Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda will take on his first Korean movie with top-tier actors Song Kang-ho, Bae Doo-na and Gang Dong-won, according to the film’s distributor CJ ENM. Tentatively titled “Broker,” the film is a drama about people involved with “baby boxes” -- temperature-controlled containers in which unwanted newborns are dropped off. The Japanese writer and director, well reputed for his portraits of families that reveal their complexities and re

One of the most distinct K-pop acts on the scene, Dreamcatcher has been solidifying its status more than ever despite the pandemic era. Having returned with its new moombahton-rock “Boca,” the seven-piece act appeared in a recent live broadcast with The Korea Herald held via Naver’s V Live. The hourlong session was also jointly hosted by Christian Burgos, a popular Mexican entertainer based in Seoul. Chinese member Handong, who’s been staying in China, couldn’t ta

KNO to showcase new original Korean-language opera online

Chinese viewers remained unappeased and continued to demand an apology after the producers of the MBC program “Hangout With Yoo” posted a statement Monday about a comment that singer Lee Hyo-ri made on Saturday’s episode. The problem arose when Lee suggested Mao as the name of her character in “Hangout With Yoo.” “Let’s make a Chinese to be more global. How about Mao?” said Lee on Saturday’s episode. Lee’s statement infuriated man

Just like its new summery pop tune “Aloha Oe,” Cherry Bullet was full of shiny energy, brimming smiles and -- especially -- love for music. “When we first heard the new song, me and Yuju actually cried, saying, ‘This is the song we were waiting for!’” said Bora during the group’s recent interview held via V Live broadcast. The hourlong session was also jointly hosted by Christian Burgos, a popular Mexican TV personality based in Seoul. “There w

People riding subways will want to keep a close eye on the destination information screens on subway trains and at stations for the next few weeks: The Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival kicked off Monday, bringing short films to commuters through Sept. 18. The official slogan for this year’s festival, now in its 11th year, is “90 seconds, enjoy the subway!” “I hope many people using the subways can enjoy arts and culture by watching the super-short films,&

Director Zhang Lu talks about how actress Park So-dam’s character can communicate with anyone

2020 ACC World Music Festival wraps up early, may go virtual

From stage to small screen, productions put on hold due to COVID-19

The hit song "Dynamite" by K-pop superstars BTS has topped Spotify's main chart, making the band the first K-pop act to achieve the feat, the group's agency said Sunday. The K-pop septet's EP garnered 7,778,950 streaming hits on Friday (Korea time) on the Global Top 50 chart compiled by music streaming service provider Spotify. It marks the highest streaming record by a K-pop song on Spotify on the day of release this year, Big Hit Entertainment said. The song beat the previous rec

Kim Sun-wook talks about preparing for his upcoming all-Beethoven recitals by imagining what the composer may have heard

A boy falling in love at first sight on a rainy day, a chance meeting as a teacher and a student a few days later and a romantic bike ride in the countryside seem too cliche for a Korean romance drama in a year when a series featuring a husband and wife cheating on each other was a huge hit. Yet MBC’s new romance drama, “When I Was Most Beautiful,” does just that, presenting a romance drama reminiscent of those from the 1990s and early 2000s. “When I Was Most Beautiful

Global sensation BTS surprised fans Friday by releasing a digital single, “Dynamite,” ahead of its next album later this year.  The track is all in English -- something the band had never tried before in the seven years since its debut.  During an online media showcase, band leader RM explained that the unprecedented step had indeed presented a challenge for the band.  “We never released a song before the official album release or in English, and frankly, it w

An Old Lady (Korea) Opened Aug. 20 Drama Directed by Lim Sun-ae The elderly Hyo-jung (Ye Su-jeong) is sexually abused by a 29-year-old male nurse’s aide during physical therapy. When she reports the case to police, wary young officers wonder if she may be suffering from dementia. When no one seems to believe Hyo-jung, who has no family or friends, her roommate Dong-in (Ki Joo-bong) investigates the case and speaks to the suspect to persuade him to turn himself in. Moving On (Korea) Op

The South Korean entertainment industry could face a shutdown with the growing number of COVID-19 infections among TV cast and crew members. Terrestrial broadcaster KBS is on alert after a member of the cast of “Men Are Men” was confirmed to have the new coronavirus Wednesday. While all related staff have tested negative, production at the network is encountering mass delays. A public relations official from KBS said Friday that actor Seo Seong-jong of the KBS2 drama was confirme