Jul 3, 2020   Theater

Show must go on -- even if it means waiting extra two weeks

Overseas-based artists are continuing to perform onstage in Korea, even if it means going through the two-week self-quarantine periods. Though rules on overseas travel have lately been relaxed -- allowing essential overseas trips -- still, crossing borders at a time like this is not easy. Many performances across the world have been canceled, with artists unable to travel around the way they used to. Here in Korea, some performances with foreign artists are carrying on, as the artists have b

Jul 3, 2020   Theater

Virus-hit performing arts scene faces grim prospects for H2

The South Korean performing arts sector has gradually returned to life after a monthslong slump, but the lingering novel coronavirus pandemic is casting a dark cloud over the scene for the remainder of 2020. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS) on Thursday, aggregate ticket sales of musicals, theatrical plays, classical concerts and other performances reached 95.24 billion won ($79.3 million) in the first six months of the year. The system is managed by

Jul 3, 2020   Film

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Singer (Korea) Opened July 1 Drama, Musical Directed by Cho Jung-lae In 1734 , a talented pansori singer -- sorikkun -- Shim Hak-gyu (Lee Bong-geun) sets on a journey to find his wife Gan-nan (Lee Yu-ri) who was kidnapped by a notorious group of human traffickers. Hak-gyu and his daughter Cheong is joined by drummer Dae-bong (Park Chul-min), an impoverished aristocrat (Kim Dong-wan) and a few more supporters, and the band travels around the country, moving from village to village as Hak-gy

Jul 2, 2020   Film

Summit takes place on submarine in ‘Steel Rain 2’

Director takes more realistic approach to inter-Korean conflict in second film

Jul 2, 2020   K-pop

K-pop labels call for fair profit-sharing rules for TV show clips

Entertainment labels are no longer willing to tolerate broadcasters that release and sell unaired behind-the-scene clips or “fancams” of their artists without permission. The Korea Music Content Association, Korea Management Federation and Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association on Wednesday filed a petition to the nation’s Fair Trade Commission calling for a revision to the current unfair contract practices with TV stations. In Korea, pop artists appear in music sh

Jul 2, 2020   Television

Nana throws hat ‘Into the Ring’

Producer says controversial political drama “a workplace rom-com”

Jul 2, 2020   K-pop

Blackpink’s winning formula: from ‘Boombayah’ to ‘How You Like That’

Breaking down the songs that propelled the girl group to international stardom

Jul 2, 2020   K-pop

BLACKPINK wins 5 Guinness World Record titles with 'How You Like That'

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has set five new Guinness World Record titles with the music video for its latest song "How You Like That." The video won three titles from the Guinness World Records by racking up 86.3 million views within 24 hours of its release at 6 p.m. last Friday, according to the Guinness World Records website Thursday. It was certified as the most viewed video, music video and K-pop video on YouTube in 24 hours. A separate live premiere video for "How You Li

Jul 1, 2020   Film

Gwangju Uprising: 40th anniversary, missing 4 hours

Documentary sheds new light of ‘Gwangju Video’

Jul 1, 2020   Theater

Int’l tour of ‘Cats’ to hit Seoul stage in September

Though the global musical scene has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international tour production of “Cats” will go on stage from Sept. 9 to Nov. 8 at the Charlotte Theater in eastern Seoul. 　 “Cats” is a musical created by iconic composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh, inspired by the 1939 poetry collection “Old Possum‘s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot. The musical has won numerous awards, including the

Jul 1, 2020   Television

Actor Lee Soon-jae’s agency apologizes to former manager but claims exaggeration

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae’s agency SG Way entertainment released a press statement Wednesday providing details surrounding the firing of his former manager and apologizing to him as the dispute between them continued. The conflict between Lee’s previous road manager and Lee’s agency came to light when SBS aired an interview with the former manager Monday for its evening news segment. According to the report, the manager, who worked for Lee for two months starting March befor

Jul 1, 2020   Film

'Parasite' director Bong's interpreter Choi receives prestigious diplomacy award

Choi Sung-jae, known for her eloquent interpretation for director Bong Joon-ho of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," received an annual diplomacy award in Seoul on Wednesday for her role in enhancing South Korea's national image, foreign ministry officials said. Choi, better known as Sharon Choi, won this year's YoungSan Diplomat Award that the nonprofit Seoul Forum for International Affairs gives to a public official and a civilian each year for their contribution to improving Kore

Jul 1, 2020   Film

'Parasite' cast, crew invited to join academy

The cast and lead crew of director Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning "Parasite" were invited to join the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, according to the Hollywood film trade organization on Tuesday (local time). The academy announced on its website that it extended invitations to 819 artists and executives "who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures." Choi Woo-shik, Jang Hye-jin, Jo Yeo-jeong, Lee Jung-eun and Park S

Jun 30, 2020   Cartoon

Webtoon ‘The Sound of Your Heart’ ends in 14 years

South Korea’s longest running webcomic series “The Sound of Your Heart” by illustrator Cho Seok has come to an end after 14 years. Officially launched on internet portal Naver’s webtoon platform on Sept. 8, 2006, the webcomic -- known as “The Sound of Heart” in Korean -- ended Tuesday with its 1229th episode. “I feel lucky to be able to feel ‘done’ with the comic,” the 37-year-old cartoonist said in the final episode, adding words o