Karina of aespa and actor Lee Jae-wook are confirmed to be in a relationship. SM Entertainment, which houses aespa told The Korea Herald on Tuesday that “the two are getting to know each other.” Lee Jae-wook’s agency CJes Studios also confirmed the relationship, saying, “The two are getting to know each other. As the actor is currently filming a drama and the matter involves his privacy, so please respect (the couple's) privacy.” Earlier on Tuesday, a local rep

The Busan International Film Festival is once again accepting applications for the post of festival director after failing to fill the position, which has been vacant since last year. According to the organizing committee of Asia’s largest film festival, there were no qualified candidates who suited the generational change that the committee seeks. A total of seven people submitted applications in the most recent round which ended Feb. 13. “Although many candidates with expertise and

Song plays North Korean defector for first time in his 15-year career

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company will kick off the 2024 season with a new production entitled “Jungle,” choreographed by Kim Sung-yong, the company's director and artistic director. “Jungle” is set to be staged April 11-14 at the Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater. Kim officially took his position on May 11, 2023, for a three-year term. In October, Kim’s “Jungle -- Sense and Response” premiered as the opening piece at the Intern

EXO is planning to greet fans in person at a meetup on April 14 at Incheon's Inspire Arena, announced label SM Entertainment on Monday. Fan meet “One” will let fans gather with the band for the first time in about a year. All members except Kai and Sehoon, who are serving their military duty, will be present. The veteran idol band put out its seventh studio album “Exist” in July last year, its first full-group effort in almost five years. The LP sold over 1.56 mill

A veteran actor with 35 years of experience in films and TV, Choi Min-sik sought to bring to the screen the charisma of Korean practitioners of shamanistic beliefs such as geomancers, to push people to think about how our perceptions of land impact society, in "Exhuma," his first occult film. Directed by the master of K-occult, Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the story of a feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists who try to find a new resting place for a dece

The 29-year-old singer fills two hours with songs all composed and written by him

South Korean theaters are experiencing a much-needed boom in February with the release of two much-anticipated films -- “Exhuma” by the so-called K-occult genre master Jang Jae-hyun, and the global sci-fi blockbuster sequel “Dune: Part Two.” According to box office data from the Korean Film Council, “Exhuma” attracted 2 million theatergoers within four days of the movie opening on Feb. 22. “Dune: Part Two,” which is set for release Wednesday, is cu

Lucas, a former member of the K-pop boy group NCT, on Saturday uploaded to his official YouTube channel a documentary entitled “Lucas Documentary Part 1 Freeze,” hinting at a possible comeback as a solo artist. “I’m always home. I watch TV, eat and sometimes visit my agency (SM Entertainment). There is nothing special,” he said in the documentary, giving an update on his life after leaving the group in August 2021. “I used to have a strong character back then.

Former choreographer finds winning combination with the latest production

South Korean director Hong Sang-soo clinched the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize with his new film "A Traveler's Needs" at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. The jury announced the award at the ceremony held at the Berlinale Palast. The Silver Bear is the festival's second-highest prize after the Golden Bear. It is Hong's second Grand Jury Prize, following his win for "The Novelist's Film" in 2022. "I’d like to thank the jury.

The singer will go on touring Asian, Europe cities until early April

"Exhuma," a supernatural mystery thriller, surpassed 1 million in attendance Saturday, becoming the fastest film released this year to reach the milestone, the film's local distributor said. The thriller, also known as "Pamyo" in Korean, has set the record on the third day of its release, Showbox said. Starring Choi Min-sik, the film revolves around mysterious events affecting a geomancer, an undertaker and a young shaman duo after they exhume the grave of an ancestor fr

Lee Ho-yang, better known as K-pop hitmaker Shinsadong Tiger, died Friday at the age of 41. His agency, AB Entertainment, confirmed Shinsadong Tiger’s demise Friday night and said they are currently gathering information before a formal announcement. The renowned music producer was found dead at his recording studio earlier the same day. According to industry sources, he was found dead by an acquaintance at the studio after he could not be reached by phone. Shinsadong Tiger is known for se

“Picnic,” a low-budget independent film from director Kim Yong-gyun, had recorded 281,000 tickets sold as of Friday, becoming the first Korean indie film to surpass its breakeven point in five years. “Picnic” also became the first film this year to surpass to get over the hump. With a production cost of just some 1.2 billion won ($900,000), the movie’s breakeven point came at 270,000 admissions. Since the movie’s opening on Feb. 7, “Picnic” has dom