K-pop girl group Blackpink's latest song ranked No. 1 on iTunes charts in 60 nations, its management agency said Saturday, a day after the release of "How You Like That." The number of countries where the song topped the charts represents an all-time high for a South Korean girl group. The song also dominated two major Asian music streaming services -- Line Music of Japan and QQ Music of China -- according to YG Entertainment. Blackpink's fresh music video has also drawn explosive

The members of Blackpink say they want to spread positive energy with their new single, “How You Like That.” It is the group’s first single since “Kill This Love,” which came out in April 2019. Ahead of the song’s release Friday, the bandmates discussed the experience of recording their first full-length album and collaborating with Lady Gaga during a livestreamed press conference. “This may sound a little bit grand. We really tried to give people a

The return of three A-list South Korean actors who finished their military duties has drawn wide attention from fans of Korean TV dramas at home and abroad. But their new dramas were performing far below expectations, and even the stars with large followings abroad were unable to give them a badly needed boost. Lee Min-ho, who soared to stardom with the 2009 drama series "Boys Over Flowers," starred in the fantasy romance "The King: Eternal Monarch" on SBS this spring. It

Singer Yi Sung-yol takes listeners to exotic, unfamiliar lands with music from around the world

Alive (Korea) Opened June 24 Thriller, Drama Directed by Cho Il-hyung An unexplainable disease spreads in the city, turning infected people into zombie-like creatures, and Jun-woo (Yoo Ah-in), a YouTuber and gamer, is stranded inside his house alone. What food he had left is soon finished, and in a matter of days, electricity and water are cut off. The creatures roam around the apartment complex, sometimes making their way inside houses. Just as Jun-woo starts to lose hope, another survivor on

Pop perfections and hidden gems from the girl group’s five-year back catalog

The pansori master who stars in ‘The Singer’ says he now wants to pursue an acting career

South Korean star actor Woo Do-hwan will join the military on July 6, his agency said Wednesday. Woo, 27, debuted in 2011 and rose to stardom after starring in the hit television series "The King: Eternal Monarch" this year and the film "The Divine Fury" in 2019. "Due to safety and health reasons, the location and time for Woo's entrance to the military camp will be kept closed without official media or farewell events," his agency, KeyEast, said in a statement.

With election looming in US, politicization of K-pop fans accelerating

Actor Park Bo-gum is expected to join the Navy's military band in August to fulfill his mandatory military service, officials said Wednesday. Last month, the 26 year-old celebrity applied for a naval military band and honor guard unit. After going through a performance test and interview, he was deemed qualified to be a member specializing in piano, according to the officials. Park will begin his service on Aug. 31 at the Navy Education and Training Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Pro

Aspiring director attempts Korean slapstick horror

Last year’s popular drama “Hotel Del Luna” will be remade into a US television series. Studio Dragon, the maker of the drama, which recently opened a US branch, announced a collaboration with Skydance TV on Wednesday to plan and produce the US remake. Skydance TV is the production company behind “Terminator: Dark Fate,” “6 Underground” and “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” among others. This is the first time a Korean studio will be w

Star-studded blockbuster “Negotiations” may become the first Korean film to restart overseas shooting since the COVID-19 pandemic virtually stopped all international travel The film’s local distributor, Megabox Plus M on Tuesday announced that the film’s producers will return to shooting in Jordan in early July. The producers of the film starring top-tier actors Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin halted all overseas shooting plans earlier this year, just after the global out

Netflix’s upcoming variety show “Twogether” features star actors from two countries who set off on a journey to meet their fans in Asia. Featuring Korean actor-singer Lee Seung-gi and Taiwanese actor Jasper Liu, the upcoming show will draw the bromance between the two stars as they overcome language and cultural barriers on their way to connect with fans. Star variety producer Cho Hyo-jin -- who produced Netflix’s “Busted” -- and producer Ko Min-seok have

Blockbuster musical takes off amid virus crisis