Sistar bids farewell in video

Tuesday marked the end of an era for soon-to-be disbanded Sistar and its fans, to whom the group said a sentimental goodbye on social media. A video uploaded by its agency Starship Entertainment featured images of what appears to the four members Hyolyn, Bora, Soyou and Dasom enjoying their everyday lives. It also included farewell messages starting with each letter of the band’s name: “See you again. It’s not goodbye. Separate ways we may go. To achieve new dreams. All the memories together. Re

May 24, 2017

FT Island to release remake of single ‘Lovesick’

K-pop boy band FT Island is set to return with a remake of its digital single “Lovesick” on Sunday, according to its agency.“FT Island will drop the remake of its debut song ‘Lovesick,’ ahead of releasing a new album on June 7, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its debut,” FNC Entertainment said. A teaser image for the special digital single “Lovesick” (FNC Entertainment)Since its debut in June 2007 with its first studio album “Cheerful Sensibility,” the five-member band has enjoyed popularit

May 24, 2017

BTS makes new friends on Billboard red carpet

While Sunday may have marked an all-time best moment for BTS, the winner of Top Social Artist at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, the group‘s euphoria probably doubled with the amount of friends who shared in the group’s joy. Billboard Music Award always brings artists together, and BTS also seems to have made some new pals on the global event’s magenta carpet. (Yonhap)Here is a list of new friends spotted at the group’s historic moment on site. 1. The Chainsmokers(BTS` Twitter)The Sunday award

May 23, 2017

The women of Psy’s music videos

Son Na-eun is basking in the glowing limelight of the “Psy effect” since her appearance in the singer’s music video for “New Face.”The Apink member is being bombarded with requests for advertisements and photo shoots, her agency Plan A Entertainment said Tuesday. The music video for “New Face” has reached over 3 million views on YouTube since its May 10 release. Son stars in it as the poker-faced subject of Psy’s fervent advances.Other female K-pop singers and actresses who have starred in Psy’s

May 23, 2017

Sistar confirms disbandment after 7 years

Starship Entertainment, which represents Sistar, confirmed the K-pop group’s disbandment Tuesday. (Starship Entertainment)“Sistar will officially end its seven-year promotion as a group with its last album, which will be released on May 31,” the agency said in a statement. “We have been discussing the issue and agreed to bring the group to an end.” The four-member Sistar debuted in June 2010 with “Push Push.” It has enjoyed popularity with hit songs such as “So Cool,” “Loving U” and “Give It to

May 23, 2017

iKON dominates iTunes charts with ‘New Kids: Begin’

K-pop boy band iKON’s long-awaited EP “New Kids: Begin” has been going strong abroad, topping iTunes charts in 10 regions as of Tuesday. Since its release Monday, the second EP has shot to the top spot on iTunes K-Pop Music Albums charts in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, among other countries. K-pop group iKON (YG Entertainment)The two-track album also made it to the top 50 on the charts of 32 countries, including Sweden, Turkey and Mexico. “Bling Bling,” one of the tracks

May 23, 2017

[Herald Interview] iKON’s street boys return with ‘New Kids: Begin’

Without the gloss and glitter, seven street boys are back in the K-pop music scene amid growing anticipation toward their reunion with fans in Korea. Likening themselves to the “boys from backstreet,” rising K-pop group iKON dropped its long-awaited second single “New Kids: Begin” on Monday.The release came after the group held its first Japanese dome concert in Osaka on Saturday, which was a huge success. iKon (YG Entertainment)“Since we had such a long hiatus, it feels like we became newbies a

May 22, 2017

[Next Wave] Dumbfoundead on Koreatown, ‘Foreigner’

While growing up in Koreatown, that bustling enclave in central Los Angeles home to a distinctly hybrid culture of Korea and America, rapper Dumbfoundead noticed something odd. 　 The neighborhood’s young residents, born to Korean immigrant parents but raised entirely on American soil, seemed to adhere to Korean social codes with enthusiasm. They would pour the staple Korean liquor soju for each other using both hands, and refer to older males as “hyung” or “oppa.” Whether reflecting a desire to

May 22, 2017

BTS becomes first K-pop group to win at Billboard Music Awards

BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, has become the first K-pop group to win at the Billboard Music Awards. The South Korean boy band grabbed the top social artist category award at the high profile event Sunday, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was the first time that a Korean artist won at the global awards since Psy was honored in the top streaming song (video) category with his worldwide smash-hit “Gangnam Style” in 2013. BTS poses in the press room with the trophy for top social arti

May 22, 2017

BTS scoops up Billboard Music Award for top social artist

BTS grabbed the award in the top social artist category at the Billboard Music Awards on Monday.The boy band has not only made history as the first K-pop group to attend the show but also nabbed a prize there.  BTS (Billboard)BTS faced competition for the award from other big-name celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, who were all nominated.  (Big Hit Entertainment)Earlier, the seven-member group also performed strongly on Billboard’s music charts. BTS’s latest hit s

