[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ Jungkook places record 4 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100

Jungkook of BTS had four solo songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week. “Standing Next to You,” the main track from his first solo album “Golden,” debuted on the main songs chart at No. 5, according to the latest chart published Wednesday. Solo debut single “Seven (Feat. Latto)” reentered the chart at No. 49, while “3D (Feat. Jack Harlow)” ranked No. 58 and “Too Much (Feat. The Kid Laroi ＆ Central Cee)” was No. 94, up 42 spots and

Nov. 15, 2023

Song Kang-ho retrospective to be held at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA

South Korean actor Song Kang-ho’s films will be screened at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles from Dec. 7 to Jan. 13, 2024. Thirteen films starring Song, including “Joint Security Area” (2000), “The Host” (2006), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008), “Thirst” (2009), "The Age of Shadows” (2016) and “Parasite” (2019), will be screened. Song, 56, who debuted as a film actor in 1996, started drawing a

Nov. 15, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’ director, actor say drama consoled them

Netflix original series “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” set in a psychiatric ward, has quickly spread by word of mouth since its Nov. 3 release, with many viewers praising the 12-episode series. As of Wednesday, the TV drama ranked fourth on the non-English top 10 TV chart for Netflix. It was listed among the top 10 shows in 28 regions, according to Netflix. Unlike other successful medical dramas like “Behind the White Tower” (2007), “Dr. Romantic” (2016) and &ldquo

Nov. 15, 2023

Ive, aespa, NewJeans, StayC and Kiss of Life join star-studded lineup for MMA 2023

K-pop girl groups Ive, aespa, NewJeans, StayC and Kiss of Life are set to take the stage at the Melon Music Awards 2023, according to Melon. The Melon Music Awards is one of the nation’s biggest annual music award shows. Ive bagged four awards at the MMA 2022, including best female group, top 10, best song and rookie of the year. All eyes are on how many awards the group will be taking home this year as all of their lead singles released this year, “I AM,” “Kitsch”

Nov. 15, 2023

Stray Kids to perform at 2023 Billboard Music Awards

K-pop boy group Stray Kids joins the star-studded lineup of performers for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. Stray Kids will be the second K-pop boy group after stars BTS to take part in one of the three most prestigious music awards ceremonies in the US. Stray Kids will be performing “S-Class,” the lead track of their 3rd LP, “5-Star,” and “Lalalala,” the title track of their latest album, “Rock-Star,” at the ceremony, to be held on Sunday. The gro

Nov. 15, 2023

Seventeen urges global youth to 'dream together' at UNESCO

K-pop group Seventeen took center stage at the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum on Tuesday, becoming a beacon for growth through solidarity among young people around the globe. The multinational group stepped up to the podium at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris as the first K-pop group to address UNESCO at its main hall. Twelve members of the 13-member group appeared on stage wearing simple black suits. Member S. Coups was absent due to a leg injury. The band hosted a special session on the first day

Nov. 15, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Lisa celebrates joining Spotify’s Billions Club

    Lisa of Blackpink uploaded a video showing herself receiving a plaque from Spotify to mark the milestone of 1 billion streams on the platform, Tuesday. Opening the box to reveal the plaque, she read the message from the platform: “Congrats on being the first female K-pop artist to have a track reach 1 billion streams in Spotify history!” She achieved the feat on her own with her solo song “Money,” which entered the streaming platform’s official Bi

Nov. 14, 2023

Music director, composer Jung Jae-il to showcase wide range of music at solo concert

Jung Jae-il, music director, composer and instrumentalist, admits that Korean traditional music -- gugak -- is not an easy genre. "I was exposed to the genre at a young age thanks to my friends. Like all forms of art, contemporary music may seem unconventional or different at first, but as you develop an affection for it, you come to realize that there is a depth and richness that unfolds over time," Jung, 42, said during a press conference on Monday, adding that one might find the c

Nov. 14, 2023

UNESCO HQ hit by largest-ever crowd ahead of Seventeen's Youth Forum speech

Paris was filled with K-pop fans ahead of boy band Seventeen's historical speech and performance at UNESCO headquarters on Tuesday. The 13-member group arrived in the city on Sunday, according to a statement from the group's agency, Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday, amid shouts and screams from fans who flocked to the airport to welcome them. Seventeen's attendance at UNESCO headquarters was highly anticipated as it marked the first time a K-pop group had been invited to speak at

Nov. 14, 2023

KBS determined to regain public trust

KBS’ new President Park Min has promised a major reform of the country’s largest public broadcaster, announcing a structural overhaul, the relocation of employees, and measures to deal with worsening financial conditions and ever-declining public trust. “Today, I am standing in front of you to publicly apologize for disappointing the public and viewers with the broadcaster’s inability to deliver accurate, objective news and quality content,” Park said in a press con

