More than anything, it was “friendship” that has kept together the legendary dance music duo Clon through decades of ups and downs. With a bond that goes back 30 years, Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae weathered Kang’s motorcycle accident and the group’s subsequent disbandment. Most recently, they were able to reunite for the duo’s newly released 20th-anniversary album. From left, Koo Jun-yup and Kang Won-rae of duo Clone pose at a press conference for its 20th anniversary album “We Are” that was re

K-pop group Apink made a dramatic return to the music scene, undeterred by a bomb threat that had heightened tension at a media showcase for its new EP in Seoul on Monday. A few hours before Monday’s showcase, Apink was threatened by an unidentified man who claimed to have set up explosives at the event venue. After a sweeping search at the venue, police said that no evidence or trace of explosives were found. Despite the bomb scare, Apink decided to proceed with the event and talked about its n

G-Dragon of Big Bang is set to hold solo concerts in five European cities in September, as part of his ongoing solo world tour.The artist’s label YG Entertainment said Monday that London, Birmingham, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin have been added to the list of destinations for his solo tour, ACT III, M.O.T.T.E, that kicked off in Seoul on June 10. This is the first time for the artist to perform solo concerts in Europe. The European portion of the tour begins in Birmingham, England from Sept. 23. 

K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji will collaborate with K-pop boy band BTS for a concert in September to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Seo’s debut. Seo’s label Seotajji Co. said Tuesday that the legendary singer and BTS will perform several hits from all four albums of Seo’s previous group Seo Taiji and the Boys, without any changes to the original versions of the songs. “With BTS, Seo will perform his earliest songs exactly as they were performed in the 1990s,” an official from the label said.  Singer

South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun is pregnant with her second child, according to her agency Monday.(Didier Dubot)"Jun Ji-hyun visited the hospital last week and learned that she's 10 weeks pregnant. The baby is due in January," Culture Depot said.The 36-year-old actress, also known as Gianna Jun outside of South Korea, married Choi Jun-hyeok, the second son of famous fashion designer Lee Jung-woo, in 2012. She gave birth to a son in February of last year.After her marriage, Jun has basked in the

K-pop diva Lee Hyo-ri will pre-release a new song from her upcoming comeback album this week, her agency said Monday.A teaser image for Lee Hyo-ri`s new song "Seoul" (Yonhap)Kiwi Media Group, which represents the former girl group FIN.K.L member, announced on its social media that Lee will pre-release "Seoul" on Wednesday. The rest of the album is scheduled to come out July 4.A teaser image shows Lee's face covered by a turtle neck sweater with the song's title.The former sexy dance icon collabo

Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday dismissed charges against Chung Myun-whun, former music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. (Yonhap)The move came after a 10-month-long investigation into allegations of dereliction of duty and embezzlement made against Chung. The case arose from complaints filed by several civic organizations in February 2015. Police sent the case to Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in August 2016.In a statement issued through his legal re

Former TV entertainer Amy, who had been deported on drug abuse charges, attempted suicide after a Korean variety show aired malicious rumors about her.  Amy (Amy`s Instagram)The incident came after Monday’s episode of Channel A’s variety talk show “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” featured rumors about Amy’s past, under the theme of “celebrities from well-off families.” The show discusses rumors and gossip surrounding celebrities in the Korean entertainment industry. In the episode, a panel tal

American pop star Ariana Grande will hold a concert in Seoul in August, the show’s promoter Hyundai Card said Tuesday.The artist’s first concert in Korea will take place at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on Aug. 15, which marks Korea’s Liberation Day. The upcoming concert is a part of Hyundai Card’s annual cultural project that invites iconic and innovative artists around the world to Korea. A poster for US pop star Ariana Grande’s upcoming concert in Seoul (Hyundai Card)“Grande is a remark

Rather than cooling off the heat, the four members of Nine Muses are set heat up the summer with the group’s new single “Remember.”The members, in their mid- and late- 20s, delved into the confused feelings of the youth with their new EP “Muses Diary Part2: Identity” that was released Monday, but with a firm dedication to show more the mature sides of themselves.The four members of Nine Muses perform “Remember,” the lead track of the group’s new EP “Muses Diary Part2: Identity” at a press showca

