Former Wonder Girl Sunmi to release album

Sunmi, a member of now-disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, will be releasing a solo album on Aug. 22.　The album will mark the singer’s return to the K-pop scene in three years.　Sunmi moved from her former management agency JYP Entertainment to Makeus Entertainment after Wonder Girls disbanded in January. 　 Sunmi (Makeus Entertainment)The now 25-year-old songstress debuted in 2007 as the supporting vocalist in Wonder Girls. 　She halted group activities for awhile in 2010 to pursue studies at Dongg

Aug. 7, 2017

Fans soak up ‘Wet Psy’ at ‘Summer Swag’ concert

When it comes to highly-entertaining K-pop performer Psy, there are some things you just can’t do: You just do not sit down at a Psy concert or leave seat in the middle of the show. Friday’s “2017 Summer Swag” concert (“Soaking Wet Show” in Korean) was over three hours of pure madness and fun that had the 25,000 fans soaked to the skin and jumping with excitement. The show was part one of a two-day extravaganza at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in Seoul, in which the crowd was sprayed with water during

Aug. 6, 2017

European Jazz Festival to feature rich lineup of top musicians

The European Jazz Festival, set to take place in Seoul from Sept. 1-3, will feature a rich lineup of globally-renowned names in jazz.The festival will be staged at the Mapo Art Center’s Art Hall Mac.　The event, which meets its fifth installment this year, will feature an array of international musicians including Finnish jazz pianist Iiro Rantala, Swedish jazz guitarist Ulf Wakenius, Italian jazz and folk accordion player Luciano Biondini, Belgian musician Myriam Alter and the German team Tingva

Aug. 6, 2017

K-pop singer depicts being victimized by date abuse

Singer-songwriter Juniel recently released a teaser for the music video of her upcoming song “Last Carnival,” which depicts her personal experience as a victim of date violence.The 20-second clip features just the eyes of the 23-year-old, who slowly opens her bruised eyes and glares at the camera.  A teaser image of “Last Carnival” (C9 Entertainment)Last month, CCTV footage of a man brutally assaulting his girlfriend was released via local media, sending shockwaves throughout the country. Police

Aug. 5, 2017

Winner never felt like it fit in at YG

It is hard to link the word “ugly” with the four model-like artists of Winner, but they used to feel like “ugly ducklings” at YG Entertainment.“Back when we were trainees, we thought we had no characteristics that stood out. We were not like other YG groups. So at first, we would intentionally dress in hip-hop style and pick hip-hop songs for the monthly evaluation (by the company),” said Lee Seung-hoon at a press conference Monday in Seoul. Lee Seung-hoon (YG Entertainment)Kang Seung-yoon, the

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner shares happiest and saddest moments

Since debuting in 2014, Winner has had its ups and downs. “I think the happiest moment for us was our debut. It marked the moment when our dream that we had had since childhood finally came true,” the band’s leader Kang Seung-yoon told the media Friday.  Winner (YG Entertainment)For Song Min-ho, it was the moment when fans told him that they were encouraged -- even “healed” -- by Winner’s music. “It was an indescribable feeling. I literally teared up,” he said.Lee Seung-hoon said he is the happi

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner‘s explains obsession with ’four‘

No. 4 was the theme for Winner’s last single album “Fate Number For,” but it appears to have stuck, as the number is plastered all over the boy band‘s new single album “Our Twenty For.” Winner’s first album in four months was to be released Friday -- Aug. 4 -- at 4 p.m., and the press conference for it was held at theater No. 4 at a local cinema. Kang Seung-yoon (YG Entertainment)“At this point, our obsession with ‘four’ is maybe a little perverted,” said the band’s leader Kang Seung-yoon. “For

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner says no longer ‘ugly duckling of YG’

The past three years have been a roller-coaster ride for Winner, who made an unconventionally quick return Friday with the single album “Our Twenty For.”“If we were to tell you everything that we went through in the last three years, you’d be here all day,” Lee Seung-hoon told reporters at a press conference at IFC Mall in Seoul on Friday.  Winner poses for a photo prior to a press conference in Seoul on Friday. (YG Entertainment)Members of the boy band said they have always felt that they do no

Aug. 4, 2017

Girls’ Generation marks decadelong career with ‘Holiday Night’

Many K-pop groups have come and gone since 2007, but Girls’ Generation -- the longest-running girl group in Korea -- has survived to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its debut with the release of “Holiday Night.”The group was to release online Friday at 6 p.m. songs from its sixth studio album, before officially releasing the record Monday. Girls’ Generation (S.M. Entertainment)S.M. Entertainment will simultaneously unveil the music videos of “Holiday” and “All Night,” the double title tracks

Aug. 4, 2017

Drunk Lang reports calls police to report friend filming with hidden camera

Korean-American pop artist and television personality Nancy Lang, otherwise known as Park Hye-ryeong, on Thursday reported her friend to police while drunk. Gyeonggi Yangju Police said Park called the police at 8:20 a.m. Thursday to report her friend, with whom she had been drinking with since the previous day, accusing her of filming her with a hidden camera.  Police said that Park’s friend was not charged and Park had mistaken her friend’s behavior or had made the call by mistake. At the polic

