K-pop singer BoA will likely release a new album this year to mark 15 years since her debut. “BoA is preparing to release a new album in Korea,” an official from SM Entertainment said. “But the exact date has not been confirmed.”  Singer BoA. (Official website)The upcoming album comes three years after she put out the seventh studio album “Only One” in Korea.The 28-year-old also posted a photo of herself singing at a recording studio on Instagram, leading fans to suspect a comeback. BoA debuted

Singer Park Si-hwan of “Superstar K5” fame is widening his musical horizons with his first full-length album, hoping to show fans his full range of charm.“The album was a chance for me to sing songs from many different genres,” Park said at a press showcase Wednesday at Rolling Hall in Mapo-gu, Seoul, ahead of the album‘s official release at midnight. “I wanted to reach as many people as I could by offering them a wider variety of songs. I tried to show them all the different sides of me.” Park

Annual Tongyeong International Music Festival kicks off 10-day concert series

Now a 10-member group, EXO releases second full-length album

After long depression, Park Ji-hae plays to heal self, others

Kim Jae-joong, a member of K-pop band JYJ, will release his second solo studio album shortly after enlisting for his military service on March 31. The exact release date of the album is not yet confirmed.  “I didn’t want to have a gap (during the service period) so I prepared a lot for a month prior to entering the service,” Kim told fans on Saturday during his fan meeting concert, titled “The Beginning of the End,” held at Hwajung Gymnasium of Korea University in Seoul. It was his last concert

“Gangnam Style” star Psy topped a Chinese online music chart with his latest Chinese version of “Father,” his agency YG Entertainment said on Saturday. “Father,” which was released on the QQ Music site, nabbed the first place on the QQ popularity chart for two consecutive days since its release on March 26.  As of Saturday, Psy’s “Father” was streamed a total of 1,872,566 times on the website. The popularity chart is based on the changes in number of streamings each week on the Chinese portal si

Jussie Smollett wears crown on ‘Empire’ soundtrackVarious artists“Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire”(Columbia)If there‘s one thing that could have sunk Fox’s “Empire” faster than bad acting, it‘s bad music. But ratings for the record-breaking hip-hop drama are soaring, thanks to its addictive storyline and entertaining cast, as well as its slew of catchy tunes, which are now included in the “Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire.”Not every song on the compilation is a gem, but th

With his subtle grace and staccato-like fortitude, young Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel is undoubtedly one of the hottest stars in the global classical music world now. Leading his Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the maestro came to Korea for two concert performances Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall, showing just why he is considered the future of classical music. Indicative of his fame here, tickets to Wednesday’s performance were sold out, even th

Two of Korea’s quartet idol group 2AM are leaving its management agency, JYP Entertainment, but the split won’t affect the group’s future activities, the agency said Thursday. Seulong and Jinwoon have decided not to renew their contract with JYP while their teammate Jo Kwon chose to remain. The fourth member, Changmin, is currently mulling his course of action, as he has four months left until his contract expires, said the agency. Seulong signed with Sidus HQ, another local talent management co

To be 20 years old in Korea is a peculiar time. It marks the long-awaited freshman year at college for those who survived years of cramming for the entrance exam. Drinking also becomes legal. But it’s also an awkward age to be ― no longer an adolescent, but not fully an adult yet. Just when young people feel they are capable of making life decisions, they realize how little is under their control.  From left: Lee Jun-ho, Kang Ha-neul and Kim Woo-bin in comedy flick “Twenty.” (NEW)The new comedy

“Wondaland,” the first studio album from hip-hop group MFBTY, has made a strong showing on the music charts, nearly a week after its release on Thursday. MFBTY, composed of female rapper Yoon, her husband and rapper Tiger JK and Bizzy, topped the Kakao Music chart for the fourth week of March with one of its lead tracks “Hello Happy.” The other two lead tracks ― “Bang Diggy Bang Bang” and “Make It Last” ― also made it to the top three of the chart.  MFBTY achieved rare success as a hip-hop group

Internationally regarded as one of the world’s most renowned musical institutions, members of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University’s chamber orchestra made their way to Seoul this week for the ensemble’s first ever concert in Asia since the establishment of the school more than a century ago.In honor of the many close ties that the School of Music continues to maintain with local Korean universities, the chamber orchestra ― made up of 36 musicians, including two faculty members and s

Spring break is over for maturing Luke BryanLuke Bryan“Spring Break . Checkin‘ Out”(Capitol Nashville)Luke Bryan opens his annual spring-break album with “My Ol’ Bronco,” a song about an aging vehicle that still gets the job done. The Bronco could be a metaphor for Bryan himself -- both were born in the 1970s and both have outgrown an affinity for kicking up sand at musical beach parties. “Checkin’ Out” is Bryan’s seventh spring-break collection in as many years; that‘s in addition to four full-