Season two of “Produce 101,” Mnet’s male idol audition show, came to an end with 11 winners in its final episode. Contestants of the second season of “Produce 101” perform onstage in the show’s final episode Friday. (Mnet)Friday’s episode showed the top 11 contestants who were chosen by a popular vote that took place during the final live broadcast. A total of 101 trainees from 54 entertainment companies had participated in the show that started April 7. Contestant Kang Daniel from the entertain

While G-Dragon’s latest eponymous solo EP has made headlines for its unique USB flash drive format, it has also stirred up a heated debate over whether or not it can be officially recognized as an album. G-Dragon’s solo EP “Kwon Ji Yong” that takes form of a USB flash drive. (Yonhap)The dispute arose after the Korean Music Content Industry Association, the operator of Korea’s Gaon Chart, recently stated that Big Bang member’s USB format EP “Kwon Ji Yong” could not be seen as a true physical albu

K-pop fans will be showered with a fruity yet powerful K-pop bomb this summer, as rookie group NCT 127 returns with its high-energy EP “Cherry Bomb.”NCT 127, a Seoul-based unit of S.M. Entertainment’s NCT boy band project, dropped its third EP “Cherry Bomb,” led by the modern hip-hop title track, Wednesday.  “‘Cherry Bomb’ is our best and finest work that boasts spectacular performances. While I like every single song from the new EP, the lead track is my favorite, as I had to go through countle

Perched at the top of Naksan is an old hillside community filled with steep stairways and narrow backstreets that are reminiscent of 1980s Korea. Known as Ihwa Mural Village, the mountainside village offers visitors fresh air, expansive views of the city, and most importantly, an array of colorful paintings and sculptures that are hidden behind every corner. The mural village, which is a 10-minute uphill walk from the bustling student district of Daehangno, has become one of the most frequented

T.O.P of South Korean boy band Big Bang, who has been hospitalized for a drug overdose, left the hospital on Friday, as he was officially suspended from his mandatory military service due to a marijuana scandal. (Yonhap)"I'm sorry," the singer responded succinctly towards a barrage of questions from reporters as he came out of the intensive care unit of Ewha Womans University Medical Center in western Seoul.The singer, who came out sitting in a wheelchair, was in a patient gown and wearing a mas

"DMZ, the Wild," MBC TV's documentary series hosted by star actor Lee Min-ho, will begin airing next week, the network said Friday. (Yonhap)The three-part series on the wild life inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a four-kilometer-wide area that separates the two Koreas, will begin next Monday at 11:10 p.m. for a three-week broadcast.Lee accompanied the production team in the DMZ throughout filming, seeing for himself rare animals, such as otters, yellow boas and ocelots, inhabiting the area u

Big Bang member G-Dragon’s self-titled solo album “Kwon Ji Yong” is reigning over iTunes album charts around the world, setting a new record in the Korean music scene.  (YG Entertainment)The album, which was released Thursday with the lead track “Untitled,” has topped the iTunes album chart in 39 countries including the US, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Ukraine, Colombia, Finland and Thailand, as of Friday morning.G-Dragon now holds the record for simultaneously topping the most iTunes album charts

G-Dragon of Big Bang returned with a new solo album Thursday evening, amid ongoing controversy surrounding bandmate T.O.P, who has been indicted on allegations of marijuana use. T.O.P regained consciousness late Thursday afternoon after being hospitalized Tuesday for an apparent drug overdose. (YG Entertainment)The lead track for G-Dragon’s latest album, titled “Kwon Ji Yong,” the artist’s real name, has been changed to “Untitled,” a slow-tempo piano ballad about love, from the previously announ

YG Entertainment issued an official apology Thursday amid ongoing controversy over Big Bang member T.O.P’s marijuana use. The statement came two days after the rapper was hospitalized at Ewha Womans University Medical Center for drug overdose Tuesday.  (Yonhap)It read: “We bow our heads and sincerely apologize to those who were hurt and disappointed by the recent shameful happenings surrounding T.O.P. As the hospital confirmed at the media conference recently, after the rapper was found unconsci

Chungha, formerly of the since disbanded project girl group I.O.I, took to the stage alone to show she is all set to perform solo. The 21-year-old made her solo debut with her first album “Hands on Me,” featuring the lead track “Why Don’t You Know,” released Wednesday. While she feels emptiness without her former I.O.I bandmates, most of whom have gone on to form other girl groups, Chungha said she decided to buck the trend and pursue her own musical endeavors.  Chungha performs at a press showc