Sandara Park named ambassador for Korea-Philippines’ relations

Sandara Park has been appointed as the new face of Korea-Philippines Friendship ambassador, according to her agency on Wednesday. For the 119th Philippine Independence Day and 22nd Migrant Workers Day, Park attended the event named “Bayanihan sa Korea 2017” (meaning Filipino community spirit in Korea) in Seoul on Sunday.  (YG Entertainment)Hosted by The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, some 1,500 Filipinos got together to celebrate and encourage one another. “Thank you so much for inv

June 14, 2017

Rising K-pop rookie NCT 127 drops powerful ‘Cherry Bomb’

K-pop fans will be showered with a fruity yet powerful K-pop bomb this summer, as rookie group NCT 127 returns with its high-energy EP “Cherry Bomb.”NCT 127, a Seoul-based unit of S.M. Entertainment’s NCT boy band project, dropped its third EP “Cherry Bomb,” led by the modern hip-hop title track, Wednesday.  “‘Cherry Bomb’ is our best and finest work that boasts spectacular performances. While I like every single song from the new EP, the lead track is my favorite, as I had to go through countle

June 14, 2017

G-Dragon, NCT 127 songs deemed unsuitable for KBS

Four of the five songs on G-Dragon‘s new EP “Kwon Ji-yong” were deemed unsuitable to be aired on KBS.The K-pop sensation’s “Middle Fingers-Up,” “Bull---” and “Divina Commedia” were banned due to use of foul language, and “Super Star” was prohibited for promoting a particular brand of product, according to the state-run broadcaster. Out of all the songs from the EP, only “Untitled, 2014” was approved by KBS. G-Dragon performs during his concert in Seoul on Saturday. (YG Entertainment)A song by SM

June 14, 2017

Twice endorses Japan’s Shibuya 109 stores

Twice will be promoting the summer sale campaign of Japan’s department store chain Shibuya 109, JYP Entertainment said Wednesday.The members of JYP’s multinational group were recently selected as the models for the chain’s “109 Summer Sale” campaign for 2017. Billboards featuring Twice will be hung at seven stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Shizuoka and Kagoshima.  A promotional image of Twice (JYP Entertainment)Twice will officially debut in Japan on June 28 with the album “#TWICE.” Following it

June 14, 2017

Death threat against Twice’s Mina latest in crimes targeting K-pop stars

The internet was abuzz Tuesday at news that a death threat was made online against Twice’s Mina Miyoui. The unidentified person had posted a photo of a wrist and a knife, saying he or she would violently murder Mina if she did not mutilate her supposed boyfriend.It was later revealed to have been a practical joke of extremely poor taste. But JYP Entertainment said there will be ”no mercy” for the perpetrator and vowed legal action in what is the latest in a long line of crimes against Korea’s id

June 14, 2017

Psy to cool off summer heat at ‘Summer Swag’

Global pop star Psy will hold summer concerts for the first time in five years, according to his agency Wednesday.The artist had previously promised to host a summer concert this year at a press conference for his new full-length album, “4x2=8,” in May. Poster image for Psy’s “Summer Swag” concert series (YG Entertainment)In 2011 and 2012, the singer held music event series where concertgoers could beat summer heat. According to YG Entertainment, this summer’s concerts will take place at Busan W

June 14, 2017

Lim Seul-ong to return with new solo album

Balladeer Lim Seul-ong, a member of K-pop quartet 2AM, is set to return with two new songs in a digital album on June 20, according to the singer’s agency Sidus HQ on Wednesday. The album will consist of two tracks: “That’s Right” and the title track “It’s You” (unofficial translation), a soft ballad promising eternal love. Rapper Beenzino is featured in the song.An image for Lim Seul-ong’s upcoming digital album “It’s You” (Sidus HQ)Lim participated in the producing of the tracks, according to

June 14, 2017

Black Pink confirms release date

Black Pink‘s latest album will be released on June 22.YG Entertainment unveiled the teaser image for the new record on its official blog (www.yg-life.com). The image shows four pillars of what appeared to be a Greek temple, each pillar symbolizing the four members Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa.The news of the group shooting a new music video made the rounds earlier in the month, which had the fans buzzing in anticipation for their June return.  Black Pink’s teaser image (YG Entertainment)A follow

June 13, 2017

JYJ’s Park Yu-chun to wed in September: report

JYJ’s Park Yu-chun will reportedly get married on Sept. 10, according to a local media report Tuesday.The report quoted Park and his fiance Hwang Ha-na’s families as saying, “Park is set to tie the knot with Hwang in Seoul. The couple is currently preparing for the wedding.”The bride-to-be is the 28-year-old granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products’ founder. Singer-actor Park Yu-chun (C-Jes Entertainment)“We have not received any notice regarding the exact marriage date and we cannot confirm it,”

June 13, 2017

Nine Muses rolls out teaser videos

Nine Muses started out a sequential release of teaser videos for its upcoming EP, starting with a video of Keumjo on Monday.The group’s agency Star Empire Entertainment revealed the first teaser video for “Muses Diary Part.2): Identity,” set for release on 6 p.m. on June 19. The video starts off with Keumjo -- clad in a white dress -- running away from an unidentified threat, set to the sound of piano and her vocals. Images from Nine Muses’ teaser video (Star Empire Entertainment)According to of

