Lee Min-ho, Song Hye-kyo, EXO, top hallyu stars of the year: survey

Actor Lee Min-ho, actress Song Hye-kyo and boy band EXO have been chosen as the most popular "hallyu" stars of 2016, a survey showed Thursday.Soompi, a US-based online news provider specializing in Korean pop culture, announced the winners of the 12th annual Soompi Awards elected in a vote by hallyu fans from 139 countries around the world. Hallyu refers to the global boom of Korean pop music, TV dramas and films.In the vote, Lee was named Actor of the Year, beating the "Descendants of the Sun"

March 2, 2017

2PM cancels concert following member's stage injury

2PM, a South Korean pop idol band, canceled the remainder of its concerts in Seoul following an onstage injury of member Jun. K, according to the group's agency Thursday. Boy band 2PM (JYP Entertainment)JYP Entertainment said it canceled the remaining half of the team's "6Nights" concerts that were scheduled at Seoul Olympic Park from Friday to Sunday.A 2PM gig on Feb. 26 at the venue was abruptly halted after Jun. K fell off a moving vehicle while singing. He fractured his right elbow and right

March 2, 2017

Lady Gaga will reportedly replace Beyonce at Coachella

Los Angeles Times　After Beyonce was forced to sit out Coachella per doctor‘s orders, festival organizers have apparently found a replacement: Lady Gaga.Gaga will headline both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival -- slated for April 14-16 and April 21-23 in Indio, California -- according to a Billboard report Tuesday afternoon. Lady Gaga arrives for the 59th Grammy Awards on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles, California. (AFP-Yonhap)Festival promoter Goldenvoice has yet to officially anno

March 1, 2017

[Herald Interview] With age, MC Sniper explores ‘lighter’ side of music

In the late 1990s, the “bard of Korean hip-hop” shook up the music scene with lyrics about society. Considered one of Korea’s first-generation rappers, MC Sniper is now exploring a different, less aggressive side to his music, one which is easier on both the artist and the listeners.“In the past, (my music) was very ‘heavy’ and aggressive. This is quite energy-consuming. I think I’m now at that stage where I can expand my view (in music), as opposed to what I’ve been done in the past,” he said. 

March 1, 2017

K-pop artists to show off own style at SXSW, TGE

From hip-hop, punk to idol singers, artists of different genres are set to showcase Korea‘s musical offerings at the upcoming South by Southwest festival in the US and at UK’s The Great Escape festival.The musicians participating in the “K-Pop Night Out” stage, jointly hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Culture Ministry, discussed their goals for the events during a press event Tuesday in Seoul. The annual concert, launched in 2013, showcases artists from a wide range of genres

March 1, 2017

From Tokyo to USA: Kusama’s eternal love of polka dots

She has two major exhibitions opening simultaneously in Japan and the United States at the venerable age of 87 -- but Yayoi Kusama is nowhere near her last hurrah.Living and creating are inseparable for the red-wigged avant-garde Japanese artist, as she explained to reporters in Tokyo on the eve of her show opening at the National Art Center. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama waves at a photo session during a press preview of her exhibition titled "My Eternal Soul" at the National Art Center in Tokyo

Feb. 28, 2017

Hyolyn is going global, and electronic

Hyolyn, the lead vocalist of K-pop girl group Sistar has signed a contract with Spinnin’ Records, the world’s largest electronic dance music label, according to her agency Starship Entertainment Tuesday.Hyolyn has become the first K-pop singer to sign with the company, the agency said in a statement. “Her collaboration with Justin Oh will be released globally in March,” Starship Entertainment said. Oh is a Korean DJ and producer who has garnered international fame and is also signed to Spinnin’

Feb. 28, 2017

Idol group Gugudan drops music video for "A Girl Like Me"

South Korean girl group Gugudan has released the music video for "A Girl Like Me," the lead single off its second EP album. (Jellyfish Entertainment)The clip, released on Monday, features Gugudan members engaging in various forms of narcissism, gazing at themselves in the mirror and being mesmerized.The production was inspired by the famous 16th century painting "Narcissus" by Caravaggio, which appears in the video. The title of the new album is "Act 2 Narcissus."The album was released via strea

