Entertainment

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  Actress Jun Ji-hyun to play main role in spin-off of zombie thriller drama SEOUL -- Popular South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun will star in the spin-off series of "Kingdom," a Netflix original drama series depicting a zombie-infested dynastic kingdom. Netflix said in a statement on November 2 that the 39-year-old would play the main role in "Kingdom: Ashin of the North," scheduled for release in 2021. Jun will portray Ashin, a mysterious character that appeared at the last scene of the final episode of Kingdom 2020-11-02
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  SM founder predicts creation of 'super-large' virtual world SEOUL -- SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man predicted a big change in the entertainment industry thanks to new technologies such as artificial intelligence and avatars that would create a "super-large" virtual world and innovative content that has never been seen before. "The development of artificial intelligence technology and avatar will create a super-large virtual world. New content that has never been seen before will be created, 2020-10-28
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  Warner Music ties up with Airbnb to connect K-pop with world SEOUL -- Warner Music, an American entertainment and record label conglomerate, tied up with Airbnb, a multinational vacation rental online marketplace company, to connect K-pop with the world in a different way through an online experience program that delivers the story of K-pop industry workers to guests. Airbnb Korea said the partnership with Warner Music Korea is aimed at shedding light on the backstage routines of K-pop artists and unraveling deep stories 2020-10-27
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  Singer IU collaborates with vocal trio Sweet Sorrow in special single 'Little Room' SEOUL -- IU, a popular singer-actress in South Korea, has collaborated with Sweet Sorrow, a vocal band, to create "Little Room," a special single to be released on October 29 "IU has perfected the song by participating in the post-production after collaborating as a featuring artist," Sweet Sorrow Company, the three-man band's agency, said in a statement on October 23. Sweet Sorrow, which debuted in 2005, is known for its heartwarming l 2020-10-23
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  Rapper BewhY makes unexpected marriage announcement SEOUL -- BewhY, a popular South Korean rapper, has made a surprise announcement on his marriage with a non-celebrity girlfriend which he had been in a relationship since he was 20 years old. "In order to raise God's family before my Army enlistment, I wish to bear the fruit of love after an eight-year relationship," the 27-year-old rapper said in a handwritten letter uploaded onto his social media on October 22. BewhY urged fans not to critici 2020-10-22
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  Former 2NE1 member Minzy sets up own entertainment agency to nurture young K-pop stars SEOUL -- Former girl band 2NE1 member Minzy has set up her own entertainment agency to nurture young K-pop stars. The 26-year-old will continue her career as a solo artist. "We will nurture stars that would receive love from the MZ (millennial and Z) generations," MZ Entertainment said in a statement on October 22. Minzy is the general director of MZ Entertainment which she had co-founded with a professional management specialist. Minzy will lea 2020-10-22
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  Thriller film starring actress Park Shin-hye to premiere on Netflix SEOUL -- "Call," a thriller film starring popular actresses Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo, will premiere worldwide in November on Netflix, the world's most popular over-the-top video-on-demand service. Netflix Korea said in a statement on October 20 that Call directed by Lee Chung-hyun will be released globally on November 27. The film was originally planned to hit cinemas in March this year but NEW, the film's distributor, postponed the rele 2020-10-20
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  Annual Incheon rock festival attracts 78,000 online global fans SEOUL -- Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, an annual event that was broadcast live online due to a COVID-19 pandemic, has attracted about 78,000 fans, according to the festival's host city. The annual rock festival in the western port city of Incheon that kicked off in 1999 is now one of a very few rock festivals in South Korea where hip-hop music is popular. This year's festival was broadcast through social media on October 16 a 2020-10-19
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  Anti-trust watchdog endorses BTS founder's acquisition of domestic entertainment agency SEOUL -- The founder of BTS has secured approval from South Korea's anti-trust watchdog to push ahead with the acquisition of Pledis Entertainment, which controls two boy bands, NU'EST and Seventeen. The greenlight came as Big Hit Entertainment founded by Bang Si-hyuk became an unrivaled domestic entertainment powerhouse in terms of market capitalization through a stock market debut. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC), known for its strict attitude toward b 2020-10-19
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  K-pop band EXO member Chen to enter boot camp in late October SEOUL -- K-pop boy band EXO member Chen will start his mandatory military service on October 26, the 28-year-old's agency said. "Chen will begin his military service on October 26," SM Entertainment said in a statement on October 26. The agency did not disclose location and other details. All able-bodied South Korean men who are aged more than 18 must serve their country. The average period of service for a conscripted soldier is 18 mont 2020-10-16
