Wanna One stamps name on K-pop history with debut at Gocheok Sky Dome

(YMC Entertainment)Gazing out at the packed 20,000-capacity as the crowd chanted each of their names out loud, Wanna One couldn’t help but be overwhelmed. “We’ve always dreamed of how it would be like to be on the stage of Gocheok Sky Dome. I can’t believe our dream has come true,” said Wanna One during the group’s debut concert at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Monday. Wanna One is a project boy band formed with the 11 finalists of Mnet TV competition show “Produce 101,” in which viewers

Aug. 8, 2017

BTS among top 50 that Americans love: New York Times

BTS was named one of the 50 most watched musicians on YouTube in America. The K-pop group ranked No. 44 on a list of music Americans love the most, released by the New York Times on Monday. It was the only group of Asian artists on the list. The list featured 50 artists on the Billboard Top 100 chart who were the most watched on YouTube in the United States between January 2016 and April 2017.  (Big Hit Entertainment)According to the New York Times, the boy band was especially popular in Hawaii

Aug. 8, 2017

Black Pink's 'As If It's Your Last' hits 100 mln YouTube views

Black Pink's "As If It's Your Last" music video surpassed 100 million views on YouTube on Tuesday, the group's agency said.The song, released in June, became the fourth music video by the act to hit the milestone after "Boombayah," "Playing with Fire" and "Whistle," YG Entertainment said. The milestone was reached in 46 days. (YG Entertainment)The four-member K-pop team, which includes Thai national Lisa, made its debut with "Square One" in August of 2016 and became last year's breakout rookie s

Aug. 8, 2017

Taylor Swift in court as trial begins in groping case

Pop superstar Taylor Swift was in court on Monday as trial began in a case pitting her against a DJ accused of groping her at an event.Eight jurors were selected Monday with Swift looking on in the courtroom, a court employee confirmed to AFP. According to local media, she sat with her lawyers, dressed in a light top and dark blazer.Swift, 27, could take the stand to give details of the alleged assault during a meet and greet four years ago. Tree Paine, publicist for pop singer Taylor Swift, wal

Aug. 8, 2017

Taeyang’s new record will be full-length studio album

Taeyang will return next week with his third studio album “White Night.” The K-pop star’s agency YG Entertainment on Monday unveiled the poster for the upcoming album along with a release date of Aug. 16. The poster features the singer wearing jeans, white shirt and white hair to match the title of the album. (YG Entertainment)It marks the first time in over three years that Taeyang is releasing a full-length album. Marking his long-awaited return, Taeyang will hold concerts on Aug. 26-27 at Jam

Aug. 7, 2017

Former Wonder Girl Sunmi to release album

Sunmi, a member of now-disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, will be releasing a solo album on Aug. 22.　The album will mark the singer’s return to the K-pop scene in three years.　Sunmi moved from her former management agency JYP Entertainment to Makeus Entertainment after Wonder Girls disbanded in January. 　 Sunmi (Makeus Entertainment)The now 25-year-old songstress debuted in 2007 as the supporting vocalist in Wonder Girls. 　She halted group activities for awhile in 2010 to pursue studies at Dongg

Aug. 7, 2017

Fans soak up ‘Wet Psy’ at ‘Summer Swag’ concert

When it comes to highly-entertaining K-pop performer Psy, there are some things you just can’t do: You just do not sit down at a Psy concert or leave seat in the middle of the show. Friday’s “2017 Summer Swag” concert (“Soaking Wet Show” in Korean) was over three hours of pure madness and fun that had the 25,000 fans soaked to the skin and jumping with excitement. The show was part one of a two-day extravaganza at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in Seoul, in which the crowd was sprayed with water during

Aug. 6, 2017

European Jazz Festival to feature rich lineup of top musicians

The European Jazz Festival, set to take place in Seoul from Sept. 1-3, will feature a rich lineup of globally-renowned names in jazz.The festival will be staged at the Mapo Art Center’s Art Hall Mac.　The event, which meets its fifth installment this year, will feature an array of international musicians including Finnish jazz pianist Iiro Rantala, Swedish jazz guitarist Ulf Wakenius, Italian jazz and folk accordion player Luciano Biondini, Belgian musician Myriam Alter and the German team Tingva

Aug. 6, 2017

K-pop singer depicts being victimized by date abuse

Singer-songwriter Juniel recently released a teaser for the music video of her upcoming song “Last Carnival,” which depicts her personal experience as a victim of date violence.The 20-second clip features just the eyes of the 23-year-old, who slowly opens her bruised eyes and glares at the camera.  A teaser image of “Last Carnival” (C9 Entertainment)Last month, CCTV footage of a man brutally assaulting his girlfriend was released via local media, sending shockwaves throughout the country. Police

Aug. 5, 2017

Winner never felt like it fit in at YG

It is hard to link the word “ugly” with the four model-like artists of Winner, but they used to feel like “ugly ducklings” at YG Entertainment.“Back when we were trainees, we thought we had no characteristics that stood out. We were not like other YG groups. So at first, we would intentionally dress in hip-hop style and pick hip-hop songs for the monthly evaluation (by the company),” said Lee Seung-hoon at a press conference Monday in Seoul. Lee Seung-hoon (YG Entertainment)Kang Seung-yoon, the

