After feuding with feminists, San E takes aim at journalists

It seems San E has beef with journalists, as the outspoken rapper has announced he will release a new single called “Giregi” Tuesday -- a portmanteau meaning “garbage reporter” in Korean.In an Instagram post released Monday afternoon, the rapper teased the new single as he bounced up and down while wearing a zipped ski mask that left just his eyes visible.The term “giregi” is heard repeatedly as the short clip teased the latest in a series of politically charged songs the rapper has released in

Dec. 10, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘I learned how to love my fate’: Sohee of Elris

One gets the impression that Sohee has got the competitive showbiz world all figured out. In middle school, the current Elris member learned that “acceptance” was key to coping with the whirlwind life of a K-pop trainee. There were times when she almost succumbed to countless cut-throat competition in the course of making her debut, which she recalled as the “hardest thing” during her trainee years. But what always empowered her was the Latin phrase “amor fati,” meaning to accept and love everyt

Dec. 10, 2018

BTS becomes 1st K-pop act to be on Bloomberg 50

BTS has become the first K-pop group to be included on Bloomberg’s list of 50 most influential people of the year, called “The Bloomberg 50,” which was revealed Friday on the US media outlet’s website.  (BTS' official Twitter)“BTS ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s album chart with its ‘Love Yourself Tear’ and topped the chart again with another album ‘Love Yourself Answer,’ showing unprecedented success in US,” Bloomberg said on why BTS made it to the list.  (Bloomberg)According to the US media outlet

Dec. 7, 2018

Pianist Cho Seong-jin to join Salzburg Festival centennial in 2020

Pianist Cho Seong-jin will perform at the Salzburg Festival in 2020, the year marking the prestigious music festival’s centennial. Salzburg Festival President Helga Rabl-Stadler made the announcement at a press conference Tuesday in Seoul to promote the festival’s lineup for 2019.  cap - Pianist Cho Seong-jin plays at the Salzburg Festival 2019 presentation held Tuesday at Oakwood Premier Coex Center in Seoul. (World Culture Networks)“It’s a great honor to join one of the world’s most prominent

Dec. 5, 2018

Twitter reveals BTS has ‘Golden Tweet’ of 2018

A tweet from K-pop sensation BTS has become the country’s most retweeted of the year. In a tweet Wednesday, the social media platform revealed the “Golden Tweet of 2018”: a post with a short clip of Jungkook singing in a studio to a background track. (Yonhap) The monumental tweet in K-pop history from the group’s main account @BTS_twt had been retweeted over 620,000 times with over 1.2 million likes as of

Dec. 5, 2018

Behind the scenes at GOT7’s Twitter #Blueroom live

Following the release of its new album “Present: You & Me” on the previous day, GOT7 hit Twitter’s #Blueroom Tuesday evening. The social media giant’s live Q&A program was held at its forest-themed studio inhabited by Twitter’s iconic bluebirds.(The Korea Herald / Kim Arin)GOT7 arrived at the studio one by one from about five to 10 minutes before the live broadcast’s official kickoff at 7 p.m., and the cozy microstudio soon became crowded with the seven bandmates’ presence and energy. As they wa

Dec. 5, 2018

Ask GOT7: GOT7 presents live Q&A party on Twitter #Blueroom

GOT7 dropped its third record of the year “Present: You & Me” Monday, following the EP “Eyes on You” in March and full-length “Present: You” in September. The reissue album is a 28-track winter treat fronted by the seasonally-themed ballad “Miracle.”Twitter is the septet’s chosen medium to herald its final release of the year, on the social networking service’s Q&A platform Blueroom. GOT7 (Twitter @GOT7Official)Held in a specially optimized studio, Blueroom lets Twitter followers toss questions

Dec. 4, 2018

BTS’ Jin writes to Army on his birthday

BTS member Jin penned a handwritten letter to the group’s official fan club, Army, on his birthday, which fell on Tuesday.In the long letter posted on the group’s official social media account, he said that he is happy. “I’m happy not only because it’s my birthday but mainly because Army members are happy celebrating my birthday together,” read the letter. “BTS could do everything it did because Army was supportive all the time.” (BTS` official Twitter)“Sorry for not being fluent in English but

Dec. 4, 2018

Gamut of contemporary classical music in store at TIMF

Music of Yun I-sang and works by Japanese contemporary classical music composer Toshio Hosokawa are among the highlights at next year’s Tongyeong International Music Festival, March 29-April 7, taking place at the southern port city of Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province.　The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra raises the curtain on the annual music festival on March 29 with the Asian premiere of Heinz Holliger’s “Ostinato Funebre,” as well as Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op. 67. Pianist Behzod

Dec. 3, 2018

Reunion of Chung Myung-whun and SPO abruptly canceled

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will not be reuniting with its former music director Chung Myung-whun after all as the conductor withdrew from an upcoming engagement, citing health reasons.Chung has canceled all upcoming concerts until he recovers as advised by his doctor, according to a recent announcement made by management company Askonas Holt’s Martin Campbell-White. Maestro Chung Myung-whun speaks during a press conference in August to promote the concert commemorating the 120th anniversar

Dec. 3, 2018

[Newsmaker] ‘Feminist, no. You’re a mental illness’: San E causes outrage during concert