Nov. 14, 2023

‘Believer 2’ returns as 'midquel' with new characters, stronger plot

“Believer 2,” the much-awaited second installment of the 2018 crime action franchise, “Believer,” which attracted an audience of 5.2 million, will hit screens later this month as a “midquel,” the country’s first-ever flick that explores a story within the timeframe of the previous film. “Believer 2” is directed by Baek Jong-yul, who is known for the stylish mise-en-scene in the 2015 hit romance flick, “Beauty Inside,” and who has

Nov. 14, 2023

JYP to 'take K-pop worldwide' with Live Nation partnership

JYP Entertainment announced on Tuesday a global strategic partnership with Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, to cooperate on producing tours for its K-pop acts. “Through this partnership with Live Nation, we will be producing concerts of Twice, Stray Kids, Itzy, Xdinary Heroes, Nmixx and our up-and-coming talents,” said JYP Entertainment. Live Nation operates in over 45 countries worldwide. It has previously worked with JYP Entertainment on organizing

Nov. 14, 2023

G-Dragon denies drug use again in interview

K-pop artist G-Dragon, who is embroiled in a drug scandal, denied illegal drug use publicly once again in an exclusive interview with a local media on Monday. At the beginning of the interview, he explained that he agreed to the interview to deliver the right information to the public and to prove his innocence. “I did not use drugs. The results of the drug test (conducted by the drug crime investigation unit) have to be negative because let me tell you again, I have never used drugs, rece

Nov. 14, 2023

Jungkook scores another Billboard record with 6th Hot 100 song

Jungkook continues his historic run with his solo album, "Golden," with Tuesday seeing the BTS singer place his sixth song on Billboard's main singles Hot 100 chart. "Standing Next to You," the lead single of "Golden," arrived on Hot 100 at No. 5 this week, Billboard said Tuesday. The song tallied around 10.6 million online streams and 400,000 radio airplays, as well as 99,000 physical and digital singles sales, the music publication added. Jungkook broke the d

Nov. 14, 2023

Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra meets electronic beats

When traditional Korean instruments such as gayageum, haegeum and daegeum meet electronic music, what kind of harmony will emerge? The Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra is set to perform the second stage of its 2023 Mixed Orchestra series on Dec. 7 at the Sejong Grand Theater. Breaking free from convention, the Mixed Orchestra series seeks to push the boundaries of Korean traditional music by intertwining it with various genres, this time turning its attention to electronic music. The tri

Nov. 14, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Stray Kids sweep charts with EP No. 8

    Stray Kids dominated charts at home and abroad with their new EP “Rock-Star,” according to JYP Entertainment on Monday. The band’s eighth EP topped iTunes top albums charts in 32 regions, as did lead single “Lalalala” on top songs charts in 37 regions. The main track debuted on Spotify’s daily top songs global chart at No. 26. The mini album became a million-seller on the day of its release and sold over 2 million units in two days, becoming

Nov. 13, 2023

BTS company Hybe heading to Latin America

Hybe, the company behind K-pop phenomenon boy band BTS, has announced its foray into the Latin American music market. The company has established the local subsidiary, Hybe Latin America, in Mexico, the firm said Monday. “We aim to extend our reach into Latin America, one of the fastest-expanding music markets in the world,” Hybe said in a statement Monday, adding the regional division will serve as its local office for the artists of Hybe Labels, the management arm of the multilabel

Nov. 13, 2023

After robot conductor, National Orchestra of Korea explores virtual reality

The National Orchestra of Korea, a traditional Korean music orchestra under the National Theater of Korea, is set to deploy a cutting-edge exhibition to help the audience to explore the roots of Korean music. Titled “The Origin of Orchestra,” the exhibition featuring virtual reality technology is scheduled for Nov. 23-24, with a concert of the same title at the Haneul Round Theater on Nov. 26. Building on the momentum initiated in the 2022 concert with media artist Lee Lee-nam's

Nov. 13, 2023

Red Velvet returns with conceptual, dramatized studio album

Red Velvet on Monday released "Chill Kill," the girl group's third full album. The group's full album comes six years after the release of the group's second LP, “Perfect Velvet.” “We tried our best to express the two key words of our album -- hope and tragedy. Not only did we focus on expressing those words in our songs and choreography but also in all of the content that will be released along with the album such as the music video and trailer clips

Nov. 13, 2023

Fifty Fifty’s Keena to attend 2023 BBMAs

Keena of the K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty is heading to Los Angeles on Thursday to attend the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, according to Attrakt. The Billboard Music Awards is an annual award ceremony to celebrate music’s greatest achievements and hottest names in music today. The event takes place in Las Vegas on Sunday. Fifty Fifty has been nominated for the event’s Top Duo/Group and Top Global K-Pop Song award categories. The group successfully debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100

Nov. 13, 2023