The Korea Herald

Girls' Generation member 'Tiffany' denies romance rumor

Jan 29, 2016

Tiffany" of South Korean girl group "Girls' Generation" denied Friday romance rumor with rapper "GRAY," her agency said.S.M. Entertainment said the two are merely close colleagues, not a pair of lovers, during a telephone conversation with Yonhap News Agency.Earlier in the day, media sources reported the two have been dating for three months since they first met last year to discuss releasing Tiffany's solo album.Last month, Tiffany issued a Christmas album "Dear Santa" as a member of Girls' Gen
Psy to appear on 3 Chinese New Year programs

Jan 29, 2016

South Korean rapper Psy will appear on three Chinese New Year programs in China, his agency said Friday.Psy has completed recording for the New Year's programs on Dragon TV, JSTV and LRTV, which together command 2.9 billion watchers, YG Entertainment said, adding he is the first foreign artist to appear on all three channels for China's largest festival.On Feb. 6, LRTV will broadcast "Daddy," Psy's latest single, and his all-time hit "Gangnam Style." Psy will be featured alongside world-class pi
[Album Review] Ryeowook presents well-made solo ballad EP

Jan 29, 2016

Ryeowook “The Little Prince” (KT Music)Vocalist Ryeowook is the latest boy band Super Junior member to release a solo album, and his years of training and performing onstage shine through on his solo debut EP “The Little Prince.”　Ryeowook has already showcased his pure, sweet style of singing through Super Junior, the vocal unit group Super Junior-K.R.Y, drama soundtracks, and musicals, and the six tracks on “The Little Prince” are custom-made for his voice. 　The record kicks off with “Like a St
[Album Review] Yezi goes hard on solo debut

Jan 29, 2016

Yezi “Foresight Dream” (Loen Entertainment)It’s been a long time coming. Yezi of obscure girl group Fiestar made a splash on Mnet’s female rapper competition “Unpretty Rapstar 2” last year, instantly becoming one of the most interesting figures to watch in the Korean hip-hop scene. She carries that momentum throughout her EP “Foresight Dream,” filling each track with the coarse, hard-hitting lyrics that kept her alive on “Unpretty Rapstar.”　Produced overall by hip-hop powerhouse Brand New Music’
[Album Review] Gfriend carries classic girl group torch

Jan 29, 2016

Gfriend “Snowflake” (Loen Entertainment)The K-pop market is shifting away from the classic idol group formula of the late 1990s and 2000s both in music and the personalities of the musicians themselves, yet there are still fans who want that old-style feel -- and they can get plenty of it with Gfriend’s EP “Snowflake.”　The intro track “Snowflake” and the lead track “Rough” are a perfect combination entering the album, with dramatic beats and melody shifts that are slightly overdone considering t
Tiffany denies rumors of romantic involvement with Gray

Jan 29, 2016

Girls’ Generation member Tiffany denied rumors reported Friday of romantic involvement with rapper Gray.　A local daily reported that Tiffany and Gray had been dating for about three months after the two met to discuss Tiffany’s solo album. Quoting an industry insider, the report said that the romance between the two was widely known. Girls’ Generation member Tiffany (SM Entertainment)and Rapper Gray (AOMG Official Facebook)　Later Friday, Tiffany’s agency SM Entertainment dismissed the rumors by
YB Band returns with ’70s sound

Jan 29, 2016

Korea’s iconic rock band YB Band will return with a ’70s-inspired new single “Flower Rain” in February, its agency Dee Company said. 　In the teaser image, released on the band’s official Facebook and Instagram, five rockers, wearing ’70s vintage bold print shirts and flare pants, are cheering in joy holding a golden trophy from winning an imaginary Group Sounds competition under the placard that reads “The 20th New-Star Group Sounds Contest.” YB Band poses as ’70s rockers for a teaser image rele
Def Leppard debuts video through game