Aug. 3, 2017

Is EXO the most stylish K-pop band ever?: Vogue

EXO is without a doubt one of the most popular K-pop groups, garnering attention not just for its music but its fashion as well. Vogue magazine took notice of the nine-member group’s ever-evolving fashion in a recent article titled “Is EXO the Most Stylish K-Pop Band of All Time?”  EXO (S.M. Entertainment) EXO (S.M. Entertainment)It said that the outfits seen in the music video for EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” -- the lead single of its fourth album “The War” -- “continues EXO’s tradition of slowly pushing

Aug. 3, 2017

[K-Talk] EXO ‘The War’ stays atop Billboard world albums chart

EXO remains the king of the hill atop Billboard’s world albums chart, defending the No. 1 spot for a second straight week with its latest album.The boy band’s “The War: The 4th Album” became the top-selling international album in the US as of Thursday, while also topping local Gaon charts in digital song downloads and album sales. EXO (S.M. Entertainment)The K-pop sensation has been making strides with the album since its July 19 release, entering the Billboard 200 at No. 87 last week. It marked

Aug. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Director Kim Ki-duk accused of actress assault

To say Kim Ki-duk is not a director for everyone would be an understatement. He uses rape, prostitution and incest in his films to strip all pretense and examine the raw human emotions of impulse, violence and lust.However, the controversial director may have gone a step too far: An actress has filed a complaint with prosecutors, alleging that the award-winning director physically assaulted her and coerced her to shoot an unscripted sex scene while filming “Moebius,” which was released in 2013. 

Aug. 3, 2017

Heize, Suran to join Seo Tai-ji retrospective project

Heize and Suran were amongst the newest group of performers to join a retrospective project honoring the 25th anniversary of legendary K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji, according to Seo's company Thursday.The two solo divas, along with Eddy Kim and Crush, are on board for a project to remake Seo's past hits, Seo Tai-ji Company said.The four artists were joined by Seo's recommendation, the company explained.  Eddy Kim, Suran, Crush and Heize (from top left, clockwise)/ YonhapSince last month, BTS, Younha an

Aug. 3, 2017

Girls' Generation, Yuhki Kuramoto to grace DMZ concert

Idol band Girls' Generation and Japanese new age composer Yuhki Kuramoto are among the artists set to perform at this year's DMZ Peace Concert near the inter-Korean border north of Seoul, according to organizers Thursday.The two-day concert at the unification-themed Nuri Peace Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, will be held from Aug. 12, with the first day dedicated to K-pop stars, including Girls' Generation, BTOB, B1A4, Cosmic Girls and GFriend, MBC TV said. (S.M. Entertainment)On Aug. 13, Yuhki

Aug. 3, 2017

GFriend gets in the mood for summer with new single ‘Love Whisper’

Clad in matching mint-green shirts and skirts, the six members of K-pop darling GFriend performed their summery track “Love Whisper” at a showcase Tuesday. The group had made a bold move with its previous funk-driven hit “Fingertip,” diverging from its signature innocent schoolgirl image for the first time. This time, it kept to its sleek sound in “Love Whisper,” the lead track of the group’s fifth EP “Parallel,” released Tuesday evening.  GFriend performs during a press showcase for its fifth E

Aug. 2, 2017

Ferry Corsten may work with S.M. artists this winter

Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten said he may work on another song with an artist of S.M. Entertainment, adding that his previous works with the agency had been “an amazing, cool experience.”“I think I might be back here (Korea) for S.M. writing camp in the winter,” Corsten said before his performance at Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday. “I was very happy to have worked on tracks with Luna and Amber (of f(x)).” Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Sa

Aug. 2, 2017

[Herald Interview] Ferry Corsten talks about ‘Blueprint,’ electronic music scene

Pioneer of the music genre now known as trance, Ferry Corsten continues to expand his scope today, just as he has done for the past 20 years.The Korea Herald caught up with the Dutch disc spinner before his performance at Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday, and asked how he continues to motivate himself after two decades. Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday. (Unite With Tomorrowland) Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorro

Aug. 2, 2017

[Herald Interview] JJ Project returns five years later with reflective ‘Verse 2’

Five years ago, the duo of JJ Project, a subunit of chart-topping boy band GOT7, were not so different from other 18-year-olds, as they galloped on stage with their upbeat hip-hop debut single “Bounce,” full of energy. Likening their past to innocent children, JB and Jinyoung, both now in their mid-20s, said they wanted to showcase the more toned down and mature sides of themselves in their latest autobiographical album “Verse 2,” which was released Monday. (JYP Entertainment)“At first, we were

Aug. 1, 2017

Uee, Kangnam break up after dating for 3 months

Actress Uee and singer Kangnam told local media outlets Tuesday that they had broken up, two weeks after they admitted to being in a romantic relationship.The agencies of the two stars confirmed earlier reports that they had parted ways. Officials cited work as the cause, but did not comment on when the two had broken up. The two confirmed their relationship on July 14. They initially denied media reports that they were dating, but confessed after photos of them emerged.  Uee(left) and Kangnam (

Aug. 1, 2017