Entertainment

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  Spotify launches service at home turf of K-pop with tailored music experience SEOUL -- Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, launched its service in South Korea with a tailored music experience such as expertly curated and regularly updated music across a range of popular genres and personalized music recommendations and discovery features. Spotify's service is available from February 2. The Stockholm-based digital music service said in a statement that it would offer an innovative technology framework, everyday n 2021-02-02
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  (G)I-DLE to release remix version of Hwaa thru collaboration with Belgian DJ duo SEOUL -- (G)I-DLE, a K-pop girl band, will release a remix version of "Hwaa," the lead song of its new mini-album, on February 5 through collaboration with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, a top-ranking Belgian DJ duo that has performed at numerous festivals worldwide, according to the group's label, Cube Entertainment. It would be the band's first collaboration with foreign artists. (G)I-DLE made comeback on January 11 with "I Burn," a mini-album packed 2021-02-01
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  'Parasite' actor Song Kang-ho to co-star with singer-actress IU in new film SEOUL -- Song Kang-ho, a veteran South Korean actor who starred in the 2020 Academy-winning film "Parasite" directed by Bong Jun-ho will co-star with Lee Ji-eun, a popular singer-actress also known by her stage name IU, in a new film that will be directed by a famous Japanese director. Zip Cinema, a South Korean filmmaker, said in a statement on February 1 that IU would play a role in "Broker" directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, a Japanese director known for "No 2021-02-01
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  OTT service apologizes for children's animation containing adult video content SEOUL -- South Korea's integrated over-the-top video-on-demand service has apologized over sex video clips that were accidentally inserted into a film version of Pororo, a popular children's animation series. Parents were shocked, asking for a thorough explanation. "Is this real? Sex video clips were played when my child was watching Pororo," a mother said in a post uploaded onto an online community on January 29. Similar posts were uploaded on other websites. So 2021-02-01
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  Singer IU tops song charts with new song 'Celebrity' SEOUL -- Singer-actress IU has scored an all-kill in major South Korean song charts with her new song "Celebrity" that was pre-released before the official release of her new album. The 27-year-old's new song topped popular real-time song charts of Melon, Genie, Flo and Bugs on January 28. The song's music video was watched more than 6.2 million times on YouTube in less than 24 hours of release. Through her self-written song, IU delivered a message of s 2021-01-28
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  [FOCUS] BTS agency forges alliance with YG, Naver to promote K-pop thru integrated platform SEOUL -- The founder of K-pop sensation BTS carried out his pledge to create a new ecosystem in the entertainment industry by establishing far-reaching business tie-ups with his troubled domestic rival, which manages prominent K-pop artists such as BLACKPINK, as well as Naver, a top web portal service operator and IT company in South Korea. The three-way alliance through cross investments or stock purchase among Big Hit Entertainment, YG Entertainment and Naver would lead to the cre 2021-01-28
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  Kakao units merged into entertainment company targeting global market SEOUL -- Two Kakao subsidiaries will be combined to become a total entertainment company targeting the global market. The merge would create synergy by joining intellectual properties to create new content aimed at attracting global Hallyu (Korean cultural wave) fans. Kakao Page, the digital content-making wing of Kakao, services webtoons, also known as webcomics, and web-based novels worldwide. Kakao webtoons are especially popular in Asia. Kakao M is an entertainment company wit 2021-01-25
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  BLACKPINK member Rosé to premiere solo song through online concert SEOUL -- Girl band BLACKPINK member Rosé will showcase her very first solo track through an online concert, the 23-year-old's agency said. YG Entertainment said in a statement on January 25 that Rosé will unveil her solo track during "THE SHOW," an online concert to be held on January 31. The solo track was to be released after the concert but the singer insisted that she should treat fans with the new track before the release of her solo album. " 2021-01-25
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  Singer HyunA to end 14-month hiatus with mini-album 'I'm Not Cool' SEOUL -- K-pop's iconic sexy artist HyunA will end her 14-month hiatus with a mini-album scheduled for release in late January, the 28-year-old's agency said. P NATION said in a statement that HyunA would drop "I'm Not Cool" on January 28. It would be the singer's first album to be released in 14 months since "FLOWER SHOWER," a single track, was released in November 2019. "I will shake it as if I am determined to break my spine," Hyun 2021-01-22
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  NCSoft's global K-pop fan community platform to service original content including songs SEOUL -- South Korean game publisher NCSoft will offer original content including songs and entertainment show series through its upcoming global K-pop fan community platform, which benchmarked a fan-based social media platform created by the agency of K-pop wonder BTS. KLAP, the digital content wing of NCSoft, said in a statement on January 20 that "UNIVERSE," the K-pop fan community platform, would release "UNIVERSE ORIGINAL," an entertainment show series featu 2021-01-20
