[Herald Interview] ‘Mic Drop’ director hopes BTS breaks free of social fetters

Continuing from “Dope,” “Save Me,” “Young Forever” and “Not Today,” music video director Kim Sung-wook has added “Mic Drop” to the list of music videos for global K-pop act BTS. In what could be the music video of the year, the swaggering video of BTS’ “Mic Drop” remix, a collaboration between American DJ Steve Aoki, rapper Desiigner and the seven-piece world superstars, has lived up to hype since its release last week. And Kim, a creator behind the recent BTS fever, shared in-depth details abou

Nov. 28, 2017

BTS says on 'Ellen' it’s all about fans

Having grown from K-pop sensation to international pop stars, members of the BTS appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to thank the American fans for their support and perform a kick-ass show to show their appreciation.“Korea and US, we have our different languages but we all share similar thoughts,” said Suga of the BTS in the show aired Monday, when asked about the relevance of their lyrics. “We may talk in different tongues, but we’re thankful that you (the fans) identify themselves with us.

Nov. 28, 2017

Sistar's Soyou to release solo album next month

Soyou, former member of the disbanded K-pop group Sistar, will release her first solo album next month, according to her agency Monday.Soyou, whose real name is Kang Ji-hyun, will put out "Re:Born" on Dec. 13, Starship Entertainment said. The record will be "Part.1," or the first installment, of the songstress' solo debut album, the company explained."Re:Born" will feature collaborations with leading K-pop talents, including ballad stars Sung Si-kyung and Yoon Jong-shin, and hip-hop artist Prima

Nov. 27, 2017

TWICE to drop repackaged edition of ‘Twicetagram’ next month

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- Idol group TWICE will release a repackaged edition of its hit inaugural studio album “Twicetagram” next month, its agency said Monday.The upcoming record titled “Merry & Happy” will come out Dec.11 and will include “Heart Shaker” and several new songs in addition to the track list for “Twicetagram,” according to JYP Entertainment.The nine-member girl group swept the local music charts with “Likey,” the lead song for “Twicetagram,” upon its release in late October. The record al

Nov. 27, 2017

EXO thanks BTS, Wanna One for advancing K-pop overseas

K-pop boy group EXO on Sunday thanked fellow Korean artists BTS and Wanna One for expanding the popularity of K-pop overseas, while also sharing anxieties of fan fatigue amid growing competition."We're grateful for groups such as BTS and Wanna One promoting K-pop globally. As did many senior artists such as Psy, Girls' Generation and TVXQ, we also want to contribute in the advancement of K-pop overseas," EXO leader Kim Jun-myeon, better known as Suho, said during a press conference ahead of a co

Nov. 27, 2017

‘Gangnam Style’ continues funky streak

South Korean singer Psy’s global megahit “Gangnam Style” topped 3 billion views on YouTube on Sunday around 8 a.m.The single was released in July 2012, unleashing worldwide interest in Korea, from its music and fashion to tourism and food. “Gangnam Style” was viewed more than 500 million times within 100 days of its release. Major international media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, BBC and ABC spotlighted Psy’s “horse dance” as a worldwide sensation.  South Korean s

Nov. 26, 2017

Wanna One, Seventeen win at 2017 MAMA in Vietnam

K-pop boy bands Wanna One and Seventeen took home trophies at the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards at Hoa Binh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Saturday. At the event, Wanna One won the Best of Next award, while Seventeen won the Worldwide Favorite Artist award. Wanna One receives the Best of Next award at the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards at Hoa Binh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Saturday. (CJ E&M)“It is an honor to be invited to MAMA alongside these great Asian artists. Thank you Mn

Nov. 26, 2017

Big Bang's 'Bae Bae' tops 100 mln YouTube views

The video for K-pop boy group Big Bang's "Bae Bae" has surpassed 100 million views on YouTube.It hit the milestone on Tuesday night, becoming the 11th video from the group to garner 100 million views on the global video-sharing service, the group's agency YG Entertainment said on Wednesday.  (YG Entertainment)The group performed before 50,000 fans in Fukuoka on Saturday and Sunday in the first leg of its Japanese dome tour that will also take it to three more cities in the country. The concerts

Nov. 23, 2017

EXO to return with winter special album in December

EXO is gearing up for the release of a special winter album in December, its agency S.M. Entertainment said Thursday.Last December, the K-pop act had also released a winter special alum, “For You,” which sold over 442,000 copies.The release date of the upcoming album has not been set yet, according to the agency.  EXO (S.M. Entertainment)EXO dropped its fourth album “The War” in July, which sold more than 1 million copies in less than one month, becoming the boy band’s fourth album to sell more

Nov. 23, 2017

[Album review] K.A.R.D’s ugly but sophisticated love story

K.A.R.D“You & Me”Loen EntertainmentK.A.R.D is a decent storyteller. Shifting away from the pure white and pale blue of shimmering tropical track “Hola Hola,” the K-pop co-ed rookie group filled its new palette with colors of darkness, all of which mix to paint one tragic love tale in “You & Me.” Imagine a couple that just fell in love. The budding love will blind their eyes. Each day will feel like a miracle and a blessing. The first track “Into You” delves into such euphoric feelings of love wi

