Will K-pop also fall victim to China's Korean product ban?

(Yonhap)First came TV censorships of Korean stars. Then a ban on concerts, followed by an implicit prohibition of retail goods from South Korea. Now, K-pop is also bracing for a possible export ban to China, the biggest single-nation market in the world, as Beijing continues its political hissy fit towards Seoul's decision to deploy a high-tech U.S. anti-missile battery on its soil.Since October, Beijing has denied Korean entertainers permission to perform or appear on Chinese television. More r

March 6, 2017

GFriend releases new album ‘The Awakening’

GFriend released its fourth mini album “The Awakening” on Monday via online music streaming sites. “Fingertip” from the album made it to the top of the Genie music chart, while coming in at No. 4 and No. 7 on the Melon and Mnet charts, respectively.  GFriend (Source Music)“The Awakening” has already sold more than 100,000 copies in preorders, according to its agency Source Music.The girl group also unveiled a music video for “Fingertip” on the same day. Uploaded on YouTube, it garnered attention

March 6, 2017

Mamamoo apologizes for ‘blackface’ controversy

K-pop group Mamamoo on Saturday issued a public apology for its parody video in which the members dressed up as African-Americans, saying that they did not understand the meaning of blackface.“There is no excuse for what we did and there are not enough words to explain how regretful we are. We are heartbroken to have hurt our international K-Pop fans so deeply...We were extremely ignorant of blackface and did not understand the implications of our actions,” the group said in a public statement r

March 5, 2017

Psy to release new album in April

South Korean pop musician Psy plans to showcase a new album in April, marking his first release since December 2015.　YG Entertainment said the South Korean rapper has also finished filming the accompanying music video. Singer Psy (Youtube)　The rapper-producer became a global sensation with his track “Gangnam Style” in 2012. Psy also gathered popularity with other songs including “Gentleman,” “Hangover” and “Daddy.”　The music video for “Gangnam Style” boasts more than 2.7 billion views on the pop

March 4, 2017

Herald Philharmonic to hold spring concert

Herald Philharmonic Orchestra is holding its fourth regular concert on March 9 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seoul.Titled “A Spring Day,” the program features popular opera arias as well as traditional Korean music performed by the orchestra with a Korean traditional percussion group. Led by conductor Kim Bong-mi, the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra will opening the concert with the overture from the opera “The Bartered Bride” by Smetana. Soprano Yu Seong-nyeo will perform “Queen of the Nig

March 3, 2017

YB to release new single in US in March

YB is set to release a new single in the US around mid-March or early April, the rock band’s agency said Wednesday.“There are no specific plans for a US concert yet. But the recording for the single has been completed,” said a representative from Dee Company, adding that they have yet to decide whether to also release the song in Korea.The single is part of YB’s ongoing attempts to crack the US market. Yoon Do-hyun, the band’s leader and vocalist, said earlier this year that YB plans to release

March 3, 2017

Coldplay releases piano ballad in surprise new music

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Coldplay on Thursday released a piano ballad in surprise new music by the English rockers to mark front man Chris Martin’s 40th birthday.“Hypnotised,” described by the band as a “new non-single song,” is the first track off an EP entitled “Kaleidoscope” announced for June 2.“Hypnotised” starts off with dream-like chimes and piano with hints of Sigur Ros before turning into a more traditional rock ballad.The song -- in which Martin confesses he’s “never gonna be a saint” but fin

March 3, 2017

Ending epic wait, Lorde returns with dance track

NEW YORK (AFP) - In one of the most anticipated returns in pop music, Lorde unveiled a song Thursday in which the onetime teenage star takes a new dance sound and adult look.The now 20-year-old New Zealander announced a second album called “Melodrama,” her follow-up to 2013’s “Pure Heroine” which won her phenomenal success while still a teenager.Lorde released the album’s first single, “Green Light,” which is strikingly more lively than her minimalist breakthrough hit, the Grammy-winning “Royals

March 3, 2017

Pitbull to hold Korea concert

Party music guru Pitbull is coming to Korea. The rapper will hold his first concert in Korea on May 18 at the Seoul Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall at 8 p.m., according to the event’s host Live Nation Korea on Thursday. Pitbull debuted in 2004 and has since come to be known for fusing danceable Latin pop and electronic hip-hop sounds in his music. Hits by him include the 2013 song “Timber” featuring Kesha and the 2014 song “Time of Our Lives” featuring Ne-Yo. Tickets can be purchased from Thursday a

March 3, 2017

Highlight, formerly known as Beast, to release EP album in March

Highlight, a South Korean boy band formerly known as Beast, plans to release an EP album later this month, its agency said Thursday.Around Us Entertainment said the team will release its first EP album under the name Highlight on March 20. The agency uploaded a teaser -- a frowning emoticon face with the release date -- on its Instagram account. (Around Us Entertainment)Since its debut in 2009 under Cube Entertainment, the six-member Beast became popular at home and in Japan with hit songs "Bad

