[Exclusive]Boycotted by fans, Super Junior’s Sungmin is learning life lesson, says singer’s mother

More than a month after fans announced a boycott of the star, the mother of Super Junior’s Sungmin is still waiting for the calm after the storm.(S.M. Entertainment)Kang Kyung-sook, Sungmin’s mother, opened up about fans boycotting Sungmin during a recent interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, saying she hopes he will overcome the hardships and get back on his feet with a stronger mindset. Sungmin’s fans declared a boycott of the Super Junior member in June, criticizing him for his disrespect

July 26, 2017

[Photo News] VIXX heads for Southeast Asia after Japan gig

VIXX has wrapped up concerts in three Japanese cities and is set to kick off its fan meeting tour in Southeast Asia, its agency said Wednesday.According to Jellyfish Entertainment, the boy band will kick off its tour Thursday with a show at KL Live Center in Kuala Lumpur. It will perform at the Kasablanka Hall in Jakarta on Saturday. The group will wrap up the tour at Muang Thai GMM Live House in Bangkok on Sunday.The band performed in Nagoya, Tokyo and Osaka, where it showcased hits including “

July 26, 2017

EXO ranks 87 in Billboard 200, its highest rank ever

EXO has taken the No. 87 spot on the Billboard 200 with “The War: The 4th Album,” the highest spot the K-pop group has ever reached.The latest album by EXO entered the chart between the Chainsmokers’ “Collage” and Journey’s “Journey‘s Greatest Hits.” Jay-Z’s “4:44” retained its place at the top spot. EXO (S.M. Entertainment)EXO had previously cracked the list with “Exodus” in 2015, which went to No. 95 spot. It also took 129th place in 2014 with its subgroup Exo-K’s “Overdose.”The highest place

July 26, 2017

Hip-hop artist Primary to return with new EP on Aug. 4

Hip-hop artist and producer Primary is set to hit the K-pop scene with a new EP in August. Primary (Amoeba Culture)The artist’s label Amoeba Culture said Tuesday that the upcoming EP is slated to be released on Aug. 4. It will be his first release since his second full-length album “2” in 2015. “Primary has put utmost effort into the upcoming EP. Every song from the EP will be great enough to be chosen as a lead track,” an agency official said. The hit-maker gained recognition in the Korean hip-

July 25, 2017

Up high: K-pop stars and drugs

When a Seoul court sentenced K-pop superstar T.O.P to 10 months in prison, suspended for 2 years, for marijuana use last week, the catchy hook by the rapper and his Big Bang bandmate G-Dragon likely popped up in the minds of many fans.The 29-year-old may not have actually been “high” when he wrote the lyrics for the popular tune, but the public has been casting a suspicious eye on the duo nonetheless, especially given G-Dragon’s previous run-in with authorities over alleged marijuana use.The Big

July 25, 2017

Black Pink, Sechskies to perform at 2017 BOAF in October

K-pop acts Black Pink and Sechskies will perform at the 2017 Busan One Asia Festival in October, according to organizers Tuesday.The two groups, along with GFriend and Ailee, were part of the second roster of K-pop artists announced by Busan Metropolitan City, set to perform at the festival scheduled for Oct 22-31 in South Korea's second-largest city in the southeastern coast. (YG Entertainment)Leading idol bands Apink, B.A.P, Astro and indie duo Bolbbalgan4 were previously announced to take par

July 25, 2017

Twice's Japanese debut album sells over 200,000 copies

K-pop sensation Twice's inaugural Japanese album has sold over 200,000 copies, according to its agency Tuesday."#TWICE" has sold 200,018 copies in Japan since the June 28 release there, JYP Entertainment said, citing a tally from Oricon, Japan's key music sales tracker. The album remains one of the top selling records in the country, ranking fifth on Oricon's daily album sales chart as of Sunday. (JYP Entertainment)The record holds Twice's past hit songs both in Japanese and Korean. It topped ni

July 25, 2017

Winner to return with new album next month

Boy band Winner on Monday set Aug. 4 as the release date for its next album. Its agency YG Entertainment uploaded teaser images along with the album‘s title “Our Twenty For” and the release date via its blog at www.yg-life.com. Winner (YG Entertainment)The photo shows images of the bandmates with an outdoor pool on the background. YG hinted that the teaser, along with a prereleased photo of the boy band shooting a music video in Hawaii, indicates the new song will be a “cool summer song.”Winner

July 24, 2017

FT Island to launch global tour to mark 10th anniversary

FT Island will kick off a global tour next month to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its debut, the band said Monday. The concert “2017 FT Island Live [X] in Seoul” will be held on Aug. 26 and 27 to mark the beginning of the group’s world tour.  (FNC Entertainment)FNC Entertainment said it will soon reveal other cities that the band will be touring.Tickets for the concert will be made available on Interpark and Auction at 8 p.m. Thursday. Members of the group’s fan club Primadonna will have a

July 24, 2017

Artday to hold July auction

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding an online auction from July 22 to 26, presenting major works of art by contemporary Korean and international artists. The auction will feature works by Lee U-fan and Ha Chong-hyun, internationally acclaimed Korean artists leading the dansaekhwa, or monochrome painting, movement. Additionally spotlighted will be artists such as Kim Tschang-yeul, known for his signature water drop paintings; Lee Wal-jong, who captures the picturesque life of

