Composer Chin Un-suk, 58, winner of the 2019 Bach Award, has been named composer-in-residence of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra. The orchestra, based at the iconic Elbphilharmonie Hamburg concert hall in Germany, announced it had invited Chin as composer-in-residence for the 2019-20 season at a press conference Friday for the inauguration of Chief Conductor Alan Gilbert. Unsuk Chin (Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra)The orchestra will explore Chin’s musical universe this season through seven progr

"Map of the Soul: Persona," the latest, record-breaking album of K-pop boy band BTS, came in at 3rd on the Billboard 200 main album chart for this week, one week after it debuted at No. 1, the Billboard website said."BTS' 'Map of the Soul: Persona' slips from No. 1 to No. 3 in its second week, scoring 57,000 (equivalent album) units," (Yonhap)Billboard said in an article posted on Sunday (US time) ahead of its official release of the weekly chart dated May 4.A week earlier, the BTS album, the op

The Metropolitan Opera’s Jennifer Rowley, who has been performing “Tosca” at the Met since the 2017-18 season, will take to the stage Tuesday at the Seoul Arts Center in a concert performance of the Puccini opera. “This is my debut here, so I am excited to bring my ‘Tosca’ to Seoul,” the soprano said at a press conference Thursday at the center. “Tosca” is one of the three major operas by Puccini, along with “La Boheme” and “Madama Butterfly.” Soprano Jennifer Rowley speaks during a press confer

“Being a Korean is cool now”

For the next two weeks, the capital city will be filled with classical music as the Seoul Spring Festival returns. The 14th edition of the annual event began Tuesday and continues through May 4. Led by violinist Kang Dong-suk, the festival takes place this year in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province under the theme of “Music & Gastronomy.” Linking culinary culture with music, each performance features a theme related to gastronomy. For instance, performances are titled “Starter,” “Continental Cuisine,”

Soprano Sumi Jo, a star in Korea’s classical music scene, recently released the album “Mother,” dedicated to her mom. The 57-year-old is one of the most beloved sopranos in Korea. She has won a Grammy award and released more than 40 albums across a wide spectrum of music since her debut in 1986 in Korea. “I dreamed of making an album for all the mothers in the world,” Jo said at a press conference held Tuesday at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.  Soprano Sumi Jo poses for photos during a pre

After a nearly two-year delay, pop superstar Ed Sheeran finally took the stage in Korea on Sunday, electrifying 25,000 fans gathered at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. He dove right in as the audience collectively felt pumped up. A wait sparked by a bicycle accident seemed to have only upped the anticipation, as fans appeared happy to see their hero.“It’s good to be back, thanks for having me!” Sheeran exclaimed after opening with his nostalgic number “Castle on the Hill.”He then went

BTS' latest "Boy with Luv" clinched the eighth spot on Billboard's main singles chart, making it the highest-charted K-pop act ever, the US Billboard magazine said Tuesday."BTS' 'Boy With Luv,' featuring Halsey, vaults onto the Hot 100 at No. 8, marking the septet's second top 10 and the highest-charting entry for a K-pop group," it said. "It surpasses BTS' own 'Fake Love,' which debuted and peaked at No. 10 in June 2018.""Boy With Luv" is the main track of the group's new EP "Map of the Soul: P

Chart-smashing K-pop girl band TWICE is gearing up for their first solo concerts in United States cities with the release of their new album, “Fancy You,” on Monday.　The six-track album marks a major stylistic change for the five-year-old girl group, whose shining and cheering music and dance have appealed widely to fans at home and abroad. 　TWICE was the first K-pop girl band to throw concerts at Japanese domes, which accommodated a total of about 50,000 fans in the neighboring country. (Yonhap

K-pop boy band BTS has scored its third No. 1 on the main Billboard 200 album chart, becoming the first group since the Beatles to earn three No. 1s in less than a year, Billboard said."Map of the Soul: Persona," BTS' latest seven-track album released April 12, debuted atop the Billboard 200 for the week of April 27, the website of the music magazine said Sunday (US time), officially confirming the result after it reported last week that the band was "bound for No. 1."In the week ending April 19

K-pop sensations BTS has topped the British chart with its new album, becoming the first South Korean artists to do so.The new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” landed at the top with 26,500 combined sales on Friday (local time), the Official Charts Co. said.The album's main track, “Boy With Luv,” is also the band’s first ever British Top 15 single, charting at number 13 on Friday, it said. (Yonhap)“Map of The Soul: Persona” is BTS‘ fourth collection to chart in the UK Top 40, following their thr

In Seoul, there is a paradise for music players.Nakwon Instrument Arcade, otherwise known as Nakwon Music Mall, is a one-stop shopping center of over 300 independent music stores -- selling virtually everything related to music.  (Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)Located in the vicinity of the tourist-heavy Insa-dong and currently Seoul’s hippest street Ikseon-dong, this shop cluster occupies the second and third floors of Nagwon building, which also houses eateries, practice rooms, a concert st

K-pop sensations BTS sold more than 2.13 million copies of their new album, "Map of the Soul: Persona," in the first week of the album's release, setting a new record of highest first-week record sales, the band's management agency said Friday.The new album sold 2,130,480 copies in the seven days since its release last Friday, Big Hit Entertainment said, quoting figures from local chart compiler Hanteo. BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)This makes "Map of the Soul: Persona" the highest-selling K-pop al

　BTS is set to make history as the boy band is on course to have its third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart for the week ending April 27.　While the group’s “Map of the Soul: Persona” is the latest K-pop record to top the high-profile chart, it’s worth nothing there were other South Korean artists who had a crack at the US market and left their mark.　In 2009, BoA became the first K-pop singer to enter Billboard’s albums chart with her self-titled US debut album, which peaked at No. 12

South Korean boy band Highlight's Lee Gi-kwang will begin his military service Thursday, his management agency said.The singer will undergo a four-week basic training in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, and then he will be assigned to a police unit, according to Around Us Entertainment. (Yonhap)Lee plans to unveil a two-track digital single album Thursday afternoon to say goodbye to his fans."I've been so happy for the past 10 years because of you," he said through a handwritten letter releas