Singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong referred to prosecutors for alleged drunk driving

Police said Thursday they have recently referred the drunk driving case involving popular singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong to the prosecution.The member of the K-pop boy band SS501 was caught on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol on a street in Seoul's Songpa Ward around 1:55 a.m. on March 26, according to the Songpa Police Station. Police recommended an indictment, sending the investigation result to the prosecution Monday, officials said. (Yonhap)Kim was driving his car on his way ho

April 6, 2017

[Herald Interview] Winner back 4 more

The number 4 was plastered all over the release of Winner’s new single album, “Fate Number For.” In addition to the title -- the obvious dual meaning of “for” and “four” -- the album was released on the fourth day of the fourth month, at 4 p.m.“Four was never really my favorite number, but it’s starting to grow on me,” said Lee Seung-hoon with a hint of a smirk.The quadruple emphasis on the number was the boy band’s way of paying tribute to Nam Tae-hyun, whose departure made Winner into -- you g

April 5, 2017

EXID’s song banned from KBS for ‘vulgarity’

Seemingly unintended vulgarity plagued EXID as KBS banned the group’s song “Velvet,” after the broadcaster said its lyrics sounded suspiciously like a curse word. Banana Culture Entertainment, the agency for the five-member group, confirmed reports that the song -- included in the soon-to-be-released EP “Eclipse” -- was deemed unsuitable for broadcast. EXID (Banana Culture Entertainment)According to an earlier report, KBS said the English word “sip” is thought to represent a similarly sounding K

April 5, 2017

Actor Kim Soo-hyun to appear in IU's upcoming music video

Kim Soo-hyun, star of hit South Korean drama "My Love From The Star," will appear in a music video for singer IU's new album, according the stars' agencies Wednesday. (Yonhap)According to IU's agency Fave Entertainment, Kim has finished filming for the video to a song on IU's upcoming fourth album. The track, whose name wasn't revealed, was written by singer-songwriter Sam Kim, according to the company."We're producing several videos for the fourth album," a Fave Entertainment representative sai

April 5, 2017

FT Island to rock out at Korea-Japan rock fest

Korean band FT Island will perform at the ‘2017 Korea-Japan Super Rock Great Meeting” rock festival in July, its agency said Tuesday.According to the FNC Entertainment, the five-member band will participate in the festival that will be held on July 1 at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.Popular bands from the two countries will take part, including Korean band Eve along with rock musician Miyavi, band Spyair from Japan. Japanese band Comodo Dragon will open the gathering of rock bands. FT Island (FNC

April 4, 2017

Korean musicians pay tribute to Chuck Berry

Kim Ban-jang and the Windy City will rock out in Itaewon, Seoul on Saturday, as the band and other musicians pay tribute to late rock ’n’ roll legend Chuck Berry with a tribute music party.According to Windy City’s agency Craft and Jun, the band will host the tribute party at Spindle Market in Itaewon and will be joined by a number of local bands and DJs. Kim Ban-jang, the leader of Kim Ban-jang and the Windy City (Craft and Jun)Singer Samuel Seo will also make an appearance at the event, set to

April 4, 2017

Oh My Girl’s JinE addresses fans in letter

Oh My Girl member JinE posted a hand-written letter and a picture of her eating, showing gratitude for the fans who have showed concerned over her health problems.JinE, 21, recently stopped all musical activities with the girl group due to anorexia. “I’m being healed and encouraged by your (fans’) messages of love and support...Plus, I recently had dishes from a famous eatery near our company (WM Entertainment),” she wrote on Monday, posting a photo of her sitting in front of a hamburger and a b

April 3, 2017

80 years on, Picasso’s anti-war ‘Guernica’ still resonates

MADRID (AFP) - Close to 80 years ago, Picasso painted “Guernica” in a Paris attic, a haunting work of art that has become a universal howl against the ravages of war, from 1937 Spain to 2017 Syria.The canvas mixes stark images of agonizing humans and animals to depict the horror of the bombing of the small Basque town of Guernica on April 26, 1937 during Spain‘s civil war.Luis Ortiz Alfau, a 100-year-old Spaniard, was there that day “to pick up the dead and the injured,” he told Agence France-Pr

April 3, 2017

Monsta X to make Japanese debut next month

Korean boy band Monsta X will make its debut in Japan next month in partnership with Universal Music Japan, the group‘s agency said Monday.The seven-member act has signed a contract with Universal Music Japan’s new label Mercury Tokyo to drop its Japanese debuting single “Hero” on May 17, Starship Entertainment said. (Starship Entertainment)The single will have the Japanese version of two hit songs “Hero” and “Stuck.” The music video for the original Korean version of “Hero” has drawn 30 million