June 12, 2017

K-pop singer Gain questioned over marijuana claims

Seoul police on Monday said that they have investigated local singer Son Ga-in -- also known by her stage name Gain -- over her claim that an acquaintance of hers had offered her marijuana.Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency told the local press that officers have visited the 29-year-old singer and questioned her over the claims. The acquaintance in question, a friend of Gain’s boyfriend actor Ju Ji-hoon, has also been questioned as a witness. Last Sunday, Gain wrote on her Instagram account that s

June 12, 2017

Apink to release EP on June 26

Apink will unveil its sixth EP on June 26, its agency Plan A Entertainment said Monday, releasing its first record in more than nine months.On midnight, the agency posted a teaser image for the upcoming album on its Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account. The image shows the messages “Coming Soon. Pink up” with the release date of June 26, 6 p.m.“As Apink is returning after nine-month hiatus, the new EP will show them as more mature,” said Plan A Entertainment.  (Plan A Entertainment)The six-me

June 12, 2017

Ultra Korea captivates Seoul

A part of Seoul was set ablaze last weekend, as 120,000 music lovers flocked to Ultra Korea 2017, shaking it to the ear-blasting tunes from top-tier DJs gathered at the largest and hottest outdoor club in the country.Spread across the vastness of Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul were four stages, from which electronic dance music shot out from big-shot artists KSHMR, Pendulum, Alesso, Nicky Romero, Steve Angello, Dubfire, Martin Solveig, Tiesto and Tchami. Standing alongside the top-tier mus

June 12, 2017

K-pop diva Lee Hyo-ri to drop new album early July

K-pop dancing diva Lee Hyo-ri is set to release a new album in the beginning of July, her agency Kiwi Media Group said Monday. “The album had originally been planned for June, but we have decided to release it in the beginning of July,” the agency said. “We are in the process of working on the last touches of the album and have not yet specified a date.” Lee Hyo-ri (Kiwi Media Group)Lee worked with composer Kim Do-hyun to produce the album. It will mark the songstress‘ return to the music scene

June 12, 2017

John Park to release single Wednesday

Singer John Park will release his first single in almost a year, returning with “Do Not Disturb” on Wednesday.According to his agency Music Farm Entertainment, the new single will “prominently feature Park’s unique vocal tone.” (Music Farm)It was written by Andy Platts of the London-based Mamas Gun, and Park wrote the lyrics for the song. It marks a repeat of the combination used for his debut single “Falling” in 2012, which also featured Platts’ music and Park’s lyrics. Park’s last single “Thou

June 11, 2017

Britney Spears Seoul concert feeds on ’90s nostalgia

American pop star Britney Spears held a concert in Korea for the first time Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul. 　Spears was previously in Korea in 2003 to promote her album “In the Zone.” She appeared on a local TV program and sang a duet with Korean singer BoA, but Saturday’s show, the second leg of her Asia tour following Japan, was her first concert here. 　Concert organizers opened up 17,000 seats for the event, with the highest-priced VVIP tickets at up to 220,000 won ($195). The

June 11, 2017

Group of fans calls for Super Junior to drop Sungmin

A group of fans of K-pop act Super Junior has demanded Sungmin be removed from the popular band. An online fan community that calls itself “Super Junior Gallery” released a statement on Sungmin with the title “Sungmin Out” on Sunday.Fans leave an image calling for Sungmin’s boycott from Super Junior at one of the group’s fan sites Saturday. (DC Inside)The statement read, “We can no longer support (Sungmin) and just watch him doing whatever he wishes to do, including his deceptive actions toward

June 11, 2017

[Herald Review] G-Dragon reveals ‘true self’ at Seoul concert

From the singer’s outfits to the concert lighting and his microphone, everything on stage was splashed a bloody red, a color that represented the theme of G-Dragon’s Saturday solo performance: going back to the roots of his birth.  G-Dragon performs during a concert at Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Saturday. (YG Entertainment)“Hello, my name is Kwon Ji-yong. You are witnessing the first-ever concert by ‘the human Kwon Ji-yong’,” the frontman of Big Bang screamed at 40,000 fans after openi

June 11, 2017

T.O.P leaves hospital amid military service suspension

T.O.P of South Korean boy band Big Bang, who has been hospitalized for a drug overdose, left the hospital on Friday, as he was officially suspended from his mandatory military service due to a marijuana scandal. (Yonhap)"I'm sorry," the singer responded succinctly towards a barrage of questions from reporters as he came out of the intensive care unit of Ewha Womans University Medical Center in western Seoul.The singer, who came out sitting in a wheelchair, was in a patient gown and wearing a mas

June 9, 2017

Astro makes Billboard charts again

Boy band Astro has entered the Billboard music charts again with its fourth EP “Dream Part 1,” coming in at No. 6 on the World Album charts as of Friday, the group’s label Fantagio Music announced. 　Astro made the Billboard World Album charts last year with its first and second EPs “Spring Up” and “Summer Vibes.” 　 Astro’s fourth EP is listed on the Billboard World Albums chart. (Billboard)With the listing of its recent EP, released May 29, the six-member band which debuted in 2015 features alon

June 9, 2017