BTS to release new album Feb. 13

(Yonhap)South Korean K-pop group BTS (Bangtan Boys) will release its new album on Feb. 13, its management agency said Monday.Big Hit Entertainment said the new album, "Wings: You Never Walk Alone," is both the follow-up and extended version of the previous album "Wings," which was released in October.The group members participated in writing songs and lyrics, and producing the album.On Feb. 18-19, it will hold "2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III Wings Tour in Seoul" in the Gocheok Sky Dome in sou

Jan. 23, 2017

BTS’ ‘Fire’ tops 100 mln YouTube views

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The video for K-pop boy group BTS’ hit single “Fire” has garnered more than 100 million views on YouTube.The video recorded 100,016,111 views as of 8 p.m. on Saturday, more than eight months after it was uploaded on the global free video sharing site last May, according to Big Hit Entertainment. “Fire” is the title track off “Epilogue: Young Forever,” the group’s first compilation album. The song’s video was No. 3 on YouTube’s 2016 list for the world’s most-viewed K-pop music v

Jan. 22, 2017

2NE1’s farewell single tops charts abroad

K-pop quartet 2NE1’s farewell song “Goodbye” has topped iTunes charts in eight Southeast Asian countries, while its music video surpassed 4.5 million views as of Sunday. The song, a ballad bidding goodbye to the group’s fans, ranked first on the iTunes charts of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines, upon its release Saturday.　The song’s lyrics, co-written by 2NE1’s leader CL and Oh Hyuk of Hyuk Oh Band, expresses wistfulness about the breakup of

Jan. 22, 2017

Soprano Hong Eun-sie to hold solo recital

Soprano Hong Eun-sie is holding a solo recital at the Chamber Hall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday.Hong, 29, studied in Italy after graduating from Seoul National University’s College of Music and returned to Korea in 2015. She graduated with top scores from the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milan and also studied at the Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado there. Hong also completed the canto course at Rome’s Arena Academy.“When I was young, I wanted to bec

Jan. 22, 2017

Kim Tae-hee chooses custom-made dress over branded designs

Actors Kim Tae-hee and Jung Ji-hoon (Rain) chose to have a modest ceremony for their wedding that took place on Thursday afternoon. Rather than the usual five-star hotels celebrities pick for their nuptials, Kim and Jung held theirs at Gaheo-dong Catheral in Jongno-gu, Seoul, following their Catholic convictions.At the ceremony, what caught the eyes of the 50 or so attendees was Kim‘s wedding gown.  (Rain Company)Again, rather than an extravagant dress from a high-end brand, Kim donned a piece d

Jan. 20, 2017

EXO sweeps music awards

K-pop juggernaut EXO bagged yet another grand prize at the 26th annual Seoul Music Awards on Thursday, sweeping top honors at five of the biggest music awards in the country.The boy band received the award for the fourth consecutive year, edging out rivals Bangtan Boys, BtoB and VIXX. The group has grand prizes from the Asia Artist Awards, Melon Music Awards, Mnet Asian Music Award and Golden Disc Awards (best album category) under its belt. EXO performs Thursday at the Seoul Music Awards held a

Jan. 20, 2017

Rain and Kim Tae-hee wed

Rain and Kim Tae-hee held a private wedding ceremony Thursday at Gahoe-dong Cathedral in central Seoul.  Rain (left) and Kim Tae-hee (Yonhap)The superstar couple’s wedding Mass lasted about 90 minutes. Rain wore a black suit while the bride wore a white dress that hit above knee. Only family members and a few close friends, including Park Jin-young, the head of JYP Entertainment and Rain‘s former boss, attended the Mass. In celebration of the new couple, Park sang “Only You,” the song he had wri

Jan. 19, 2017

Long-lost Stravinsky ‘Funeral Song’ gets Asian premiere in Seoul

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is working to get back on firm ground a year after the departure of Chung Myung-whun at the end of 2015, following a maelstrom of controversies, and the task of stabilizing the orchestra has fallen on the newly appointed conductor-in-residence Markus Stenz and principal guest conductor Thierry Fischer.“The team that approached me was very wise in wanting a stabilizing time,” said Stenz during a press conference held at the Sejong Center in Seoul on Tuesday.“The i

Jan. 19, 2017

Metallica, John Legend to perform at Grammys

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Chart-topping singer John Legend and metal legend Metallica will be among the performers at this year’s Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy announced Wednesday.The music industry’s signature gala takes place in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, with Beyonce leading nominations.Legend, who is best known for his ballad “All of Me,” is a favorite of the Grammys. The 38-year-old has won 10 awards and has performed each year since 2014.Metallica, one of the most influential groups in heavy m