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  Brother-sister duo band AKMU's Lee Su-hyun to release solo song "ALIEN" SEOUL -- Lee Su-hyun, a member of brother-sister duo band AKMU, will showcase a new dance-pop song. According to YG Entertainment, the 21-year-old will release her new song at 6:00 p.m. (1100 GMT) on October 16. The song was written by her brother Chan-hyuk. Su-hyun will show off her choreography skill that has been kept hidden since her debut in 2012. AKMU stepped into the spotlight in 2012 when the band appeared in the second season of "KPOP STA 2020-10-16
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  8K romance film produced with smartphones hit special screens SEOUL -- "Please pay attention to the unique visual beauty and in-depth acting that 8K resolution shows," said Kim Go-eun, a 29-year-old actress who took the leading role in "Untact," an experimental short romance film produced with Samsung Electronics' new smartphones, that hit the screens of two Seoul cinemas equipped with quantum dot LED (QLED) panels. 8K resolution refers to an image or display resolution with a width of a 2020-10-16
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  Webtoon publishers join forces to take action against illegal online piracy SEOUL -- In an effort to protect copyrights and digital content, major South Korean webtoon publishers have formed a union to fight against illegal online piracy. 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 ($874 million). South Korean digital comic books are popular in East Asia. Six 2020-10-15
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  BTS agency makes successful stock market debut in S. Korea SEOUL -- The founder of BTS promised to create a new ecosystem in the global entertainment industry where artists, consumers and industry workers can coexist as his company made a successful stock market debut. Share prices soared at the beginning of trading, catapulting Big Hit Entertainment to an unrivaled entertainment powerhouse in South Korea in terms of market capitalization. In a ceremony on South Korea's main bourse to mark the initial public offerin 2020-10-15
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  Park Chan-wook's new melodrama film to star Park hae-il and Tang Wei SEOUL -- Chinese actress Tang Wei and actor Park Hae-il will star in a new melodrama film directed by Park Chan-wook, the film's distributor CJ Entertainment said. Shooting will begin in October, but the release date was not disclosed. Park Chan-wook, 57, is a South Korean director recognized in the global cinema scene for his works such as "Old Boy," "Stoker" and "The Handmaiden" that attracted movie fans at h 2020-10-13
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  [FOCUS] Fresh argument flares in S. Korea over military service by BTS members SEOUL -- Whether they like it or not, the argument without their consent and participation goes on from home and pubs to parliament. Fans feel repulsed by excessive interest and contention. A fresh round of debate flared over whether BTS members should be exempted from military service for enhancing the prestige and image of their homeland after they captured the hearts of global music fans with "Dynamite," a disco-pop track that debute 2020-10-08
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  BLACKPINK agency promises to delete Jennie's controversial scene in music video This image was captured from BLACKPINK's music video. SEOUL -- Bowing to public criticism over Jennie, a global K-pop star dressed as an attractive nurse in the music video of "Lovesick Girls," the agency of BLACKPINK apologized for distorting the image of nurses and promised to delete the scene at issue. In the music video released on October 2, Jennie played a nurse, wearing a hair cap, a white skirt and red high heels to express the so 2020-10-07
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  K-pop band BTS to use up-to-date technologies for online concert in October SEOUL -- Up-to-date technologies such as augmented reality and extended reality will be used for an online concert to be held by K-pop sensation BTS in October. BTS will perform for about two hours on a scale equivalent to an offline concert, according to the group's management agency, Big Hit Entertainment. Big Hit said BTS would hold its online concert "BTS Map of the Soul ON:E" at 7 p.m. on October 10 and 4 p.m. the following day. The latest te 2020-09-29
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  K-pop band BTS to release new album 'BE' with message of healing SEOUL -- K-pop band BTS will release its most unique album titled "Be" in November to deliver a message of healing to fans worldwide, according to the group's management agency. "BE (Deluxe Edition) contains the most 'BTS-esque' music yet. The latest story from BTS begins by declaring that 'even in the face of this new normality, our life goes on' and imparts a message of healing to fans and to the world," 2020-09-28
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  All-star unit group SuperM hopes to give positive and hopeful energy thru new album SEOUL -- SuperM, an all-star unit band formed by SM Entertainment, an entertainment powerhouse in South Korea, hopes to give positive and hopeful energy to fans in a difficult time caused by a COVID-19 pandemic through the group's first full-length album titled "Super One" that contained 15 songs. "There are many different genres of songs. It seems that the color of SuperM has finally come out clearly," SuperM leader Baekhyun said in an on 2020-09-25