Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appeared before police on Wednesday to face questioning on suspicions that he circulated narcotics and attempted to buy sexual services for potential foreign investors."I apologize for causing trouble," he told reporters as he arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul around 9:00 p.m. "I will faithfully respond to the investigation." Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appears before the Seoul Metropolitan Polic

Ha Sung-woon, a member of popular K-pop boy band Wanna One, which disbanded earlier this year, officially launched his solo career Wednesday with his EP "My Moment," a collection of five tracks, all composed by him.His first solo record will hit the shelves and online music stores Thursday, propelling him into the increasingly competitive spring music scene.Ha is the second of the 11 former Wanna One members to go solo, following Yoon Ji-sung's release of his first solo album, "Aside." Ha Sung-w

Big Bang member vows full cooperation with police on recent scandal

K-pop boy band BTS ranked second among the top ten global recording artists of 2018, named by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, becoming the first Korean musicians to make it on the chart, the chart result showed Wednesday.The Global Artist Chart of 2018 was uploaded on Tuesday (US time) on the official website of IFPI, the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide.(IFPI Twitter @IFPI_org)Drake, a Canadian rapper, took No. 1, and BTS, coming in s

K-pop boy band NCT 127 will visit 11 North American cities in April as part of its ongoing first-ever world tour, the group's agency said Wednesday.The North American leg of NCT 127's world tour, "NCT 127 World Tour 'Neo City - The Origin,'" will kick off at Prudential Center in New Jersey on April 24 and then move to 10 other cities, according to SM Entertainment. (S.M. Entertainment)The itinerary includes Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and two Canadian cities, Vancouver and Toron

Seoul police on Tuesday said they had launched an investigation into an allegation that K-pop star Seungri of Big Bang ordered his employees to procure sexual favors for his investors at a nightclub.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, its special crime squad will seek to verify a recent report by SBS funE showing text messages it claimed the singer had written. The messages indicated that he and his employees had attempted to procure prostitutes for two men accompanying an investo

When conductor Vladimir Jurowski leads the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on March 7, it will likely be his last appearance here as the principal conductor of the orchestra founded in 1932. Jurowski, who has led the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007, will be stepping down at the end of the 2020/21 season, heading to the Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich where he will take up the post of music director. In a recent email interview, he described his

K-pop boy band BTS scooped up five prizes at the annual Japan Gold Disc Award on Tuesday, a major music awards ceremony hosted by the country's Recording Industry Association.BTS won Best Asian Artist at the 33rd Japan Gold Disc Award, while its 3rd full-length Japanese album, "Face Yourself," released in April last year was given awards for Album of the Year and Best 3 Albums, according to the list of this year's awardees.  (Big Hit Entertainment)The septet scored another Best 3 Albums award fo

The music video for K-pop boy band EXO's song "Tempo" hit the threshold of 100 million YouTube views on Monday, adding to the collection of the band's songs that have achieved that feat, SM Entertainment said."Tempo" is the main track off EXO's fifth full-length album, "Don't Mess Up My Tempo," released on Nov. 2, which topped the iTunes album charts in 48 countries and regions upon its release. (S.M. Entertainment)It also ranked as high as 23rd on the main Billboard 200 album chart. "Don't Mess

A French photographer and writer has claimed that a banquet scene from BTS' 2016 music video "Blood Sweat & Tears" drew inspiration from one of his photos, his local agency said Monday.Bernard Faucon sent a document containing the claim to BTS' management agency Big Hit Entertainment in August and October.According to Faucon's agency here, the document also claims that his photograph "le banquet," taken in the 1970s, must have been a reference for the filming of the banquet scene in "Blood Sweat

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a concert at the Sejong Arts Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, paying homage to Korea’s independence movement with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55, “Eroica.” A poster for Friday’s performance (SPO)The program is in honor of those who dedicated themselves to the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919, which saw nationwide protest in Korea against Japan’s colonial rule. The symphony is a dramatic piece celebrating the memory of a

The DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2019 will be held from June 5 to 9, taking place across Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone in Gangwon Province.On the first two days, events such as a showcase, seminar and conference will be held at culture complex Platform Changdong 61 in Dobong-gu, northern Seoul.  DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2019 (DMZ Peace Train Music Festival)The rest of the festival, including the main concerts, will be held for three days near Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, not far f

Global K-pop phenomenon BTS has launched an online archive, inspired by its dedicated fans around the world, where their fans, known as Army, can get together to record memories from the band's six-year career, the band's management agency said Friday."Armypedia" at www.armypedia.net has gone online and will officially go into operation starting on Monday to gather together BTS fans to collectively record memorable moments of the six years since BTS' debut on June 13, 2013, according to Big Hit

All 60,000 tickets for South Korean girl group BLACKPINK's first-ever North American tour have sold out, the group's management agency said Friday.The band is set to perform in six cities -- in Los Angeles on April 17, in Chicago on April 24, in Hamilton, Canada, on April 27, in Newark on May 1, in Atlanta on May 5 and in Fort Worth on May 8. (YG Entertainment)Sources say YG Entertainment, the group's management, is considering scheduling additional shows due to the high demand for tickets.BLACK

Lee releases new album to celebrate 60 years since debut, hoping to preserve root of Korean pop music