July 24, 2017

[KTALK] Apink to kick-start Japan tour

South Korean girl group Apink resumed its Japan tour after a four-month break, according to its agency Plan A Entertainment. The group, which started its third tour in Japan on Saturday, will unveil its eighth single “Motto Go Go” on Tuesday. The song -- based on the theme of friendship with an upbeat tempo -- follows its seventh single “Bye Bye,” released in March. Apink started its concerts in Kobe on Saturday, and will perform in Nagoya on July Wednesday and Yokohama on July Sunday. The six-p

July 23, 2017

GFriend releases teaser images for ‘Love Whisper’

K-pop act GFriend on Sunday released teaser images for its new EP “Parallel” via official social media pages.The images, uploaded just after midnight, showed the concepts to be applied on “Love Whisper,” the band‘s lead track for its fifth EP. (Source MusicThe bandmates are seen clad in pink and white, which the agency pointed out was intended for a more feminine look. According to Source Music, the title of the EP refers to the sense of longing for a love that cannot be reached, along with a st

July 23, 2017

Akdong Musician‘s ‘Dinosaur’ crusing through local charts

The brother-sister duo of Akdong Musician is at it again, as its new song “Dinosaur” continues to go strong on major online music charts in Korea.As of Sunday afternoon, the song was at the No. 1 spot on charts for Olleh Music, Bugs Music, Genie and Soribada. (YG Entertainment)With “Dinosaur,” Akdong Musician tried their hands at electronic dance music, a first for the beloved duo.On Saturday, the two held a concert in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, to wrap up their nationwide tour consisting of 17

July 23, 2017

Watch nine college professors sing EXO song

Ewha Womans University posted an old but hilarious clip on its Facebook page Friday. The clip, which dates back to March 2014, shows a group of nine professors performing on stage for their new class.  The professors, clad sharply in suits, give an energetic performance of a song by the hit K-pop group. (doo@heraldcorp.com)

July 21, 2017

Confident and ambitious: Coed K-pop group K.A.R.D eyes rookie award

Amid high expectations, K.A.R.D, the first coed K-pop group in several years, officially introduced itself to Korea with its debut EP “Hola Hola” on Wednesday. The rookie band under DSP Media, which consists of two women and two men, had already gained overseas fans before its official debut here. (Yonhap)K.A.R.D has released three pre-debut singles, which were highly acclaimed internationally. It saw fans chanting its name at overseas concerts thanks to its sleek choreography and incorporation

July 20, 2017

Song Joong-ki praises Song Hye-kyo's Mitsubishi ad offer rejection

South Korean actor Song Joong-ki on Wednesday applauded his fiance and fellow actress Song Hye-kyo's decision to decline an ad sponsorship offer from Mitsubishi Motors over the company's association with forced mobilization of Korean laborers during the second World War."I first learned that Hye-kyo declined the offer from the news. It was an act worthy of applause in my mind," Song told reporters at a press conference for "The Battleship Island" at CGV-Yongsan theater in central Seoul. (Yonhap)

July 20, 2017

Court sentences Big Bang’s T.O.P to 10 months prison, 2 years suspended

A Seoul court has sentenced Big Bang‘s T.O.P, who had been charged without detention for marijuana use, to 10 months in prison, suspended for 2 years, Thursday. A judge from Seoul Central District Court revealed that the ruling was based on evidence of his wrongdoings and that T.O.P had admitted to the charges.He said, “As the rapper is found to have committed wrongdoings that can harm both the mental and physical state of an individual, as well as have an adverse influence on society, we decide

July 20, 2017

The Chainsmokers to perform in Busan and Seoul in September

The electronic dance music-pop duo the Chainsmokers will perform two gigs in Korea in early September, Korean promoters said Wednesday.According to Hyundai Card, the group will perform at Busan KBS Hall on Sept. 11 and at Seoul Jamsil Indoor Gym on Sept. 12. Nick Martin will also perform as a special guest. (Hyundai Card)The concerts are part of the Hyundai Card Culture Project that brings world-famous artists to the country. The Chainsmokers consist of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. The duo achiev

July 19, 2017

Liam Gallagher looks forward to playing for ‘mental’ Korean fans

It has been 26 years since the world was introduced to Liam Gallagher and his brother Noel -- a pair of “s---heads,” according to the singer’s own words -- but the 44-year-old singer has never let up, now leading a solo career in his post-Oasis and Beady Eye years.“I’ve been doing this for more than 25 years, I don’t think I’ve got anything more to ‘prove,’” said Liam Gallagher, when asked what keeps him going, in a joint interview with Korean media. “I just want to keep making music. I still be

July 19, 2017

Yang Hyun-suk to star as judge in new YG artist audition program

YG Entertainment’s CEO Yang Hyun-suk will be starring in an audition program again. The K-pop powerhouse’s CEO will be the judge of a singing audition program set to air this fall, local news outlets reported Wednesday.　The show, produced by the management agency, aims to search for the next trendy, YG-style artist to tread in the footsteps of K-pop icons Big Bang, iKon, Black Pink and others, reports said. 　 Yang Hyun-suk (YG Entertainment)It has been one year since Yang was featured in the six

July 19, 2017