‘Superstar K’ to be halted for now

Following an eight-year run, the popular singing audition program “Superstar K” will be taking a break. “There is no ‘Superstar K’ in this year’s program lineup,” cable music channel Mnet said.  (Mnet)However, the company denied the rumor that it will not be continuing with the show. It is re-examining the show, leaving open the possibility of a title and format change, Mnet explained.The show, which began in 2009, achieved record-breaking success for a cable program, drawing a viewership rating

March 8, 2017

Jay Park releases new single ‘Hulk Hogan’

K-pop artist Jay Park on Wednesday released “Hulk Hogan,” his first single of the year.The song, written by producer Woogie, is a hip-hop track that is a follow-up to Park’s hugely popular album “Everything You Wanted.” Starting off with chants of “Hulk Hogan flex on em flex on em,” the rapper shows off supreme confidence in himself and his “team,” indicating pride in his work and his hip-hop label AOMG.The cover for “Hulk Hogan” (AOMG)The unscheduled release of the single took place at noon via

March 8, 2017

Old but new Brave Girls unveils new look with ‘Rollin’’

For girl group Brave Girls, producer and songwriter Brave Brothers is both a solid foundation and a looming shadow. Following its debut in 2011 as a seven-member group, Brave Girls was widely publicized as being produced by the K-pop mega-name, but quickly faded into obscurity with mediocre music.“It’s the seventh year for ‘Brave Girls,’ but its members only debuted last year and are practically rookies. However, the expectations (toward us) are those of a seven-year veteran, which puts a lot on

March 8, 2017

Beijing Symphony cancels concerts in Korea amid missile defense tensions

Beijing Symphony Orchestra has scrapped its planned concerts in South Korea, its organizer said Wednesday, as China curbs cultural exchanges in response to the deployment of a US missile shield in the neighboring country.The Korean and US militaries began the installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense this week despite China's vehement opposition to the missile defense system which it feared would hurt its security interests. Seoul-based concert organizer JK & Company said that it w

March 8, 2017

Popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo named voting member of Grammys

South Korean singer Lim Hyung-joo has been named a voting member of the Grammy Awards for the first time as an Asian operatic pop artist, his management agency said Wednesday.The renowned singer was recently accepted as a new member of the Recording Academy and was granted a five-year term as a voting member, the highest of all membership grades, according to DGNcom.The Recording Academy is a US organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals that host

March 8, 2017

KCON to be held in 5 cities

KCON, an annual global Hallyu convention held since 2012, will take place in five cities around the world this year, expanding to Mexico and Australia for the first time, its organizer CJ E&M said Monday.  Korean artists wave to fans at the KCON 2016 event held at Prudential Center, New York, June 24, 2016. (CJ E&M)The pop culture convention will kick off in Mexico City from March 17-18, then head to Chiba, Japan, from May 19-21, New York from June 23-24 and Los Angeles from Aug. 18-20, before w

March 7, 2017

CNBLUE to release new EP on March 20

CNBLUE will release its seventh EP, titled “7℃N,” on March 20, the K-pop band’s agency FNC Entertainment announced Tuesday.The upcoming EP is the band‘s first recording since “Blueming” was released nearly a year ago. “The new album will be about various emotions felt by CNBLUE, which commemorates the seventh anniversary of its debut this year,” the agency said.The band’s leader and vocalist Jung Yong-hwa wrote the main track of the EP, according to FNC Entertainment, adding that the four-man gr

March 7, 2017

Herald Philharmonic performs ‘The Sound of Spring’

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a concert titled “The Sound of Spring” on Friday in Donghae, Gangwon Province, marking the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Donghae Culture and Art Center. The concert will be a family-friendly event that seeks to transcend generational gaps, according to Lee Kang Play, the event organizer. “This will be a great opportunity for families to get together for a live performance of classical opera and songs from popular TV shows,” said Choi

March 7, 2017

Will K-pop also fall victim to China's Korean product ban?

(Yonhap)First came TV censorships of Korean stars. Then a ban on concerts, followed by an implicit prohibition of retail goods from South Korea. Now, K-pop is also bracing for a possible export ban to China, the biggest single-nation market in the world, as Beijing continues its political hissy fit towards Seoul's decision to deploy a high-tech U.S. anti-missile battery on its soil.Since October, Beijing has denied Korean entertainers permission to perform or appear on Chinese television. More r

March 6, 2017

GFriend releases new album ‘The Awakening’

GFriend released its fourth mini album “The Awakening” on Monday via online music streaming sites. “Fingertip” from the album made it to the top of the Genie music chart, while coming in at No. 4 and No. 7 on the Melon and Mnet charts, respectively.  GFriend (Source Music)“The Awakening” has already sold more than 100,000 copies in preorders, according to its agency Source Music.The girl group also unveiled a music video for “Fingertip” on the same day. Uploaded on YouTube, it garnered attention