April 3, 2017

Tongyeong celebrates native son’s music

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- The sound of a lone cello struggling against the orchestra opened this year’s Tongyeong International Music Festival in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Friday.German-French cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra led by Stefan Soltesz performed Yun I-sang’s Cello Concerto written in 1976. The Korean-born composer was abducted from Germany by Korean agents in 1967 and handed a lifetime sentence on a charge of treason. He was imp

April 2, 2017

Winner drops teaser for new album

Boy band Winner on Saturday released a teaser clip of the music video for its new single “Fool,” slated for release Tuesday, via the official blog for its agency YG Entertainment.The 26-second video features the four bandmates clad in white and walking out of a building in what appears to symbolize their long-waited return to the stage. The group has not released a song for over a year, although its members continued on with their individual musical and acting gigs.Winner (YG Entertainment)“Fool

April 2, 2017

Oh My Girl teases comeback in April Fool’s Day prank

As an April Fool’s day gag, South Korean girl group Oh My Girl announced their comeback as male group “Oh My Boy” on Saturday. The group released a teaser clip of their choreography for “Perfect Day,” which is part of their fourth album “Coloring Book.” In the clip, the band is dressed in white uniforms and declaring, “A miracle! Today is April 1. Aren’t you curious about the ‘Perfect Day’? April 5, 2017. Oh My Boy comes back!” Teaser image by Oh My Girl (WM Entertainment)The group’s agency WM E

April 2, 2017

S.M. becomes Mystic’s largest shareholder

K-pop behemoth S.M. Entertainment has become the largest shareholder of Mystic Entertainment after strategically investing in 28 percent of the management agency’s shares, S.M. stated Thursday.Helmed by producer Yoon Jong-shin since 2010, Mystic is known for fostering artists with folksier, alternative sounds such as Eddy Kim, Puer Kim and former 2AM member-turned-rocker Jeong Jin-woon. Mystic recently strengthened its video content department by recruiting Yeo Woon-hyuk, the producer of variety

March 31, 2017

EXO to wrap up global tour in Seoul this May

The finale for K-pop superstar EXO’s global tour will be held in May at Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul, the boy band’s agency said Thursday.According to S.M. Entertainment, the final segment of EXO’s “EXO Planet #3 - The EXO’rdium” will be held from May 27-28. Tickets for the May 27 concert will be available online starting 8 p.m. on April 12 via ticket.yes24.com, while tickets for the May 28 concert will be released at 8 p.m. on April 18.The poster for EXO’s Seoul concert. (S.M. Entertain

March 30, 2017

Taeyeon to release album on April 5

K-pop singer Taeyeon will release the deluxe edition of her studio album “My Voice” on April 5, which includes three new songs, according to her agency.According to S.M. Entertainment, the new record will add four tracks to the album released in February. Along with “Make Me Love You” and two other yet-to-be-revealed new songs, the album will include her 2016 single “11:11,” which Billboard selected as the seventh best K-pop song of that year.  The teaser image for the deluxe edition of Taeyeon‘

March 29, 2017

Kiha & The Faces to tour North America

Kiha & The Faces will be playing its brand of quirky music for audiences in North America in its first tour there beginning April 1, the band’s management agency announced Wednesday. The six-member act will perform in 14 cities in Canada and the US, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver as part of a tour running until April 26. The band will be joined by Japanese rock musician Miyavi and Thai rock band Slot Machine in the tour, title

March 29, 2017

BTS signs contract with Def Jam Recordings

Boy band Bangtan Boys, better known internationally as BTS, signed a new record deal with Def Jam Recordings in Japan.  Bangtan Boys (Big Hit Entertainment)“BTS recently signed the contract to release a new single, featuring a Japanese version of ‘Blood, Sweat & Tears,’” Big Hit Entertainment, which represents the idol group in Korea, said Tuesday. “The single is set to be released on May 10.”　Def Jam Recordings is an American hip hop and urban music record label owned by Universal Music Group.

March 28, 2017

[Next Wave] The chemistry of Life and Time

The Korea Herald is introducing Korean singers, musicians and actors poised to join the next wave of top stars in a twice monthly series. – Ed.Three-piece Life and Time is known for its seasoned playing, groovy rhythms and highly technical drumming skills.According to bassist Park Sun-bin, however, Life and Time is a group of three individuals who each lack something.“If each one of us were perfect, we would each do everything ourselves. But I think that a band is a group of people who lack some

March 27, 2017

Girls’ Day returns with new EP

Girls’ Day made a splash on local music charts Monday with its new EP “GIRLS’ DAY EVERYDAY #5,” achieving immediate impact with its first recording in 20 months.The main track of the four-member group, “I’ll be Yours,” entered the local Genie chart at No. 2, right behind IU’s “Through the Night.” It was also seen rapidly climbing up other charts here, notching the No. 11 spot on the Melon chart just one hour after its noon release. Girls’ Day (DreamT Entertainment)The latest EP by Girls’ Day fea

March 27, 2017