[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Alien: Romulus” (US) Opened Aug. 14 Horror/Sci-fi Directed by Fede Alvarez Set in 2142, a group of young space colonizers go out for an adventure and land in a derelict space station, only to face the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a closed-down space. “Twisters” (US) Opened Aug. 14 Action/Adventure Directed by Lee Isaac Chung Retired tornado chaser and meteorologist Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is persuaded to return to Oklah

Aug. 30, 2024

Le Sserafim looks to bounce back from Coachella incident with new album

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim of Souce Music returns with its 4th mini-album “Crazy” on Friday, six months after the release of the mini-album “Easy” in February. “Crazy” delivers a message to “go wild just once with Le Sserafim,” and features a variety of genres, including electronic dance music (EDM)-based house music and techno. The album includes five tracks: the title track "Crazy," "Chasing Lightning," "Pierrot,"

Aug. 30, 2024

Sam Smith releases new edition of 'I'm Not The Only One' featuring K-pop diva Taeyeon

Sam Smith released a new version of his smash-hit title "I'm Not The Only One" featuring K-pop star Taeyeon as a project for the 10th anniversary of his debut album, his label said Thursday. "I'm Not The Only One" is a track on the British pop star's debut album, In The Lonely Hour, released in 2014. Taeyeon, a member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, participated in the 10th anniversary edition of the song, singing parts of the song in Korean, acco

Aug. 29, 2024

[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists

American singer-songwriter Tori Kelly thrilled fans with her unrivaled charisma and voice. The 31-year-old singer held her first concert in Korea, titled "Tori Kelly Live in Seoul," at the Myunghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, as part of her world tour "Purple Skies." Initially scheduled for April 2020, the concert was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making Tuesday's gig her first performance in the country. In a written interview with The Kore

Aug. 29, 2024

Listeners encouraged to go wild with Le Sserafim's 4th EP

Girl group Le Sserafim returned Thursday with its fourth EP, titled "Crazy," urging listeners to pour their passion into whatever makes their hearts race. "Crazy" marks the K-pop quintet's new release six months after its third EP, "Easy," which was released in February. The band made its debut on the coveted Billboard Hot 100 with the album's main track. "The new album's message is simple and clear: Let's go crazy with Le Sserafim,"

Aug. 29, 2024

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin to weigh ‘multiple options’ with NewJeans

Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin is uncertain about her continued work with NewJeans under Hybe following the dismissal from her position at Ador on Tuesday. “Min is considering various options (regarding her continued involvement in producing NewJeans). It is difficult to provide further details at this time,” an official from Macoll Consulting Group, Min’s public relations agency, told The Korea Herald on Thursday. On Tuesday, Hybe announced the appointment of Kim Ju-young, an i

Aug. 29, 2024

Former NCT member Taeil questioned by police over sexual assault allegations

Taeil, formerly of K-pop boy band NCT, was questioned by police Wednesday on sexual assault allegations, according to SM Entertainment. The agency and the artist first became aware of the allegations in mid-August, said SM Entertainment in a press release Thursday, without disclosing specific details of the allegations. On Wednesday evening, SM revealed that Taeil, 30, had been accused of a sexual offense and, in light of the seriousness of the situation, it had decided to remove him from the gr

Aug. 29, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] EXO’s Chanyeol tops iTunes chart in 51 regions

Chanyeol of EXO proved himself a formidable soloist, placing his first solo album atop the iTunes Top Albums chart in 51 regions, according to label SM Entertainment on Thursday. His first solo EP “Black Out” also claimed the top spot on several music charts in Korea and China. The mini-album comprises six tracks including the titular track and “I’m on your side too,” for which the veteran idol participated in writing the lyrics. On Sept. 6-7, he will host a solo

Aug. 29, 2024

29th BIFF selects 12 world premiere films of emerging directors

The 29th Busan International Film Festival announced Thursday 12 selections for the “Korean Cinema Today -- Vision” section, which premieres indie films of up-and-coming independent film directors in Korea. A world premiere in this section has been regarded as a stepping stone for garnering attention in the domestic and international film industries, as the films go through official release at cinemas here or receive invitations to prestigious international film festivals. The select

Aug. 29, 2024

EXO Chanyeol makes solo debut with 1st EP ‘Black Out’

Chanyeol of the K-pop group EXO debuted as a soloist with his first mini-album "Black Out" Wednesday. “It’s been 12 years since I debuted as a member of EXO. Now, I’m happy to get to show something new as a solo artist,” said Chanyeol at a press conference the same day. The album blends newness brought by its diverse genres with Chanyeol's way of evoking strong feelings through his vocals. The album features six tracks, including the title song "Black

