Broadcaster MBC and S.M. Entertainment Agency are to co-host a K-pop concert, “MBC Korean Music Wave in Los Angeles,” in May. K-pop groups from S.M. including Girls’ Generation, TVXQ, SHINee, f(x) and Super Junior will showcase at Anaheim Honda Center on May 20, MBC announced on Tuesday. The organizers said that the concert will be a large-scale project different from previous hallyu, or Korean Wave, concerts. “We will offer a show of higher quality with better stage settings, repertoires and ne

Korean music mogul Park Jin-young has become an owner of a Korean barbecue restaurant in New York, featuring a special grill that he invented. Park, CEO and founder of JYP Entertainment, a major K-pop record label and management company in Korea, held a press meeting in New York on Monday announcing the news. The newly opened restaurant, Kristalbelli, is located in Manhattan near Korea town, and is decorated like a high-end bar or a lounge. He said he thought of opening his own restaurant as he

Social Welfare Society will open an online charity auction from March 29 through April 10.Korean stars including actor Lee Byung-hun, actor and singer Lee Seung-gi, 2PM’s Nichkhun and Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany have donated their personal items for the charity event.Lee Byung-hun donated his caps for the auction while Lee Sueng-gi donated his sneakers that he wore on a television show. Tiffany’s purse, Nichkhun’s woolen hat will be on auction, too. Other items include Korean actress Kim Hye-so

Pop groups Big Bang and 2NE1 released their new albums in Japan on Wednesday. Big Bang’s latest album, “Alive,” includes “Feeling,” a collaborative effort among Big Bang’s G-Dragon, Top and world-famous German artist Boys Noize,“ that has been selected as the opening theme song for Japanese TV animation series ”Transformers:Prime.“ 2NE1’s first regular album in Japan, ”Collection,“ features 12 songs including a reinterpretation of Madonna’s ”Like a Virgin“ and a remix of Japanese electronic art

Pop star Psy replaces Yoon Jong-shin on TV audition program Mnet’s “Superstar K4” will differentiate itself from the increasing number of audition programs here by discovering genuine musical talent and delivering touching stories from millions of applicants who dream of becoming a star, according one of the show’s judges. “The goal of the program is not only to introduce new talent to Korean audiences but also to convey the dreams and hopes of the contestants who want to become star artists thr

Korean singer Ali received the Super Nova award for best performance at the second Hong Kong Asian Pop Music Festival on Friday.She earned the highest scores after two rounds of competition.She sang “365 days” in the first round and Christina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man” in the second. Six other rising Asian stars, including China’s Song Jingyu, Japan’s HIROZ SEVEN+ and Alex Wu from Hong Kong, participated in the event. The event is a contest where the best singer is picked from seven Asian a

K-pop stars strutted down the runway on Sunday, moving to the rhythm of their hit songs.“K-collection in Seoul,” a fashion show/concert held at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena at Olympic Park in Bangi-dong, featured popular K-pop groups such as Girls Generation, Big Bang, IU, MBLAQ, Infinite, T-ara, Miss A and Secret. Some of the stars walked down the catwalk decked in impressive outfits as well as showcasing their songs on stage. Actor Yeo Jin-gu who rose to stardom after starring in the MBC hit d

(Yonhap News)South Korea's popular K-pop group "Shinhwa" said Monday it wants to remain the country's longest-running "boy band" as it announced plans for a new album and concerts after four years away from the stage.Clad in sharp black suits, the six members of the group expressed their excitement

A cosmetics company canceled a Feb. 21 preview of a Japanese commercial featuring actress Kim Tae-hee, as Japanese netizens criticized her for advocating Korea’s sovereignty over Dokdo.Dokdo is a group of rocky islets in the East Sea that Japan has claimed as part of its territory and calls Takeshima.Kim, who has been enjoying popularity as an actress and a model for television commercials in Korea since the early 2000s, served as a Dokdo advocate in 2005 with her younger brother Lee Wan, who is

Swizz Beatz, a renowned American rapper-producer, said on Monday K-pop is leading a trend for new music and that he wants to play a leading role in introducing Asia to the West through Korean music. (Yonhap News)"What I found in Korean pop music is a new expression. The world is open for new things

Although Asia-centric, major entertainment companies seek to reap U.S. benefitsSince Girls’ Generation appeared in two major U.S. talk shows and Wonder Girls launched their TeenNick television movie, “The Wonder Girls,” last week, the buzz has been overwhelming. Yet, underneath all the hype lies a question: Why is Korean pop looking to America? “Insofar as America is the world’s biggest music market, we, as a company and for our artists, want to take it on,”said an S,M. Entertainment representat