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner shares happiest and saddest moments

Since debuting in 2014, Winner has had its ups and downs. “I think the happiest moment for us was our debut. It marked the moment when our dream that we had had since childhood finally came true,” the band’s leader Kang Seung-yoon told the media Friday.  Winner (YG Entertainment)For Song Min-ho, it was the moment when fans told him that they were encouraged -- even “healed” -- by Winner’s music. “It was an indescribable feeling. I literally teared up,” he said.Lee Seung-hoon said he is the happi

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner‘s explains obsession with ’four‘

No. 4 was the theme for Winner’s last single album “Fate Number For,” but it appears to have stuck, as the number is plastered all over the boy band‘s new single album “Our Twenty For.” Winner’s first album in four months was to be released Friday -- Aug. 4 -- at 4 p.m., and the press conference for it was held at theater No. 4 at a local cinema. Kang Seung-yoon (YG Entertainment)“At this point, our obsession with ‘four’ is maybe a little perverted,” said the band’s leader Kang Seung-yoon. “For

Aug. 4, 2017

Winner says no longer ‘ugly duckling of YG’

The past three years have been a roller-coaster ride for Winner, who made an unconventionally quick return Friday with the single album “Our Twenty For.”“If we were to tell you everything that we went through in the last three years, you’d be here all day,” Lee Seung-hoon told reporters at a press conference at IFC Mall in Seoul on Friday.  Winner poses for a photo prior to a press conference in Seoul on Friday. (YG Entertainment)Members of the boy band said they have always felt that they do no

Aug. 4, 2017

Girls’ Generation marks decadelong career with ‘Holiday Night’

Many K-pop groups have come and gone since 2007, but Girls’ Generation -- the longest-running girl group in Korea -- has survived to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its debut with the release of “Holiday Night.”The group was to release online Friday at 6 p.m. songs from its sixth studio album, before officially releasing the record Monday. Girls’ Generation (S.M. Entertainment)S.M. Entertainment will simultaneously unveil the music videos of “Holiday” and “All Night,” the double title tracks

Aug. 4, 2017

Drunk Lang reports calls police to report friend filming with hidden camera

Korean-American pop artist and television personality Nancy Lang, otherwise known as Park Hye-ryeong, on Thursday reported her friend to police while drunk. Gyeonggi Yangju Police said Park called the police at 8:20 a.m. Thursday to report her friend, with whom she had been drinking with since the previous day, accusing her of filming her with a hidden camera.  Police said that Park’s friend was not charged and Park had mistaken her friend’s behavior or had made the call by mistake. At the polic

Aug. 3, 2017

Is EXO the most stylish K-pop band ever?: Vogue

EXO is without a doubt one of the most popular K-pop groups, garnering attention not just for its music but its fashion as well. Vogue magazine took notice of the nine-member group’s ever-evolving fashion in a recent article titled “Is EXO the Most Stylish K-Pop Band of All Time?”  EXO (S.M. Entertainment) EXO (S.M. Entertainment)It said that the outfits seen in the music video for EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” -- the lead single of its fourth album “The War” -- “continues EXO’s tradition of slowly pushing

Aug. 3, 2017

[K-Talk] EXO ‘The War’ stays atop Billboard world albums chart

EXO remains the king of the hill atop Billboard’s world albums chart, defending the No. 1 spot for a second straight week with its latest album.The boy band’s “The War: The 4th Album” became the top-selling international album in the US as of Thursday, while also topping local Gaon charts in digital song downloads and album sales. EXO (S.M. Entertainment)The K-pop sensation has been making strides with the album since its July 19 release, entering the Billboard 200 at No. 87 last week. It marked

Aug. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Director Kim Ki-duk accused of actress assault

To say Kim Ki-duk is not a director for everyone would be an understatement. He uses rape, prostitution and incest in his films to strip all pretense and examine the raw human emotions of impulse, violence and lust.However, the controversial director may have gone a step too far: An actress has filed a complaint with prosecutors, alleging that the award-winning director physically assaulted her and coerced her to shoot an unscripted sex scene while filming “Moebius,” which was released in 2013. 

Aug. 3, 2017

Heize, Suran to join Seo Tai-ji retrospective project

Heize and Suran were amongst the newest group of performers to join a retrospective project honoring the 25th anniversary of legendary K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji, according to Seo's company Thursday.The two solo divas, along with Eddy Kim and Crush, are on board for a project to remake Seo's past hits, Seo Tai-ji Company said.The four artists were joined by Seo's recommendation, the company explained.  Eddy Kim, Suran, Crush and Heize (from top left, clockwise)/ YonhapSince last month, BTS, Younha an

Aug. 3, 2017

Girls' Generation, Yuhki Kuramoto to grace DMZ concert

Idol band Girls' Generation and Japanese new age composer Yuhki Kuramoto are among the artists set to perform at this year's DMZ Peace Concert near the inter-Korean border north of Seoul, according to organizers Thursday.The two-day concert at the unification-themed Nuri Peace Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, will be held from Aug. 12, with the first day dedicated to K-pop stars, including Girls' Generation, BTOB, B1A4, Cosmic Girls and GFriend, MBC TV said. (S.M. Entertainment)On Aug. 13, Yuhki

Aug. 3, 2017