MACAU -- It’s not a secret that Macau, an autonomous region in China, has made a name for itself as the new gambling capital of the world in recent years. And Melco Resorts Chairman Lawrence Ho -- son of Macau gaming legend Stanley Ho and a casino bigwig who runs three major casino-resorts such as City of Dreams and Studio City in Macau -- has shared his business philosophy and ambitions to foray into Japan.  “Ten years ago, the industry was lazy and low-tech. But right from the start I knew eve

Having recently wrapped up its “Blooming Days” promotions in Korea, EXO-CBX has kicked off its first Japanese arena tour.  EXO-CBX performs at a concert in Yokohama on Friday. (JYP Entertainment)The subunit of EXO, consisted of Chen, Baekhun and Xiumin, successfully held its first leg of “EXO-CBX Magical Circus Tour 2018” at Yokohama Arena on Friday, drawing about 13,000 concertgoers. For about two hours, the band performed 21 songs, including tracks from its first Japanese full-length album “Ma

Day6 is set to drop a new Japanese single in July.The band’s agency JYP Entertainment said Saturday that the act’s second Japanese single, “Stop the Rain,” will be released on July 25. The upcoming record has been produced by Shinichi Ubukata, a guitarist known for his activities as a member of Japanese rock band Ellegarden and Nothing’s Carved in Stone.  Poster for Day6’s upcoming Japanese single “Stop the Rain” (JYP Entertainment)Day6 has also participated in writing and composing the new song

Unlike many K-pop girl groups that promote princess-like images with their singsong voices, fledgling act Dreamcatcher has embraced a darker side. Its work has often been spooky, yet hauntingly beautiful, weaved into its “nightmare” concept. And the seven-piece act put a final dot on its dark “nightmare” series with new EP “Escape the Era” staying true to its dark nature. “While our past songs have been themed around ‘nightmare,’ our new album is an album that puts an end mark to that project,”

Ben“Recipe”Genie MusicSingers are divided into two categories: Those who have consistently released albums under their names and those whose resumes are fronted by “soundtracks” and “featuring.”  Ben belongs to the latter, as most of her songs, technically not hers, have been soundtracks of drama series until her first full-length album “Recipe” recently came out.  Unfortunately, there seems to be a reason why her voice was heard mostly in sad ballad songs. Her voice has a narrow spectrum; it su

Seoul is a city that never sleeps; bright with glowing neon signs and buzzing with every hustle and bustle. But the city is also where the members of K-pop act Teen Top became K-pop stars. Nine years on, the group -- which deserves the title of “veteran” in this fast-paced industry -- embodied the energy of a bright night in the capital with its new EP “Seoul Night.”“Our new album is the album we’ve participated in the most. It will remind fans of Seoul’s dazzling night and deliver its bright en

Comedian Park Myung-soo will star in a new health-themed variety show, according to OtvN on Monday.“Today Tomorrow” (working title) will feature a cast of middle-aged men traveling around the country to ease their health concerns with healthy food after undergoing medical checkups.  Park Myung-soo (Yonhap)The program hopes to resonate with middle-aged men who strive to find a balance between work and a healthy lifestyle, and provide health tips, said its director Sung Jong-kyu. “It’s quite an ob

Just like her first name, which means “love” in Albanian, Dua Lipa’s first solo concert in Seoul overflowed with love and passion, as the 22-year-old London-born artist repeatedly blurted out “I love you so much” to screaming fans. There was no fixed choreography for her songs, but the perpetual motions of her arms and legs throughout the 90-minue set showed how much the singer -- whose hair was slightly disheveled from headbanging and perspiration --was enjoying her sold-out show in Seoul on Su

(G)I-DLE performs during a media showcase for its debut album “I Am” in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)(G)I-DLE, a new girl group launched under Cube Entertainment, threw its hat into the K-pop ring with its debut EP “I Am.”“We are a team that is capable of songwriting, composing and creating choreography. We can offer fans the best performance as we know each other’s strengths well,” said Miyeon during the group’s debut showcase for “I Am” in Seoul on Wednesday.The multinational six-piece act cons

(Afreeca TV)Dahee, formerly of now-defunct K-pop girl group Glam, started a new career as a BJ on popular video-streaming service.After breaking the news on her social media account last week, she took to her first broadcast on Tuesday with a new moniker Kim Si-won. It was Dahee’s first broadcast appearance in four years. “I have been working in part-time jobs and as a fitting modes. I wanted to sing so badly,” said Dahee during the broadcast. “I decided to become a BJ after much thought. I ask