Rapper San E has yet again managed to put himself in the headlines after offending the audience with his comments about feminism during a concert over the weekend.While onstage at the concert Brand New Year 2018 on Sunday, San E used an expletive before rapping in English before an audience of 5,000: “Womad is poison. Feminist, no. You’re a mental illness.”In another politically charged comment, the rapper said he supports “normal women” before criticizing radical online feminist communities Wom

Dec. 3, 2018

Minzy releases first English single “All of You Say”

Former member of 2NE1 Minzy has released her first English single, “All of You Say.”Minzy’s new single was first released in the United States on Saturday, along with its music video. The single is set for release in Korea and other parts of the world on Monday. (Music Works)“All of You Say,” a mixture of reggaeton, K-pop and hip hop, was released ahead of her “Dance Break Tour.” Minzy announced in November that she had to postpone the North American leg of the tour to early 2019 because of labe

Dec. 3, 2018

Beyonce, Jay-Z dazzle South Africa at Mandela gig

Beyonce was leading an all-star line-up including Ed Sheeran, Jay-Z and Usher in Johannesburg at a concert to honour the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.The concert was the climax of a year of events celebrating the centennial of Mandela's birth in 1918, and part of a campaign to tackle poverty, child malnutrition and boost gender equality.This year's Global Citizen Festival is being held at Johannesburg's 94,736-capacity FNB stadium and began at 1200 GMT. Beyoncé Knowles and Jay Z, pictured w

Dec. 3, 2018

Value of Park Jin-young’s JYP shares rises W100b in 11 months

The value of JYP Entertainment shares held by its founder, owner and Executive Producer Park Jin-young has soared over 100 billion won ($89.2 million) in the past 11 months. Park is the largest shareholder of the company with an 18.72 percent stake, according to Chaebul.com. The value of his stake rose from 74.68 billion won in January this year to 203.79 billion won at the end of November, according to the corporate tracker’s Dec. 2 report. From left, Jin-young of GOT7, Na-yeon of Twice, Lee Kn

Dec. 3, 2018

Mamamoo, bringing R&B to the mainstream K-pop scene

Mamamoo is making R&B happen in K-pop town. (RBW)The quartet added a third EP to its 2018 project “Four Seasons, Four Colors,” a tetralogy of four seasonally themed albums, with each band member taking center stage over the course of a year. This time it’s Solar, the leader. Following spring’s “Yellow Flower” and summer’s “Red Moon,” “BLUE;S” is a late-autumn collection composed of six breakup songs. Mamamoo gives the exhausted theme of romance gone wrong a groovy makeover with “Wind Flower,” th

Dec. 2, 2018

BTS takes home bagful of trophies at 2018 MMA

After sweeping prizes at award shows like the MGA and Asia Artist Award, BTS once again won big at the 2018 Melon Music Awards that took place in Seoul. Held on Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome, the star-studded event in its 10th year saw the “Idol” singers take home seven trophies -- the most for anyone in attendance.The biggest awards of the night went to BTS, which received the best artist of the year award and the best album of the year award for its “Love Yourself: Tear” album.  (MMA)“It’s been

Dec. 2, 2018

NCT 127 accused of cultural appropriation after sampling Maori haka

K-pop group NCT 127’s song “Simon Says” sparked mixed sentiments in New Zealand after it was accused of appropriating parts of traditional Maori prayer karakia.“‘Simon Says’ by NCT 127 has been watched nearly 7 million times, but not everyone’s a fan,” wrote New Zealand’s television channel TVNZ, Thursday. Screen grab of “Simon Says”’s music video (YouTube)TVNZ quoted professor Aroha Mead of New Zealand’s Maori Centre of Research Excellence, that the te reo Maori words, “Ttuturu o whiti whakamau

Nov. 30, 2018

TVXQ to celebrate 15th anniversary with new album next month

K-pop boy band TVXQ will release a special album next week to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their debut and will host a fan meeting event here, its management agency said Wednesday.The male duo is set to drop the special record, titled "New Chapter #2: The Truth of Love," on Dec. 26, fronted by "Truth," according to S.M. Entertainment. (S.M. Entertainment)Including the lead track, the album carries seven tracks.  In the evening of the same day, the band will throw a fan meeting event, "TVXQ

Nov. 28, 2018

Busker Busker leader Jang Beom-june returns as YouTuber

Jang Beom-june, leader of the indie band “Busker Busker,” has joined the club of celebrity-turned-YouTubers after a long hiatus from music-related activities.Jang greeted his loyal fans by uploading a cover of Black Pink Jennie’s “Solo” on his YouTube channel on Nov. 22. Previously, he had only uploaded tracks from his own albums and videos of his own live performances. (YouTube)Fans were pleased to hear Jang’s unique interpretation of the song.“It’s so cool that the cover sounds like an origina

Nov. 27, 2018

Celebrities embroiled in controversy over parents’ debt scandal

After rapper Microdot came under fire over a fraud scandal involving his parents, celebrities -- including rapper Dok2 and singer-actor Rain -- have found themselves embroiled in similar allegations.  From left: Rapper Dok2 (Illionaire Records)and singer-actor Rain (Yonhap)A media outlet reported on Monday that Dok2’s mother borrowed around 10 million won ($8,854) from a friend in the late 1990s and failed to pay it back. Though the debtor took the matter to the court and won, Dok2’s mother did

Nov. 27, 2018