A variety of Korean films are opening in cinemas after their releases were delayed due to COVID-19, as the local film industry starts to show signs of recovery. In the upcoming month, “The Outlaws” and “Extreme Job” actor Jin Seon-kyu’s new comedy film “Count” will open. The film centers on Si-heon, played by Jin, who is a former Olympic medalist and now teaches students at a high school as a stubborn and sometimes annoying physical education teacher. Af

With production companies and audiences moving past the pandemic, musicals are returning en masse. "West Side Story," the 65-year-old Stephen Sondheim-Leonard Bernstein romp, the Asian premiere of "Moulin Rouge!" and more Sondheim in the dark tale of London's murderous barber, "Sweeney Todd" are among those warming up the cold winter season. There was a time when someone who had watched a musical on Broadway would be excited to see it in South Korea, only to be

Haechan of NCT will restart all activities when NCT 127 returns with repackaged version of its 4th studio album on Jan. 30, SM Entertainment announced Friday. He has been taking a break for about three weeks for health reasons. He had chest problems and has been resting and recovering in accordance with his doctor’s orders. The idol will join the nine-member subunit of NCT as it rolls out “Ay-Yo,” a reissue of its fourth LP “Two Baddies.” “Ay-Yo” will c

A concert dedicated to the traditional Korean string instrument ajaeng will be held on Feb. 14, at the Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater, located in Jongno-gu. Titled “Choi Hye-rim’s Ajaeng with Yang Seung-hwan,” the 60-minute performance is part of the traditional music performance hall’s project for this year, the organizer announced in a press release last week. Ajaeng is a horizontal zither mainly played in court music and folk music. The instrument has seven string

Public educational TV channel EBS on Friday aired the first episode of a four-part program featuring renowned Korean dancers, the latest edition of its documentary series "Voice." The dancers in the series have different specialties, from traditional Korean dance and street dance to contemporary dance and ballet. Collaborating with the Korea Arts & Cultural Education Service, the documentary series features different professions, ranging from architects and pianists to actors and p

Disney+ Korean original series “Big Bet” will return with expanded stories for its second season, set to be released on Feb. 15., the streaming service confirmed Thursday. “Big Bet,” which features movie star Choi Min-sik’s first performance in a drama series in 25 years, had the highest first-week viewing figures of any of the service’s Korean original series, according to Disney+. The first season of "Big Bet" will end on Wednesday. The noir series

“Someday or One Day” (Taiwan) Opened Jan. 25 Drama Directed by Hwang Cheonin Based on an adaptation of a 2019 TV series of the same name, this film revolves around a woman who is depressed after her boyfriend dies in a plane incident. Struggling to get over him, she receives a mysterious tape one day that allows her to travel back in time. She dreams of meeting her boyfriend once again and questions whether she will be able to change his destiny. “The Point Men” (So

Boy band aspires for Billboard No. 1 with new album 'The Name Chapter: Temptation'

Lisa of Blackpink set three new world records last year, the Guinness World Records said Tuesday. “Guinness World Records can confirm that in 2022, Lisa achieved three more record titles to add to her collection,” it said. She already has two records for the music video for her first solo song “Lalisa” from 2021. She is the first K-pop solo act to win at the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards for the Best K-pop prize. The third record is for her dominance

South Korean hip-hop trio Epik High is making a return with its new album “Strawberry” on Feb. 1. "Strawberry" comes one year after the release of Epik High’s 10th full-length album “Epik High Is Here Part 2” last February. The album comprises five tracks including the titular track “Strawberry” and side tracks “On My Way,” “Catch,” “Down Bad Freestyle,” and “God’s Latte.” This is the trio&#

Though his new character Do-han in the upcoming crime thriller series “Decoy” seems a departure from his previous roles, Jang Keun-suk is certain that he will not disappoint his fans, who have been waiting a long time for his return. “Time flies. Even I didn’t expect it would be so long before my next project. But I can assure you that ‘Decoy’ was the series, which makes the last five years not in vain. Whenever I visited the on-site shooting location, discuss

Taeyang of Big Bang debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 as a solo musician with “Vibe,” ranking No. 76 on the chart. The collaboration with Jimin of BTS is Taeyang’s first entry on the chart on his own. It was No. 9 on Billboard’s Global Excl. the US chart. “Vibe” hit the UK’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 at No. 96 and Billboard Japan’s Hot 100 at No. 35. The digital single came out on Jan. 13 and topped iTunes top songs charts in 100 regions a

Key of SHINee is making a comeback with his second repackaged album “Killer” on Feb. 13, according to SM Entertainment. The comeback comes six months after the release of Key’s second solo studio album “Gasoline” last August. The album is comprised of three new tracks including the titular track “Killer” and side tracks “Heartless” and “Easy.” It also includes 11 tracks from Key’s second full-length album including “Ga

In revenge drama 'The Glory,' dish is a metaphor for solitude, loss of joy, while in 'Attorney Woo' it carries the warmth of childlike innocence, parental love

Cannes-winning romance-thriller “Decision to Leave” by South Korea’s renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook failed to become one of the five nominees in the best international feature film category at the 95th Academy Awards, surprising both critics and global fans, with some even saying that it was Oscars that “missed a chance.” “Argentina 1985” (Argentina), “All Quiet On The Western Front” (Germany), “Close” (Belgium), “The Qui