Tiger JK seeking new talent to share SXSW stage with

Tiger JK has confirmed his participation in the upcoming South by Southwest in Texas, and is looking for up-and-coming hip-hop musicians to take to the stage with him at the festival.His agency Feel Good Music announced Wednesday that the rapper will handpick two hip-hop musicians through the MMT Korea Festival to be held on March 2 at Konkuk University in Seoul. The winning musician will share the stage at the SXSW with Tiger JK and rapper Junoflo, who will also participate in the selection pro

Feb. 21, 2018

[Album review] BoA stands between conformist and No. 1 on new album

BoA“One Shot, Two Shot”(Iriver)Successfully blending futuristic sounds with hip-hop dance beats, the veteran singer’s first ever EP “One Shot, Two Shot,” features two of BoA’s greatest strengths: conforming to a trend but keeping her excellence. The seven-track collection, which includes the previously released “Nega Dola” and “Camo,” is also a testament to how BoA was able to stand tall on her own throughout her 19-year career.The opener and title track “One Shot, Two Shot” is a deep-house danc

Feb. 21, 2018

Wax vows to keep Joan of Arc spirit until 70

Throughout her 20-year career, Wax has been typecast as a nationally acclaimed but secretive balladeer. Her biggest hit, “Fixing My Makeup,” a tear-jerker of a post-breakup song, has been on the list of people’s favorite karaoke sing-alongs for more than a decade, while her personal life has been veiled from the public. “Due to my balladeer image and vocal, people think me as a serious person. But I want to dismantle that image,” Wax, 45, whose real name is Cho Hye-ri, told The Korea Herald in S

Feb. 20, 2018

Soprano Julia Lezhneva makes first visit to Korea

Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva will perform with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by British conductor Paul Goodwin at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul on Thursday. Julia Lezhneva / Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraTitled “Baroque Extravaganza,” the concert features a program of Baroque and early Classical era music, including Handel‘s Concerto Grosso Op. 3 No. 4, as well as Recitativo “Solitudine Amate,” aria “Aure Fonti” and “Brilla Nell’Alma” from Handel‘s opera “Alessandro.” Lezhneva will also pe

Feb. 20, 2018

Mamamoo eyeing March 7 release

Mamamoo said Monday that the girl group is eying a new release on March 7, two months after releasing “Paint Me” in January.The group’s agency Rainbow Bridge World confirmed reports on the planned date for the new release, although it added that there is a possibility for a last-minute change. Mamamoo (Rainbow Bridge World)It was reported earlier in the day that the girl group left for New Zealand on Feb.14 to shoot a music video for the new song, with the members actively involved in the song,

Feb. 19, 2018

NCT signals major return with ‘Boss’

NCT hinted its return to the K-pop scene, pre-releasing the music video of its unit’s new track “Boss” on Sunday. NCT U, consisted of seven members from the original group, recorded the song and shot the accompanied music clip in Ukraine. Taeyong and Mark participated in the lyric writing.  Teaser image of NCT U’s new track “Boss” (S.M. Entertainment)The song is a hint to the upcoming album “NCT 2018” which will be released in March. All 18 bandmates of the group are to participate in the album

Feb. 18, 2018

EXO, Girl's Generation, other S.M. artists to hold large K-pop concert in Dubai

EXO, Girl's Generation and other top K-pop stars will stage a joint concert in Dubai in April, organizers said Thursday. EXO (Yonhap)The SM Town Live World Tour VI in Dubai will be held at Autism Rocks Arena on April 6 and will also feature such S.M. Entertainment artists as BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, SHINee and Red Velvet, according to Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.The SM Town Live series was launched in 2008 and concerts have been held in New York, Paris, Tokyo, Beijing an

Feb. 15, 2018

[Herald Interview] From Brazil to Europe, VAV hopes to expand global footprint

Having recently returned from a tour in Brazil, K-pop boy band VAV isore motivated than ever, with a goal in mind to expand its reach all around the globe. "It’s really interesting that more than half of our social media followers were from Brazil, even before we visited the country. We didn’t realize our popularity in Brazil until we got there,” said Ayno from the seven-piece group in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Tuesday. VAV, from “Very Awesome Voice,” may sound unfamiliar to

Feb. 14, 2018

Jun. K of boy band 2PM caught for drunk driving

Jun. K, a member of South Korean boy band 2PM, was caught driving under the influence of alcohol over the weekend, police said Tuesday. Jun. K (Yonhap)Jun. K was caught for drunk driving in southern Seoul at 7 a.m. on Saturday, officials at Gangnam Police Station said. His blood alcohol content was 0.074 percent, a level that would lead to the suspension of his driver's license.Police plan to question him soon over how he got behind the wheel while intoxicated.His agency JYP Entertainment issued

