Aug 20, 2019   Music

BTS nominated in 5 categories for 2019 MTV Video Music Awards

K-pop boy band BTS has been nominated for American TV channel MTV's 2019 Video Music Awards in the Best Group category, raising the number of its nominations to five, the TV channel's website showed Tuesday.In its previous announcement last month, MTV said BTS was nominated in four categories for the globally coveted awards. "Boy With Luv," BTS' latest single featuring Halsey, is competing in the Best Collaboration category for the fan-voted music awards, whose final awards ceremony is

Today   Music

‘Slow Life Slow Live’ festival adds Kodaline to lineup

The third annual “Slow Life Slow Live” festival has added Irish band Kodaline to its lineup, with a total of nine artists confirmed so far. Consisting of Steve Garrigan, Mark Prendergast, Vincent May and Jason Boland, the band was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2013 upon its 2012 debut. It has released three studio albums, most recently “Politics of Living” in 2018. The quintet joins South Korean pop vocalists Lee Juck and John Park, along with Lukas Graham, Gallant,

Today   Film

[Herald Review] ‘47 Meters Down: Uncaged’ an absurd, silly shark movie, but kinda fun

Let’s face it: “47 Meters Down: Uncaged,” an unlikely sequel to the 2017 low-budget summer sleeper “47 Meters Down,” was never going to be a top-notch production with quality acting and thought-provoking moments. Bluntly put, it’s a silly shark movie. But not every film has to shoot for masterpiece status. Through the corny dialogue, extremely over-the-top moments, laughable plot holes and cheesy set-up, this is one dumb and absurd film that does not try to be

Aug 20, 2019   Music

Even away from music scene for break, BTS makes buzz

Off to its first-ever official break in its sensational seven-year career, K-pop super band BTS is away from the public eye, but the presence of its members' surprise internet feeds and release of a special photo album continues to make the world music scene abuzz with the beloved band.Dropping a YouTube video of the seven BTS members, flawlessly dressed up against the backdrop of a Korean wood-and-clay traditional house, "hanok" in Korean, last Thursday, BTS announced the arrival of t

Aug 20, 2019   Music

K-pop celebs ignite discussion on going sans bra

K-pop idols have not always been in the forefront of social movements. Yet two popular stars in the industry -- Sulli and Hwasa -- have recently ignited the heated debate on going bra-free. Sulli, formerly of girl group f(x), has in recent years uploaded photographs and videos of herself without a bra on her social media accounts. Each time she uploads one, her Instagram account is bombarded with comments -- both supportive and expressing disgust.Appearing on JTBC’s “Night of Hate Co

Aug 20, 2019   Film

Actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young to present film award at Busan

The annual Busan International Film Festival is gearing up for its October opening, as it named actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young as presenters for this year’s “Actor & Actress of the Year” award.Organizers for this year’s BIFF made the announcement Monday, ahead of the festival that will be held Oct. 3-12 this year. The award will be announced at the closing ceremony on Oct. 12, and will receive 5 million won ($4,130) in prize money. The award was created to shine l

Aug 20, 2019   Music

Rapper Flowsik to release new single on Sunday

Hip-hop artist Flowsik announced Monday at midnight that he will release a new digital single on Sunday, through a teaser image that he uploaded on his social media page. According to the teaser image, the single will be released at 6 p.m. with the title “1 week,” marking the rapper’s first release in eight months.Flowsik’s agency, Wonder Co. Ltd., told local media that an artist who will “surprise everyone” will take part in the upcoming song, and will also m

Aug 20, 2019   Music

Gugak Museum reopens with interactive, high-tech experience

Gugak Museum, South Korea’s only museum dedicated to traditional music gugak, reopens today after a yearlong renovation, offering interactive, high-tech and hands-on exhibits. First opened in 1995 under the auspices of the National Gugak Center, the museum has been a treasure trove of Korean music and instruments. The remodeling has enhanced visitors’ experience with cutting-edge audio and music-making installations, officials said.  “Rather than focusing on visual displa

Aug 19, 2019   Music

BTS agency acquires music game developer

Big Hit Entertainment, the agency of BTS, has recently acquired a domestic game developer as the company continues to expand its business portfolio.  The company said Monday it has completed a contract to take over Superb, which has developed games based on music since 2016.  "We believe gaming is an industry that will generate a strong synergy with our core field of music," Bang Si-hyuk, Big Hit founder and co-chief executive, said in a press release.  Superb CEO Oh Min

Aug 19, 2019   Theater

Universal Ballet celebrates 35th anniversary with signature reinventions of classical tales

The Universal Ballet Company will reintroduce its popular Korean classics, “Shim Chung” and “The Love of Chunhyang,” in October in celebration of the company’s 35th anniversary.“The Love of Chunhyang” runs Oct. 4-6, followed by “Shim Chung” Oct. 11-13, both at the Seoul Arts Center. “I am very happy to reintroduce ‘Shim Chung’ and ‘The Love of Chunhyang,’ which have played important roles in promoting Korea&rsquo

Aug 19, 2019   Television

Actress Ku Hye-sun, actor Ahn Jae-hyun may divorce

Actress Ku Hye-sun and actor Ahn Jae-hyun could become yet another high-profile Korean couple whose marriage ends in divorce.On Sunday, the actress shared a post that hinted at the end of her marriage with Ahn. In the post that included a private message with Ahn, Ku wrote that she had lost faith in her husband. HB Entertainment, which represents both Ku and Ahn, announced Sunday that the two have agreed to start divorce proceedings.However, Ku has refuted the statement, saying she has not come

Aug 16, 2019   Music

Serial version of latest BTS doc, 'Bring the Soul,' to hit mobile app

"Bring the Soul: The Movie," the latest documentary film featuring global band BTS, will be released in a new mobile version this month on an application for BTS fans, the band's management agency said Friday.The first of the six episodes of the mobile version, "Bring the Soul: Docu-Series," will hit the Weverse mobile application's BTS category for paid service on Aug. 27, Big Hit Entertainment said. The remaining five episodes will be released every Tuesday one by one till

Aug 16, 2019   Film

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw(US)Opened Aug.14Action, Adventure Directed by David Leitch Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham) first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, these two sworn enemies

Aug 16, 2019   Music

Chinese-speaking K-pop stars side with mainland China against protesters

As Hong Kong citizens intensify their protests against a bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China, Chinese-speaking K-pop stars are showing their support for the “One China” policy via social media.Lay of EXO ended a modeling contract with Samsung Electronics because, according to the agency representing him in China, the company’s global website does not adhere to the policy, which holds that the territories of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao belong to the state of Chi