Around 12,000 party-goers decked themselves out from head to toe in all-white, ready to liberate themselves in a night of thumping house music with a naughty storyline at one of the world’s biggest club scenes. KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, was filled with eye-catching and seductive theatrics on Saturday night through the theme of Wicked Wonderland, mesmerizing lights and special effects, explosive fireworks and tense electrifying beats by internationally praised DJs, including the night’s

Hyolyn shows promise on “LOVE&HATE”Hyolyn “LOVEA&HATE”(LOEN Entertainment) Sistar member Hyolyn’s unique, husky voice has always been a main feature of many of the group’s tracks. No doubt she has a special voice, but compared to the hype, Hyolyn was not able to show her full potential on her solo album. Instead the 10-track album delivers pleasant-sounding but overall mediocre pop tunes. Hyolyn’s usually strong vocals are toned down in starting track “Lonely,” a mid-tempo ballad. But in “One Wa

Franz Ferdinand’s first Seoul concert a night to remember

Singer-songwriter from U.S. shares Korean experiences through music

Earlier this month, K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation beat out big names Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and even Korean YouTube sensation Psy to take the “Video of the Year” award at the first-ever YouTube Music Awards.The initial reaction of the crowd gathered at the awards ceremony in New York can be summed up with one word: Huh?Despite being one of the hottest groups in Korea and most of Asia, their name still does not ring a bell immediately in U.S. mainstream music. On YouTube, howe

In honor of the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) in 2014, the Korea National Opera will stage two operas based on the English playwright’s works next year. “Romeo et Juliette” by French composer Charles Gounod will be staged on Oct. 2-5 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera Hall. The tragic story of teenage lovers Romeo and Juliet has been one of the most loved romantic tales around the world, made into several film and uncountable TV adaptations, love songs and others.

The popular cutesy and energetic girl group Crayon Pop, which took the concept of bobbing around in athletic gear and helmets to a whole new level, is once again finding themselves under netizen fire as a new photo has emerged online raising the question of whether or not Crayon Pop copied its concept from a J-pop girl group. Earlier this August a number of netizens brought to light the strikingly similar stage costuming concept of Crayon Pop and Japanese girl group Momoiro Clover Z. Side-by-sid

The leader of K-pop idol group Big Bang won big at the fifth annual Mnet Asia Music Awards ceremony held in Hong Kong on Friday. The K-pop superstar was nominated in four categories this year and took home the crown in every one: Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Male Solo Performance for his single “Crooked,” and finally the Best Music Video award for “Coup d’etat.” G-Dragon swept all the major music charts with the release of his second studio album “Coup d’etat” on Sept. 2. Th

Double K dropped out of U.S. college, returned to Seoul to rap in Korean

Pop music“Sensation: Wicked Wonderland”: “Sensation” is a live music and performance event that was first developed in Amsterdam 13 years ago. Over the years the event, which has been referred to as “the biggest club on earth,” grew in popularity and has been brought all over the world to more than 30 countries and seen by millions. This year’s Sensation with the theme of “Wicked Wonderland” will be held on Nov. 30 at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tickets can be purc

Lim Kim impressive on ‘Goodbye 20’Lim Kim“Goodbye 20”(CJ E&M)“Goodbye 20” is not your average K-pop affair. The album showcases the unique tone of Lim Kim’s voice without unnecessary synthetic electronic sounds. Seven tracks of the 14-track album were previously released in her EP “Her Voice” in September. New or previously released, the tracks put together an album that is pleasant to listen to. Title track “Goodbye 20” is a fun, light number about a young woman who looks back on her 20th year

Hip-hop fans can end the year with a dose of their favorite music at “More than Feel” at Sejong University on Dec. 28. The lineup for the concert includes hip-hop artists Verbal Jint, Bumkey, San E and Outsider. “Concert-goers will not only be able to see solo performances by their favorite artists, but also feel their synergy on stage,” a concert organizer stated. Veteran artist Verbal Jint made his debut in 1999 and became one of the most popular mainstream hip-hop artists in Korea. His hits i

Popular hallyu star Rain will be making his long-awaited comeback with a special performance at the upcoming 2013 Mnet Asia Music Awards, as well as releasing a new album in January, according to officials at Cube DC. The Korean entertainer was officially released from mandatory military service in July, after serving nearly two years. Although he has been slowly making his return to the limelight, hosting various fan meetings and small concert performances overseas, Rain’s performance at MAMA i