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  Singer IU drops teaser image for upcoming full album SEOUL -- Singer-actress IU has dropped a teaser image for her new full album through social media including Facebook and Instagram. According to the 27-year-old, new album "Celebrity" is scheduled for release on January 27. IU did not disclose additional details about her fifth full album. IU debuted in 2008 as a singer. She began her acting career in 2011 to become one of South Korea's favorite TV drama actresses. IU appeared in popular dramas such as "The Prod 2021-01-15
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  Cube Entertainment partners with web comics company to create online video content SEOUL -- Cube Entertainment has forged a partnership with a domestic webcomics platform company to create web-based drama series using the agency's intellectual property including artists such as popular girl band (G)I-DLE. The partnership is designed to create a synergy that would attract K-pop and K-drama fans. South Korea is the birthplace of webcomics, also known as webtoons. Webtoons are recreated into dramas and films. "Kingdom," a Netflix original drama series t 2021-01-07
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  Sci-fi film starring Song Joong-ki to be reelased on Netflix in February SEOUL -- A homemade science fiction film starring popular actor Song Joong-ki and actress Kim Tae-ri will be released on Netflix. The world's top over-the-top platform is now one of the main content channels that provide easy access to Hallyu (Korean cultural wave) content for global fans. Netflix said that "Space Sweepers" directed by Jo Seung-hee will hit the OTT platform globally on February 5. The film was to be released in mid-2020 but it was postponed due 2021-01-06
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  Actor Kim Soo-hyun to star in S. Korean remake of British TV drama series 'Criminal Justice' SEOUL -- Popular actor Kim Soo-hyun will star in the South Korean remake of a British legal drama series that aired on BBC in 2008. Gold Medalist, the 32-year-old actor's agency, said in a statement on January 5 that Kim would star in "That Night" (working title) along with Cha Seung-won. The drama depicts fierce legal battles surrounding the death of a woman. Kim will play a university student who became a homicide suspect. Cha will play the role of a lawyer who tri 2021-01-05
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  CJ ENM partners with NCSoft to roll out new digital content for global market SEOUL -- CJ ENM, a leading creator and distributor of Hallyu (Korean cultural wave), has partnered with NCSoft, a major game publisher in South Korea, to set up a joint venture that would combine their capabilities to roll out new digital content targeting the global market. "We will lead the industry trend by merging CJ ENM's content production capability and NCSoft's IT platform capability," CJ ENM said on January 5. The two companies signed a memorandum of u 2021-01-05
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  ​K-pop girl band Cherry Bullet joins online fan community platform run by BTS agency SEOUL -- K-pop girl band Cherry Bullet has nested in Weverse, an online fan community platform, to mingle with global fans in real-time through the social media operated by the agency of BTS. Weverse was launched in June 2019 as an integrated platform where fans can interact with artists, share opinions with each other, and engage in mass fan activities. K-pop wonder BTS and its brother band TXT were the first ones to nest in the virtual fan playground. Weverse also became an online 2021-01-04
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  Girl band (G)I-DLE to release album packed with self-composed songs in January SEOUL -- K-pop girl band (G)I-DLE will return to the music scene with a mini-album packed full of self-composed songs in January, the six-member band's agency said. Cube Entertainment said in a statement on December 31 that (G)I-DLE will release "I burn," a mini-album, on January 11. According to Cube, the album includes songs written and composed by the band's leader Soyeon and other members Minnie and Yuqi. (G)I-DLE garnered global popularity in December 2018 2020-12-31
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  Actress Kim Go-eun to star in drama remake of popular webtoon SEOUL -- Actress Kim Go-eun will star in a drama adaptation of the popular webtoon "Yumi's Cells," created by author Lee Dong-gun. The remake will be created by Studio Dragon, the drama-making wing of South Korea's entertainment giant CJ ENM. Yumi's Cells serviced through Naver, South Korea's biggest web portal, has accumulated more than 3.2 billion views. The 29-year-old actress will play the role of Yumi, an office worker in her 30s. The webtoon depicts 2020-12-31
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  Chinese rapper D.Ark nests in Psy's entertainment agency SEOUL -- Chinese rapper D.Ark has nested in P NATION, an entertainment agency set up by rapper Psy. The 16-year-old received attention when he competed in cable TV hip-hop audition shows in 2018 and this year. P Nation said in a statement that D.Ark will release "POTENTIAL," his debut single album, on December 30 and start his professional career as a hip-hop musician. D.Ark is a descendent of ethnic Koreans who migrated to northeast China during the Japanese occupation 2020-12-29
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  ​S. Korean thriller drama series 'Sweet Home' tops Netflix charts in 7 countries SEOUL -- Home-made thriller drama series "Sweet Home" has garnered international popularity through Netflix, the world's top over-the-top video content service. The series released on December 18 was based on a webtoon series of the same title. According to Flixpatrol, a Europe-based Netflix content ranking service, Sweet Home topped popularity charts in seven countries including South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar and Thailand on December 21. The drama starring actress Lee S 2020-12-21