Boy band sues entertainment agency for ‘poor’ treatment

A five-piece Korean boy band debuted during the summer of 2016 after signing a contract with an agency in December 2015. However, the group’s hopes of becoming part of the next generation of Hallyu were shattered in less than a year.The agency, downsizing its workforce, did not provide the band with a manger, a vehicle or vocal and dance lessons.The bandmates were asked to pay for their own hairstyling and makeup, as well as aesthetic procedures such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin injecti

June 22, 2018

[Herald Interview] Jaurim’s music revolves around humans, world they live in

Just as its name refers to a “purple rainforest,” Jaurim’s music is the epitome of profoundness and mysteriousness. Or, life itself. Seesawing between extreme highs and lows, the band dives deep into dark human emotions of angst and touches on societal illnesses. But it also coos about hope and lasting love in the most sophisticated language, as if trying to say life’s not always miserable.  Celebrating 20 years in the music scene, the band -- vocalist Kim Yoon-ah, bassist Kim Jin-man and guitar

June 22, 2018

GFriend confirms Sept. 8-9 concert to cap off Asia tour

Girl group GFriend on Thursday confirmed that it will hold concerts from Sept. 8-9 in Seoul as the grand finale for its ongoing Asia tour.Its agency Source Music, through its official social media pages, announced that it will hold the concerts at SK Olympic Handhall Gymnasium. It will mark the first Seoul concert in eight months, since the K-pop act‘s first solo concert in January.  The teaser image for GFriend’s upcoming Seoul concert (Source Music)The concert in January kicked off an Asia tou

June 21, 2018

Law revision to mean more profit for artists from streamed music

Musicians in Korea will make more money from their products starting next year, as a law revision approved Wednesday will increase their share from streaming music. According to the revised law, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said, copyright holders of music will now get 65 percent of the profit earned by streaming their product. Currently, they are entitled to 60 percent. The discount rate on package deals on sales of more than 30 songs, which can be purchased at a discount of 35 t

June 20, 2018

[Album review] There’s nothing amiss on BTOB’s new album

BTOB“This Is Us” (Loen Entertainment)While it’s a widely known fact that BTOB rarely disappoints fans with its ballads, the group proved that it does indeed have a range in its new album “This Is Us.” With the members’ fingerprints all over it, the seven-track collection features an array of light and vocally-driven tracks that are perfectly baked with all kinds of ingredients that even non-K-pop listeners can relish. Opener “Call Me,” in which Ilhoon lent his hand in writing lyrics and composin

June 20, 2018

DJ Soda set to go global with Warner Music Group

DJ Soda has partnered with Warner Music Group. The 28-year-old DJ signed a distribution deal for her upcoming record with Warner Music Group, according to her agency House of Music on Wednesday. Warner Music Group is home to big-name pop artists such as Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Coldplay.  DJ Soda (House of Music)“I am happy to work with Warner Music Group, which many global artists are a part of. I will work on making better music,” DJ Soda said through her agency. Recently, DJ Soda, whose rea

June 20, 2018

BTS producer Bang Si-hyuk joins Variety’s list of international music leaders

Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment and producer of BTS, has joined Variety’s list of international music leaders for 2018. The list by the US magazine recognized 23 figures in the global music industry who are currently “driving music consumption with creativity, acumen, and passion” and companies “best poised to forge into a promising future.”  Bang Si-hyuk (Big Hit Entertainment)Introducing Bang as one of the “game changers,” the magazine chronicled his feats as a producer of BTS, stat

June 20, 2018

BTS MV site enjoys popularity

An aerodrome shot in a BTS music video has become a popular tourist site with fans from around the globe.The city of Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, posted a YouTube link for “EPILOGUE : Young Forever” on its official website to promote the city with growing interest in Mosan Aerodrome.It also put up a banner saying, “Come to Jecheon, BTS’ Music Video Site.”(YouTube)A part of the video displays the Korean boy band walking on Mosan Aerodrome, which is located in the city’s Goam-dong.The aero

June 20, 2018

BTS' latest record stays on 2 key Billboard charts for 4th week

K-pop boy band BTS' latest record and its title track made it to the competitive Billboard charts of the 200 most popular albums and the 100 hottest songs for the fourth week in a row respectively, the group's agency said Wednesday."Love Yourself: Tear," the third full-length BTS album, released May 18, charted 20th in the Billboard 200 album chart as of Wednesday after landing atop the list in the week starting May 27. The following week, it slipped to sixth place.  BTS (Yonhap)The album's main

June 20, 2018

Taeyeon’s ‘Something New’ album tops iTunes charts in 12 countries

Taeyeon’s latest album EP has topped iTunes charts in 12 countries, according to her agency Tuesday. “Something New,” the artist’s third solo EP and her first record since “This Christmas? Winter Is Coming” EP released in December, climbed to the top of iTunes charts in Chile, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam and Cambodia, S.M. Entertainment said. Taeyeon (S.M. Entertainment)Along with the neo soul title track, the six-track album also includes “All Night L

