Among the victims from last weekend’s Halloween disaster in Itaewon are foreign exchange students, tourists and overseas fans of Korean culture on a much-anticipated trip here after the pandemic. Major media outlets around the world have shared the stories of those who perished in Seoul when Halloween celebrations turned deadly. Anne Gieske had just turned 20 Saturday was one day after Anne Gieske’s 20th birthday. A nursing student at the University of Kentucky, she was in Ko

Jin of K-pop sensation BTS is hitting the ground running as a soloist. Since the release of his first solo EP “The Astronaut” on Friday, the boy band member has proven his global popularity by setting numerous records on the music scene. “The Astronaut” sold a total of 700,754 copies on the first day of its release according to his agency Big Hit Music, quoting data from local market tracker Hanteo Chart. It marked a significant sales figure for a single-track album. The

A series of cultural events and concerts scheduled for the remaining Halloween weekend and into early November have been canceled following Saturday’s deadly crowd crush in Itaewon. The Culture Ministry announced that the first two sessions of the four-part classical concert series scheduled to be held at Cheong Wa Dae’s Yeongbingwan on Tuesday and Friday have been canceled. A Gucci fashion show expected to be held with some 500 guests visiting from in and outside the country on Tues

Rookie boy group ATBO made a speedy comeback with its second EP, “The Beginning: Start,” on Wednesday. The new release marked the act’s return to the stage about three months after its debut with “The Beginning: Blossom” in July. “We’re overjoyed to make a comeback with new songs not long after our debut showcase. We’ve upgraded (our performing skills) so please look forward to our improvements,” Seok Rak-won said at a press showcase event he

K-pop boy group Enhypen released its first Japanese full-length album, “Sadame,” on Wednesday, signaling the act’s full-fledged activities there. The 10-track package is about boys who are aware of their fates and pledge to make a new future based on their own will. Fronted by the main song, “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC),” the full-length album includes the Japanese version of “Blessed-Cursed,” which was featured on the group’s first repackaged LP

Jo Yu-ri might have made her name as a vocalist in project girl group IZ*ONE, but her more recent solo career has taken her further, to a point where she is comfortable with herself. Jo debuted solo with the single “Glassy” in October last year and released her first EP, “Op. 22 Y-Waltz: in Major” in June. After a four-month break, the singer returned to the stage with her second single, “Op. 22 Y-Waltz: in Minor” on Monday. In a recent interview with a group

The 11th season of “Show Me the Money,” the longest-running hip-hop competition on Mnet, is set to premiere at 11 p.m. on Friday. As it is about to kick-start a new season, the program hopes to contribute positively to the local hip-hop scene. “‘Show Me the Money’ has long been associated with hip-hop. Beyond creating a virtuous circle, the two have coexisted with each other,” Choi Hyo-jin, the program’s chief producer, said during an online conference

American indie pop trio almost monday, who visited Korea for the first time to present a laid-back yet exciting moment to the local music fans, said that its dream has come true. The San Diego-based alt-pop band, comprised of vocalist Dawson Daugherty, bass guitarist Luke Fabry and guitarist Cole Clisby, held a press conference on Tuesday at Universal Music Korea’s headquarters in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The trio held its first live concert in Korea at Watcha Hall in Mapo-gu, in wester

While rookie girl group Le Sserafim had to overcome the hurdle of repositioning into a quintet just two months after its debut, the members said the experience has toughened them up. That new attitude can be heard throughout the group's second EP, "Antifragile," which dropped Monday. Ahead of the album’s digital release at 6 p.m., the band held a press showcase event to talk about the album and its production. The bandmates said they were able to improve their singing and

Cho Yong-pil, who is widely known in Korea as “Gawang” -- the king of singing or pop music -- will hold his first live concerts in Seoul in about four years next month, the concert’s organizer announced Monday. “2022 Cho Yong-pil Concert” will be held on Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 3-4 at KSPO Dome in Olympic Park in southern Seoul, according to Insight Entertainment. This will mark the legendary singer’s first in-person concerts in Seoul since his last national con

