The Korea Herald

Pop star Bieber brings cheer in typhoon-hit Philippines

Dec 11, 2013

TACLOBAN, Philippines (AFP) ― Pop megastar Justin Bieber hugged, sang to, danced and played with young survivors of the Philippines’ deadliest typhoon Tuesday, bringing cheer to the disaster zone amid an international relief effort.Bieber flew unannounced to the central city of Tacloban just over a month after it was devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan and sang Christmas carols to children at a heavily damaged local school amid tight security.“He sang ‘Holy Night’ for the children,” said Kate Don
Crayon Pop gets award from foreign journalists based in Korea

Dec 11, 2013

K-pop girl group Crayon Pop has received the Foreign Press Promotion Award in recognition of their role in promoting the image of Korea to the world.The Seoul Foreign Press Club gave the award to the popular group at its year-end party held at Seoul Plaza Hotel on Tuesday. The award is to honor individuals or groups who helped improve the image of Korea around the world. About 300 journalists and guests attended the ceremony, which also featured a live performance of Crayon Pop’s hit songs “Bar
Psy sweeps Billboard's six year-end charts

Dec 11, 2013

South Korean rapper Psy topped six categories of the U.S. Billboard magazine's year-end charts for 2013, his local management company said Wednesday.Psy, who rose to global stardom for "Gangnam Style" featuring his horse-riding dance in 2012, was chosen as the top "Dance/Electronic Streaming Song Artist," "Rap Streaming Song Artist" and "World Digital Song Artist" of 2013 in the year-end charts to be included in the December issue of the monthly music magazine, according to YG Entertainment.His
MTV picks Miley Cyrus as artist of the year

Dec 10, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) ― Here’s something to wag a tongue at: MTV says Miley Cyrus is the best artist of the year.The former child star twerked her way to the top. Her eye-popping duet with Robin Thicke on the MTV Video Music Awards was one of the year’s most talked about cultural events.MTV said Monday the VMA duet on “We Can’t Stop” and “Blurred Lines” was the year’s most-watched video on its websites. Similarly, the MTV artist site devoted to Cyrus had more visits than any other artist’s.Besides “We C
Infinite brings ‘One Great Step’ to a close

Dec 10, 2013

K-pop boy band concludes world tour covering 21 cities
Winner to make return to the small screen

Dec 9, 2013

YG Entertainment’s much-anticipated new boy band Winner will be making its return to the small screen. The agency announced that it will launch a new reality TV series starting this week titled “Winner TV.” The five members of the idol group in the making with leader Kang Seung-yoon, Song Min-ho, Nam Tae-hyun, Lee Seung-hoon and Kim Ji-woo were previously known as “Team A” in YG’s survival reality TV program “WIN: Who is Next?”The popular program first premiered in August as YG CEO Yang Hyun-suk
Billy Joel, 4 others receive Kennedy Center Honors

Dec 9, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The “Piano Man” who became one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time with such hits as “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Girl” and “Allentown” was awarded the nation’s highest honor Sunday for influencing American culture through the arts.Billy Joel joined Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, opera star Martina Arroyo and actress Shirley MacLaine in receiving the Kennedy Center Honors. All have been playing music, dancing or singing since they were children ― and never stopp
U.S. singer wows viewers in Arab talent show

Dec 9, 2013

BEIRUT (AFP) ― An American singer who cannot even speak Arabic has come runner-up in television reality show “Arabs Got Talent” after wooing audiences across the Middle East.The renditions of classical Arab songs by Jennifer Grout, a petite blonde from Boston, Massachusetts, ensured that was among the three finalists on the popular show.First prize in the pan-Arab contest went to Syrian dance troupe Sima for a performance portraying the autocratic rule of veteran leaders in the Middle East, MBC
Psy’s comeback may be imminent: report

Dec 9, 2013

Psy has settled on a title track for his upcoming album -- an indication that the YouTube sensation is close to making his highly anticipated next hit, a local news outlet reported Monday. “Now that the title track has been chosen, his (Psy’s) comeback is imminent. But the details (of his comeback) will be set only after he has finished working on the album,” an acquaintance of the 36-year-old singer told Osen. Psy has been working on the follow-up of “Gangnam Style” and “Gentleman” with songwri
Producer-turned-rapper wants everyone to know his name

Dec 8, 2013

Gray first artist to release EP on Jay Park’s new label AOMG
EXO wins twice at Chinese music awards

Dec 8, 2013

K-pop newcomers EXO have won the Best Group and Most Popular Group prizes at the sixth annual Top Chinese Music Billboard Newcomers Awards.The group EXO ― with its subunit groups EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Mandarin) ― was named the best music act of 2013, with its sub-unit group EXO-M crowned as the year’s most popular group. The awards ceremony was held in Beijing on Tuesday, and was attended by members of EXO-M Tao, Luhan, Lay and Kris. This was the second year in a row that EXO won the Most Po
Jay-Z tops Grammy nominations, snub for Justin Timberlake

Dec 8, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Veteran rapper Jay-Z topped nominees for the 2014 Grammys announced Friday with nine nods, while Taylor Swift and Daft Punk were also among those in the running in major categories.But other major stars including Justin Timberlake failed to score any nominations in the major categories, which saw a mixture of rap and pop in the running for the top honors at music’s equivalent of the Oscars next month.In second place with seven nods apiece were California hip hop star Kendrick
Eyelike: ’VOODOO‘ catchy but average

Dec 6, 2013

’VOODOO‘ catchy but average VIXX “VOODOO”(CJ E&M) One year after their debut, rookie boy band VIXX has come out with the release of their first full-length studio album, “VOODOO.” Although with 15 tracks there are many to pick and choose from, much of the album sounds like catchy but average K-pop affair.The album begins with a short horror movie-esque instrumental piece titled “VOODOO.” Albeit short, the introductory track is actually very well made with a haunting piano melody that transitions
Ringing in the holidays with K-pop carols

Dec 5, 2013

For those looking to celebrate the Yuletide with K-pop rather than traditional Christmas carols, there will be no shortage of new releases to choose from by the end of the year. In honor of the holiday season, many K-pop artists have or are scheduled to release special season’s greetings-inspired tracks to usher in Christmas and the New Year. The artists of Cube and A Cube Entertainment came together as Cube United for the collaborative holiday single “Christmas Song” ― not a variation of Mel To
Newport Jazz to add third festival day to mark 60th year

Dec 5, 2013

NEWPORT, Rhode Island (AP) ― The Newport Jazz Festival is adding a third day of music to mark its 60th anniversary and will focus that day on new and emerging acts, part of a plan to ensure the event does not become a “museum piece,’’ festival producer George Wein said Wednesday.At least one already familiar name ― John Zorn ― will be on hand to help kick off one of the world’s top jazz festivals when it begins during the day, Aug. 1, rather than its traditional evening start.Zorn will bring his