With the COVID-19 alert level raised to the highest “red” level, the performing arts scene has been struggling, as theaters have sat empty of audiences and performances. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, performing arts theaters’ ticket sales from Feb. 1 to Tuesday recorded 18.4 billion won ($15.15), nearly down to half of the same peri

With the fear of the novel coronavirus driving moviegoers away from cinemas, Korea has witnessed mass cancellations of new film releases in recent few days. However, changing plans at the last minute is not a privilege all filmmakers enjoy, and a few Korean films, especially indie flicks produced by small companies, are biting the bullet and rolling out on schedule. Although prospects for such films may be not be the brightest, following is a short list of Korean films to hit local theaters i

"Bloom*Iz," the new album by female K-pop band IZ*ONE has topped Japan's latest Oricon weekly overseas album chart, the band's third No. 1 on the chart. The 12-track album's No. 1 victory on the Oricon weekly overseas album chart for the week of Feb. 17-23 follows two more No. 1s on the tally by IZ*ONE's two previous albums -- "Color*Iz" and "Heart*Iz." Since its release on Feb. 17, "Bloom*Iz" has sold 356,313 copies in South Korea, a record-high first

In its bid to launch onto the world music scene, K-pop girl band TWICE has forged a partnership with a major American music label. TWICE's management agency said Wednesday that it forged the "strategic partnership" with Republic Records to help the girl band gain a foothold in the global pop market. Republic Records, under the wing of Universal Music Group, is home to such high-profile American artists as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Post Malone, as well as Canadian musician Dra

Having been reported to be on course to take over the top seats on the Billboard 200 and the British Official Albums Chart, BTS has also topped Japan's Oricon album chart with its latest album. According to latest chart results by Oricon on Tuesday, BTS' latest album, "Map of the Soul: 7," came atop the Oricon daily album chart dated Monday after selling 227,204 copies in Japan. The result adds to the BTS album's chart victories on the US and British charts. Earlier this week, Bill

Monsta X, a six-piece K-pop boy band, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, becoming the third K-pop band ever to make the top five on the album tally. "All About Luv," the band's new album, came in fifth on the album chart dated Feb. 29, Monsta X's first entry on the Billboard 200 that makes the band the third Korean group to break into the chart's top five, according to the latest chart results by Billboard. So far, BTS has had three No. 1s on Billboard 20

Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s “The Woman Who Ran” got its world premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on Tuesday. Three more screenings of the film are expected through Friday at the annual film festival, where it is competing for the Gold and Silver Bear prizes, the highest honors of the event. Hong’s film is competing against 17 other titles from 17 countries. This is Hong’s fourth time in competition at the Berlinale, following “Night

With new artistic director Nam Jeong-ho at the helm, the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company has announced its 2020 season program, featuring dances inspired by diverse subjects, from primitive rituals to artificial intelligence. At “Opening,” the first production to open 2020, the national dance troupe will feature two dances -- “Beyond Black” and “The Rite of Spring” -- from April 17-19 at the Seoul Arts Center.   “Beyond Black,” cre

Putting on the debut performance of "ON," the lead track of the new BTS album "Map of the Soul: 7," the South Korean super band has rocked Grand Central Terminal, a symbolic public space in New York City.  The septet unveiled a premiere performance of "ON," pre-filmed in a deserted Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, through "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," a US late night show, on Monday (US time). With the performance, the septe

"Map of the Soul: 7," the new album of K-pop super band BTS, is bound to debut atop the Billboard 200 next week, the band's historic fourth No. 1 on the chart, Billboard said on its website Monday. "The set, which was released Feb. 21 via Big Hit Entertainment, could earn 300,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending Feb. 27, with most of that sum driven by album sales," the US magazine said.  If confirmed as forecast, it marks the band's fourth Billboar

In its seventh year, BTS is focusing on finding purpose than chasing goals

The film industry continues to suffer as people stay away from cinemas amid the increasingly rapid spread of COVID-19, and scheduled movie releases are now being put on hold. The number of theatergoers, which saw a small recovery in the second week of February, plummeted again over the weekend, with 474,979 people going to the movies on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council. The figure represents a steep drop of almost 60 percent from the previous weekend. The total number