Suga of BTS recently completed the process of canceling his deferral for mandatory military service and is expected to enlist in the winter of 2023. Big Hit Music announced through Weverse, a communication platform for fans, that Suga has begun the procedure for fulfilling his military duty and that further updates regarding his enlistment will be provided later. The agency requested warm support and unchanging love for Suga as he fulfills his military duty and returns in good health. Suga, who

Multinational boy band ＆Team will greet its fans in Korea and Japan to celebrate its first anniversary, said agency Hybe Labels Japan on Monday. It will host concerts in Saitama, Japan and in Seoul on Sept. 3 and 9, respectively, to mark the occasion. The events will be livestreamed online for its fans as well. The nonet was formed through an audition program in September last year and officially debuted in December under Hybe’s Japanese affiliate. In the meantime, the bandmates flew in f

U-Know Yunho of TVXQ jumped into a metaverse that he named Nexus in his new solo album “Reality Show,” released on Monday. The artist’s third solo mini album “Reality Show” comprises a total of six tracks that revolves around a single story. The story is about the protagonist Noah, who is an introvert who spends most of his time secluded from the real world, but becomes a totally different person when he dives into a virtual world with the help of his AI assistant S

Joined by BTS bandmates, Suga wrapped up his first solo world tour with "D-Day The Final" in Seoul

South Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol clinched the prestigious Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award in Salzburg, Austria, on Sunday. Taking to the stage at the main auditorium of the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation, Yoon led the Camerata Salzburg orchestra in performances of four works in the final competition: Overture from Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (The Barber of Seville); Mozart’s Aria for Soprano and Orchestra in F major, K. 538; a chamber orchestra piece t

Hoping to live up to the viewers’ love for the first season of “D.P.” and high expectations for the next installment, director Han Jun-hee decided at the end of 2021 to return with a second season. The director had never expected to make a second season while shooting the original series, which was released in August 2021. And the unplanned season 2 made Han think hard about the story he wished to share with the audience in “D.P. 2.” “I needed to know why I wo

For Ju Ji-hoon, his latest action comedy, “Ransomed,” means something different compared to his previous works because it was a project with two of his favorite colleagues, director Kim Seong-hun and actor Ha Jung-woo. Ju and Kim have worked together on the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” and with Ha on another megahit film, “Along with the Gods.” “For the first time in my acting career, I decided to star in ‘Ransomed’ without even readin

New York-based director, Indian star depict gritty thriller in closely watched Mumbai

The Korean National Ballet is set to present separate productions of modern and classic ballet in August, with a back-to-back schedule. Kicking off on Aug. 25, “Triple Bill” features three distinct works within a single program, while “Ballet With Commentary, Le Corsaire” is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 3. Both productions will be staged at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. In “Triple Bill,” the audience will experience

YG Entertainment girl group Blackpink will mark its seventh debut anniversary on Tuesday. After making its debut in 2016 with singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” Blackpink has flourished as a popular world-renowned K-pop girl group enchanting the public with its imposing charm and topping major music charts in the US and in the UK. But as their seven-year exclusive contract with YG Entertainment is close to being expired, all eyes are on whether the members -- Jennie, Lisa

“Smuggler” (South Korea) Opened July 26 Crime/Action Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan Jo Choon-ja (Kim Hye-soo) returns to her old town after three years away. Her best buddy, Um Jin-sook (Yum Jung-ah), who spent time in prison on a smuggling conviction during that time, feels betrayed when Choon-ja reappears. But they soon resolve their misunderstanding and collaborate on a mutual goal. “Elemental” (US) Opened June 14 Animation Directed by Peter Sohn Four different anthropom

"We performed right here in front of an empty field three years ago, and it's awesome to be back with a full crowd!" South Korea's long-loved rock band Galaxy Express shouted to a frenzied crowd Friday at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, which was held via livestream for two years due to the pandemic. Even the sweat-dousing humid weather couldn't hold back the live music enthusiasts from sticking close to the main stage and jumping up and down to the band's psyc

Actors Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young said the characters they played in upcoming disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” are similar to their actual personalities. Park Seo-joon plays Min-sung, a reliable, seemingly good-hearted neighbor who is sometimes shy and reserved. He is one of the residents of Hwanggung Apartment building No. 103, the only building to have survived a major earthquake. Min-sung quietly supports Young-tak (Lee Byung-hun) to keep things in order and establish a sy

The music video for Blackpink’s “Pink Venom” surpassed 700 million views on YouTube, YG Entertainment said Friday. The video was unveiled in August last year and set a record as the most viewed music video from a female act in 24 hours, logging 90.4 million views on the platform. It also hit the milestone of 100 million views in the shortest time for a K-pop girl group, at 29 hours and 35 minutes. “Pink Venom” is a prerelease from its second studio album, “Bo

The musical "Memphis" presents the story of the white disc jockey Huey Calhoun, who was one of the first in the 1950s to play music by Black artists, and how his love for rock 'n' roll became the catalyst for a groundbreaking chapter in the history of US music. This story takes place in 1950s Memphis, Tennessee where the racial divide was pervasive everywhere, in the night clubs and restaurants, as well as in music and romantic relationships. In its Broadway run from 2009 to