K-pop groups Bangtan Boys and Twice were respectively the most talked about boy band and girl group in Korea, according to a report by a local think tank. The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Center, using a big data system, looked at the positive evaluation of K-pop groups by the public and their popularity in the media. It examined factors such as the “(consumer) participation rate” and “(consumer) communication rate.”It found that BTS’ brand reputation was the highest among all boy bands,

K-pop singer HyunA will embark on a global tour of North America next month, her management agency said Friday.HyunA (Yonhap)Starting off in Vancouver on Feb. 22, she will hold a concert in 8 cities total: Toronto on the 24th, Montreal on the 26th, Chicago on March. 1, New York on the 3rd, Dallas on the 6th, San Francisco on the 9th and Los Angeles on the 10th, according to Cube Entertainment. A former member of the now-disbanded girl group 4minute, she held fan events titled "The Queen's Back"

HAMBURG (AFP) -- Germany late Wednesday opened a spectacular concert house in Hamburg to the strains of Beethoven and Wagner that has been touted as a new global attraction, albeit after a cost explosion.Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck joined 2,100 guests at the inaugural concert under tight security in the grand hall of the Elbphilharmonie, which has electrified critics with its audacious design and world-class acoustics.The three-hour-long program met with a long standing

Hyolyn of the Korean girl group Sistar will have a showcase at this year’s South by Southwest festival, according organizers Thursday.On its website, SXSW included Hyolyn among its newly announced artist lineup, describing her as the “Korean Beyonce.”Launched in 1987, SXSW is an annual collective showcase of film, music and interactive media held every March in Austin, Texas. This year’s festival will run from March 10-19.SXSW highlighted Hyolyn’s career outside of South Korea, citing her perfor

What is it like for a person of power to live in Korean society?Apparently, it’s like being royalty, according to director Han Jae-rim’s latest flick “The King.”From childhood, protagonist Park Tae-su yearned for power. He reigned over fellow students with his fist before he caught a glimpse of what he called “real power” -- the sight of his thug father being beaten up by a pencil-neck prosecutor. It was then that he decided to pursue a career in law.Park soon realizes that real power comes at a

Move over Big Bang, Suzy is about to drop a bomb.The singer unveiled Wednesday the list of tracks for her upcoming album “Yes? No?” which will be the first solo album for MissA’s youngest member. The album, to be released on Jan. 24, will feature six songs, including the main track “Yes No Maybe.”  Suzy’s official Facebook pageAccording to Suzy’s agency JYP Entertainment, the song was inspired by a personal conversation between the 23-year-old and Park Jin-young, the singer-producer CEO of JYP E

This year will see the return of K-pop idols as they complete their compulsory military service. Kim Hyun-joong of SS501 will be discharged on Feb. 11, while his bandmate Park Jung-min will leave the Army on July 1. Both members of TVXQ will return to civilian life this year -- Yunho on April 20 and Changmin on Aug. 18. Yoochun of JYJ is also scheduled to be discharged from the military on Aug. 26.Eunhyuk, Donghae, and Siwon of Super Junior will be discharged on July 12, July 14 and Aug. 18, res

South Korean girl group Twice will hold its first individual concert ever in February, its management agency said Tuesday.The "Twice Land - The Opening" concert will take place at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's Olympic Park from Feb. 17-19, JYP Entertainment said. (JYP Entertainment)After the concert, the girls will embark on an overseas tour whose schedule has yet to be announced.Debuting in October 2015 with "Like OOH-AHH," Twice has swept local music charts with "Cheer Up" and "TT."

Boy band g.o.d., which debuted in 1999, held the Seoul leg of its “2017 g.o.d. to Men” concert tour at the Jamsil Sports Complex’s Jamsil Arena on Jan. 6-8.The boy group, marking its 18th anniversary this year, performed a wide selection of the group’s past hits, including “Friday Night,” “Lies,” “One Candle,” “Road” and “Dear Mother” alongside a live session band.Some 20,000 people attended the concerts held over three days, according to reports, who sang along with the veteran band.g.o.d. will

Iconic K-pop group wraps up decade of eclectic music with spectacle

K-pop group Big Bang held what could be its last concert for several years to come on Saturday and Sunday.A total of 64,000 fans flocked to the Gocheock Sky Dome in Seoul over two days, according to YG Entertainment, many from overseas, to witness the “0 To 10 Final in Seoul” concert. The show is the last installment of the 10-year-anniversary project Big Bang has been showcasing since last year.A gigantic pyramid lift has been installed onstage to offer dynamic stage settings.   Big Bang perfor

The K-pop scene is set for a competitive year with numerous newcomers debuting this month and more planning to follow suit throughout the year. INA, a KBS “Gag Concert” comedian, released her first digital single “Rainbow” on Tuesday. This was followed by TopSecret, a seven-member group, which released its mini album “Time‘s Up” on Wednesday. Multinational 12-member group Varsity became the first group to debut this year, releasing its single album “ROUND ONE” on Thursday. (PLEDIS Ent./WM Ent./H