With new album, soprano Sumi Jo shares ode to ‘Mother’

Soprano Sumi Jo, a star in Korea’s classical music scene, recently released the album “Mother,” dedicated to her mom. The 57-year-old is one of the most beloved sopranos in Korea. She has won a Grammy award and released more than 40 albums across a wide spectrum of music since her debut in 1986 in Korea. “I dreamed of making an album for all the mothers in the world,” Jo said at a press conference held Tuesday at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.  Soprano Sumi Jo poses for photos during a pre

April 23, 2019

Ed Sheeran rocks Incheon

After a nearly two-year delay, pop superstar Ed Sheeran finally took the stage in Korea on Sunday, electrifying 25,000 fans gathered at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. He dove right in as the audience collectively felt pumped up. A wait sparked by a bicycle accident seemed to have only upped the anticipation, as fans appeared happy to see their hero.“It’s good to be back, thanks for having me!” Sheeran exclaimed after opening with his nostalgic number “Castle on the Hill.”He then went

April 23, 2019

BTS 'Boy with Luv' ranks 8th on Billboard singles chart

BTS' latest "Boy with Luv" clinched the eighth spot on Billboard's main singles chart, making it the highest-charted K-pop act ever, the US Billboard magazine said Tuesday."BTS' 'Boy With Luv,' featuring Halsey, vaults onto the Hot 100 at No. 8, marking the septet's second top 10 and the highest-charting entry for a K-pop group," it said. "It surpasses BTS' own 'Fake Love,' which debuted and peaked at No. 10 in June 2018.""Boy With Luv" is the main track of the group's new EP "Map of the Soul: P

April 23, 2019

TWICE expands to US cities with release of new album ‘Fancy You’

Chart-smashing K-pop girl band TWICE is gearing up for their first solo concerts in United States cities with the release of their new album, “Fancy You,” on Monday.　The six-track album marks a major stylistic change for the five-year-old girl group, whose shining and cheering music and dance have appealed widely to fans at home and abroad. 　TWICE was the first K-pop girl band to throw concerts at Japanese domes, which accommodated a total of about 50,000 fans in the neighboring country. (Yonhap

April 22, 2019

BTS becomes 1st band since Beatles to score 3 Billboard No. 1 albums in single year

K-pop boy band BTS has scored its third No. 1 on the main Billboard 200 album chart, becoming the first group since the Beatles to earn three No. 1s in less than a year, Billboard said."Map of the Soul: Persona," BTS' latest seven-track album released April 12, debuted atop the Billboard 200 for the week of April 27, the website of the music magazine said Sunday (US time), officially confirming the result after it reported last week that the band was "bound for No. 1."In the week ending April 19

April 22, 2019

BTS becomes first Korean artists to top British chart

K-pop sensations BTS has topped the British chart with its new album, becoming the first South Korean artists to do so.The new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” landed at the top with 26,500 combined sales on Friday (local time), the Official Charts Co. said.The album's main track, “Boy With Luv,” is also the band’s first ever British Top 15 single, charting at number 13 on Friday, it said. (Yonhap)“Map of The Soul: Persona” is BTS‘ fourth collection to chart in the UK Top 40, following their thr

April 20, 2019

[Eye Plus] Paradise for music players

In Seoul, there is a paradise for music players.Nakwon Instrument Arcade, otherwise known as Nakwon Music Mall, is a one-stop shopping center of over 300 independent music stores -- selling virtually everything related to music.  (Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)Located in the vicinity of the tourist-heavy Insa-dong and currently Seoul’s hippest street Ikseon-dong, this shop cluster occupies the second and third floors of Nagwon building, which also houses eateries, practice rooms, a concert st

April 19, 2019

BTS breaks its own record for highest first-week album sales with 'Map of the Soul: Persona'

K-pop sensations BTS sold more than 2.13 million copies of their new album, "Map of the Soul: Persona," in the first week of the album's release, setting a new record of highest first-week record sales, the band's management agency said Friday.The new album sold 2,130,480 copies in the seven days since its release last Friday, Big Hit Entertainment said, quoting figures from local chart compiler Hanteo. BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)This makes "Map of the Soul: Persona" the highest-selling K-pop al

April 19, 2019

[Graphic News] From BTS to BoA, a look back on K-pop acts ons Billboard 200

　BTS is set to make history as the boy band is on course to have its third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart for the week ending April 27.　While the group’s “Map of the Soul: Persona” is the latest K-pop record to top the high-profile chart, it’s worth nothing there were other South Korean artists who had a crack at the US market and left their mark.　In 2009, BoA became the first K-pop singer to enter Billboard’s albums chart with her self-titled US debut album, which peaked at No. 12

April 18, 2019

Highlight's Lee Gi-kwang to start mandatory military service

South Korean boy band Highlight's Lee Gi-kwang will begin his military service Thursday, his management agency said.The singer will undergo a four-week basic training in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, and then he will be assigned to a police unit, according to Around Us Entertainment. (Yonhap)Lee plans to unveil a two-track digital single album Thursday afternoon to say goodbye to his fans."I've been so happy for the past 10 years because of you," he said through a handwritten letter releas