Aug. 29, 2024

Katseye gains momentum as streaming interest grows in US

Katseye, the global girl group launched via a collaboration between Hybe and Geffen Records, has been gaining significant popularity in the US, coinciding with the release of a documentary on the group's formation on Netflix. After the eight-part documentary series "Pop Star Academy: Katseye" was released on Aug. 21 on Netflix, there has been a surge in buzz surrounding Katseye in the US, according to Hybe on Wednesday. "Pop Star Academy" highlights the process of select

Aug. 28, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Lisa enters Billboard Hot 100 at No. 97

Lisa of Blackpink hit the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 97 with “New Woman,” her collaboration with Spanish pop star Rosalia. It is her fourth entry on the main singles chart following “LaLisa” and “Money” from her namesake album released in 2021. The two songs ranked No. 84 and No. 90, respectively. Her last single “Rockstar” from June, claimed No. 70 on the chart. On Wednesday, the artist shared the news on her Instagram that “New Woman” w

Aug. 28, 2024

Blues musicians across generations to gather at blues festival

Korea's premier blues festival is set to take place in Seoul next month. The 2024 Seoul International Blues Festival, which brings together top-tier blues musicians in Korea, will be held from Sept. 20 to 22 at CKL Stage in Jung-gu, Seoul. Now in its 7th year, the festival will feature blues musicians representing every generation, from the first wave of Korean blues to millennials and Gen Z. The first day of the festival presents a special collaborative performance titled "All-Star Bl

Aug. 28, 2024

Dark side of AfreecaTV, livestreamers in Korea

With the recent news of numerous AfreecaTV livestreamers -- commonly known here as "BJs" -- being arrested for drug use and accused of engaging in group sexual activities making waves, a spotlight has been shone on their conduct. As livestreamers become increasingly successful in the entertainment market, pop-culture experts call to attention the circumstances that make livestreamers on AfreecaTV, the country’s largest one-person streaming platform, vulnerable to crime. Explosi

Aug. 28, 2024

[Exclusive] Samsung unsure of Suga's future as brand ambassador: source

Amid the ongoing controversy over K-pop star Suga’s drunk driving incident, Samsung Electronics is considering not extending its brand ambassador contract with the singer. “There is a risk in promoting someone as a brand ambassador who has caused a social controversy, regardless of the person's fandom. It is a serious matter and requires a lot of careful consideration,” a source familiar with the situation told The Korea Herald Tuesday on condition of anonymity. Samsung will no

Aug. 28, 2024

Min Hee-jin objects to dismissal from Ador CEO position

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of the K-pop agency Ador representing girl group NewJeans, has raised objections to her recent dismissal. In a statement issued through her legal representative Shin & Kim, Min argued that the decision to remove her as Ador CEO was "unilateral" and in direct violation of the shareholder agreement and court injunction prohibiting the exercise of Hybe’s voting rights to dismiss Min during a shareholders' meeting. The shareholder agreement stipul

Aug. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha talk about what ‘Pachinko’ means to them

Apple TV+’s Korean original series “Pachinko” aired its first episode of season two on Aug. 23. The show’s main protagonists Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, who played a fish broker tied to Yakuza Hansu and a sturdy, hard-working young woman from a small town Sunja, respectively, said they assimilated to their characters. The second season of the period drama chronicles the life of a Korean family spanning four generations, who moved to Japan in the early 1900s. Over the eight

Aug. 28, 2024

Jo Jung-suk says his wife Gummy gave him most confidence for 'A-List to Playlist'

Korea's beloved actor Jo Jung-suk said his wife and popular singer Park Ji-yeon, more famously known by her stage name Gummy, has been his greatest source of confidence in pursuing his dream of becoming a singer, via Netflix original "A-List to Playlist." "A-List to Playlist" will follow actor Jo Jung-suk's quest to fulfill his dream of debuting as a singer-songwriter. The eight-part series documents Jo's 100-day journey to create an album, with support from

Aug. 27, 2024

Why K-Pop idols face stricter scrutiny: cultural and economic forces behind Korea's high standards

The recent drunk driving incident involving BTS's Suga and the criticism he has faced have sparked discussion about why K-pop idols face such strict scrutiny. Experts point to the unique fan-idol relationship and the way entertainment companies treat idols more as products than individuals. The domestic K-pop fandom is intense and deeply involved. Every K-pop group has a dedicated fandom that supports its idols in every conceivable way. When a group releases a new album, fans often purchase

Aug. 27, 2024

[News Analysis] Are movie tickets in Korea too expensive?

Veteran actor Choi Min-sik’s remarks on an interview show recently have sparked debate about whether movie tickets at South Korean cinemas are indeed expensive. While his comment drew mixed reactions, the country’s largest multiplex cinema chain decided to halve its ticket prices for four days. “Movie theaters have raised (ticket) prices a lot. Please lower them a bit. If you suddenly raise them like that, I wouldn’t go anywhere either (even as an actor). Do you think peo

Aug. 27, 2024