"Ruler: Master of The Mask," MBC TV's new period drama, climbed to No. 1 in the Wednesday-Thursday late night drama race, single-handedly dethroning "Queen of Mystery" in its first week of broadcast, data showed Friday.Episodes three and four of "Ruler," which aired Thursday evening, recorded 10.5 percent and 12.6 percent viewerships, respectively, according to Nielsen Korea.This composite image shows highlights from MBC TV`s "Ruler: Master of the Mask." (Yonhap)The show has adopted a new progra

Kriesha Tiu, a contestant on the SBS competition show “K-pop Star 6,” is set to make her solo debut on May 24, according to the singer’s agency Urban Works Entertainment. “Tiu will put an end mark on her two years of training and release her first album on May 24. Please send your warm support to the singer who embarks on a new career in Korea,” said an agency official.  Promotional photo for Kriesha Tiu‘s upcoming debut album (Urban Works Entertainment)In a promo photo for the upcoming album ac

“Us-against-the-world” spirited trio Triple H, a new group to the Korean music scene, stood firm in the face of a controversy surrounding its recently released debut single “365 Fresh.” The collaborative group, consisting of HyunA of disbanded girl group 4Minute and her Cube Entertainment labelmates Hui and E’Dawn of boy band Pentagon, opened up about the new track from debut album “199X” that is being assailed for its controversial music video, at an interview in Seoul on Wednesday. Triple H (C

Global K-pop star Psy returned with his long-awaited eighth album “4X2=8” on Wednesday.   The singer, who has a 16-year music career under his belt, said he had initially not intended to release a full-length album, considering how fast the current music industry evolves and how quickly songs are consumed by listeners. Working with young artists from his agency YG Entertainment, however, was like having new life infused into his musical career, which had plateaued since his hit “Gangnam Style” i

It’s Election Day, and the polls are open to celebrities and citizens alike.　Many Korean celebrities, from K-pop idols to actors, exercised their right to vote today, sharing post-voting photos and selfies on social media to show that they have also fulfilled their civic duty. They also didn’t forget to encourage their fans to vote. Here are some celebrities who headed to polling stations this morning. 　1. VIXX(Jellyfish Entertainment)A photo released by VIXX’s agency Jellyfish Entertainment Tue

South Korean actor Gong Yoo has had his first-ever fan meeting in Taiwan backed by the international popularity of hit local TV series "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," his agency said Monday. (Yonhap)Management Soop said some 5,500 fans attended the actor's meet-and-greet event in Taiwan on Saturday.Gong rose to "hallyu" stardom through the tvN drama and Korean zombie film "Train to Busan." Hallyu refers to the rising global popularity of Korean pop culture. Taiwanese media covered every ev

Nominated as top social media artists, BTS will walk the red carpet of the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.  BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)The group‘s agency Big Hit Entertainment said Tuesday that the group was invited to the ceremony that takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 21. The seven-member boy band was nominated as a Top Social Media Artist by Billboard in April, recognized as one of the most influential and active artists on social media sites. Fellow nominees include Justin B

Isu of MC the Max is set to return with a new solo album, “Inhale,” on May 16, according to agency 325 E&C, Monday. Isu (Isu‘s Facebook page)The singer recently released a short promotional video of the upcoming album via his official social media account. The black-and-white video featured a lyrical piano melody played by Isu himself.The upcoming album marks the singer’s first solo album since his 2008 solo album “I Am.” The singer received a suspended indictment for buying sex from a minor in

 Idol group T-ara has delayed the release of a new album as its management agency failed to persuade two members -- whose contracts expire next week -- to promote the record together with their remaining teammates, according to the company Monday. T-ara (MBK Entertainment)“Boram and Soyeon’s contract expires on May 15. We had planned to release an album and hold a concert to mark the eight years of the six-member lineup, but failed to reach an agreement with the two members,” MBK Entertainment s

FT Island kicked off its Japan tour, entitled “FT Island Arena Tour 2017-United Shadows,” in Aichi, Saturday, according to agency FNC Entertainment.  FT Island (FNC Entertainment)The agency said Saturday that after the Aichi concert, the group will visit Osaka on May 12 and hold concerts in Tokyo on June 1 and 2.At the concert, the five-member group will mainly perform tracks from “United Shadows,” its seventh Japanese album released April 12. The album consists of 11 tunes, with lead track “Sha

K-pop star Psy’s upcoming eighth album will feature notable artists from the singer’s agency YG Entertainment.  Psy (YG Entertainment)The track list for Psy’s new album, “4X2=8,” unveiled Sunday, showed Big Bang’s G-Dragon and Taeyang, Tablo of Epik High, iKON’s B.I and Bobby and actress Lee Sung-kyung, all from YG Entertainment, participating in the album. “Only YG artists have worked with Psy this time, while the singer’s seventh album in 2015 featured artists from other agencies such as Zion.