Nov. 23, 2017

BTS certified by Guinness as most retweeted band

Following the band’s groundbreaking stateside debut on the American Music Awards on Sunday, K-pop juggernauts BTS broke a Guinness World Record as the most retweeted band.On Tuesday, Guinness World Records announced via its official Twitter account that the band landed a spot in the 2018 book for having the world’s most Twitter engagements for a music group.In the latest edition, which was updated in May this year, BTS, with 152,112 average retweets per post, fell below English singer-songwriter

Nov. 22, 2017

Why CL decided to star in ‘Livin’ the Double Life’

In reality show “Livin’ the Double Life,” set to air on cable channel tvN on Thursday, K-pop songstress CL opens up on her struggles to break through the American pop scene, post-2NE1 gloom and more. “The reason I went to the US and the reason I agreed to shoot this show is because I wanted to give hope to young aspiring singers,” CL said at a press conference for the show in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on Wednesday. “I wanted to show them that I could do it.　“It could also help other singers who wan

Nov. 22, 2017

BTS' 'War of Hormone' tops 100 mln YouTube views

The video for K-pop group BTS' "War of Hormone" has garnered over 100 million views on YouTube, its management agency said Wednesday.The video for the track off "Dark & Wild," the group's first full-length album released in August 2014, reached 100 million views on the global video site at about 4:35 a.m., according to Big Hit Entertainment. BTS already has 10 other songs, including "Fire," Save Me," "Not Today," "DNA," "Danger" and "I Need U," that have reached the same milestone on YouTube. (B

Nov. 22, 2017

Simon Rattle’s Berlin Philharmonic bids smashing adieu to Seoul

Multiple award-winning composer Chin Un-suk’s “Choros Chordon,” which got its Korean premiere by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at Seoul Arts Center on Monday night, could have been as difficult to understand as the composer had anxiously “warned” audiences in local media interviews. But she need not have been so worried.Perhaps her warnings had served their purpose. One just listened without feeling obligated to try to understand the 11-minute piece, which she described as having to do with

Nov. 21, 2017

K.A.R.D depicts twisted love with ‘You & Me’

Rookie group K.A.R.D has been a standout in the K-pop scene with its distinctive Latin dance-influenced sonic style that diverges from the K-pop norm. After making an impression with its debut EP “Hola Hola” in July and wrapping up its world tour in October, K.A.R.D is back on home ground. It released its new love-tinged EP “You & Me” on Tuesday. And the new EP is not about a fairy tale romance. Rather, it’s a tragic love story smothered with pain, obsession and jealousy. K.A.R.D performs during

Nov. 21, 2017

Bomb threat at venue with Apink’s Jung Eun-ji

A bomb threat was made to the venue where a press conference for upcoming JTBC drama series “Untouchable” was set to take place Tuesday at 2 p.m.According to police, a call came in to the Imperial Palace Hotel, the press conference’s venue, at 12:53 p.m. stating “a bomb has been installed” and “people should be evacuated.” The caller then quickly hung up, police said. Police searched Selena Hall, where the press conference was set to take place, and other parts of the hotel. No suspected explosi

Nov. 21, 2017

GOT7 to release repackaged version of ‘7 For 7’ on Dec. 7

K-pop act GOT7 is slated to return with a repackaged version of its latest EP “7 For 7” on Dec. 7, according to the group’s agency JYP Entertainment. The poster for the upcoming repackaged album titled “7 For 7 Present Edition,” shared by the agency’s official website Tuesday, showed the seven-piece group posing at a stairway surrounded by white walls. “7 For 7 Present Edition” will be available for pre-order from Wednesday, the agency said. A poster for GOT7‘s upcoming repackaged version of its

Nov. 21, 2017

Epik High’s Tablo puts up English subtitles

Tablo of hip-hop trio Epik High has stepped in as a translator, providing English subtitles for one of his hits from the group’s latest album. On Sunday, the Epik High frontman shared a music video for “Lost One,” from the trio’s latest full-length album “We’ve Done Something Wonderful,” via his Twitter account with the caption “Many of our English speaking fans asked for ‘Lost One’ translations, so I did the subs myself. Hope it helps.” Epik High (YG Entertainment)Epik High fans showed heated r

Nov. 21, 2017

Why Korean entertainment succumbs to ‘One China’ policy

The Mnet Asian Music Awards 2017 on Monday announced that it had decided to remove a section on its homepage that categorized Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau as independent countries.The move took place after Chinese netizens called for a boycott of MAMA 2017, as they considered Mnet’s decision to recognize the three areas as independent states as disregarding China’s “One China” policy. The “One China” policy recognizes only one sovereign state of China. It does not recognize the Republic of China,

Nov. 21, 2017

MAMA aims for ‘Asian Grammys’ with largest ‘MAMA Week’

Actor Song Joong-ki will host this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong, while Park Bo-gum will host the show in Japan. “MAMA Week,” the largest-scale MAMA event, will kick off at Hoa Binh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Nov. 25, then head to Yokohama Arena, Japan, on Nov. 29, and finally to Hong Kong for two events -- at W Hotel Hong Kong on Nov. 30 and at AsiaWorld-Expo on Dec. 1. Song Joong-ki (left) and Park Bo-gum (Blossom Entertainment/ Yonhap)By expanding the awards ceremo

Nov. 20, 2017