Gwacheon will present free outdoor jazz performances this weekend. "Gwacheon Jazz Picnic," featuring a variety of artists from vocalists to orchestra, will take place on the lawn next to Gwacheon Citizens' Hall May 3-4. This event, combining jazz performances with camping, "Healing Campnic Day," is being introduced for the first time this year. On May 13, the 17-member Hoo Kim Big Band, led by jazz bassist Kim Young-hoo will kick off the event, followed by Lazykuma &

Performance May 1, 2024

Zerobaseone is embarking on its first overseas tour to connect with global fans. The nine-member group announced the tour news through their official social media on Monday by posting a teaser poster for "Zerobaseone The First Tour." The group will kick off the concert series on Sept. 20-22 at Seoul's Kspo Dome, followed by shows in Singapore on Sept. 28, Bangkok on Oct. 5, Manila on Oct. 12, Jakarta on Oct. 26, Macau on Nov. 2-3, Aichi from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, and Kanagawa on Dec.

K-pop April 30, 2024

Xdinary Heroes dropped their first studio album “Troubleshooting” comprising 10 songs, including the title track “Little Things,” for which the band members took part in composing and writing lyrics. “This album aims to convey inner stories that are often left unsaid, focusing on honest and perhaps even trivial emotions that people may find difficult to express to others,” said Gaon, the band's guitarist. Bassist Joo-yeon recalled that preparing the first

K-pop April 30, 2024

NewJeans kicked off promotion for the group's upcoming album by releasing the music video for “Bubble Gum” on Saturday, amid a spiraling dispute and corporate intrigue involving Min Hee-jin, CEO of Ador, and Hybe Entertainment, the K-pop powerhouse that holds an 80 percent stake in the label. “Bubble Gum” is an easy-listening song with a simple drum pattern and synthesizer sounds. It is the B-side to “How Sweet,” which is to be released May 24. The new si

K-pop April 28, 2024

Rapper Zico's collaboration with Blackpink's Jennie on "Spot!" has marked a successful return for the rapper, achieving favorable results on domestic and international music charts. The digital single, released Friday, is Zico's first release in nearly two years, after "Grown Ass Kid" in July 2022. Blending addictive melodies and a simple rhythm with Zico's powerful raps and Jennie's intense vocals, the new song captures the story of two friends who r

K-pop April 28, 2024

Sometimes, people with trauma due to emotional scars from childhood find it difficult to "become adults." Aired in 2020, tvN TV series "It's Okay to Not Be Okay" depicts the story of lonely characters who pretend to be average adults despite their vulnerabilities. Ko Moon-young (Seo Ye-ji) is a children’s book writer whose mother -- also a writer --treated her as nothing more than a piece of art. While Moon-young's books are for children, they contain brutally

Television April 27, 2024

At a hastily called press conference at the Korea Conference Center in southern Seoul on Thursday afternoon, Min Hee-jin, CEO of Hybe sublabel Ador, said she was innocent of all allegations raised against her by Hybe and accused the K-pop powerhouse of mismanaging Ador. Min dismissed Hybe's accusation that Min had tried to take over the management of Ador, in which she holds an 18 percent stake, by attracting outside investors and pressuring Hybe. Earlier in the day, Hybe posted Min’s

K-pop April 25, 2024

K-pop powerhouse Hybe announced that it will file a complaint against sublabel Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and other executives on the charge of breach of trust on Thursday. In a statement, Hybe said that through the audit of Ador that began Monday, it has obtained concrete evidence of a plan led by Min to seize control of the sublabel, which manages popular girl group NewJeans. Hybe said one of the people subject to the audit has submitted evidence proving the alleged attempts of Ador executives to ta

K-pop April 25, 2024

Pianist Cho Seong-Jin has been named the artist-in-residence of the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic for the 2024-25 season. The announcement of the appointment posted on the German orchestra's website on Wednesday said Cho will present five programs during his residency, which includes programs with the Berlin Philharmonic, collaborations with members of the orchestra, chamber music concerts and a solo recital featuring the complete piano works of Maurice Ravel. In October this year, Cho wi

Performance April 24, 2024

Music festivals are gearing up for the summer season with artists of various genres from around the world set to ignite the summer in Korea, transcending borders and bringing diverse musical experiences. The Seoul Jazz Festival 2024, celebrating its 16th edition this year, will herald festival season on the summer's cusp, from May 31 to June 2. On the festival's opening day, the band Day6 and singer-songwriter and rapper Kik5o will take to the stage along with American singer-songwrite

Performance April 23, 2024

The six-piece-band Xdinary Heroes kicked off a five-month-long project with the solo concert “Closed beta ver. 6” on Sunday, which continued from Friday for three days. The concert, which took place at Yes24 Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, comes after successfully wrapping up the sextets’ first world tour last month. Xdinary Heroes, a rock band that debuted in 2021 under JYP Entertainment's sub-label Studio J, will showcase a five-month-long “2024 Xperiment Project&rdquo

Performance April 22, 2024

Renjun from NCT Dream is suspending his activities. The agency, SM Entertainment, announced through the global fandom live platform Weverse on Saturday that Renjun will take a hiatus due to health issues. "Renjun recently visited the hospital due to poor physical condition and symptoms of anxiety, and received medical advice that sufficient stability and rest are necessary," said the agency. Renjun was absent from the scheduled fan signing event on Saturday. Only six members -- Mark, J

K-pop April 21, 2024

Life in miniature Miniatures, or tiny meticulous artworks, are intuitive. No one has to be schooled about the way they should be looked at or studied. And that only puts added pressure on the artist to create a message navigating analogies and twists, without losing anyone in the process. Tatsuya Tanaka is a Japanese artist doing just that. At the IFC Mall in Seoul, the exhibit “Miniature Life” showcases over 200 miniatures spanning seven themes, including home, life and the world.

Culture April 19, 2024

From pop to rock, foreign artists are gearing up to entertain Korean fans this summer. Japanese singer Lisa will hold her first solo concert in Korea in July. The upcoming concert is part of her Asian tour. It will take place on July 20 at Korea University's Hwajeong Gymnasium. Tickets sold out in just three minutes, demonstrating Korean fans' interest in the singer-songwriter. Lisa debuted with the mini-album "Letters to U" in 2011. In 2018, she gained widespread recognition

Performance April 18, 2024

The Busan One Asia Festival, celebrating its eighth edition this year, will take place over two days on June 8 and 9. BOF is hosted by the Busan city government and organized by the Busan Tourism Organization. On the first day of the festival, the BOF Big Concert, featuring various K-pop artists, will be held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, while on June 9, the Park Concert will take place at Hwamyeong Eco Park. The lineup for the Park Concert has not yet been announced yet. The BOF Big Concert

Performance April 16, 2024