The smoke-loving rapper, to quote one of his many hits, was indeed young, wild and free. “Korea, make some noise!” he screamed, opening his set at the Seoul Sessions Live Music Event 2017 on Wednesday at Seoul Sports Complex with “Bake Sale,” from his self-titled album “Khalifa” released last year.  After chugging some water, the rapper wildly spat the liquid into the air. It was his way of greeting the crowd of nearly 20,000 people, who obliged by chanting the rapper’s name and his label “Taylo

Korean film “The Soup,” starring actor Yoon Park, has won an award at the 26th Arizona International Film Festival.Yoon’s agency JYP Entertainment said Wednesday that the movie recently received the best foreign feature award at the annual international film festival that ran from April 19-30 in Tucson, Arizona. In the movie based on a true story, Yoon plays a man with a rough personality named Jaegu, who enters the home of a mentally disabled couple with a 7-year-old daughter, and ends up livin

Twice is set to drop its new album on May 15, according to agency JYP Entertainment. A preview image of Twice’s upcoming mini album “Signal” (JYP Entertainment)The agency said Monday the group’s fourth mini album “Signal” and the title track will be released on May 15 at 6 p.m. In a preview image of the new album unveiled via the agency website also Monday, the band can be seen wearing white and navy school uniform-styled outfits.    The nine-member girl group debuted in October 2015. Its first

Located on the 81st floor of Seoul’s new landmark Lotte World Tower Signiel Hotel Seoul, Michelin one-starred Bicena is the highest situated Korean restaurant in the city.For most restaurateurs, moving locations soon after winning the coveted Michelin star would be a challenge that they would rather avoid. Lucia Cho, 35, CEO of Bicena and the Michelin three-starred Gaon, however, embraced the challenge with open arms. “It presented a new opportunity for us,” Cho said about the decision to move t

The legendary K-pop group Sechs Kies has returned with a new album to celebrate its 20th anniversary as a group. Called a “first-generation” boy band here, the group had sensational popularity in the late 1990s, with fans waiting in lines to buy its cassette tapes and camping out at its concert venues all night. Catering to those who have nostalgic memories of the band, the five members -- most of them in their late 30s now -- released the album “The 20th Anniversary” on Friday.  Sechs Kies memb

BANGKOK -- The travel and tourism industry today generates over $7.6 trillion globally, supporting over 292 million jobs, and has outstripped the growth of the global economy in the last six years.Such is the economic power of the travel and tourism industry that it was highlighted as a driver of three of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals: inclusive and sustainable economic growth; sustainable consumption and production; and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.“This sector plays

Over 950 people from around the world gathered Sunday at Lotte World Tower to do one thing: climb up 123 floors -- or 2,917 stairs to be exact. Gripping banisters and taking the stairs two at a time, the climbers aimed to run up the top of South Korea’s tallest skyscraper located in Songpa-gu, eastern Seoul, as part of an international race hosted by the Vertical World Circuit.“I’ve always enjoyed pushing myself past the limit,” said Park Soon-eek as he was warming up in the Arena Square near th

Korean director Park Chan-wook is to sit on the jury of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival that kicks off next month. Director Park Chan-wook (Yonhap)The international festival said Tuesday that Park was included on the festival jury to decide its top prize this year, along with other big names including Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, Italian director Paolo Sorrentino and US actor Will Smith. Park has become the fourth Korean to sit on the festival’s jury. Shin Sang-ok was the first-ever in 1994, foll

 G-Dragon is set to kick off a world tour of 19 cities across the globe in June, his agency YG Entertainment said Tuesday. A promotional image for G-Dragon’s upcoming world tour. (YG Entertainment)The K-pop icon will hold “G-Dragon 2017 Concert: Act III, M.O.T.T.E” in World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, Seoul on June 10, which will herald the beginning of the tour named “Act III, M.O.T.T.E.” He will perform across four continents in places that will include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto,