Seven-member group to make international debut at Singapore’s Music Matters FestivalThis is part of a series featuring new hallyu stars. ― Ed.Korean idol groups, so far, may have relied on their pretty looks, dance performances that are akin to acrobatics, and trendy music widely accepted by different cultures around the world, to appeal to audiences. However, BTOB, a Korean boy group that debuted two months ago, said they will show new features as K-pop artists in a way that will set them apart

YG Entertainment posted a new video unveiling the fifth member of its upcoming girl group through their official blog on Friday. The one minute and 30 second video featured the 16-year-old trainee’s powerful dance moves along with other girls in a studio.At the end of the footage, a profile showed a photo of her face but listed her name and nationality as 'Unknown.'On May 4, YG posted a photo of the new member under a title of “Who’s that girl?” and a month ago they also uploaded a video of othe

Theater“On an Azure Day”: Director Go Seon-woong’s award-sweeping play about the 1980 Gwangju democratization movement is back for a second run -- just in time for the 32nd anniversary of the historical event on May 18. The show premiered in 2011 and won the grand prize and best play at last year’s National Theater Awards. It tells a story of middle-aged Buddhist monk Yeosan, who participated in the uprising and was brutally tortured by the authorities upon his arrest. At the time, he testified

Snider’s twisted take on Broadway tunesDee Snider “Dee Does Broadway” (Razor & Tie)In a signature song early in his career, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider vowed “I’ll Never Grow Up.” But bless his twisted heart and frizzed-out hair, that’s exactly what’s happening to the heavy metal legend, best known for hits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”Dee Snider has become a brand. He’s done stints as a commercial voice-over actor, a radio DJ, a reality TV star and budding author. Bu

NEW YORK (AP) ― The voice behind dozens of standards like “It’s Too Late,’’ `’You’ve Got a Friend’’ and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’’ says her music-making days are likely over.Carole King, now a best-selling author, doubts she will ever write another song and suggested that her 2010 “Troubadours Reunion’’ concert tour with James Taylor would be her last: “It was a good way to go out.’’King composed dozens of 1960s hits with then-husband Gerry Goffin before emerging as a recording a

Quartet describes the album as ‘buffet’ of different genresUlala Session, the winner of the nation’s famous TV audition program “Superstar K3,” has made their professional debut with their first mini album on Thursday.  “We are so overwhelmed by the release of our debut album. The mini album is the start of our journey in our music career,” said the group’s leader Yim Yoon-taek at a news conference on Wednesday. The quartet, which consists of Yim, Kim Myung-hoon, Park Seung-il and Park Kwang-sun

LOS ANGELES ― Most fans of the Beastie Boys’ early hits know Adam Yauch, or MCA as he was known, for a few choice boasts, like “I got more juice than Picasso’s got paint” (from the 1986 song “The New Style”). Despite the group’s early reputation as party animals, however, peace, mindfulness and positive energy were subjects the rapper wanted to represent in his work.Any remembrance of Yauch has to focus on the more spiritual lines he wrote, as on 1998’s “Intergalactic,” where he perfectly descri

Japanese band  L’Arc-en-Ciel returns to Korea to connect with local fansFrom start to finish, it was obvious what brought Japanese band L’Arc-en-Ciel back to Seoul on Saturday night: the fans.They came en masse, decked out in the band’s t-shirts and towels. A few imitating vocalist Hyde’s notorious dark, vampiric style, while a few others were decked out in kimonos. And they left just as happy and excited as they arrived.The show started off jam-packed with energy and with explosive technology.

Korean indie band Galaxy Express gains confidence after U.S. tourGalaxy Express, one of the leading indie rock bands based in Hongdae, wondered why they had to go to the U.S. to perform when they were first offered the chance two years ago.“We were asked to participate in a project called SEOULSONIC designed to bring Korean rock groups to North America. But we said, ‘No. Why do we have to? We are already doing great and busy here,’” said Park Jong-hyun, the band’s guitarist and vocal.The band wh

 Big Bang won in the Best Fan category at the 2012 MTV Total Request Live awards in Firenze, Italy, on Saturday. It was the first time an Asian artist had won the best fan award, which also nominated global pop star Avril Lavigne and popular British group One Direction. TRL is a television series on MTV that features popular music videos and the winner of the awards chosen through online fan voting on the MTV TRL official website. YG Entertainment, Big Bang’s agency, said “We are very happy and