April 18, 2019

BTS returns with new chart-topping album in ode to fans

Having made an incredible splash on the music scene with the new chart-topping album “Map of the Soul: Persona,” BTS wants to delve into the power of love, which is what catapulted the band to global stardom, the band said Wednesday. At a global press conference livestreamed on YouTube, the septet talked about their new music, their collaboration with pop heavyweights Halsey and Ed Sheeran, their upcoming sold-out stadium concerts, their recent “Saturday Night Live” appearance and the weight of

April 17, 2019

‘Tracking Down the Steel Container’ looks at apartments, a microcosm of Korean society

A decent apartment in Seoul has long been a symbol of middle-class success. Apartment ownership is also a measure by which social strata are divided.Based on Kim Yoon-young’s novel by the same title, “Tracking Down the Steel Container” is a drama that tackles the divide, as well as how people look at poverty -- and at people living in public housing in particular.  A scene from “Tracking Down the Steel Container” (DAC)The drama unfolds in Suseo-dong, Gangnam-gu, a wealthy district at the souther

April 16, 2019

BTS on course to take 3rd No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'Map of Soul: Persona'

Global K-pop sensation BTS is on its way to score its third No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with their latest, staggeringly popular new record, which was released last week, Billboard's official website showed Tuesday."Industry forecasters suggest the set, which was released on April 12, could earn between 200,000 and 225,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending April 18," Billboard said in a posting uploaded on Monday (U.S. time), reporting that the septet is "bound for

April 16, 2019

BTS to perform with Halsey during Billboard Music Awards

K-pop superstars BTS will perform their new song, "Boy With Luv," with Halsey during the 2019 Billboard Music Awards next month, the band's management agency said Monday."During the 2019 Billboard Music Awards on May 1, BTS will stage their first-ever collaboration performance with world-class singer Halsey," Big Hit Entertainment said.  BTS and Halsey (Instagram)Last week, BTS world-premiered the main track of their new album, "Map of the Soul: Persona," as a musical guest on American late nigh

April 15, 2019

BTS' 'Boy With Luv' becomes fastest video ever to top 100 mln YouTube views

The video of massively popular boy band BTS's new song has surpassed 100 million views on YouTube at the fastest pace ever.The music video for "Boy With Luv," the main track off the group's latest album, "Map of the Soul: Persona," released Friday at 6 p.m., topped 100 million views at about 7:37 a.m. Sunday, according to the band's management agency, Big Hit Entertainment. (Youtube)BTS achieved the milestone 37 hours and 37 minutes after the video was uploaded to the global video sharing servic

April 14, 2019

Different festival to rock Jisan this year

The preliminary lineup for the 2019 Jisan Rock Festival, slated to take place from July 26 to 28, was announced Friday, including some of the most prominent bands here. Guckkastens, Monni, Galaxy Express and Huckleberry Finn are some of the names announced by the organizers. The second lineup, including major foreign musicians, will be revealed May 3. The festival will be held at Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, an hour’s drive southwest of Seoul.This year marks the first editio

April 12, 2019

BTS' new album featuring Halsey, Ed Sheeran hits world music scene

K-pop band BTS' new album featuring two high-profile pop stars, Halsey and Ed Sheeran, will hit the world music scene Friday, revealing the band's stories of love, self and the outside world."Map of the Soul: Persona," poised for release on major online music stores Friday evening (Korean time), is the opener of BTS' new "Map of the Soul" album series following their two-year-long "Love Yourself" album trilogy that won two No. 1s on the Billboard 200 album chart.Having recorded sensational disco

April 12, 2019

Emma Stone plays BTS fangirl in SNL teasers

Hollywood actress Emma Stone acted a BTS fangirl in a Saturday Night Live promo video for the episode she will be hosting.(SNL)SNL released on Thursday on its YouTube channel a teaser clip featuring the actress and cast member Cecily Strong surrounded by the seven bandmates, welcoming the members, and at the same time, going crazy over them. (SNL YouTube)In another clip released the day before, the actress is featured along with other female guests of the episode as excited fans of the K-pop sen

April 12, 2019

BTS teaser video shows upcoming song is homage to iconic film 'Singin' in the Rain'

BTS has paid homage to the iconic film "Singin' in the Rain" in its music video for "Boy With Luv," the main track of the band's upcoming album, a teaser video showed Thursday.BTS released a second teaser video for "Boy With Luv" featuring American diva Halsey early Thursday, one day before the official release of the album "Map of the Soul: Persona." (Big Hit Entertainment)The newly unveiled 28-second teaser video showed BTS members in a theater lobby with posters for "Singin' in the Rain" on t

April 11, 2019

Xiumin to join Army, becoming first EXO member to enlist

Xiumin, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, will enlist in the Army next month, becoming the first EXO member to temporarily leave the band to fulfill his military duty, its management agency said Tuesday.The 29-year-old, whose real name is Kim Min-seok, will start his 21-month military service on May 7 as an active-duty soldier, according to SM Entertainment. But the exact time and place of his enlistment ceremony will not be released to the public in keeping with his desire to make it a quiet affa

April 9, 2019