March 6, 2017

Mamamoo apologizes for ‘blackface’ controversy

K-pop group Mamamoo on Saturday issued a public apology for its parody video in which the members dressed up as African-Americans, saying that they did not understand the meaning of blackface.“There is no excuse for what we did and there are not enough words to explain how regretful we are. We are heartbroken to have hurt our international K-Pop fans so deeply...We were extremely ignorant of blackface and did not understand the implications of our actions,” the group said in a public statement r

March 5, 2017

Psy to release new album in April

South Korean pop musician Psy plans to showcase a new album in April, marking his first release since December 2015.　YG Entertainment said the South Korean rapper has also finished filming the accompanying music video. Singer Psy (Youtube)　The rapper-producer became a global sensation with his track “Gangnam Style” in 2012. Psy also gathered popularity with other songs including “Gentleman,” “Hangover” and “Daddy.”　The music video for “Gangnam Style” boasts more than 2.7 billion views on the pop

March 4, 2017

Herald Philharmonic to hold spring concert

Herald Philharmonic Orchestra is holding its fourth regular concert on March 9 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seoul.Titled “A Spring Day,” the program features popular opera arias as well as traditional Korean music performed by the orchestra with a Korean traditional percussion group. Led by conductor Kim Bong-mi, the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra will opening the concert with the overture from the opera “The Bartered Bride” by Smetana. Soprano Yu Seong-nyeo will perform “Queen of the Nig

March 3, 2017

YB to release new single in US in March

YB is set to release a new single in the US around mid-March or early April, the rock band’s agency said Wednesday.“There are no specific plans for a US concert yet. But the recording for the single has been completed,” said a representative from Dee Company, adding that they have yet to decide whether to also release the song in Korea.The single is part of YB’s ongoing attempts to crack the US market. Yoon Do-hyun, the band’s leader and vocalist, said earlier this year that YB plans to release

March 3, 2017

Coldplay releases piano ballad in surprise new music

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Coldplay on Thursday released a piano ballad in surprise new music by the English rockers to mark front man Chris Martin’s 40th birthday.“Hypnotised,” described by the band as a “new non-single song,” is the first track off an EP entitled “Kaleidoscope” announced for June 2.“Hypnotised” starts off with dream-like chimes and piano with hints of Sigur Ros before turning into a more traditional rock ballad.The song -- in which Martin confesses he’s “never gonna be a saint” but fin

March 3, 2017

Ending epic wait, Lorde returns with dance track

NEW YORK (AFP) - In one of the most anticipated returns in pop music, Lorde unveiled a song Thursday in which the onetime teenage star takes a new dance sound and adult look.The now 20-year-old New Zealander announced a second album called “Melodrama,” her follow-up to 2013’s “Pure Heroine” which won her phenomenal success while still a teenager.Lorde released the album’s first single, “Green Light,” which is strikingly more lively than her minimalist breakthrough hit, the Grammy-winning “Royals

March 3, 2017

Pitbull to hold Korea concert

Party music guru Pitbull is coming to Korea. The rapper will hold his first concert in Korea on May 18 at the Seoul Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall at 8 p.m., according to the event’s host Live Nation Korea on Thursday. Pitbull debuted in 2004 and has since come to be known for fusing danceable Latin pop and electronic hip-hop sounds in his music. Hits by him include the 2013 song “Timber” featuring Kesha and the 2014 song “Time of Our Lives” featuring Ne-Yo. Tickets can be purchased from Thursday a

March 3, 2017

Highlight, formerly known as Beast, to release EP album in March

Highlight, a South Korean boy band formerly known as Beast, plans to release an EP album later this month, its agency said Thursday.Around Us Entertainment said the team will release its first EP album under the name Highlight on March 20. The agency uploaded a teaser -- a frowning emoticon face with the release date -- on its Instagram account. (Around Us Entertainment)Since its debut in 2009 under Cube Entertainment, the six-member Beast became popular at home and in Japan with hit songs "Bad

March 2, 2017

'Cherry Blossom Ending' reappears on music charts as spring nears

Figuratively, the arrival of spring signifies new beginnings. But spring of 2017 is returning with a not-so-new seasonal K-pop anthem: Busker Busker's "Cherry Blossom Ending."The song, released in 2012, ranked 10th on the "sudden increase chart" as of 7 a.m. Thursday on Melon, South Korea's largest music streaming service. Busker Busker also stood at 82nd on Mnet Music's "artist chart" on Wednesday, despite the band not releasing any new material since their second album in September 2013. Membe

March 2, 2017

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