BTS' 'Fire' music video logs over 300 mln YouTube views

The music video for K-pop act BTS' "Fire" has been watched over 300 million times on YouTube, becoming the band's second video to reach the milestone.The view count for the video, which was uploaded on May 1, 2016, stood at 300,169,178 as of 9:20 a.m. Monday, becoming the second BTS video to rise above the 300-million mark after "DNA." K-pop boy band BTS (Yonhap)"Fire" is the lead track of BTS' "Epilogue: Young Forever" album. It ranked No. 3 on YouTube's 2016 list for the world's most-viewed K-

March 12, 2018

R&B icon, Solid to return with new album

Legendary Korean R&B trio, Solid, is to return to the music scene with a new album after a 21-year absence. After rumors surrounding the band’s return surfaced in the recent months, the trio officially announced that it will release a new album titled “Into the Light” on March 22.  Teaser image of “Into the Light” (Solid)Solid -- consisting of Chong Jae-yoon, Lee Joon and Kim Jo-han -- was an iconic R&B act in the Korean music industry in the 1990s. Debuting in 1993, the group sold over 4 millio

March 11, 2018

YG asks fans to refrain from sending letters to enlisted G-Dragon

After G-Dragon of Big Bang enlisted in the Army in February, the military training center is experiencing difficulties with an excessive number of fan mail addressed to the global star. The singer-rapper’s agency, YG Entertainment, issued a notice on its social media account and website Saturday. The statement read, “G-Dragon is in a difficult position within his military unit as the amount of incoming mail from fans is excessive.”  G-Dragon enters the basic training camp at Cheorwon, Gangwon Pr

March 11, 2018

B1A4 singer Sandeul denies rumors of involvement in sexual violence

Sandeul of K-pop group B1A4 on Friday denied rumors of being the perpetrator in a "Me Too" allegation raised against an unidentified boy band singer."(The alleged assailant) is not with our company. We will actively deal with the spread of false information," WM Entertainment, the singer's management agency said in a statement.The statement was released in response to the Sports Seoul newspaper's report alleging an unidentified boy group singer having raped a female acquaintance six years ago. R

March 9, 2018

Herald Philharmonic holds spring concert

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursday held its fifth annual concert at Seoul Arts Center, with music ranging from movie scores to orchestral choral works.“I hope the visitors to concert to feel fully the breath of the upcoming spring through the Herald Philharmonic’s music,” said Namkoong Won, Honorary President of Herald Corp.  The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra held its fifth annual concert at Seoul Arts Center on Thursday. (By Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)The Herald Philharmonic Orch

March 8, 2018

Big Bang to release unpublished song

Popular boy band Big Bang will put out an unpublished song performed by all five of its members for the first time in about a year, the group's management agency said Thursday."Big Bang will release a song produced in its entirety," YG Entertainment said in a release. "As Taeyang and Daesung are set to enter the Army after G-Dragon, it will be happy news to the group's fans in and out of the country who are saddened by the group's break."Big Bang performs during its "Big Bang 2017 Concert Last D

March 8, 2018

Soprano Sumi Jo, gospel singer Sohyang to perform at Winter Paralympics opening

Korean soprano Sumi Jo and gospel singer Sohyang will perform together in the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, according to her agency SMI Entertainment and event organizers Thursday. The two singers will sing “Here as One,” the anthem for the event, during the opening ceremony that will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium. The song was composed by Italian musician Federico Paciotti.  Sohyang, left, and Sumi Jo (SMI Entertainment)“’Here a

March 8, 2018

Achim Freyer to bring his ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ to Korea

Acclaimed German artist Achim Freyer will stage “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” one of Wagner’s “Gesamtkunstwerk,” -- a term coined by the composer, meaning a work of art making use of various art forms -- in Seoul over a period of nearly two years.“We finished a three-hour bauprobe (staging try-out) at the Seoul Arts Center on Monday without singers. Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” is a magnificent piece and a precious present given to us because it’s an archetype work in which its intellectual

March 8, 2018

[Video] Mamamoo gets mellow, returns with yellow spring vibe

Having been one of the few K-pop groups that brought booming girl power to the stage, Mamamoo this time portrayed a mellow and bright image. The four-piece act’s new spring-inspired EP “Yellow Flower,” released Wednesday, veers away from the group’s previous powerful image. Mamamoo’s sixth EP, “Yellow Flower,” is the first of the group’s new project series called “Four Seasons,” through which the act will showcase four albums that combine one seasonal color and a matching member’s characteristic

March 8, 2018

Apink to return with single in April

Girl group Apink will return with a new single in April, the group’s agency Plan A Entertainment said Thursday. According to the agency, the six-piece act will release the song to celebrate its seventh anniversary this year. It will be the group’s first release since “Pink Up” in June last year.  Apink (Plan A Entertainment)Band leader Park Cho-rong hinted at the upcoming song in a Naver V live broadcast last week.Apink made its debut in April 2011 with its first EP “Seven Springs of Apink.” Oft