  BUSAN -- K-pop sensation BTS has covered Busan in a shade of purple. The boy band’s fandom, Army, from all over the world has flocked to the country’s second-largest city in unison to feel the festive vibes on the day of the septet’s concert, "BTS 'Yet to Come' in Busan" on Saturday. The music event was planned to support and promote Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. While it was scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. at the Asiad Main Stadium, tens of

Veteran fusion rock band SSaW, or Spring Summer Autumn Winter, has revived its masterpiece, “Bravo, My Life!” restoring it into a package comprising an LP and cassette tape. The band’s vocalist and guitarist Kim Jong-jin called the latest release a “reverential analog product.” To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of the band’s seventh full-length album, SSaW held a press conference in Mapo-gu, west of Seoul, Friday. Kim, who is now the only active

Kwon Eun-bi, formerly leader of Iz*One, returned to the stage Wednesday with her third EP, “Lethality." The singer held a press showcase to talk about the album and its production at Ilchi Art Hall in Seoul, ahead of the EP's release at 6 p.m. the same day. The new album marks the soloist’s return after a six-month break following the release of the second EP, “Color,” released in June. “Like the lexical meaning of the word ‘lethality,’ my goal

Girl group Dreamcatcher returned to the music scene with its seventh EP, “Apocalypse: Follow Us” on Tuesday. The seven-member act aims to continuously share its heartfelt message, calling for action to protect the earth through its new songs. It marks the septet’s return after a six-month hiatus following the release of its second full-length album, “Apocalypse: Save Us,” dropped in April. The new album is the sequel to the group’s previous release. At a press

Shin Hye-sung of the K-pop male group Shinhwa has been arrested for refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The vehicle that he was driving was registered as stolen. Seoul Songpa Police Station said that Shin was apprehended in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul, around 1:40 a.m., Tuesday, for refusing to comply with a breathalyzer test. Police received a call addressing a stopped vehicle in the middle of the road. When they arrived at the scene, the singer was sleeping in the car, according to the sta

Since in-person festivals and concerts resumed after a two-year pandemic break, big-name global pop artists have returned to South Korea to meet local fans. American singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin is gearing up to please local listeners’ ears once again by throwing a concert in Seoul next month. While the upcoming event will mark the Arizona-bred musician’s third time visiting the country, he still could not hide his excitement. “South Korea is my favorite place on the earth.

Lee Chan-hyuk of K-pop sibling duo AKMU is gearing up to release his first solo album this month. The upcoming album’s lead track will be “Panorama,” YG Entertainment, the duo’s agency, said Monday. With the announcement, the K-pop powerhouse also released a new poster image hinting at the message of the new song. It shows the musician bending his back and gazing upward in a dark tunnel. His first individual album, “Error” is set to drop on Oct. 17. Details on

The ever-increasing success and popularity of K-pop is highly visible these days, with big-name artists such as BTS and Blackpink sweeping global music charts and taking home well-recognized awards. A seemingly never-ending stream of K-pop songs are released each week and make their way into the ears of fans worldwide, keeping them hooked and eager to hear what is next. Many of K-pop's biggest hits in recent years, including IU’s “Celebrity,” Oh My Girl’s “Du

All five members of veteran K-pop idol group g.o.d will meet fans in person in a year-end concert in Seoul. According to IOK Co., organizer of the upcoming concert, on Friday, the quintet is scheduled to kick off a three-day concert on Dec. 9 at KSPO Dome at Olympic Park in southern Seoul. The event will mark the band's first time together in four years, since the act’s last concert “Greatest” in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its debut. The group has been unable t

After leading K-pop agency SM Entertainment’s announcement that it was considering early termination of its contract with music production company Like Planning, the entertainment industry and market are keeping a close watch on SM’s fate amid the undervaluing of its stock and a “brief halt” on a takeover deal. SM Entertainment is seeking to terminate its contract with the music production company wholly owned by SM’s chief producer and founder, Lee Soo-man, by the