May 22, 2017

K-pop group EXP-Edition from NY seeks own musical color

In August 2016, four New Yorkers hailing from different backgrounds boarded a Korea-bound plane with one question that brought them together: Who says only Koreans can become part of a K-pop idol group? With the tagline “Born in New York, made in Seoul,” K-pop idol group EXP-Edition sings in Korean and dances K-pop style, but none of its members are Koreans. This unique international K-pop band, with ethnic backgrounds ranging from Portuguese to Croatian, entered the K-pop scene with its electro

May 21, 2017

Kim Jang-hoon apologizes for ‘cursing’ incident

Singer Kim Jang-hoon apologized Sunday for using vulgar language during a memorial for former President Roh Moo-gyun on Saturday.Kim, who performed during a memorial at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul, used foul language on stage while talking about his quarrel with a police officer over his illegal parking. “I apologize to all those who love President Roh and came (to Gwanghwamun) with good intents” he wrote on his Facebook page. Kim Jang-hoon speaks during a memorial former President Roh Moo-gyun o

May 21, 2017

[Eye] ‘Art is necessary in the process of becoming a citizen’

At the Deoksugung branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, an exhibition of Egyptian surrealist art is underway in the west wing that was added to Seokjojeon, the country’s first Western-style building, in 1938 during the Japanese colonial period.It is coincidence that the period covered in the exhibition runs from 1938 to 1965. But nevertheless, the venue seems an apt one for the exhibition that covers a period in Egypt soon after it became fully independent from col

May 19, 2017

Chris Norman to perform in Korea

Chris Norman will bring back 1970s nostalgia for fans in Korea this week and next, as the former front man for Smokie will hold a concert in four cities. Norman, 66, will be returning to the country for the second time in less than a year, having performed in Korea last October. He is set to sing hits like “I’ll meet You at Midnight,” and “Living Next Door to Alice,” which are favorites among Korean fans. He will kick off the tour in Seoul on Saturday with a concert at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul

May 17, 2017

HyunA to perform at Dream Station

K-pop icon HyunA is the latest addition to the lineup for the upcoming Dream Station Live for Now festival to be held May 27 in Seoul.Organizers of the event revealed the final list of artists who will be hitting the stage in Nanji Hangang Park. This includes EDM artists ShowTek, Nervo, Vicetone and StadiumX, along with K-pop stars such as Red Velvet, NCT 127 and DinDin. A poster for Dream Station Live for Now (Dream Maker Entertainment)Dream Station Live for Now is a spin-off of last year’s Spe

May 17, 2017

[Photo] Kriesha Tiu reveals concept image for debut single

As Kriesha Tiu counts down the release of her debut single next Wednesday, the Filipino-American K-pop star dropped a concept image for the record on Wednesday.The image showed Tiu in a seemingly calm demeanor, focusing on a sight far off. It marked a contrast to the previously-revealed image of her lead track “Trouble” which showed a playful side of the singer. (Urban Works ENT)Tiu, 18, was a runner-up in Korean audition program “K-pop Star” season 6, which aired from November 2016 to April thi

May 17, 2017

Band Raw By Peppers to release album ‘Cosmos’

Post-rock band Raw By Peppers hopes to mesmerize fans with its unique sound and style with its first studio ‘Cosmos,’ to be released on noon Thursday. According to its agency Craft and Jun, the album will consist of 13 tracks and will build on the dreamlike and peculiar sound that it has shown in the previously-released EP “Spaceship Out of Bones.” The theme of the album will be “a space travel of three boys,” modeled after the trio. Raw By Peppers (Craft and Jun)“In order to carry the full ener

May 17, 2017

China rappers to Seoul: 'Big brother' opposes missile shield

BEIJING (AP) _ A rap group backed by China's government is warning South Korea in a music video that "you're going too far" with the deployment of a US missile defense system, as Beijing seeks to bring its state-supported cultural forces to bear in the international dispute. A member of the group CD REV said government officials worked with them on the video and helped to promote it on foreign websites, many of which are blocked in China by official censors emboldened by the ruling Communist

May 17, 2017

Black Pink to debut in Japan this summer

Black Pink will be taking its first step into the global music scene with a Japanese release, the group’s agency YG Entertainment said Wednesday. The K-pop quartet will be holding a showcase at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan arena on July 20. The showcase will be funded by Tokyo Girls Collection, a semiannual fashion festival launched in 2015 and Japan’s largest fashion event. The group will release an album in Japan on Aug. 9. The Japanese debut EP will include Black Pink’s hit tracks, including the re

May 17, 2017