyeongseong, today's Seoul, in 1945, "Gyeongseong Creature" is a 10-part thriller drama that centers around the stories of two individuals who encounter monsters in a mysterious hospital. While the series proclaimed itself as a monster horror series,

Dec. 27, 2023

Lee Sun-kyun's acting career from television to silver screen

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, 48, was one of Korea's most decorated actors on television to silver screen, both domestically and internationally. Lee debuted as the lead actor in the short film "Psyco Drama" in 2000, a story about a lonely nurse. On television, Lee first appeared on broadcaster MBC's sitcom series "Lovers" in 2001, playing an unemployed troublemaker. Lee rose to stardom with the character Choi Do-young in MBC's megahit medical drama "Be

Dec. 27, 2023

[2023 K-pop in a Nutshell] Easy listening, new trending genre in K-pop

Easy listening, a popular music genre of soothing vocal and instrumental sounds that first appeared in the 1940s, or also sometimes called "elevator music," hit the K-pop scene this year. In a departure from their typical conceptual-driven songs, many K-pop groups started introducing easy-listening singles. Releasing a single of this genre was one of the key factors in girl group Fifty Fifty's record-breaking feats on the biggest music charts in the West, the US-based Billboard an

Dec. 27, 2023

New boy band TWS to debut Jan. 22

Pledis Entertainment, which represents K-pop boy band Seventeen, is to launch a new boy band under the name TWS on Jan. 22, 2024. The six-member TWS will release a single, “Oh Mymy: 7s,” on Tuesday prior to the official debut, according to Pledis Entertainment on Wednesday. The predebut single will be part of the group’s debut EP, “Sparkling Blue.” TWS is scheduled to release various video content before its official debut, such as a clip on the story behind the deb

Dec. 27, 2023

Lee Sun-kyun found dead during probe over alleged drug use

Prolific Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun was found dead inside a car in Seoul on Wednesday, days after the third round of police questioning on Saturday over suspicions of illegal drug use. He had been claiming innocence and had requested a lie detector test. According to police on Wednesday, the 48-year-old was found unconscious inside a car parked near Waryong Park in northern Jongno-gu, Seoul, at around 10:30 a.m. He was confirmed dead in an apparent suicide at the scene and was not sent to a hospi

Dec. 27, 2023

Celebrate year-end and welcome New Year with traditional concerts

As the year draws to a close, the cultural tapestry of traditional performances comes alive across national venues, offering a rich and diverse celebration through the year-end and New Year concerts to usher in the upcoming year. National Gugak Center revives traditional ‘Narye’ To ward off evil spirits on the eve of the year's end and welcome a peaceful new year, the traditional palace ritual known as "narye" has been reimagined as a grand-scale performance. Wrappin

Dec. 27, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen drops trot remix single

Seventeen is rolling out a trot song on Tuesday to the surprise of its fans. Under the title “God of Light Music,” the single was originally made as a promotional content for the band’s 11th EP “Seventeen’s Heaven.” It was created for the 13-member act’s documentary, part of its YouTube show “Going Seventeen,” and many of the fans requested the music to be officially released, according to agency Pledis Entertainment. A Korean trot version o

Dec. 26, 2023

TVXQ looks back on two decades and the next to come with 9th LP

As it celebrates two decades in the music business, TVXQ said Tuesday it hopes to slowly but steadily continue its journey as K-pop artists for many years to come. “We’ve run forward like wild horses during the past 20 years. For the next 20 years, we hope to work slowly but continuously," said Yunho of TVXQ during a press conference in Seoul. "Looking at other artists who have been in the industry longer than us, I learned that we’ve also got to make new attempts ins

Dec. 26, 2023