(Live Nation Korea)Noel Gallagher, formerly of legendary British rock band Oasis, will hold a solo concert in Korea in August. According to the concert’s organizer Live Nation Korea on Thursday, the British artist will hold the concert titled “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Stranded on the Earth World Tour” on Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. at Olympic Hall in Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul.  (Live Nation Korea)Gallagher last visited Korea for his performance at the Ansan Valley Rock Festival in July

GFriend“Time for the Moon Night” Loen Entertainment  GFriend’s music has always been like a lackluster toy cooped up in a closet. Grown-ups may be reluctant to fiddle with that old toy again, but once walking down memory lane with it, they may realize that it’s actually nice to indulge in a bit of nostalgia. The six-piece K-pop girl group’s recent EP “Time for the Moon Light” is another perfect treat for those wishing to secretly savor such sweetness. As always, the tunes are reminiscent of Japa

SMTown Museum, a new cultural exhibition space launched by K-pop powerhouse S.M. Entertainment, will open at SMTown Coex Artium in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Friday. According to the agency Wednesday, SMTown Museum will be on the third floor of SMTown Coex Artium, a compound featuring content related to S.M. musicians.Among the facilities in the new space are “S.M. Archive,” where visitors can enjoy S.M. artists’ albums, photo shoots, music and videos; “Special Exhibition,” an exhibition of the ar

K-pop solo artist Crush will embark on his first Asian tour in June, according to his agency, Amoeba Culture.The singer will kick off the tour in Bangkok on June 3, and later visit Hong Kong and Taiwan on June 29 and July 1, respectively. His huge international following, which he built with hits like “Oasis” and “Beautiful,” has enabled the tour, which also marks his first Asian concerts, the agency said.   (Amoeba Culture)The R&B artist debuted in 2014 with “Sometimes,” and gained popularity w

It was one of those beautiful spring mornings where everything on the street sparkled under the warm sunlight. Stepping into a small and cozy coffee shop located in Hapjeong-dong in Seoul, this reporter was greeted by an unusually warm smile and handshake from singer-songwriter Park Ki-young, who celebrates her 20th anniversary in the business this year.  “I think my biggest strength is that I have the ability to empathize. I can closely relate to others’ problems, thinking, ‘How can I make that

A Korean translator for “Avengers: Infinity War,” a Marvel superhero flick that has been conquering the Korean box office, has come under fire for the movie’s alleged mistranslations. The controversy surrounding Park Ji-hoon, who is well known for having translated other Marvel series such as “Captain America: The Winter Solider,” “Ant-Man” and “Avengers: Age of Wultron,” escalated Wednesday as netizens flooded social media with complaints claiming that the movie’s Korean subtitle featured sever

In her mid-30s, veteran actress Son Ye-jin has never felt so blissful in her career that spans more than a decade as she does now. It’s rare for an actress not to feel wistful about the end of a project, Son confessed. But this time with “Something in the Rain,” an ongoing JTBC hit series in which she takes a lead role, her time on the set has never been so delightful. “I’ve starred in many melodramas, but the reason ‘Something in the Rain’ is so special to me is that I feel like I’m living in r

K-pop act Super Junior’s recent Latin-inspired single “Lo Siento” debuted at No. 13 on Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales chart this week.According to Billboard on Tuesday, Super Junior became the first K-pop act to enter the chart with the trilingual single, which incorporates Spanish, Korean and English and features Latin pop star Leslie Grace and DJ duo Play N Skillz. The song has also hit No. 2 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart.  (Billboard)Billboard stated that the move could

Lovelyz“Healing”Loen Entertainment  Unlike many K-pop competitors that juggle genres and concepts under pressure to keep impressing fans, Lovelyz has rarely stepped out of its pink wonderland, seemingly completely immune to any teardrops or sadness in life. For the first time, the eight-piece K-pop darlings soaked up a small drop of pain in its break-up song “That Day,” a lead track from the recent EP “Healing.” The irresistible nature of those happy Tinker Bells, however, doesn’t seem to have c

Hwang Chi-yeol, one of the best-known tear-jerking balladeers in K-pop history, has returned with an ever-deeper voice to deliver emotion in a new EP. Drenched in heart-melting strings and melodies, Hwang’s second EP, “Be Myself,” is led by “The Only Star,” a poignant ballad displaying the singer’s romantic side. Likening his lover to his only star, he wails, “I only think about you. ... Why does my heart beat?/Because you are my star,” in the syrupy song penned by the singer himself.  (Yonhap)“