March 2, 2017

'Cherry Blossom Ending' reappears on music charts as spring nears

Figuratively, the arrival of spring signifies new beginnings. But spring of 2017 is returning with a not-so-new seasonal K-pop anthem: Busker Busker's "Cherry Blossom Ending."The song, released in 2012, ranked 10th on the "sudden increase chart" as of 7 a.m. Thursday on Melon, South Korea's largest music streaming service. Busker Busker also stood at 82nd on Mnet Music's "artist chart" on Wednesday, despite the band not releasing any new material since their second album in September 2013. Membe

March 2, 2017

Lee Min-ho, Song Hye-kyo, EXO, top hallyu stars of the year: survey

Actor Lee Min-ho, actress Song Hye-kyo and boy band EXO have been chosen as the most popular "hallyu" stars of 2016, a survey showed Thursday.Soompi, a US-based online news provider specializing in Korean pop culture, announced the winners of the 12th annual Soompi Awards elected in a vote by hallyu fans from 139 countries around the world. Hallyu refers to the global boom of Korean pop music, TV dramas and films.In the vote, Lee was named Actor of the Year, beating the "Descendants of the Sun"

March 2, 2017

2PM cancels concert following member's stage injury

2PM, a South Korean pop idol band, canceled the remainder of its concerts in Seoul following an onstage injury of member Jun. K, according to the group's agency Thursday. Boy band 2PM (JYP Entertainment)JYP Entertainment said it canceled the remaining half of the team's "6Nights" concerts that were scheduled at Seoul Olympic Park from Friday to Sunday.A 2PM gig on Feb. 26 at the venue was abruptly halted after Jun. K fell off a moving vehicle while singing. He fractured his right elbow and right

March 2, 2017

Lady Gaga will reportedly replace Beyonce at Coachella

Los Angeles Times　After Beyonce was forced to sit out Coachella per doctor‘s orders, festival organizers have apparently found a replacement: Lady Gaga.Gaga will headline both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival -- slated for April 14-16 and April 21-23 in Indio, California -- according to a Billboard report Tuesday afternoon. Lady Gaga arrives for the 59th Grammy Awards on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles, California. (AFP-Yonhap)Festival promoter Goldenvoice has yet to officially anno

March 1, 2017

[Herald Interview] With age, MC Sniper explores ‘lighter’ side of music

In the late 1990s, the “bard of Korean hip-hop” shook up the music scene with lyrics about society. Considered one of Korea’s first-generation rappers, MC Sniper is now exploring a different, less aggressive side to his music, one which is easier on both the artist and the listeners.“In the past, (my music) was very ‘heavy’ and aggressive. This is quite energy-consuming. I think I’m now at that stage where I can expand my view (in music), as opposed to what I’ve been done in the past,” he said. 

March 1, 2017

K-pop artists to show off own style at SXSW, TGE

From hip-hop, punk to idol singers, artists of different genres are set to showcase Korea‘s musical offerings at the upcoming South by Southwest festival in the US and at UK’s The Great Escape festival.The musicians participating in the “K-Pop Night Out” stage, jointly hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Culture Ministry, discussed their goals for the events during a press event Tuesday in Seoul. The annual concert, launched in 2013, showcases artists from a wide range of genres

March 1, 2017

From Tokyo to USA: Kusama’s eternal love of polka dots

She has two major exhibitions opening simultaneously in Japan and the United States at the venerable age of 87 -- but Yayoi Kusama is nowhere near her last hurrah.Living and creating are inseparable for the red-wigged avant-garde Japanese artist, as she explained to reporters in Tokyo on the eve of her show opening at the National Art Center. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama waves at a photo session during a press preview of her exhibition titled "My Eternal Soul" at the National Art Center in Tokyo

Feb. 28, 2017

Hyolyn is going global, and electronic

Hyolyn, the lead vocalist of K-pop girl group Sistar has signed a contract with Spinnin’ Records, the world’s largest electronic dance music label, according to her agency Starship Entertainment Tuesday.Hyolyn has become the first K-pop singer to sign with the company, the agency said in a statement. “Her collaboration with Justin Oh will be released globally in March,” Starship Entertainment said. Oh is a Korean DJ and producer who has garnered international fame and is also signed to Spinnin’

Feb. 28, 2017

Idol group Gugudan drops music video for "A Girl Like Me"

South Korean girl group Gugudan has released the music video for "A Girl Like Me," the lead single off its second EP album. (Jellyfish Entertainment)The clip, released on Monday, features Gugudan members engaging in various forms of narcissism, gazing at themselves in the mirror and being mesmerized.The production was inspired by the famous 16th century painting "Narcissus" by Caravaggio, which appears in the video. The title of the new album is "Act 2 Narcissus."The album was released via strea

Feb. 28, 2017