President Moon Jae-in recently said in a meeting with South Korean reporters that he hopes the success of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics will contribute to easing regional tensions sparked by North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.As Moon goes all out to promote the games, the government is now putting the finishing touches on preparations for the country’s first Winter Olympics.The Winter Games will kick off on Feb. 9, 2018 and run until Feb. 25, followed by the Paralympic G

Travel Dec. 22, 2017

Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay apparently didn’t like one of the most popular Korean street foods during his recent stay here. The British TV star was featured in a short interview clip Thursday where he tried out Korean street food bungeo-ppang, a fish-shaped pastry stuffed with sweetened red bean paste. As Korean TV personality and interviewer Yang Se-hyung handed him the snack, Ramsay didn’t get a good first impression. “What the hell is this? So it’s like something out of ‘Finding Nemo?

Television Dec. 22, 2017

K-pop act Infinite will roll out the album “Top Seed” on Jan. 8, according to the group’s agency Woolim Entertainment.   A teaser photo for Infinite’s upcoming album “Top Seed” (Woolim Entertainment)At midnight on Thursday, the agency heralded Infinite’s return by dropping a teaser image for “Top Seed,” which marks the group’s third album. Fronted by the lead track “Top Seed,” the album will be the group’s first release in more than a year after “Infinite Only.”The teaser photo showed the member

Performance Dec. 22, 2017

Following Jonghyun’s untimely death that spread grief around the globe, an Indonesial female fan’s recent suicide attempt has sparked a possible copycat suicide alert. According to Indonesian media reports Thursday, the fan was found unconscious from an overdose and hospitalized in an apparent suicide attempt. On Monday she left suicidal posts on her Twitter account, the day Jonghyun passed away. She wrote, “I can‘t endure it anymore. Mom, dad, Jonghyun oppa, we’ll meet really soon” in both Kore

Performance Dec. 21, 2017

For decades, K-pop stars have been the envy of teenagers here due to the seemingly glamorous and lucrative lifestyle show business has to offer. But a note written by the main vocalist of SHINee, who took his life Monday, showed the depth of their struggles and lives in the public eye, shedding a critical spotlight on the multibillion-won industry where some artists are crushed under depression. In his letter, Jonghyun wrote, “I’m broken from the inside. The depression that has slowly eaten away

Performance Dec. 20, 2017

The death of Jonghyun, the talented main vocalist of SHINee, sent shock waves among fans and peers that resonated throughout the country and the K-pop scene. Jonghyun, whose real name was Kim Jong-hyun, was found in a rented studio apartment in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul at 6:10 p.m., Monday. The 27-year-old singer had suffered a cardiac arrest upon discovery and was taken to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead after attempts to revive him failed.Police confirmed Tuesday that his deat

Performance Dec. 19, 2017

The end of the year is the perfect time to wallow in nostalgia, but walking down memory lane may not always be joyful; after all, the word “nostalgia” is said to come from “the pain from an old wound” in Greek. And with his silky voice, veteran singer-songwriter Shin Seung-hun, still reigning supreme after 27 years, told those attending his year-end concert Sunday that it is okay to embrace those past pains. Singing a verse from his first-ever digital single “Polaroid,” Shin said life, no matter

Performance Dec. 18, 2017

Another drug-related incident involving an artist from YG Entertainment has the public demanding that the K-pop agency assume more responsibility for its performers.On Friday, Seoul Bangbae Police Station said YG Entertainment’s rapper Kush, who also works under YG’s independent label The Black Label as its producer, was booked without detention for purchasing and using cocaine. According to police, Kush, whose real name is Kim Byung-hoon, 33, was nabbed in an undercover operation on Tuesday at

Performance Dec. 17, 2017

Actress Song Hye-kyo and EXO-CBX, subunit of K-pop act EXO, joined Korean president Moon Jae-in at the opening ceremony of a Korea-China Economic and Trade Partnership event that took place in Beijing Thursday. The star-studded event was part of Moon’s first state visit to China since taking office in May. It has been reported that the presence of such celebs reflects Moon’s intention to revive bilateral economic exchanges, which suffered a blow in a row over Seoul’s deployment of the Terminal H

Television Dec. 14, 2017

Continuing its domination of the Billboard charts, BTS’ recent single “DNA” has landed on the US magazine’s 100 Best Songs of 2017 chart. According to Billboard Wednesday, the smash hit from its latest album “Love Yourself Seung Her” was ranked No. 49 on the chart, making the seven-piece boy band the only K-pop act on this year’s list.   BTS‘ “DNA” lands No. 49 on Billboard’s 100 Best Songs of 2017 chart. (Billboard)“BTS’ crossover into the US market isn’t a coincidence: The K-pop superstars hav

Performance Dec. 14, 2017

Singer-turned-actor Lee Seung-gi, who recently completed his compulsory military service, will star in upcoming SBS variety show “All the Butlers.” According to the network, Lee will be a regular guest on the new show, which will be his first variety show since he was discharged in late October. “All the Butlers” will feature male celebrities spending a night at the homes of famous figures to learn about their lifestyles and achievements. Other regular guests of the show include Lee Sang-yoon, Y

Performance Dec. 14, 2017

Taeyeon“This Christmas - Winter Is Coming”Genie MusicWho would have imagined that songs by a member of Girls’ Generation would be the perfect fit for the festive Christmas spirit? Also a soloist, Taeyeon’s breezy and sugary voice has always been appreciated by K-pop fans. And combining such a dulcet voice with the holiday season has resulted in the most sophisticated Christmas tunes of this year. “This Christmas - Winter Is Coming,” Taeyeon’s first seasonal effort, is not like Mariah Carey’s cla

Performance Dec. 13, 2017

[Herald Interview]Admittedly, Swings, whose real name is Moon Ji-hoon, is one of the most talked-about, controversial and rebellious figures in the Korean music scene. This outspoken rapper, whose words are often unpolished and raw, is used to being a target of public criticism for fearlessly unleashing his rough nature. To name a few, he cusses in front of a camera, talks about sex and was once slammed by the media for revealing that he had kissed random girls in a club in the past. But still,

Performance Dec. 12, 2017

On its epic journey since 2013, BTS has risen like a phoenix. Once a rookie group struggling to survive in the stormy K-pop scene, the group is now called a world-dominating super star, hitting the US charts, grabbing global headlines and mesmerizing fans all over the world. After leaving their footprints around the globe, the K-pop superstar finally landed on its home turf, where it put an end mark on its monthslong “Wings” tour that kicked off in Seoul in February. And its retrospective “grand

Performance Dec. 11, 2017

It’s been a history-making year for BTS, the K-pop sensation that has made ripples around the globe with its recent US debut and everything in between. Having left footsteps across several continents with its “Wings” world tour that kicked off in Seoul in February, BTS finally returned home to wrap up its monthslong global journey in Seoul at Gocheok Skydome on Sunday. And the ever-growing K-pop act expressed its ambition to enter top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and debut at No. 1 on Billboard 2

Performance Dec. 10, 2017