Jan. 19, 2017

Families duel in decadent era in Met’s ‘Romeo et Juliette’

NEW YORK (AFP) -- In an era of intense political division, the new production of “Romeo et Juliette” at New York’s Metropolitan Opera brings the classic tale of warring families to a universe of palpable power and ostentation.Director Bartlett Sher’s vision for the opera, written in 1867 by Charles Gounod, keeps the action in Verona but shifts from the Renaissance to the 18th century -- a decadent world of puffed-up wigs that recall Marie Antoinette and ball gowns in royal reds and purples.“When

Jan. 19, 2017

UK’s Tate art galleries get first female chief

LONDON (AFP) - Britain’s prestigious Tate institution, which runs four of the country’s best known art galleries, announced Tuesday it would have its first female director with the appointment of Maria Balshaw.The 46-year-old will succeed Nicholas Serota in one of the most influential jobs in the country’s arts industry after transforming Manchester’s cultural landscape.“I am honored to be asked by the trustees of Tate to become the new director,” said Balshaw, who takes over on June 1.“Under Ni

Jan. 18, 2017

London needs new concert hall: Simon Rattle

LONDON (AFP) - British conductor Simon Rattle on Tuesday called for a new concert hall in London to make the city more competitive on the international music scene, as he takes up his baton at the London Symphony Orchestra.He threw his weight behind a 280 million pound ($347 million) project aimed at creating a “Centre for Music” equipped for the digital era.The plans involve building a new hall on the site of the Museum of London, which is relocating nearby, which would become the new home of t

Jan. 18, 2017

Girl group TWICE to release special album

South Korean girl group TWICE will roll out a special album next month, seeking to carry on its winning streak of online music streaming and album sales in the competitive, rapidly changing market, the band's management agency said Wednesday. (JYP Entertainment)According to music industry sources, the special album is currently in production for release in late February. It will be a repackaged version of the group's hit third EP "TWICEcoaster:LANE1," which will include a newly produced track."I

Jan. 18, 2017

BoA in romantic relationship with actor Joo Won

The agencies of K-pop star BoA and actor Joo Won on Wednesday confirmed reports the two are in a romantic relationship. Earlier in the day, a local media outlet reported the two had been dating since late 2016. They reportedly met via a shared acquaintance. Confirming the reports, BoA’s agency S.M. Entertainment said in an official statement the two had “grown fond of each other through shared interests such as music and acting.”Joo Won’s agency Huayi Brothers also confirmed the reports, althoug

Jan. 18, 2017

I.O.I tops charts with last single

Project girl group I.O.I reached for the sky for the final time with the latest single “Downpour” topping local music charts after its release Wednesday.“Downpour,” the last single for the rookie sensation, stood firmly at No. 1 on Mnet and Genie chart. It slipped to No. 3 on Melon after debuting at the top spot upon its midnight release.The song’s lyrics depict the sadness of leaving someone, likening it to an abrupt downpour. The 11-member band reportedly decided on their last song through a p

Jan. 18, 2017

Suzy sweeps music charts with solo track, beats Seohyun

Suzy of MissA topped major Korean music charts with a new solo track Tuesday, emerging triumphant in a highly anticipated face-off with Seohyun of Girls’ Generation.Suzy’s “Pretend” was the No. 1 song as of 8 a.m. on eight streaming services, including Melon, Mnet, Genie, Olleh Music and Naver Music. Her full EP album will be released on Jan. 24.Seohyun’s “Don’t Say No,” which also came out Tuesday, stood in second place on Mnet and Olleh Music, third on Bugs Music and 19th on Melon. Both releas

Jan. 17, 2017

Rain to wed actress Kim Tae-hee

Singer Rain announced Tuesday he plans to marry Kim Tae-hee, an actress he has dated for over four years. “I am going to be a good husband and man as a head of one family,” he said in a handwritten letter posted on his Instagram account earlier in the day. “She has always kept her place beside me whenever I am in hard times or happy and showed affection in many ways,” he said. Singer Rain Actress Kim Tae-heeThe date of marriage was not given, with Rain only saying, “Regarding the time and the we

Jan. 17, 2017

Coming of age for Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun

Twenty-six is hardly an age fit to be called “a girl” but Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun has always been associated with youth, as the star was most widely-known for being the youngest member of the K-pop behemoth.“I’ve always shown myself (to the public) as the youngest among the Girls’ Generation. Now I wish to show what I can offer as a singer, and as a person,” she said in the showcase for “Don’t Say No,” her first album as a solo artist.The baby-faced singer has had more than her share of expe

Jan. 17, 2017