March 8, 2018

JYP’s Stray Kids to officially debut on March 25

JYP Entertainment will formally showcase Stray Kids, its newest heavyweight in the boyband department, at Jangchung Stadium in Seoul.According to the agency, the debut showcase for the nine-piece K-pop act will take place at 6 p.m. on march 25, titled “Stray Kids Unvil [Op. 01: Iam NOT].” It marks the first time in four years since JYP is debuted its last boyband, GOT7. A screen grab from the trailer video for Stray Kids’ upcoming debut showcase (JYP Entertainment)Along with the news, JYP also u

March 6, 2018

Ian Bostridge to hold first concert as artist-in-residence of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

“I am always struck by the incredible nature of (the) audience here, the enthusiasm you feel not just after you perform the concert but even when you arrive on the stage. It’s wonderful to come here,” said tenor Ian Bostridge during a press conference at Sejong Center on Monday. Introduced by the orchestra’s new CEO Kang Eun-kyung at the press conference, English tenor Ian Bostridge is the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s first artist-in-residence. The tenor will start his season at the orchestra

March 5, 2018

Big Bang member Daesung to start military duty on March 13

Daesung of K-pop group Big Bang will start his mandatory military service on March 13, YG Entertainment said Monday. According to the agency, Daesung applied for military service in 2017 with hopes of enlisting at a similar time with other members of the group.In South Korea, all able-bodied men have to carry out their military duty for about two years.  Daesung, member of Big Bang (Yonhap)As Taeyang is set to enlist on March 12, Seungri will be Big Bang’s only member yet to enlist. T.O.P and G-

March 5, 2018

[Trending] #7Princess #SugarMan

The members of the K-pop group 7 Princess returned to the small screen Sunday night all grown up after unofficially disbanding a decade ago. The group made a surprising appearance on JTBC’s show “Two Yoo Project Sugar Man” on Sunday and sang their hit number “Love Song.”The show, hosted by Yoo Jae-suk and You Hee-yeol, features K-pop singers who had enjoyed only a brief period of popularity with their single hit. (JTBC)The group, which debuted in 2003, consisted of seven members who were only 7

March 5, 2018

Embattled Jung Yong-hwa joins military

Amid controversy surrounding his graduate school admission, CNBLUE’s Jung Yong-hwa enlisted in the military Monday. Jung joined the five-week basic training at a boot camp in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. His agency had said Jung would like to begin his service quietly without official fan events, but some 300 fans gathered at the scene to say goodbye to the star.  Singer Jung Yong-hwa shows off his buzz cut in this photo shared through his Twitter account on Sunday, to say goodbye to fans before

March 5, 2018

EXO fires up Singapore, gears up for Bangkok

EXO on Saturday wrapped up its concert in Singapore as part of its ongoing Asia tour.Holding a concert for fans in the Southeast Asian country after almost a year, EXO performed 30 songs at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, including hits like “Growl,” “Call Me Baby,” “Ko Ko Bop” and “Power.” EXO performs in the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday. (S.M. Entertainment)EXO performs in the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday. (S.M. Entertainment)In addition to the usual repertoire, there were also s

March 4, 2018

BTS' 'Not Today' video passes 200 million YouTube views

The video for BTS' "Not Today" surpassed 200 million views on YouTube on Saturday, becoming the fifth video by the K-pop sensation to hit the milestone, the group's agency said."Not Today," a track off the group's album "You Never Walk Alone" released in February last year, garnered 200,094,662 views as of 1 p.m., according to Big Hit Entertainment.The group now has five videos with more than 200 million views, including "Fire," "Dope," "Blood, Sweat & Tears" and "DNA," and seven videos with mor

March 3, 2018

BTS’ J-Hope releases first mixtape ‘Hope World’

J-Hope of K-pop act BTS has released his first mixtape “Hope World” and an accompanying music video of its lead track “Daydream.”The seven-track album, released via the group’s official social media page on Friday midnight for free, was self-produced, penned and composed by the BTS member, according to his agency Big Hit Entertainment Friday.  Scenes from the music video of “Daydream“ (Big Hit Entertainment)The agency also said the album honestly portrays J-Hope’s everyday thoughts and his true

March 2, 2018

BTS' J-Hope drops first solo mixtape

J-Hope of popular boy band BTS has released his much-anticipated first mixtape, his management agency said Friday.The singer uploaded the music of the mixtape titled "Hope World" and the video for its title song "Daydream" on social media and SoundCloud at midnight, according to Big Hit Entertainment.Mixtape is a homemade compilation of self-produced recordings, which is free of charge to the public. J-Hope became the third BTS member to drop a mixtape after RM in 2015 and Suga in 2016. BTS` J-H

March 2, 2018

Singer Heo Young-ji confirms relationship with Guckkasten’s Ha Hyun-woo

Heo Young-ji of the defunct girl group Kara has been in a relationship with Ha Hyun-woo of the indie-rock band Guckkasten for around six months, Heo’s agency said Thursday. The two began their relationship in the second half of last year according to DPS Media.“After meeting through mutual friends, Ha Hyun-woo and Heo Young-ki contacted each other and recently began to have feelings for one another. They are cautiously getting to know each other,” it said. Heo Young-ji’s InstagramHeo and Ha repo

March 1, 2018