Feb. 28, 2017

Lee Jong-suk meets Thai fans, wraps up Asia tour

Lee Jong-suk met with thousands of fans in Thailand over the weekend, wrapping up a five-nation Asia tour, his agency said Monday.The actor’s meet-and-greet event with some 3,000 Thai fans, titled “Variety,” was held at the Thunder Dome in Bangkok on Sunday, according to YG Entertainment. (YG Entertainment)During the meeting, fans were invited by Lee to the stage and together re-enacted famous scenes from “W,” his hit TV drama aired last year. The star later gifted perfumes and candies. “I thank

Feb. 27, 2017

Jerusalem art show turns ‘home’ inside out

A giant kitchen grater with menacing blades, an ironing board festooned with penises and Marcel Duchamp‘s repurposed urinal greet visitors to the Israel Museum’s new show “No Place Like Home.”The exhibition focuses on the reinterpretation of household objects in art, and takes Duchamp‘s jokey 1917 “Fountain” as its starting point.The 120 quirky and sometimes creepy exhibits are laid out in stark white spaces, identified as rooms of a home and labelled as entrance, living room, bathroom and other

Feb. 27, 2017

GFriend drops teaser for 'Fingertip' music video

South Korean girl group GFriend on Monday unveiled a teaser for the music video of its upcoming song "Fingertip." (Source Music) "Fingertip" is the title track of the group's upcoming EP album "The Awakening" slated to come out March 6, according to Source Music, the group's agency. The album is the first in eight months following its full-length album "LOL." In the brief clip uploaded to YouTube, the me

Feb. 27, 2017

2PM's weekend concert suspended after stage accident

A concert by South Korean boy band 2PM was abruptly halted over the weekend after member Jun. K was injured while performing, the group's agency said Monday. (Yonhap)The concert held at Seoul Olympic Park on Sunday was canceled after Jun. K fell off a moving vehicle while singing, JYP Entertainment said.Jun. K was immediately hospitalized and was later found out to have fractured his right elbow and right ring finger. Concert attendees will receive refunds for the canceled show, according to JYP

Feb. 27, 2017

Taeyeon, Suzy and more -- K-pop female acts return

From chart-topping solo singers to rising female bands, the K-pop scene will be rife with returning female acts this week. K-pop group Lovelyz dropped its second album “R U Ready?” on Sunday with the title track “WoW!” Lovelyz (Woolim Entertainment)Power vocalist Ailee, whose original sound track for “Guardian: The Great And Lonely God,” “I Will go to You Like the First Snow” is enjoying popularity here, is set to return Monday with a new track titled “Old Longing” (unofficial translation). Gugu

Feb. 26, 2017

Sistine chapel photographed in unprecedented detail

The famous frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling was painted by Michelangelo, can now be examined in minute detail thanks to an unprecedented photographic venture, the Vatican Museums have said.By combining innovative digital technology and special light-emitting diode LED lamps that aimed to reproduce daylight, photographers were able to make images measuring 43 centimeters tall by 1.2 meters wide. Journalists look at the Sistine Chapel with its new lighting during a press visit to the

Feb. 26, 2017

Chun Kyung-ja's controversial painting to go on public display

A national art museum said Saturday it has decided to put on public display renowned painter Chun Kyung-ja's work that her bereaved family alleges is a fake.This, if realized, would mark the first time that the painting has been shown to the public in 26 years. "Beautiful Woman" will be part of the exhibition for works by some 100 painters representing the Korean fine art of the 20th century, set to open in the Gwacheon branch of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in mid-April, acc

Feb. 25, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals in Korea this week

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservation is required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, J

Feb. 24, 2017

Twice to debut in Japan

K-pop group Twice on Friday announced the group will be heading to Japan on June 28, starting the countdown on its official Japanese website.The album to mark the start for the nine-member group‘s musical career in Japan is to be titled “#TWICE,” and will be a compilation of Twice’s hit songs, including “Like Ooh-Ahh,” “Cheer Up” and “TT.” Ten songs, in both Korean and Japanese, will be featured on the album. Twice (JYP Entertainment)Twice is also slated to hold a showcase to commemorate the alb

Feb. 24, 2017

Facts about Dean’s new single

R&B artist Dean dropped a new single titled “limbo” on Feb. 17, comprised of two songs.　The producer-turned-singer, who has written songs for K-pop’s biggest names such as EXO, VIXX and Taeyeon, has been consistently collaborating with artists such as Crush to produce trendy tracks. 　The following is a list of facts about the new album:1. The album’s concept is the state of limbo between dreaming and reality, where the two are indistinguishable. 2. It was inspired by the Christopher Nolan movie

Feb. 23, 2017