Jan 29, 2016

NEW YORK (AFP) - Heavy metal chart-toppers Def Leppard have released their latest video on Guitar Hero Live in what is believed to be the first premiere by an established band through a game.　The British rockers put out their latest single, “Dangerous,” on Wednesday night and said the video would be available solely on Guitar Hero Live, part of the popular series that lets gamers play the part of rock bands.　“The way our fans discover and listen to our music has evolved so much throughout the ye
The Barberettes to kick off nationwide tour

Jan 28, 2016

The Barberettes, the retro female trio composed of An Shin-ae, Gyeong Seon and Park So-hee, will kick off its nationwide tour in February, the group’s agency EggPlant said.　The group is referred to as a “time slip” girl group, traveling back to the days of barbershop music. The Barberettes (EggPlant)　The group’s nationwide tour “It’s Showtime!” will cover seven cities -- Seoul, Jeonju, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, Busan and Chuncheon -- from Feb. 19 to April 2, the agency said. 　The group will unvei
Van Zweden to become New York Philharmonic‘s music director

Jan 28, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden has been hired to succeed Alan Gilbert as music director of the New York Philharmonic.Gilbert, who began in 2008-09, said last February that he intended to leave after the 2016-17 season. The orchestra said Wednesday that van Zweden will be its music director designate in 2017-18 and will become music director starting in 2018-19. The file picture dated Nov. 12, 2011 shows Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden during a good-bye concert to the Radio Fil
Music festival highlights 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Jan 28, 2016

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha and jazz vocalist Na Yoon-sun will come together in a performance next month at the 2016 PyeongChang Winter Music Festival in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province.　Joining the two international names are a number of well-known musicians in classical music and jazz, reflecting the festival’s goal of presenting diverse music styles.　Na and guitarist Ulf Wakenius will open the festival at Alpensia Concert Hall on Feb. 25. Joining the team on stage will be Chung, who will perfor
Big three Korean entertainment agencies win 13 awards at iF Design

Jan 28, 2016

South Korea's big three entertainment agencies said Thursday they won a total of 13 prizes at the iF Design Award 2016 in Germany, one of the world's three largest design awards events.S.M. Entertainment said three of its albums won prizes in the field of packaging design including boy band Super Junior's 7th album "THIS IS LOVE." The two other albums that won prizes were girl group f(x)'s album "4 Walls" and boy group EXO's "Miracle in December." S.M. said that it also won a prize in the interi
‘Show Me the Money’ season 5 to hold U.S. auditions

Jan 28, 2016

The fifth season of “Show Me the Money,” a Korean rap competition show, will hold auditions in the U.S., accepting international candidates for the first time, cable channel Mnet said Wednesday. Open call poster for “Show Me the Money” season 5 (CJ E&M)　Applications will be accepted until March 6 for a chance to appear on the season that will begin airing in May.　“So many rappers overseas have asked to be part of the show,” Mnet said in a statement. “We‘ve decided to expand this opportunity to r
SM founder talks new boy band, future localization strategy

Jan 28, 2016

SM Entertainment, one of the country’s leading forces in the K-pop industry, is adopting localization as its main strategy going forward, announcing its plans to launch new boy band NCT (Neo Culture Technology), which will break away from convention. At a press conference at SMTOWN Coex Artium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Wednesday, SM founder Lee Soo-man presented the company’s new hallyu localization strategy as part of his “New Culture Technology” project. SM is looking to expand its footprint wor
Rain to make world tour stop in Hong Kong

Jan 28, 2016

Actor-singer Rain will make a world tour stop in Hong Kong this weekend, his management agency said Thursday.R.A.I.N. Company said he will perform before a sold-out crowd in Hong Kong as part of his world tour, titled The Squall, on Saturday.Rain launched his seventh global tour last November in Changsha, China, and also made stops in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenyang.The company said Rain's Shanghai show was streamed live online across China, and he also took part in Lang Lang & Friends S