Entertainment

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  BTS joins international human rights campaign against racism SEOUL -- South Korea's leading K-pop band BTS joined an international human rights campaign by opposing racial discrimination and violence via social media in a show of support for protests that followed the violent death of an African-American man called George Floyd, who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. "We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. 2020-06-04
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  K-pop bands to introduce S. Korea through TV travel show SEOUL -- To ease the social stress of global K-pop fans who mostly stay at home to keep their social distance, K-pop bands including MONSTA X will take viewers around South Korea to experience cuisines, tourist attractions and cultural spots hand-picked by stars. SBS MTV, a cable TV music channel, said that "Travel At Home," a travel show, will air at 7:00 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Friday. The show will be available in some 150 countries. K-pop stars will 2020-06-04
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  S. Korean web cartoon company partners with popular comics studio targeting consumers in US and France SEOUL -- Lezhin Entertainment, a web cartoon company in South Korea, partnered with Kidari Studio, the country's largest webcomics production studio, to release webtoons targeting young consumers in the United States and France. Web cartoons, widely known as webtoons or webcomics, are digital comic books created to fit into web or mobile platforms. South Korea is the birthplace of webtoons, with its webtoon market valued at one trillion won ($82 2020-06-04
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  S. Korean zombie action film joins lineup of Cannes Film Festival's official selection SEOUL -- "Peninsula," a sequel to the 2016 zombie action horror film "Train to Busan," directed by Yeon Sang-ho has joined the lineup of 56 films selected by the annual Cannes Film Festival. Having a film included in the list of Official Selection announced by the prestigious international film festival is seen as receiving a badge of honor. Train to Busan staring popular actors Gong-yoo and Ma Dong-seok garnered unexpected popularity at home for 2020-06-04
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  Cube Entertainment partners with NetEase Music to attract Chinese fans SEOUL -- Cube Entertainment, a South Korean entertainment agency that has girl band (G)I-DLE and boy band Pentagon under its wings, has forged a partnership with China's NetEase Cloud Music, a freemium music streaming service, to attract young Chinese music fans. The freemium music service is a form of content service that allows users to enjoy basic content for free but it requires users to pay for monthly subscriptions or other payments in order 2020-06-02
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  Actor Park Bo-gum takes test to become naval military bandsman SEOUL --Actor Park Bo-gum has volunteered to perform his mandatory military service as a naval military bandsman. The South Korean navy said Tuesday that the 26-year-old applied for the keyboard part of the Navy's military music and honor guard and took a practical test in Gyeryong city some 145 kilometers (90 miles) south of Seoul on Monday. The result of the test will be announced on the website of the Military Manpower A 2020-06-02
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  BLACKPINK members' solo songs to be released later this year SEOUL -- Solo songs by members of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK will be released later this year in an album format, the four-member band's agency said. YG Entertainment said it has been working on ROSÉ’s first-ever solo track for over a year. JENNIE’s first-ever solo single released in November 2018 received a good response, but some fans criticized YG of offering JENNIE a special favor because of her popularity. The agency asked 2020-06-01
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  Big Hit launches global audition program to look for next-gen BTS SEOUL -- Big Hit Entertainment, the agency of K-pop sensation BTS, has launched a global audition program aimed at finding talented boys who are born in or after 2003. "Big Hit Entertainment, the label that manages BTS and TOMORROW X TOGETHER, is now looking for individuals with talent and passion who will be the next global superstar," the agency said through a website for the global audition on Monday. The agency will carry out two 2020-06-01
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  Two Mnet producers given jail sentences for rigging votes in audition show SEOUL -- Two main producers of Mnet, a popular TV music channel that played a crucial role in discovering talented K-pop artists, received prison sentences for rigging votes to form X1, a project body band that debuted through a music audition show in 2019. The vote-rigging scandal triggered widespread anger among fans, prompting Mnet to overhaul popular audition programs. Kim Yong-bum, the executive producer of Produce X 101, a boy group survival reality show, 2020-05-29
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  ​CJ ENM postpones KCON in LA due to coronavirus pandemic SEOUL -- Mnet, a cable TV music channel operated by South Korea's entertainment company CJ ENM, postponed KCON (Korean Convention), a massive Korean cultural convention including K-pop concerts and exhibitions, which was to be held in Los Angeles for three days from August 27, due to a coronavirus pandemic. The cable TV music channel said Friday that it has indefinitely postponed its LA KCON schedule to protect artists, staff and fans from the threat of COVID 2020-05-29