Feb. 13, 2018

Finding composer Yun I-sang‘s musical origin in Korea’s traditional music

Works by acclaimed contemporary classical composer Yun I-sang will be performed by the National Gugak Center, the state-led institution dedicated to traditional Korean gugak, and the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra in a joint concert on Feb. 23.  “Yun Isang: Embracing the Roots of Korean Aesthetic” (The Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation)“The Traditional Performing Arts Foundation first decided to initiate the project to offer a better understanding of composer Yun I-sang’s musical ro

Feb. 13, 2018

Roy Kim’s new single ‘Only Then’ sweeps charts

Soloist Roy Kim’s new single “Only Then” dominated major local music charts shortly after its release on Monday. As of Tuesday afternoon, the singer’s poignant pop ballad remained atop six major real time charts including Melon, Bugs, Naver and Mnet. Roy Kim (CJ E&M)Penned and composed by Kim, “Only Then” centers on a couple‘s long-distance relationship and describes a man’s heartbreak he decides to break up. His agency CJ E&M explained that the song also includes the singer‘s own experiences of

Feb. 13, 2018

10 bands and singers coming to Korea in 3 months

1. Oh Wonder (Oh Wonder's Instagram)Feb. 20 (Tues.) 9 p.m.MUV-HallTickets: 80,000 won (purchase on the spot from 6 p.m.)http://ticket.yes24.com/Pages/Perf/Detail/Detail.aspx?IdPerf=28878 A London-based alt-pop duo, Oh Wonder are holding their first concert in Korea after their first-ever performance here at Holiday Land Festival, July 2017. The duo has released two studio albums so far, both of which have gained favorable reviews -- their self-titled debut album and “Ultralife.” Their voices cre

Feb. 13, 2018

BoA to drop new EP ‘One Shot, Two Shot’

Having just returned to the K-pop scene, solo singer BoA will release a new EP on Feb. 20. “One Shot, Two Shot” will contain seven tracks. The singer has released 18 regular albums since her 2000 debut, but this is her first EP release. BoA (S.M. Entertainment)BoA’s new songs will be dropped on local music websites at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20. The physical albums are to go on sale the next day. BoA released her latest album “Nega Dola” on Jan. 31. The powerful dance anthem was well received for showing

Feb. 12, 2018

Singer Seohyun sings about unification with North Korean art troupe

Seohyun of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation joined a North Korean art troupe in singing about unification and peace in Seoul on Sunday.The 140-member Samjiyon Orchestra, led by Hyon Song-wol, head of the all-female Moranbong Band, held a special concert at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul to celebrate the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.  (Yonhap)According to local media reports, Seohyun, dressed in a white dress and matching heels, made a surprise appearance at the grand finale of the con

Feb. 12, 2018

Musical highlights prejudice against women through Victorian writer‘s struggles

Singer-turned-actress Ivy admitted that she paid little attention to women’s rights before landing the lead role in“Red Book,” a local musical production that explores the theme of discrimination against women.”(It is) embarrassing to tell, but I had not given much thought to issues such as women’s rights or discrimination against women in the past. However, I recently became more aware of these issues. I have learned a great deal while preparing for the role, and I began studying the issues as

Feb. 11, 2018

Baek Ji-young apologizes for husband’s drug charges

Singer Baek Ji-young apologized for the recent drug scandal involving her husband, actor Jung Suk-won, during a concert in Seoul on Saturday.On Friday, local media reported that Jung was nabbed by police at Incheon Airport late Thursday for allegedly using methamphetamine while overseas.  Baek Ji-young (Yonhap)“I recognize my husband’s misdeed, and as his wife, spouse and lifelong companion, I’ve been deeply regretting it along with him,” said Baek tearfully, during the concert that took place a

Feb. 11, 2018

Weekly K-pop concerts at Gangneung Olympic Park

Weekly K-pop concerts will take place at Gangneung’s Olympic Park starting Sunday, as part of the Olympic celebrations.Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is one of the cities hosting events for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games in PyeongChang. All the games on ice take place in Gangneung.There will be three concerts during the Olympics and one during the Paralympics. The first is on Sunday, when rock bank YB, rapper and singer Heize, and K-pop groups EXID, WJSN and Teen Top are slated to perform.T

Feb. 11, 2018

Opera ‘Seonbi’ to be staged PyeongChang Olympics

Adding an original opera to the vast array of cultural offerings during the Olympics period, Chosun Opera Company’s opera “Seonbi: The Noble and Wise Man” will be staged at the Gangneung Dano Culture Center on Saturday.The opera performance will be accompanied by the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Kim Bong-mi.  Opera ”Seonbi“ at the National Theater of Korea in 2015 (National Theater of Korea)”Herald Philharmonic Orchestra and I have accompanied the opera many times since its Ko

Feb. 8, 2018