Today   Film

[Herald Review] Avengers assemble for the glorious ‘Endgame’

My only real regret about “Avengers: Endgame” is that I watched it in a country where it is considered rude to burst into applause during a screening: There were several moments in this damn-near perfect film that deserved a standing ovation.The last installment in the “Infinity” saga -- the first 22 films about the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- was the sort of culmination that the final film in any series should be. It had the catharsis and the wistful and loving farewell of “The Lord of the Rin

Apr 24, 2019   Music

SSF entertains Seoul with classical music

For the next two weeks, the capital city will be filled with classical music as the Seoul Spring Festival returns. The 14th edition of the annual event began Tuesday and continues through May 4. Led by violinist Kang Dong-suk, the festival takes place this year in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province under the theme of “Music & Gastronomy.” Linking culinary culture with music, each performance features a theme related to gastronomy. For instance, performances are titled “Starter,” “Continental Cuisine,”

Apr 24, 2019   Music

With new album, soprano Sumi Jo shares ode to ‘Mother’

Soprano Sumi Jo, a star in Korea’s classical music scene, recently released the album “Mother,” dedicated to her mom. The 57-year-old is one of the most beloved sopranos in Korea. She has won a Grammy award and released more than 40 albums across a wide spectrum of music since her debut in 1986 in Korea. “I dreamed of making an album for all the mothers in the world,” Jo said at a press conference held Tuesday at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.  Soprano Sumi Jo poses for photos during a pre

Apr 23, 2019   Film

S. Korean studio receives best visual effects award at Beijing film fest

South Korean visual effects house Dexter Studios said Tuesday that it has received the best visual effects award for the Chinese blockbuster "The Wandering Earth" at the Beijing International Film Festival.The company scooped the prize jointly with other VFX studios behind the Chinese sci-fi movie, including More VFX and Pixomondo, during the closing ceremony of the eight-day festival Saturday. (Beijing International Film Festival)"We were credited with our VFX techniques in the Chinese film mar

Apr 24, 2019   Music

Ed Sheeran rocks Incheon

After a nearly two-year delay, pop superstar Ed Sheeran finally took the stage in Korea on Sunday, electrifying 25,000 fans gathered at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. He dove right in as the audience collectively felt pumped up. A wait sparked by a bicycle accident seemed to have only upped the anticipation, as fans appeared happy to see their hero.“It’s good to be back, thanks for having me!” Sheeran exclaimed after opening with his nostalgic number “Castle on the Hill.”He then went

Apr 23, 2019   Music

BTS 'Boy with Luv' ranks 8th on Billboard singles chart

BTS' latest "Boy with Luv" clinched the eighth spot on Billboard's main singles chart, making it the highest-charted K-pop act ever, the US Billboard magazine said Tuesday."BTS' 'Boy With Luv,' featuring Halsey, vaults onto the Hot 100 at No. 8, marking the septet's second top 10 and the highest-charting entry for a K-pop group," it said. "It surpasses BTS' own 'Fake Love,' which debuted and peaked at No. 10 in June 2018.""Boy With Luv" is the main track of the group's new EP "Map of the Soul: P

Apr 22, 2019   Music

TWICE expands to US cities with release of new album ‘Fancy You’

Chart-smashing K-pop girl band TWICE is gearing up for their first solo concerts in United States cities with the release of their new album, “Fancy You,” on Monday.　The six-track album marks a major stylistic change for the five-year-old girl group, whose shining and cheering music and dance have appealed widely to fans at home and abroad. 　TWICE was the first K-pop girl band to throw concerts at Japanese domes, which accommodated a total of about 50,000 fans in the neighboring country. (Yonhap

Apr 23, 2019   Film

Bong Joon-ho’s new film ‘Parasite,’ Cannes nominee, to show extremes of Korean society

Film director Bong Joon-ho’s new work “Parasite,” slated to compete at Cannes this year, features two ordinary families in different situations. Bong’s new film has been included in the 2019 Cannes Film Festival’s feature selection, marking the director’s second time competing for the Palme d’Or, following “Okja” in 2017. “Parasite” (CJ ENM)Film director Bong Joon-ho speaks during a press conference for “Parasite,” held at The Westin Chosun Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap) Film director Bong Joon-ho sp

Apr 22, 2019   Music

BTS becomes 1st band since Beatles to score 3 Billboard No. 1 albums in single year

K-pop boy band BTS has scored its third No. 1 on the main Billboard 200 album chart, becoming the first group since the Beatles to earn three No. 1s in less than a year, Billboard said."Map of the Soul: Persona," BTS' latest seven-track album released April 12, debuted atop the Billboard 200 for the week of April 27, the website of the music magazine said Sunday (US time), officially confirming the result after it reported last week that the band was "bound for No. 1."In the week ending April 19

Apr 20, 2019   Music

BTS becomes first Korean artists to top British chart

K-pop sensations BTS has topped the British chart with its new album, becoming the first South Korean artists to do so.The new album “Map of the Soul: Persona” landed at the top with 26,500 combined sales on Friday (local time), the Official Charts Co. said.The album's main track, “Boy With Luv,” is also the band’s first ever British Top 15 single, charting at number 13 on Friday, it said. (Yonhap)“Map of The Soul: Persona” is BTS‘ fourth collection to chart in the UK Top 40, following their thr

Apr 19, 2019   Film

'Avengers: Endgame' breaks ticket presales record in S. Korea

Advance sales of tickets for the upcoming Marvel film "Avengers: Endgame" reached 1.23 million on Friday, setting a new record for advance box office sales in South Korea, according to data by the Korean Film Council.Presales of tickets for the final "Avengers" flick, set to hit local screens on Wednesday, reached 1,230,181 as of 4:21 p.m., the real-time data showed. At that moment, the superhero film accounted for 92.1 percent of all the tickets sold in advance.The presales figure marks a new r

Apr 19, 2019   Music

[Eye Plus] Paradise for music players

In Seoul, there is a paradise for music players.Nakwon Instrument Arcade, otherwise known as Nakwon Music Mall, is a one-stop shopping center of over 300 independent music stores -- selling virtually everything related to music.  (Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)Located in the vicinity of the tourist-heavy Insa-dong and currently Seoul’s hippest street Ikseon-dong, this shop cluster occupies the second and third floors of Nagwon building, which also houses eateries, practice rooms, a concert st

Apr 19, 2019   Film

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Birthday (Korea)Opened April 3DramaDirected by Lee Jeong-eonJeong-il (Sol Kyung-gu), Sun-nam (Jeon Do-yeon) and their daughter Ye-sol (Kim Bo-min) have to cope with life without Su-ho (Yoon Chan-Young), as the boy died in the 2014 Sewol tragedy. On Su-ho’s birthday, the family and friends gather to share special memories.Another Child (Korea)Opened April 11DramaDirected by Kim Yoon-seokSeventeen-year-old Ju-ri (Kim Hye-jun) struggles with the knowledge of her father Kwon Dae-won (Kim) having an

Apr 19, 2019   Music

BTS breaks its own record for highest first-week album sales with 'Map of the Soul: Persona'

K-pop sensations BTS sold more than 2.13 million copies of their new album, "Map of the Soul: Persona," in the first week of the album's release, setting a new record of highest first-week record sales, the band's management agency said Friday.The new album sold 2,130,480 copies in the seven days since its release last Friday, Big Hit Entertainment said, quoting figures from local chart compiler Hanteo. BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)This makes "Map of the Soul: Persona" the highest-selling K-pop al