BTS Jimin sets new record with 3 songs with 50m streams on Spotify

Jimin of boy band phenomenon BTS has become the first Korean singer to have three songs on Spotify to each surpass 50 million streams.Seven months after “Intro: Serendipity” and “Lie” hit 50 million streams on Spotify, Jimin has extended his record and set a new high-water mark for Korean singers with “Serendipity (Full Length Edition).” No other Korean act has achieved two songs with 50 million streams on Spotify since Psy pulled off the feat with “Gang

Aug. 4, 2019

Model warns of legal action against rumors over video with Kangta

Racing model Woo Joo-ahn will take legal measures against people spreading false rumors about her on the internet following a recent incident involving her ex-boyfriend, singer-songwriter Kangta.“I will take legal action against those spreading false stories, libelous comments, insulting rumors,” Woo said on Instagram on Sunday.“(The legal action) will cover the three main portals, Instagram and major online communities,” Woo added. On Thursday, Woo, 29, mistakenly upload

Aug. 4, 2019

Maestro Chung Myung-whun to conduct, perform at upcoming concert

Maestro Chung Myung-whun will play the piano and also take the baton at One Korea Orchestra’s upcoming concert. One Korea Orchestra, led by the 66-year-old maestro, will hold its third performance at the Seoul Arts Center on Aug. 18, presenting Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor. The organizers had hoped to invite a North Korean pianist to perform the Mozart piece, but failed. Instead, Chung will play the piano for the piece.&n

Aug. 1, 2019

Mountains and music: Olympic city PyeongChang lifted up by classical music

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- A two-hour drive from Seoul, PyeongChang is widely known as a Winter Olympics host city filled with ski slopes, rental shops and resorts. But this week PyeongChang got a sudden infusion of classical music.“A Different Story,” the 16th Music in PyeongChang event also known as the Great Mountains Music Festival, kicked off Wednesday and will continue until Aug. 10. 　Located 700 meters above sea level in PyeongChang, the Alpensia Resort welcomed visitors

Aug. 1, 2019

Disgraced Produce X 101 faces class-action suit amid the downfall

The name of “Produce X 101,” the most recent installment in Mnet’s TV talent show franchise pitting K-pop trainees against each other, is likely to go down in infamy, as fans are suing the program’s producers for allegedly fixing the competition.Local law firm Mast Law & Consulting said Thursday it has filed a class-action suit on behalf of 260 “citizen producers” -- the label the show gives fans voting for their favorite contestants on the show -- accusin

Aug. 1, 2019

Staatskapelle Dresden to perform in Seoul, joined by Chung Myung-whun, Kim Sun-wook

Conductor Chung Myung-whun and pianist Kim Sun-wook will join the Staatskapelle Dresden during its visit to Korea in September for two concerts in Seoul. 　The orchestra’s visit to Korea is its first in four years.   The Staatskapelle Dresden will go on stage at the Sejong Center on Sept. 27, followed by another concert at the Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 29. While the Sejong Center performance will include Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, the

July 31, 2019

BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' gets 1st K-pop group record of 900 m YouTube views

The music video of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's 2018 song "Ddu-du Ddu-du" has hit the milestone of 900 million YouTube views, becoming the first music video by a K-pop group to do so, its management agency said Wednesday.The addictive, stylish music video hit the 900 million record late Tuesday, slightly more than one year after its release in June last year, according to YG Entertainment. It makes BLACKPINK the only K-pop act that has achieved the feat so far and "Ddu-du Ddu-du&q

July 31, 2019

Big Hit takes over music label of K-pop girl band GFriend

Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of K-pop super band BTS, has taken over a medium-sized talent agency that is home to popular girl band GFriend, Big Hit said Monday. "Having recently completed its contract to take over shares of Source Music, Big Hit will integrate (the company) as its subsidiary," Big Hit said in a press release. "Source Music plans to retain its current management to operate with its own color and independence as a music label," it said.  T

July 29, 2019

Two productions shed light on life of anti-Japanese fighter

In time for the Aug. 15 national holiday Liberation Day, which marks the end of Japan’s occupation of Korea in 1945, two cultural productions are to greet local audiences, shedding new light on the life of an anti-Japanese hero Hong Beom-do. Sejong Center, deploying all of its seven arts troupes and their 300 members, is to re-create the last days of Hong (1868-1945) in a music-infused dramatic play, tentatively titled “Independence Fighter at Theater,” on Sept. 20-21.  &

July 28, 2019

[Newsmaker] Daesung denies association with alleged illegal business in his building

Big Bang’s Daesung on Friday apologized for the ongoing controversy surrounding his building in Gangnam, Seoul, while denying any association with an alleged illegal entertainment business at his property. News outlets reported earlier Friday that an illegal entertainment business had been operating in the Big Bang member’s building in the Nonhyeon-dong neighborhood of Gangnam. An initial report said that an illegal entertainment business -- speculated to involve prostitution --

July 26, 2019

Kang Daniel's 1st solo album finally unveiled to make a splash in summer music scene