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  BTS' agency applies for preliminary review of stock market listing SEOUL -- The agency of K-pop sensation BTS has applied for the preliminary review of stock market listing to become a leading entertainment company in South Korea, underlining its stellar success in the global music scene. Market watchers believe Big Hit Entertainment's initial public offering is possible by the end of this year. Korea Exchange, the securities exchange operator in South Korea, received Big Hit's request on May 28 for a prel 2020-05-29
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  BTS agency becomes biggest shareholder of Pledis Entertainment SEOUL -- Pledis Entertainment, a South Korean entertainment company that created two boy bands, NU'EST and Seventeen, joined a multi-label group headed by Big Hit Entertainment, which founded K-pop sensation BTS. Big Hit has diversified its portfolio ahead of initial public offering. Big Hit Entertainment said that it has become the largest shareholder of Pledis through the acquisition of shares. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, 2020-05-25
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  Popular K-pop artists to perform in online live concert via social media SEOUL -- Popular K-pop artists will perform in an online concert to be broadcast through TikTok, a social media service based in China. TikTok said Wednesday that some 10 K-pop acts including brother-sister duo AKMU, singer Kang Daniel and boy band MONSTA X will participate in "TIKTOK STAGE LIVE FROM SEOUL," an online concert, at 5:00 p.m. (0800 GMT) on May 25. The online concert will be broadcast worldwide for free. Fans can make donations to Commun 2020-05-20
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  Zico and Rain work with BTS founder to nurture next-generation artists in TV program SEOUL -- Two prominent artists in South Korea's music scene, Rain and Zico, teamed up with the founder of K-pop band BTS to cultivate next-generation artists in a TV reality program that will go on air on June 26. Woo Ji-ho, better known by his stage name Zico, and Jung Ji-hoon, better known by his stage name Rain, will work together with Big Hit Entertainment chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the general produce of I-Land, a TV show to be jointly produced by Mnet, a 2020-05-20
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  ​​Melon to stop real-time song chart service for wider range of music This file image shows a section of Melon's real-time song chart. SEOUL -- Melon, one of South Korea's most popular online music services, will pull the plug on its controversial real-time song chart feature to stop excessive competition for rankings and offer a more diverse range of music to users. The change will be made during the first half of this year. The online music service, operated by South Korea's web service giant Kakao, said in a stateme 2020-05-19
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  New girl band SECRET NUMBER debuts with first single album 'Who Dis?' SEOUL -- Instead of being shy, SECRET NUMBER revealed ambitions to wrest the Rookie of the Year award as the rookie five-member multi-national girl band made its debut with the first single album "Who Dis?" The band under Vine Entertainment begins official activities at 6:00 p.m. on May 19. Based on their fluent foreign language and versatile talents, SECRET NUMBER members hope to build a fan base beyond South Korea. T 2020-05-19
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  BTS creator Bang Si-hyuk to serve as general producer for new TV show SEOUL -- Big Hit Entertainment chairman Bang Si-hyuk expressed "high expectations" on the creation of a new K-pop band after he was selected to become the general producer for a TV reality program to cultivate next-generation artists. It would be the first project by Belift Lab, a content media joint venture established by CJ ENM and the agency of K-pop band BTS. I-Land, a TV show jointly produced by Mnet, a K-pop cable channel run by CJ ENM, and Big Hit, wil 2020-05-19
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  SM C&C forges content supply deal with Wavve and Naver's social media SEOUL -- In an effort to broaden the spectrum of entertainment content featuring its artists, the culture and content service wing of SM Entertainment has forged content supply deals with Wavve, a domestic over-the-top video-on-demand service, and South Korea's web service giant Naver. SM C&C Studio said in a statement on Monday that the company has signed an agreement to provide two exclusive content programs featuring top idols. The company a 2020-05-18
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  ​Big Hit apologizes for BTS member Jungkook visiting fresh epicenter of Seoul's COVID-19 outbreak SEOUL -- BTS members Jungkook has been screened for COVID-19 following his trip with fellow artists to an international tourist hotspot encompassing the epicenter of LGBTQ nightlife. Like tens of thousands of young visitors screened for safety, he was not infected with the highly contagious virus. Big Hit Entertainment apologized and belatedly admitted Jungkook's visit to Itaewon following new reports that he and other celebr 2020-05-18
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  S. Korean adaptation of Hollywood zombie thriller to hit silver screens next month SEOUL -- "#ALIVE," a zombie film directed by Cho Il-hyong, will attract South Korean cult film lovers to local movie theaters in June to offer a taste of apocalyptic chaos starring popular actor Yoo Ah-in. Lotte Entertainment, the film's distributor, said in a statement that #ALIVE will hit the silver screens next month. The exact date was not disclosed. The zombie film is an adaptation of a 2019 Hollywood screenplay "Alone" 2020-05-18