[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Boys” (South Korea) Opens on Nov. 1 Drama/Crime Directed by Chung Ji-young Three young men aged 19 to 20 from a small rural town are falsely arrested for involvement in a murder in 1999. Veteran detective Joon-cheol (Sol Kyung-gu) receives information on the real culprit and throws himself in to reinvestigate the case. “Killers of the Flower Moon” (US) Opened Oct. 19 Drama/Crime Directed by Martin Scorsese A series of murders among the Osage Native American tribe

Oct. 27, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Seventeen tops Oricon chart with 11th EP

Seventeen’s 11th EP topped Oricon’s daily album ranking, according to the latest chart published on Wednesday. EP “Seventeenth Heaven” landed atop the iTunes albums chart in Japan as well as Line Music’s real-time albums chart, said agency Pledis Entertainment on Thursday. It also headed straight to the top of all major music charts at home including Melon’s Top 100, becoming the first boy band to sit atop the chart this year. The 13-member act brought out th

Oct. 26, 2023

South Korean celebrities grilled over drug use

After yet another Korean star came under investigation for suspected drug use, the South Korean entertainment industry is feeling increasingly anxious over the possible fallout from multiple entertainment personalities being investigated for suspected drug use. Rapper G-Dragon, the leader of Big Bang whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, was booked without detention Wednesday for suspected violation of the Narcotics Control Act, making him the latest celebrity to be investigated for illegal drug us

Oct. 26, 2023

Ex-girl group member disgraced by bullying rumors eyes comeback

Former (G)I-dle member Soojin is gearing up for her solo comeback, two years since she left the girl group due to bullying allegations. Soojin, whose real name is Seo Soo-jin, on Wednesday posted a performance video on her newly launched social media platforms. Titled "Black Forest," the black-and-white clip showed Soojin dancing gracefully to an instrumental tune. Whether the song pertains to the K-pop star's new album was not stated, but the video clearly indicates she is nearin

Oct. 26, 2023

Cirque Du Soleil mesmerizes Seoul with 'Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico'

Cirque Du Soleil has returned to Seoul with its latest masterpiece, “Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico," along with 50 cast members for the performance. In South Korea, the Canadian circus ensemble has attracted more than 1 million spectators over the previous performances: "Quidam" in 2007 and 2015, "Alegria " in 2008 and 2022, “Varekai" in 2011, "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in 2013 and "Kooza" in 2018. Luzia, derived fro

Oct. 26, 2023

G-Dragon booked for drug use

G-Dragon, 35, a former leader of the K-pop band Big Bang, was reportedly booked for drug use on Wednesday. G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, is under police investigation for breaching the Narcotics Control Act without detention, according to local media citing Incheon Metropolitan Police. Despite reports linking the investigation to the alleged drug use of Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in the Oscar-winning “Parasite,” police denied any connection between the two cases. The ar

Oct. 25, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans hits 300m Spotify plays with ‘Super Shy’

NewJeans has garnered 300 million streams with “Super Shy” on Spotify, according to agency Ador on Wednesday. It is the group’s fifth song to reach the milestone on the platform and did so in the shortest time for the group at 108 days. “Super Shy” is one of the three main tracks from its second EP “Get Up” and has ranked No. 5 and No. 9 on Spotify’s global daily and weekly top songs chart, respectively, both record spots for the quintet. It has s

Oct. 25, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Gi-hoon shows love for Hvorostovsky, Korean art songs at upcoming recital

In June 2021, South Korean baritone Kim Gi-hoon, who hails from the remote town of Gokseong, South Jeolla Province, made his name known to the world when he won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition held in the UK. Such prestigious competition was not something new to him. In 2019, he received not one, but two second prizes from the International Tchaikovsky Competition and Placido Domingo's Operalia. Great opportunities ensued following the wins, but then came the pandemic that c

Oct. 25, 2023

[Herald Review] Based on true story, 3 boys find justice 16 years delayed in 'The Boys'

In 1999, a small supermarket in the rural town of Samrye in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, was robbed by three assailants. Three young men aged 19 to 20 were apprehended and wrongfully convicted of robbery and murder after forced confessions. Instantly noticing that something had gone wrong after receiving information on the real culprits, Joon-cheol (Sol Kyung-gu), a veteran detective, throws himself into reinvestigating the case. But his efforts are interrupted by Woo-sung (Yoo Jun-sang), the d

Oct. 25, 2023

AleXa to perform on Jingle Ball Tour as 1st K-pop female soloist

Singer AleXa will perform at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour on Nov. 28, taking the stage as the first K-pop female soloist at the year-end event. AleXa's agency ZB Label on Wednesday said the singer will hit the stage for the 2023 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour at the Dallas stop. She is the first female solo singer from Korea to perform at the annual US music fest. Jingle Ball Tour is a holiday season concert that first began in 1996 in New York and turned into one of the most-anticipated