Breaking out of a long legal battle with his former management agency, Kang Daniel, a pivotal member of the now-defunct boy band Wanna One, hit the summer music scene Thursday with his first solo album "Color On Me."Kang wrote the lyrics for the four out of the total five tracks in the new EP, including the main track, "What Are You Up To," with which he officially returned to the K-pop scene following a six-month hiatus.His choice of music for the much-anticipated first albu

July 26, 2019

BTS' RM, Lil Nas X team up for Seoul version of latter's Billboard-topping single

RM, the leader of K-pop boy band BTS, and American rapper Lil Nas X on Thursday released their collaboration, a Seoul version of the latter's Billboard chart-topping single. "Seoul Town Road," released through global online music stores and streaming platforms, is a remix of the American musician's song "Old Town Road," which topped Billboard's Hot 100 single chart this week for the 16th week in a row, according to BTS' management agency Big Hit Entertainment.  RM wrote

July 26, 2019

Why Don’t We to hold Seoul concert in November

US boy band Why Don’t We will hold its first standalone concert in Korea in November, the show’s local promoters said Wednesday.According to Live Nation Korea, “Why Don’t We – 8 Letters Tour” will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, eastern Seoul. It marks the second time the band is performing in Korea.Comprising members Zach Herron, Jack Avery, Daniel Seavey, Corbyn Besson and Jonah Marais, the band was launched in September 2016 and

July 24, 2019

BTS' recent home concerts created economic effect worth nearly 500 b won: report

K-pop boy band BTS' fan meetings and concerts in South Korea last month created an economic effect worth nearly 500 billion won ($424.2 million), an academic report showed Wednesday.According to the report by a research team led by Pyun Ju-hyun, a business professor at Seoul's Korea University, BTS spawned a total of 481.3 billion won in direct and indirect economic effect with its "BTS 5th Muster [Magic Shop]" performances held in Busan on June 15-16 and in Seoul on June 22-23. The tw

July 24, 2019

BTS nominated in 4 categories of MTV 2019 Video Music Awards

K-pop boy band BTS has been nominated for American TV channel MTV's 2019 Video Music Awards in four award categories, the TV channel's website showed Wednesday."Boy With Luv," BTS' latest single featuring Halsey, is competing in the best collaboration category for the fan-voted music awards whose final awards ceremony is set for Aug. 26 at New Jersey's Prudential Center.  The main track of "Map of the Soul: Persona" is also competing in three other categories: Best K-pop

July 24, 2019

Trouble-ridden Jisan festival canceled 3 days before opening

The 2019 Jisan Rock Festival was officially canceled Tuesday, as the ambitious attempt to revive the festival came to a sudden and screeching halt, much to the anger and confusion of fans.D2 Global Company, the organizer for the festival, said on its homepage earlier in the day that it had called off the event.“2019 Jisan Rock Festival was to be held for three days at Jisan Forest Resort on July 26-28, but we decided to cancel the event as it was not possible to hold the concerts,” t

July 23, 2019

Violinist Sarah Chang to hold solo recital tour in winter

Violinist Sarah Chang will embark on a six-city tour across Korea in December, marking her first solo recitals here in seven years. The 39-year-old Korean American musician, also known as Chang Young-joo, will perform in Daegu on Dec. 17, followed by Ulsan; Anyang, Gyeonggi Province; Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province; Donghae, Gangwon Province; and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tour will wrap up with a recital at the Seoul Arts Center on Dec. 29. Chang performed at a concert at the Seoul

July 22, 2019

[Feauture] Offering classical music to more in Seoul

With tickets to classical music concerts typically around 100,000 won ($85), and sometimes triple that for big-name performers, prices have been a major barrier to widening the audience for classical music.To lower that barrier, organizations hold concerts for free or at a relatively affordable price, sponsored by the government or companies. These outreach concerts often feature pieces with a wide appeal and recognition, even among people unfamiliar with classical musicConcerts move out of conc

July 21, 2019

Wiz Khalifa, Joey Bada$$, Rejjie Snow to hold Seoul concert in September

Hip-hop artists Wiz Khalifa, Joey Bada$$ and Rejjie Snow will hold a joint concert in Seoul in September, local promoters said.The upcoming show will be held Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul. Tickets range from 99,000 won ($85) to 110,000 won. All three artists have performed in Seoul before, with Wiz Khalifa last visiting the city in 2017, and both Joey Bada$$ and Rejjie Snow visiting Korea to perform last year.Tickets will be made available online via Interpark on

July 19, 2019

BTS makes Time's list of 25 most influential people on internet

K-pop superstars BTS has made it on Time magazine's list of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet for the third year in a row.The K-pop septet was among the 25 people the US magazine unveiled Tuesday (US time) for this year, which included US President Donald Trump, American musicians Ariana Grande and Cardi B, and the British royal family, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. BTS was the only Korean on the list, on which the band marked its third annual presence since 2017, accord

July 17, 2019