EXO-K, one of the most popular K-pop boy groups, won the first prize on “Inkigayo,” an SBS music program that aired on Sunday.The program started up again after a five-week suspension in memory of the deaths of passengers aboard the ill-fated Sewol ferry, which sunk last month off the nation’s southwest coast.The other competitors for the first prize were g.o.d with “The Lone Duckling” and Jung Gi-go with “Want U.”“I would like to share the joy of winning this prize will our members. We especia

Choo Sa-rang, a child-starlet and daughter of mixed martial arts fighter Choo Sung-hoon, mimicked an elephant, her favorite zoo animal, on an episode of the KBS2 reality show “Superman is Back” that aired on Sunday.After a family visit to the zoo, the starlet was asked to pick her favorite animal at the zoo. She happily cried out “Elephant!” and immediately rushed to make the long nose of an elephant, making the participants and staff burst into laughter. By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com

Fans on Saturday delivered donated funds to a local historical institution as a birthday gift for Taeyang, a member of the boy band Taeyang, who was born on the anniversary of the May 18th democratic uprising. Taeyang’s fan club “You Are the Sun, I Am the Moon” donated a total of 5.18 million won ($5,059) to The May 18 Memorial Foundation, hoping that the gift would be a “meaningful birthday gift” for the K-pop star’s 26th birthday.  Taeyang (YG Entertainment)“The representative of the fan site

EXO-M members condemned Kris’ recent legal waging against the agency as a “betrayal of trust,” Korean media reported on Sunday, citing Chinese online news outlet.“(Kris) should not have done such a thing without telling anyone in advance, especially when the world tour that we have all been dreaming about is just around the corner,” Tao, one of the four Chinese members of the six-member boy band, told Chinese online media Tencent Yule on Thursday. He called Kris’ act “bad behavior” and a “betray

EXO-M leader Kris. (SM Entertainment)Popular K-pop group EXO-M leading member Kris has been diagnosed with myocarditis, a disease marked by the inflammation of the heart muscle, according to Chinese media reports.The news comes after Kris officially filed a lawsuit against his agency SM Entertainment to terminate his contract. His complaint was received by the Seoul Central Court on Thursday. Prior to Kris’ diagnosis and lawsuit, the group had been scheduled to hold its first solo concert in Se

The hottest outdoor electronic dance music festival of the summer is once again happening in Seoul next month.This year’s Ultra Music Festival Korea, a.k.a. Ultra Korea 2014, will take place at the Sports Complex Stadium in Jamsil, Seoul on June 13-14.More than 80 internationally renowned and local EDM acts will be making their way to Seoul to perform at the two-day electronica festival. The final artist line-up was announced by UMF Korea on Wednesday.The first day of the festival will be headli

Singer and TV personality MC Mong is preparing for a comeback, two years after he was cleared by the Supreme Court of the possibly career-killing accusation that he dodged military conscription. According to music industry insiders, the 35-year-old has recently signed a contract with label Wellmade Yedang and set up a plan to release a comeback album this fall.MC Mong won a two-year battle in 2012 when the Supreme Court acquitted him of the charge of violating the military service law, citing a

Popular singer IU is sweeping the local music charts with her first covers album “A Flower Bookmark,” which was officially unveiled Friday.All seven tracks included in the album immediately topped the major music charts including Melon, Naver Music, Daum Music, Olleh Music and others upon their release at midnight. The title track “My Old Story” continues to retain the No. 1 spot while other tracks remain inside the “Top 10” list.“A Flower Bookmark” features IU’s reinterpretations and rearrangem

(OSEN)An EXO-M Kris' fan launched an online petition in support of the idol group's leader Kris who filed a lawsuit Thursday against his agency, demanding his contract be nullified. The fan opened the petition, seeking more participation and support from other EXO fans on portal site Daum Agora on Thursday. As of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, the petition has attracted 2,078 signatures.“This kind of lawsuit is not the first SM Entertainment has faced. Is it really a coincidence?” the petitioner wrote. SM

'It is an irresponsible action', Suho says about Kris

(SM Entertainment)As controversy swirls over EXO-M leader Kris‘ abrupt decision to launch a legal battle against his management agency, K-pop watchers are still struggling to grasp the reasons behind it. Kris, a Chinese member of the popular boy band EXO-M, filed a lawsuit Thursday with the Seoul Central District Court, demanding the termination of his exclusive contract with nation’s biggest talent agency, SM Entertainment.Kris claimed that his agency had never respected his opinions or health

Netizens have had mixed reactions to K-pop group EXO Kris’ lawsuit against SM Entertainment. 　EXO members expressed confusion and accused Kris of betrayal, while Internet users and fans conveyed support for the idol.SM as of Friday morning has yet to make a public comment about the lawsuit’s effect on EXO’s concert on May 23.Kris filed a suit asking the Seoul Central District Court to nullify his contract with Korea’s largest entertainment agency Thursday, despite the boy band’s rising popularit

A teaser trailer for “Jessica & Krystal” on the On Style cable channel was revealed Friday. The footage featured the lifestyles of the two celebrities in the nation‘s entertainment business.Jessica and Krystal are members of Girls’ Generation and f(x), both K-pop girl groups widely popular around the world.In the trailer, the two quarreled, apologized and laughed like most sisters do, unveiling their real personalities as ordinary girls in their 20s, rather than K-pop superstars.The program will

Actress to play three roles in adaptation of French play