Oct. 25, 2023

FNC to debut new boy band Ampers&One on Nov. 15

Rookie boy band Ampers&One is set to debut under FNC Entertainment on Nov. 15, the talent agency confirmed Wednesday with a coming-soon clip released on social media. According to the social media post, the new band will debut at 6 p.m. on Nov. 15. Ampers&One is a multinational seven-piece consisting of two Americans, Kamden and Kyrell, a Canadian, Brian, an Australian, Mackiah, and three South Koreans, Ji-ho, Si-yun and Seung-mo. Kamden and Ji-ho were the first two members confirmed fro

Oct. 25, 2023

The Boyz to return next month with new album

K-pop boy group The Boyz is making a rapid comeback with a new album next month. The Boyz is releasing the EP “Phantasy Pt. 2 Sixth Sense,” which is the second part of its second LP “Phantasy” on Nov. 20, according to IST Entertainment. The group’s second LP is a trilogy of which the first part, “Phantasy Pt. 1 Christmas In August” was released three months ago and has helped the group see remarkable growth. The Boyz’ second full-length album, &ldq

Oct. 25, 2023

JYP Entertainment to build new headquarters

JYP Entertainment, the K-pop powerhouse that houses some of the major K-pop groups such as Twice and Stray Kids, is constructing a new building to be used as its headquarters. The agency announced Tuesday that it has bought 10,675 square meters of land in Gangdong-gu, Seoul from Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation. “The land will be used to establish a new office building for the agency. We anticipate expanding office space which is part of our mid-to-long-term business plan, helps i

Oct. 25, 2023

Genre-bending epic ‘Sun-sin’ explores inner struggles of national hero

The story of Adm. Yi Sun-sin, one of the most celebrated figures in Korean history, who led the country to victory against the Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598), has been reimagined in diverse mediums, including drama series, movies, novels and even a graphic novel in English. Set to premiere in November, “Sun-sin,” a genre-bending production by the Seoul Performing Arts Company brings together accomplished artists from various performing arts backgrounds, including

Oct. 25, 2023

[Today’s K-pop] Enhypen expands Asia tour

    Enhypen added four cities in Asia extending its international tour, said agency Belift Lab on Tuesday. The band will perform seven times in Taipei, Singapore, Macao and New Clark City, Philippines in January and February next year. This extends its second tour “Fate” that began in Seoul in July and brought the seven members to Tokyo and Osaka in September before six cities in the US. The bandmates wrapped up the tour in Chicago in the US on Sunday. Meanwhile, the b

Oct. 24, 2023

Partial list of artists to perform at 2023 MAMA Awards unveiled

A partial list of artists performing at the 2023 MAMA Awards at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 28-29 was announced Tuesday. The awards organizer CJ ENM announced a total of eight K-pop groups that are confirmed to perform at the one of the biggest annual K-pop award ceremonies. The bands are Ateez, INI, JO1, NiziU, Riize, TVXQ, Xikers, and Zerobaseone. INI, JO1, TVXQ and Xikers will perform on Nov. 28, the first day of the event. INI is a K-pop boy group that recently topped Oricon’s Weekly Single

Oct. 24, 2023

Enhypen's 'Fate' tour draws 85,000 fans in the US

Enhypen's latest US concert tour ended Sunday, with a total of 85,000 fans having attended the shows. As part of its world tour, "Fate," K-pop boy band Enhypen held seven gigs in six stateside cities between Oct. 6-22. Kicking off in Los Angeles, the septet took the series to Glendale, Houston, Dallas and Newark, before the last show in Chicago on Sunday. At every show, the band delivered a fully-packed extravaganza of 25 songs, including hits like "Drunk-Dazed" and &quo

Oct. 24, 2023

Seventeen 1st male group this year to top Melon Top 100

Seventeen continues to set new records with its new album, "Seventeenth Heaven," including a top place on Melon's Top 100. Pledis Entertainment on Tuesday said the album and its title song, "God of Music," dominated the global music charts following its release at 6 p.m. on Monday. Among the feats achieved were a No. 1 spot on the nation's biggest music service provider Melon's Top 100 chart with "God of Music." Seventeen became the first boy band thi

Oct. 24, 2023

[New on the Scene] Lee Jun-young shows new level of villain in latest role

Actor Lee Jun-young, who was recognizable for his villainous roles in “D.P.” and “Mask Girl,” has shown another level of villian in his first film “Brave Citizen” directed by Park Jin-pyo. In "Brave Citizen," Lee stars as a student named Han Soo-gang (Lee Jun-young), dubbed "crazy dog" for his bullying antics, constantly beating up not-so-well-off classmates. His merciless bullying is hard to stomach, such as when Soo-gang puts a plastic ba

Oct. 24, 2023

Stray Kids honored with Prime Minister’s commendation at 2023 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards

K-pop boy group Stray Kids received the Prime Minister’s commendation at the 2023 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards. The Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards honor figures of various fields -- singers, actors, comedians, directors and more -- who have contributed to the development of the local pop culture and art scene. The boy band was unable to attend the ceremony on Saturday due a concert it held in Seoul on the same day. “We are really grateful for having been honored with

Oct. 24, 2023