The National Gugak Center recently released an English-language publication on the performing art scene in North Korea. The center has been publishing the Korean Musicology Series since 2007, aiming to promote understanding about traditional Korean arts, encouraging its globalization and international exchanges.  A total of 10 English-language books have been released, one each on pansori (traditional narrative singing), sanjo (instrumental music) and Korea’s traditional folk song

With the death toll of China’s coronavirus outbreak rapidly increasing, the Boston Symphony Orchestra has called off its East Asia tour, including its first-ever performance in Seoul. The orchestra announced the cancellation of its tour led by music director Andris Nelsons in an official statement released Thursday. The tour was originally set to start off with two shows in Seoul on Feb. 6 and 7, followed by performances in Taipei, Hong Kong and Shanghai stretched out to Feb. 16. &ldqu

Composer Chin Un-suk, 58, has been named the winner of Leonie Sonning Music Prize 2021. The Leonie Sonning Music Prize is awarded every year to an internationally recognized composer, instrumentalist, conductor or singer. Chin is the first Asian to receive Denmark’s highest music award since its founding in 1959. Chin will receive 133,000 euros ($146,529), according to the Leonie Sonning Music Foundation. “With music rich in shimmering light effects and endless color play, Chin i

Grammy-winning teenage pop star Billie Eilish will have a concert in Seoul in August, marking the first South Korea visit by the chart-topping sensation. According to the announcement on the singer's official website last week, Eilish's 2020 world tour, titled "Where Do We Go?" will start March 9 in Miami, Florida, and run through September in 19 countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Germany, France and Italy. She will perform in Seoul on Aug. 23, with the venue to be determined l

Lee Soo-man, founder and chief producer of South Korea's biggest K-pop label, S.M. Entertainment, was listed by Billboard as one of the world's influential music industry leaders, the agency said Monday. Lee was the only South Korean chosen to be on "The 2020 Billboard Impact List" that recognizes 22 individuals for their influence over the future of the global music industry, according to S.M.  "SuperM, the 'supergroup' recruited from members of other Korean boy bands and

Kumho Art Hall to feature contemporary interpretation of Beethoven

K-pop girl band IZ*ONE will return to the music scene next month, resuming its high-profile music career that was put on hold amid a vote-rigging scandal involving the band's native audition show last year. "Mnet and the management agencies of IZ*ONE members decided to resume their activities in respect of the members and their fans who wish for a career resumption," Mnet said in a statement. The music channel said the girl band will return to the music scene next month, saying the exa

K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment on Wednesday warned fans about fake tickets for K-pop band Big Bang’s leader G-Dragon’s rumored concert in China.In an official statement, YG said it has spotted fake news about G-Dragon’s supposed concert in China on several online websites, including WeChat, a widely used social media platform in China. While G-Dragon will not perform in a concert in China, the company said that some people have received preorders for the tickets.“All i

"TT," a 2016 music video by K-pop girl band TWICE, hit the milestone of 500 million YouTube views Thursday, the band's management agency said.The video achieved the feat Thursday morning, becoming the band's first to hit the 500 million mark, according to JYP Entertainment. It was released in October 2016 on TWICE's third EP, "TWICEcoaster: LANE1."The video initially surpassed the threshold of 300 million YouTube views in December 2017, the first K-pop song by female artists

Chart-topping teenage pop icon Billie Eilish has announced the dates for her “Where Do We Go?” world tour in Asia.The Asian leg of her world tour will kick off in Seoul on Aug. 23, according to a poster posted on the singer’s social media account Monday. The singer will perform in six other cities -- Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, and Jakarta -- between August and September.The American singer will embark on her tour in early March, starting with shows in North Ame

K-pop super band BTS announced Wednesday that a new globe-trotting concert tour, "Map of the Soul," will kick off in April in Seoul.The tour is scheduled to open with four concerts on the first leg in Seoul from April 11-12 and 18-19 at Seoul Olympic Stadium and present a total of 37 performances in 17 cities across the globe in its first phase, according to Big Hit Entertainment, the management agency of BTS.The lineup of destinations includes the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain

Singer-songwriter to return to Seoul stage in May

Following the smartly organized, decadelong K-pop marketing formula, boy band BTS has unexceptionally heralded its new album releases with advance teaser videos and music samples during its past seven-year career.But instead of getting advance SNS hints and teasers about the band's newest song, fans of BTS were completely left in the dark until the very moment of the official release of "Black Swan" last Friday. "Black Swan" is the first BTS single pre-released from its upcom

K-pop star’s unexpected marriage announcement sparks conflict with fans

BTS' global contemporary art initiative, "CONNECT, BTS," has landed in Berlin, the second destination following London, the band's management agency said Sunday.Big Hit said, "Rituals of Care," an exhibition of performances, kicked off at Martin-Gropius-Bau, a modern art museum in the German capital Wednesday as the second leg of the "CONNECT, BTS" art project.  The first "CONNECT, BTS" project opened at London's Serpentine Gallery Tuesday, an exhibit