Articles by Choi Ji-won
Choi Ji-won
jwc@heraldcorp.com-
[Herald Interview] How virtual idol singers took MBC's 'Show! Music Core' by storm
It's not often the case that a rookie K-pop group gets a second chance to appear on a major TV music show with its debut song. But Mave:, a virtual girl group with four AI-generated singers, made it happen. Mave:, short for "Make New Wave," debuted on Jan. 25 with its first single album "Pandora's Box." Jointly launched by game operator Netmarble and IT firm Kakao Entertainment, the group is housed under Netmarble affiliate Metaverse Entertainment. Mave:'s firs
K-pop March 13, 2023
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J-Hope to star on Jay Park's music talk show
BTS' member J-Hope is making a surprise appearance on public broadcaster KBS' music program "The Seasons: Jay Park's Drive" on Sunday night. The broadcaster on Sunday announced the BTS rapper-dancer will be starring on the episode set to be aired that night. The show, referred to as "The Seasons" in short, is a music talk show hosted by rapper Jay Park, where he introduces musicians from various genres through in-depth interviews and live performances. Stepping
K-pop March 12, 2023
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[Newsmaker] BTS' Suga marks birthday with donations for Turkey, Syria
Suga of BTS donated 100 million won ($75,700) to support relief efforts in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the major earthquakes there. Global NGO Save the Children on Thursday said Suga delivered the 100 million won fund to the organization to help the children who have been affected by the disaster. The producer-rapper of BTS turned 30 on Thursday. The organization added that Suga's donation will be used to buy blankets, mattresses, stationery and other relief supplies and deliver th
K-pop March 9, 2023
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Yuju follows her circle of emotions with EP 'O'
Yuju on Tuesday dropped her new album "O," packed with soft, comfortable music just like the warmth of the spring air spreading gently through the nation. The new album marked Yuju's return after 14 months. The time away was a carefully-knit process of finding the right pieces to complete the full picture, the singer said. "It wasn't a short process. Usually, we'd select the songs to go into the album before going into recording, but this time, we recorded various s
K-pop March 7, 2023
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SM steps up action against violations of NCT members' privacy
SM Entertainment has openly slammed stalking fans who invade the privacy of NCT members and has warned of strict legal action against them. SM Entertainment on Monday afternoon released a press statement through which it disclosed aggressive acts of the intrusion of its artist's privacy and warned of "zero tolerance" against such behavior. "Cases of the violation of the privacy of NCT members have been increasing recently," SM said. The agency directly lashed out at &quo
K-pop March 6, 2023
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Le Sserafim's Kim Chaewon to star in first TV show
K-pop group Le Sserafim member Kim Chaewon is making her first appearance as a regular cast member of the TV variety show, ENA's "HyeMiLeeYeChaePa." The channel unveiled an interview with Chaewon on Monday ahead of the program's kick-off on Sunday evening. "This is my first time starring in a TV show alone and I'm thrilled," Chaewon said in a written interview with ENA. "I'm not sure exactly which part of me makes people laugh but I feel good when peo
K-pop March 6, 2023
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Blackpink's Jisoo to make solo debut on March 31
Jisoo of Blackpink is set to make her solo debut on March 31, the last member of the four-piece to come out solo. YG Entertainment, the agency behind Blackpink, on Monday dropped a poster announcing Jisoo's debut as an individual musician. On the poster, a bright red cloth lies crumpled on a grassy field that extends into the distance under a blue sky. At the top of the image reads the words "Jisoo Coming Soon." While not much has been unveiled about Jisoo's solo material, YG
K-pop March 6, 2023
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J-Hope of BTS drops new single 'on the street'
J-Hope of global K-pop sensation BTS dropped his new single, "on the street," on Friday, sending through music a message to fans before setting off to the military. Dropped at 2 p.m. Friday, "on the street" came seven months after his solo debut with the album "Jack in the Box" in July. An easy-to-listen lo-fi hip-hop tune, the song carries J-Hope's earnest heart to share hope and joy through music. The rapper-dancer of BTS contributed in writing the melody and
K-pop March 3, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Unmasked by avatar: K-pop idols show true selves in metaverse
One of the most memorable moments in producing Kakao Entertainment's online audition program "Girl's Re:verse" was when one of the contestants made a rude finger gesture to the others, says producer Son Su-jung. It was the first time all 30 of the contestants' virtual characters had gathered in the metaverse, and Muneo's unexpected cursing not only caught the producers off-guard, but the other contestants as well. "(Muneo's action) smashed the boundary (of
K-pop March 1, 2023
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11 years since debut, Hwang Min-hyun comes out solo
Hwang Min-hyun opened a new chapter in his music career as a soloist by releasing his first solo EP "Truth or Lie" on Monday. "It took me almost 11 years to release an album that contains only my voice. I promise to make good music and good performances so that the 11 years can count," Hwang said during a press conference held on Monday in Seoul. The musician has been on a fairly successful path since he first set foot on the local entertainment scene more than a decade ago.
K-pop Feb. 28, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Japanese K-pop group XG on group's Korean debut
Walking into The Korea Herald studio, the seven members of K-pop group XG oozed charisma with each step. Their eyes were glistening and a slight yet poised smile was visible over each member’s face. But as soon as the bandmates sat down and uttered their first words of greeting, the tension circling them melted away to the cheerful, high-pitched laughter of the seven young women. XG conducted its first-ever exclusive media interview with The Korea Herald on Feb. 17. Here, they shared for t
K-pop Feb. 28, 2023
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[Herald Review] aespa lights up night in 1st solo concert 'Synk: Hyper Line'
SM Entertainment's starlet group aespa held its first-ever concert under the banner of "Synk: Hyper Line" over the weekend at Jamsil Arena in Seoul Olympic Park. It was a long-awaited first concert happening over two years after the group's debut in November 2020, and a much postponed return amid the ongoing internal feud of SM's management. But the two nights of majestic spectacle proved that the wait was more than worth it, and only made the audience wonder what more p
K-pop Feb. 27, 2023
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[Herald Interview] 'My goal from the start was runner-up'
The key to staying inside the realm of stardom is making hay while the sun shines, and rapper Huh, the runner-up of the latest 11th season of "Show Me the Money," is doing just this. Less than two months after the end of the hip-hop survival show, Huh, who goes by his real name Heo Sung-hyun locally, is making a swift comeback on Friday with a two-track album titled "Midnight Law." "Some people vanish soon after getting the spotlight in a TV show because they're not
K-pop Feb. 24, 2023
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Jimin of BTS to debut solo with 'Face' on March 24
Jimin of K-pop band BTS is set to make his official solo debut in March. BTS' agency Big Hit Music on Wednesday announced Jimin will drop a new solo album titled "Face" on March 24, taking his first step as a solo musician. According to the agency, "Face" will be an album that shares Jimin's story of facing himself before embarking on a new journey as a solo artist. With the album, Jimin is set to portray his musical universe and unique talents through his charming
K-pop Feb. 22, 2023
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SM, Hybe dispute snowballs over Lee Soo-man tax evasion allegation
The feud between SM Entertainment and Hybe is escalating as the two companies continue to refute each other's position in relation to SM founder Lee Soo-man's suspected offshore tax evasion. The allegation was first made Thursday by SM's co-CEO Lee Sung-soo, also the founder's nephew, when he posted a video to YouTube exposing his uncle's alleged offshore tax evasion. In the video, the CEO claimed Lee Soo-man had established a production company in Hong Kong in 2019 unde
K-pop Feb. 17, 2023
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