‘Stage Fighter’ champion Choi Ho-jong says best is yet to come

In Korea’s dance scene, the name Choi Ho-jong is already one to reckon with. Recently, he added another jewel to his crown by claiming the top spot in Mnet’s dance survival program “Stage Fighter,” the fourth installment of the popular Street Fighter TV franchise. However, Choi said that he doesn’t yet feel he’s reached his prime. In fact, he described himself as being in a slump.

Dec. 21, 2024

Wrap up 2024 with annual year-end K-pop festivals

K-pop fans worldwide are gearing up for the grand spectacle of Korea's major year-end music shows — "KBS Song Festival," "SBS Gayo Daejeon" and "MBC Gayo Daejejeon." Each festival has a unique concept and star-studded lineup, offering a glimpse into the past, present and future of K-pop. From legendary reunions to first-time collaborations, these year-end stages promise unforgettable moments to close out 2024 and welcome 2025 in style. Cross-generatio

Dec. 19, 2024

World-class opera stars including Placido Domingo, unite for ‘Turandot’

World-renowned opera singers and artists are coming together to revive the grandeur of large-scale opera productions in Korea, a rarity outside dedicated opera theaters. Park Hyun-joon, artistic director of the “Again 2024 Turandot project,” aims to deliver a production that echoes the success of it

Dec. 17, 2024

K-pop stars to broaden spectrum with world tours in 2025

As 2025 approaches, K-pop artists are setting their sights on global stages. SHINee’s Taemin will continue the momentum of his first solo world tour, “Ephemeral Gaze,” which began on Dec. 15 with sold-out shows, into early next year. According to his agency Big Planet Made Entertainment tickets for the US leg of the “Ephemeral Gaze” tour — covering New York, Chicago, Houston, Oakland and Los Angeles — sold out immediately. This follows previous sellouts

Dec. 17, 2024

[Herald Review] BoyNextDoor launches first tour with refreshing energy

BoyNextDoor held the group's first stand-alone concert “Knock On Vol.1” and announced a January comeback. The two shows at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Dec. 14-15 mark the group’s first solo concert since debuting in May 2023. The six members, dressed in blue jeans and black jackets, made a dramatic entrance by leaping up from the stage floor amid fireworks. They kicked off the show with “Earth, Wind and Fire,” followed by “Dangerous,” where the stag

Dec. 16, 2024

Deaf trio Big Ocean to hold first solo concert next year

Big Ocean, the world's first idol group composed of members with hearing impairments, is set to hold its first solo concert. The trio -- Chanyeon, Hyunjin and Jiseok -- announced via the group's official social media channels that they will hold the first solo concert under the banner of “Follow” on March 9, 2025, at the Toyota City Cultural Hall in Nagoya, Japan. “Follow” is also the name of Big Ocean’s first mini album. The group is preparing not only to

Dec. 12, 2024

Ahn Eun-jin returns to stage as astronomer in ‘Silent Sky’

Trust in director Kim Min-jung, the Myeongdong Theater, the single-cast format and the compelling script were actor Ahn Eun-jin‘s key reasons for choosing “Silent Sky” for her long-awaited return to the stage. “I was nervous about getting back on stage after so long, unsure how I would even manage r

Dec. 10, 2024

GFriend to reunite after 4 years, marking 10th debut anniversary

The girl group GFriend is making a highly anticipated return after four years with a special album and concert. GFriend will reunite to release a special album, "Season of Memories," on Jan. 13, commemorating the group's 10th debut anniversary. This marks their first group activity since the members' contract with Source Music ended four years ago. According to Source Music, the six-member group’s special album "Season of Memories" will drop on Jan. 13 at 6 p.

Dec. 2, 2024

[Herald Review] NCT Dream wraps up 3rd world tour with grand finale

NCT Dream successfully wrapped up its third world tour with all seven members onstage, including Renjun who returned from hiatus. The final performance of "The Dream Show 3: Dream Scape Finale in Seoul" took place Sunday at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Throughout the three-show finale concert series, which ran from Friday to Sunday, a total of 60,000 fans attended, showcasing the group’s immense popularity. As the central stage screen opened like a massive door and the members

Dec. 2, 2024

Korea's performing arts scene soars past 1.4 trillion won in post-pandemic surge

Pandemic-era social distancing rules that once left theaters empty and concert halls silent are now a fading memory, with South Korea's performing arts sector reporting record-breaking revenue of 1.4 trillion won ($1.08 billion) in 2023, up 46 percent from the previous year. The figure represents a 67 percent increase over 2019, before COVID-19 began to spread. The numbers in the latest report released Thursday by the state-run Korea Arts Management Services paint a picture of an industry t

Nov. 29, 2024

[Herald Review] Aladdin: The Korean Genie is out of the bottle in magical adaptation

The Genie is out of the bottle in Korea, a decade after the hit musical "Aladdin" hit Broadway. The Korean edition of "Aladdin," which debuted on Friday, delivers a winning combination of Disney’s beloved story and tunes, standout performances by Korea’s top actors, and humor that resonates with local audiences. The role of the Genie is shared by three actors: Jung Sung-hwa, Kang Hong-seok and Jeong Won-yeong. Aladdin is played by Kim Jun-su, Park Kang-hyun -- kno

Nov. 27, 2024

Diva Lee Eun-mi to 'Move On' with nationwide tour

Singer Lee Eun-mi is set to celebrate her 35th debut anniversary with a nationwide tour concert titled “Move On,” offering audiences a meaningful stage that bridges her past and present. Her timeless music, which has captivated listeners for decades, will be reimagined with fresh sensibilities and emotional depth in this series of performances. Affectionately called the "Barefoot Diva" -- the ballad singer is known for singing barefoot on stage -- Lee is known for her soulf

Nov. 27, 2024

Legendary avant-garde director Robert Wilson on the power of silence

The lecture had begun, but the 83-year-old director stood silently at the lectern on the stage in the 500-seat auditorium. He looked straight ahead, occasionally turning his gaze to observe the audience. The weight of the silence filled the space. Only after five full minutes did he finally speak, b

Nov. 26, 2024

Oasis confirms first Korean concert in 16 years

Legendary Britpop group Oasis confirmed it would perform in South Korea next year, marking the band's first concert here in 16 years. Event organizer Live Nation Korea announced on Friday that Oasis will hold a concert on Oct. 21 next year at the Goyang Sports Complex. Tickets for the event will go on sale exclusively through Interpark Ticket from Nov. 29 at noon. Oasis confirmed the news via the band's official social media, posting, "South Korea, Our new best friends. Hold on. O

Nov. 22, 2024

AKMU, NewJeans to perform at Yoasobi's year-end concert

Japan's trendsetting duo Yoasobi will feature local special guests at their upcoming year-end concert in Korea. The Korea act of Yoasobi Asia Tour "Cho-Genjitsu," meaning surrealism in Japanese, set to take place on Dec. 7-8 at Inspire Arena in Jung-gu, Incheon, will feature performances by sibling duo AKMU and girl group NewJeans as guest artists. NewJeans will perform on Dec. 7, while AKMU will take the stage on Dec. 8. Unlike their first concert in Korea last year, which showca

Nov. 22, 2024