June 19, 2018

Bob Dylan to hold concert in Seoul next month

Singer, songwriter, poet and Nobel laureate Bob Dylan will showcase his famed talent in Seoul with his first concert here since 2010. According to local promoter AIM, Dylan will hold a concert at 8 p.m. on July 27 at the Olympic Park Gymnastic Stadium in southern Seoul.Dylan, one of the most influential figures in popular music, has released 38 studio albums and over 600 songs in his storied career spanning six decades. Classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind” have propelled him -- albeit reluctantly

June 19, 2018

Rising virtuosi to perform Shostakovich, Ravel at Kumho

Violinist Yang In-mo will hold his first chamber music concert on Thursday at Kumho Art Hall, together with cellist Mun Tae-guk and pianist Ben Kim. For the upcoming concert titled “Tri Angle,” the three young virtuosi will present duo and trio performances of chamber music compositions by innovative classical music composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich and Maurice Ravel.  Violinist Yang In-mo (Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation) Cellist Mun Tae-guk (Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation) Pianist Ben K

June 18, 2018

Twice to return with ‘Dance the Night Away’ on July 9

Just three months since its “What Is Love” EP, Twice is ready to return with a summer single in “Dance the Night Away,” on July 9.According to its JYP Entertainment agency Monday, the K-pop girl group’s upcoming song will offer a fresh tune that suits the summer weather. The song’s teaser image, released by the agency, showed a wooden tent against a backdrop of a starry night sky and dark green forest.  Teaser for Twice’s upcoming single, “Dance the Night Away” (JYP Entertainment)Since debuting

June 18, 2018

Minseo to return with charismatic ‘Is Who’ Wednesday

A music video teaser image for Minseo’s upcoming single “Is Who” (Mystic Entertainment)　Minseo, a female vocalist from Mnet’s audition program “Super Star K,” will release the third track of her debut album on Wednesday.According to her agency Mystic Entertainment, the artist’s upcoming song titled “Is Who” will feature a dramatic transformation of the 21-year-old singer. While her previous music has been centered on folk songs and ballads, the charismatic “Is Who” will offer a jazzy gypsy-sound

June 17, 2018

Cube Entertainment artists join voices in 4-hour-long concert

Cube Entertainment held its label concert “United Cube – One” on Saturday. The concert, which took place at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Seoul, featured performances by a total of 33 Cube artists including HyunA, Jo Kwon, BTOB, CLC, Pentagon, (G)I-DLE and Yu Seon-ho, that ran for more than four hours. The annual concert has been held since 2013.  "United Cube-One” was held on Saturday at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Seoul. (Cube Entertainment)　Rookie girl band (G)

June 17, 2018

Monsta X to perform in Europe

Monsta X will hold concerts in Europe next week as part of its ongoing world tour, its agency said Friday.According to Start Entertainment, the act will hold concerts in Eventim Apollo in London on Sunday, Afas Live in Amsterdam on Wednesday and Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid on June 23. After Europe, the group will head to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Taipei and then visit seven cities in the US and four cities in South America until August. Monsta X kicked off its world tour last month with a concert

June 15, 2018

Black Pink members ‘Square Up’ with more power

Black Pink came back with more power than ever before. Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa and Rose of the K-pop act met with the press a few hours before the release of their first-ever EP, and highlighted that the new EP is all about “power.” “The lead track’s title resembles the sound of a gunshot. But it is also like a spell -- a spell to make us strong. It has elements of hip-hop, stronger and tougher than our previous songs,” Jennie said in a press conference, where she and her bandmates talked about thei

June 15, 2018

Seventeen, fromis_9, to perform at KCON 2018 LA

K-pop artists fromis_9 and Seventeen are confirmed as performers at KCON 2018, set to take place in August in Los Angeles.The two groups will perform at the Staples Center and LA Convention Center at the seventh annual KCON LA, scheduled to be held from Aug. 10-12.  (KCON USA)The nine members of fromis_9 were brought together through Mnet’s reality show “Idol School” in 2017. Before officially debuting in January 2018, the group made a major stage appearance with “Glass Shoes,” its pre-debut sin

June 15, 2018

Kyungri of Nine Muses gears up for solo debut

Kyungri is finally standing on her own as an artist, with the K-pop star slated for her first release as a solo artist in July.According to Star Empire Entertainment, the Nine Muses bandmate has just finished recording for her first solo album. She will shoot the music video next week.Despite her popularity with Nine Muses, Kyungri had never embarked upon a solo project. This will mark her first musical work since the band released “Love City” in August. Kyungri (Star Empire Entertainment)Kyungr

June 15, 2018

Taeyeon hints more on upcoming release

Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation released the track list for her upcoming solo EP, “Something New.” Along with the neo soul title track, the five additional tracks to be included are “All Night Long,” “Baram X 3,” “One Day,” “Circus” and an instrumental version of the “Something New.”  Taeyeon (S.M. Entertainment)NCT’s Lucas, a labelmate of Taeyeon under S.M. Entertainment, guest raps on “All Night Long.” The new EP will be Taeyeon’s first record since “This Christmas? Winter Is Coming” released in

June 14, 2018