2PM to hold farewell concert before military service

K-pop boy band 2PM will be holding its last concert before its members enlist for their mandatory military service, the group’s agency JYP Entertainment announced Thursday. The concert, titled “6Nights,” will take place at the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium at Seoul’s Olympic Park, JYP said. 2PM released its sixth LP “Gentlemen’s Game” in September last year and its members have been focusing on solo activities and their acting careers since then. The concert will mark 2PM’s first return to the s

Jan. 6, 2017

Koo Hye-sun paints fear, uncertainty in ‘Dark Yellow’

In the art exhibition “Dark Yellow,” actress Koo Hye-sun’s color of choice symbolized the contradictory nature of fearing what had once been a source of inspiration.“My favorite color used to be yellow, but my feeling toward it has changed with age. I used to think having a dream is only natural, but not anymore. ... After I’d grown up, the yellow started to take on a darker shade,” she said during a press preview. “The most terrifying thing in the world is to have a dream,” is the theme of the

Jan. 6, 2017

Big Bang chosen among Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ musicians

Korean boy band Big Bang has made it to the Forbes’ list of the world’s 30 most popular musicians under the age 30 for this year.The members were the only Koreans on the US economic magazine’s “30 Under 30 Music Class of 2017,” which was unveiled on the magazine‘s official website Tuesday. K-pop group Big Bang (YG Entertainment)The list includes many of the singers, songwriters, managers and entrepreneurs revolutionizing the modern music business, such as the popular American R&B singer Gallant

Jan. 4, 2017

Original ‘idols’ ride nostalgia back to mainstream... kinda

The 90s-nostalgia is back in full swing as mega stars of the bygone era are either preparing, or have already returned, to the mainstream K-pop scene dominated by teen boybands and girl groups.S.E.S., cited by many as one of “first-generation” girl groups, released “Remember - 20th Anniversary Special Album” on Monday to commemorate its debut in 1997. The group was one of the first all-female groups to gain nationwide popularity, and is a forerunner to the parade of girl groups that dominate the

Jan. 4, 2017

Year on, Bowie remembered as engaging until end

NEW YORK (AFP) - When David Bowie walked unassumingly into a cozy New York jazz club to hear Donny McCaslin play, the saxophonist admits he wasn’t well-versed in the rock icon’s vast discography.Bowie, who had a vision for the rhythmic underpinning of what would become his final album, met McCaslin in person a week later and soon emailed him to propose a collaboration.“Blackstar,” Bowie’s 25th studio album, showed the legendary rocker experimenting until the end, crafting a style of hard jazz as

Jan. 4, 2017

Beyonce, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar to headline Coachella

NEW YORK (AP) -- Beyonce is one of the headliners of the 2017 Coachella music festival -- a first for the pop star.Festival producer Goldenvoice announced Tuesday that Beyonce, Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar will headline the two-weekend festival in April in Indio, California. Radiohead will perform on April 14 and 21; Beyonce on April 15 and 22; and Lamar on April 16 and 23. Beyonce (digitaltrends.com)Tickets, including three-day passes, go on sale Wednesday.Beyonce last appeared at Coachella in

Jan. 4, 2017

Madrid to hold major Picasso exhibit for ‘Guernica’ anniversary

MADRID (AFP) - Madrid’s Reina Sofia museum said Tuesday it would stage a major Pablo Picasso exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of his famed “Guernica” painting, a universal symbol of the cruelty of war.“Pity and Terror in Picasso -- the Path to Guernica” will open on April 4 and last five months to celebrate the anniversary of the painting itself, as well as its arrival at the museum 25 years ago.“Close to 150 masterpieces by the artist will be on show, coming from the　(museum’s) collectio

Jan. 4, 2017

‘Infinite Challenge’ tops music charts

Korean TV show “Infinite Challenge” is at the top of several local music charts as of Monday, with songs from its recent project episode on hip-hop and history. The song “Your Night,” by cast member Hwang Kwang-hee, musician Gaeko and featuring singer Oh Hyuk, topped the charts of Korean music streaming and downloading websites, including MelOn, M.net and Genie, Sunday following their release during Saturday’s episode of “Infinite Challenge.”  (MBC)Other songs from the show, such as “Shoot” by c

Jan. 2, 2017

Performances to look out for in 2017

The New Year means a new season of theater and exhibitions. And with 2016 having come to a close, 2017 promises a new set of unforgettable shows and big-name productions for local theater lovers.　Seoul’s major performing arts centers are already gearing up to play host to a variety of concerts and performances to usher in the New Year.　The LG Arts Center in Gangnam-gu Seoul has announced its new season, featuring 15 international and local productions from jazz to modern dance, classical music a

