Articles by Lee Jung-youn
Lee Jung-youn
jy@heraldcorp.com-
Broadcasters' year-end music festivals mired in controversy
Broadcasters' year-end music festivals have come under fire for poor production value, counterfeit tickets and selecting overseas venues over domestic ones, making it hard for K-pop fans to attend. The "SBS Gayo Daejeon 2023,” which was held at Inspire Arena in Yongjeong-do, Incheon, on Christmas Day, several accidents threatened the safety of artists in attendance. A man jumped over the safety line while girl group aespa was about to leave the red-carpet photo wall. A bodyguar
K-pop Dec. 27, 2023
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Will “Miss Trot 3” continue trot fever?
The sensational audition program series "Miss Trot" returned with its third season on Thursday. After countless trot music shows that tried to hop on the trot fever train -- started by "Miss Trot 1" (2019) -- "Miss Trot 3" hopes to make another breakthrough to continue the nationwide trot craze without boring viewers. Returning with a wider range of participants, the third season includes teenage contestants and overseas participants, to provide freshness to viewers
Television Dec. 24, 2023
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K-pop, trot stars to star in 'Sharing & Together Concert' in 2024
From K-pop star to trot singers, various musicians across genres will appear in "Sharing & Together Concert" at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium on Jan. 12 and 13, 2024. The charity performance will donate all of its profits, excluding production costs, to help the underprivileged. Popular K-pop idol groups and singers, including Highlight, BamBam, Hwasa, Cravity, Vanner, N.SSign, Zerobaseone and Riize, are scheduled to perform on Jan. 12, the first day of the two-day concert. Korean
Performance Dec. 22, 2023
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Younha to mark 20 years of singing with album, concerts
Singer-songwriter Younha will return with her seventh full-length album and perform multiple solo concerts next year. Celebrating 20 years since her debut, Younha held the online event “Y” to share her plans for a new album and concert schedule on her official YouTube channel on Thursday night. The seventh full-length album will mark the second stage of the "Theory" trilogy, which kicked off with her sixth album, "End Theory," in 2022. Younha is scheduled to hold
Performance Dec. 22, 2023
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Pledis to launch first boy group in nine years after Seventeen
Pledis Entertainment, the agency that produced K-pop idol group Seventeen, is launching a new boy group for the first time in nine years. Called TWS, it is also the first rookie group that Pledis has produced after the company was acquired by Hybe in 2020. TWS, short for "Twenty-four seven with us," implies its music will be around fans all the time, Pledis said, adding that it aims to debut the group within January next year. "Like Seventeen, Pledis has followed a unique naming
K-pop Dec. 21, 2023
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Lucid Fall to hold exhibition for essay book
Singer-songwriter Lucid Fall will hold a special exhibition to share experiences beyond the limits of the senses, commemorating the publication of his book of essays. "Everybody Hears," a collection of prose written during the time Lucid Fall was creating his second ambient album "Being-with," released on Dec. 12. In commemoration of the publication of this essay collection, the exhibition, designed to share Lucid Fall's sensibilities with the audience, offers opportunit
Performance Dec. 20, 2023
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JYP forms new Japanese boy group NexZ
JYP Entertainment has finalized the members of its new Japanese boy group, NexZ, through the global audition "Nizi Project Season 2." In the final episode of "Nizi Project Season 2," which ran on JYP's official YouTube channel and streaming service Hulu Japan, the seven members -- Tomoya, Haru, Yuki, Ken, Yu, Yuhi and Seita – were announced with their new group name NexZ. All but Ken, the only Korean member, are Japanese nationals. The global audition held prelimin
K-pop Dec. 19, 2023
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Hip-hop trio Epik High rides high on 20th anniversary concerts
Legendary hip-hop trio Epik High held three packed, back-to-back concerts marking the group's 20th anniversary, proving that the group is as strong as ever. “Epik High 20th Anniversary Concert,” held at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, drew a total of 15,000 concertgoers over the three days. Two concerts were originally planned for Friday and Saturday but a third was added for Sunday as all seats sold out immediately upon ticket opening. During the three-hour concert, Epik High pe
Performance Dec. 18, 2023
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Yoasobi's sold-out concerts prove J-pop still strong in Korea
Despite freezing weather, about 4,000 fans gathered at Korea University’s Hwajung Gymnasium on Sunday to see Japanese duo Yoasobi perform. “I am so excited to enjoy Yoasobi’s songs performed live. As a J-pop fan, I hope more singers from abroad would consider visiting Korea,” said Yoon Jin-young, who was waiting in line to get a ticket. Yoasobi, who debuted in 2019, is a duo with a unique concept of reinterpreting novels into music. Producer Ayase is in charge of lyrics a
Performance Dec. 18, 2023
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Legendary singers' idol group comeback as 'Golden Girls' evokes mixed feelings
“Golden Girls” – an entertainment show that features the journey of four legendary female singers from the ’80s and ’90s to transform into a trendy girl group – was a fresh adventure in the Korean music industry. The singers' challenge recorded a 5 percent viewership just after the second episode -- the highest among entertainment programs that KBS has aired on Friday night so far this year. The guerrilla concert held at Coex in southern Seoul on Dec. 5 d
Performance Dec. 17, 2023
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[Well-curated] Harry Potter, Warner Bros. and an experimental bakery
Chewy rusk? Experimental bakery at Haebangchon Located on the way down the steep Haebangchon hill, O’pato, which has been loved for its homely European brunch and dining menu from soup to sandwiches, has newly opened a bakery offering a variety of experimental but irresistible bread. Although the bakery opened just a month ago, O’pato bakery’s chewing bread -- a chewy rusk made with a whole loaf of bread or salted butter roll -- has gone viral and can be purchased online and d
Culture Dec. 15, 2023
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SM to hold global auditions to discover next generation K-pop stars
SM Entertainment, one of the largest K-pop agencies in South Korea, is holding a global audition in its pursuit of future K-pop stars. The agency began accepting pre-registration applications for the “2024 SM Global Audition” on its global audition website, Tuesday. Anyone born between 2005 and 2013 can apply regardless of their gender and nationality. Applicants must choose one of the categories: vocal, rap, dance and acting. Applications can be made only once and only as an ind
K-pop Dec. 14, 2023
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Twice to hold encore concert in North America
Girl group Twice will hold its fifth world tour encore concert at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in March. The group’s agency JYP Entertainment has released the poster of an encore concert of Twice's fifth world tour “Ready to Be” on its official social media feeds. The concert will take place at the 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, on March 16, 2024. As part of its fifth world tour, Twice has held concerts at large venues in Asia, Oceania and North Amer
K-pop Dec. 13, 2023
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Hybe ranks fifth on Billboard's 'Top Promoter' chart
Hybe, driven by the strong performance of various artists under its wings including K-pop sensation BTS, has recorded global tour sales of about 250 billion won ($189 million) this year. The agency ranked fifth in Billboard's "Top Promoter" chart, making it the only Korean company to be ranked among the top 10. Billboard's "The Year In Tour 2023" report on world tours of pop stars from Nov. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30 shows that Hybe’s artists attracted about 1.6 mill
K-pop Dec. 13, 2023
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Itzy unveils new album concept, announces world tour
Girl group Itzy, who will open the new year with a new album and world tour, has raised anticipation with its first teaser image for the upcoming release. The album "Born To Be," which will be released on Jan. 8, features 10 songs, including the title track "Untouchable." The teaser image released on the group's official website showed the members posing like warriors against a red and blue background. One of the highlights is that the album features each member's f
K-pop Dec. 12, 2023
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