Jan. 1, 2017

SS301’s Kim Hyung-jun to enter police force

Double S 301 member Kim Hyung-jun (CI ENT)SS301’s Kim Hyung-jun has passed the conscripted police exam and plans to enlist for his mandatory military service in April, according to his agency CI ENT. 　Kim had initially announced he would enlist in 2014, but his then-budding music and acting career led him to postpone the enlistment.  　Kim joins a number of other celebrities who plan to join the conscripted police force next year, including Big Bang’s T.O.P and JYJ’s Kim Jun-su. 　The artist made

Dec. 29, 2016

Year in pop: The 10 best albums of a year defined by loss

Has any pop album ever changed shape as quickly — and as thoroughly — as David Bowie’s “Blackstar”?On Jan. 8, the day it was released, Bowie’s collaboration with a group of adventurous New York jazz players represented a creative rebirth for this cultural icon. Two days later, Bowie died at age 69, and suddenly “Blackstar” became a document of finality, never to be heard again without being shadowed by his death.The speed and fullness of that transformation was extreme. But as we soon found out,

Dec. 29, 2016

AOA teams up with Brave Brothers again

AOA (FNC Entertainment)Girl group AOA will team up with mega K-pop producer Brave Brothers once again for its upcoming album, “Angels Knock.”　The album is slated for release on Jan. 2 and will mark AOA’s first full-length album since debuting in 2012. According to news reports, it will feature two lead singles, one of which was produced by Brave Brothers. 　Often referred to as a “hit maker,” Brave Brothers is one of the most sought after producers in the K-pop industry. It has worked alongside s

Dec. 28, 2016

K-pop groups gearing up for 2017 debut

New K-pop boy band Varsity (CSO Entertainment)As the year comes to a close, 2017 is revving up to welcome a new string of groups hoping to become the industry’s next big thing. 　From the minds of the famed choreography company Yama & Hotchicks, founded by Bae Yoon-jung, new girl group Seeart is set to make its official debut next year.　The first group ever to be debuted by Yama & Hotchicks, the new K-pop act is garnering much attention as its makers are behind some of the industry‘s most famed d

Dec. 28, 2016

Heated debate continues over authenticity of ‘Beautiful Woman’

The debate on whether the painting “Beautiful Woman” is a genuine work by late Korean artist Chun Kyung-ja is far from over, despite the prosecutors’ recent conclusion that the piece was Chun’s creation.During a heated press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, Jean Penicaut, CEO of French image analysis firm Lumiere Technology, fiercely defended his firm’s conclusion that there is only a 0.0002 percent chance the piece could have been painted by Chun.Penicaut held the press conference to rebut Korea

Dec. 27, 2016

Taiwan-born Tzuyu chosen as most popular K-pop idol in Taiwan

TAIPEI -- Tzuyu, a Taiwanese member of the multinational K-pop girl group TWICE, and "Descendants of the Sun" have turned out to be the most popular Korean idol and TV series, respectively, in Taiwan, a local paper reported Monday.The Liberty Times released the popularity results based on the number of searches on the Internet and social media sites.In November 2015, Tzuyu put herself at the center of a diplomatic controversy when she waved the Taiwanese national flag during an online-exclusive

Dec. 26, 2016

Red Velvet’s Wendy releases song with Ricky Martin

Red Velvet’s main vocalist Wendy collaborated with Latin music icon Ricky Martin for his new digital single, “Vente Pa’ca.” The song was released Tuesday on major local music streaming sites including Melon, Genie and Naver Music, and on global services such as iTunes and Spotify. “Vente Pa’ca,” a club dance track with pop-reggae sounds, was previously released in Spanish in September with Columbian artist Maluma. Wendy contributed to the English version. Wendy of Red Velvet (SM Entertainment)Ma

Dec. 26, 2016

Pianist Steve Barakatt to compose anthem for Saemangeum

Canadian pianist, composer and producer Steve Barakatt has agreed to compose and record the official anthem for the city of Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province.  　Saemangeum lies at the mouth of the Dongjin and Mangyeong rivers on the coast of the province. The area comprises reclaimed tidal land and is currently being developed as a free economic zone. 　“It is now official, I will compose the Official Anthem of the revolutionary City Project of Saemangeum, South Korea,” the New Age pianist tweete

Dec. 26, 2016