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Kwak Yeon-soo

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.

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K-pop

Wanna One's first studio album could be their last as 11-member act

Members of K-pop band Wanna One pose at Conrad Seoul hotel in Seoul during a press conference for their first studio album “1¹¹=1 (POWER OF DESTINY)” on Monday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooWith little more than a month to go until the disbandment, K-pop sensation Wanna One released its first studio album “1¹¹=1 (POWER OF DESTINY)” to mark their last as the 11-member act.Put together after appearing on the second season of Mnet's popular Korean reality show “Produce 101,” the members of Wanna One ― the show's 11 finalists ― were awarded exclusive contracts until Dec. 31 following the expiration of their current contract with Swing Entertainment. The past one-and-a-half years have been incredible for Wanna One as they have received fervid attention and topped charts with hits like “Pick Me” “Energetic” and “Light.” Among their many achievements, Wanna One have successfully completed their world tour titled “ONE: THE WORLD,” performing 20 concerts in 14 cities, including Chicago, Atlanta, J

Nov 19, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Wanna One's first studio album could be their last as 11-member act
K-pop

Drunken Tiger may be gone, but Tiger JK lives on

Drunken Tiger, better known as Tiger JK, performs “Mantra” at a press conference marking the release of his 10th and final album, “X: Rebirth of Tiger JK,” in Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapKorea's hip-hip legend lauds BTS's RM for his musical talentBy Kwak Yeon-sooNineteen years after debut, Drunken Tiger unveiled his 10th and final studio album, “X: Rebirth of Tiger JK,” a compilation of his music delivered through thoughtful execution with a handful of collaborating artists.Drunken Tiger originally referred to Korea's first-generation hip-hop duo of Tiger JK and DJ Shine that debuted in 1999. Since then, it has been acclaimed for taking the then unexplored genre into the mainstream. After DJ Shine left in 2005, Tiger JK continued to release tracks under the name Drunken Tiger. But the hip-hop pioneer said he would retire the stage name with the latest album. The album, released Wednesday, has two 15-track CDs. While the first disk mainly features the boom bap genre, the second covers a wider range such as jazz, EDM and reggae. Soon after release, the t

Nov 16, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Drunken Tiger may be gone, but Tiger JK lives on
K-pop

Judas Priest's bassist discusses Seoul leg of 'Firepower' tour

British heavy metal band Judas Priest will perform at Blue Square in Seoul on Dec. 1 to promote their latest album “Firepower.” Courtesy of Live Nation KoreaBassist Ian Hill discusses Seoul leg of 'Firepower' world tourBy Kwak Yeon-sooBritish heavy metal band Judas Priest will visit Korea for the fourth time to promote the group's 18th album “Firepower”  released in March. Currently on the “Firepower World Tour,” the five-member band, which has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, will perform at Blue Square in Seoul, Dec. 1.Judas Priest's first show in Korea was in 2008. Since then, the band has returned for shows in 2012 and 2015.With 18 albums and over 40 years of experience, the band is ranked one of the greatest metal bands of all time. The latest album “Firepower” was placed at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart in March, making it the band's highest-charting album in the United States.Ian Hill, the bassist of Judas Priest, discussed what to expect from the concert in Korea in an email interview with The Korea Times. Acc

Nov 14, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Judas Priest's bassist discusses Seoul leg of 'Firepower' tour
K-pop

Ex-4Minute member reveals 'bittersweet' life after disbandment

Jeon Ji-yoon poses for a photo before an interview with The Korea Times at ASEAN-Korea Centre in Seoul on Oct. 31. Courtesy of Jeon Ji-yoonBy Kwak Yeon-sooIt's been more than two years since Jeon Ji-yoon, also known to the public by her stage name Jenyer, walked away from the much-hyped girl band life to step into a solo career. Leaving her label Cube Entertainment after failing to renew her contract in June 2016, the 28-year-old singer recalls starting from scratch was a difficult decision, but it was indeed necessary for her to move forward. Now, she has a steely side when it comes to trying to make it on her own. “Being on my own is intense. Ever since I left the band and the label, I've weathered a series of ups and downs,” Jeon said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “The biggest challenge was that I was not familiar with business in terms of sales, marketing and public relations. So I had to learn those skills first.”Now that she's got full creative control, the singer-songwriter reads books related to business management obsessively. Jeon wants

Nov 13, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ex-4Minute member reveals 'bittersweet' life after disbandment
K-pop

Jennie's 'SOLO' track is a continuation of BLACKPINK music

Jennie poses for a photo at a press conference unveiling her solo track “SOLO” at Platform-L in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooK-pop girl band BLACKPINK's Jennie debuted as a soloist on Monday with her single “SOLO,” a pop-like tune mixing in hip-hop. The 22-year-old became the first member of the group to release a solo track. Other members Rose, Jisoo and Lisa are also expected to release solo records in the future, according to label YG Entertainment.Jennie unveiled her “SOLO” performance at BLACKPINK's first Seoul show ever on their “In Your Area” tour held at Olympic Gymnastics Arena over the weekend. “I just performed twice in front of the Blinks (BLACKPINK's official fan club), but it just doesn't feel real even now,” Jennie said during a press conference unveiling her single “SOLO” at Platform-L in Seoul, Monday.“When I heard I'd be the first in the group to release a solo track, I definitely felt nervous. But I'd like to think of it as a continuation of the music I've be

Nov 12, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jennie's 'SOLO' track is a continuation of BLACKPINK music
K-pop

Charlie Puth excites sold-out Seoul crowd

U.S. singer Charlie Puth performs during his “Voicenotes Tour” concert at Jamsil Arena in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Live Nation KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooAmerican singer-songwriter Charlie Puth brought his sold-out “Voicenotes Tour” to Jamsil Arena in southern Seoul on Nov. 7 and 8, drawing more than 17,000 fans over two nights. Nearly 2,000 fans attended his one-day concert in Korea two years ago. “It's an absolute pleasure to be here. If you told me two years ago when I came here, doing promo for hours and appearing on radio talks, that I'd be performing with BTS and selling out two-night concerts, I wouldn't have believed you. I feel so lucky,” Puth told fans during the gig, Wednesday. Because this tour is devoted to his sophomore album “Voicenotes,” the singer-songwriter, 26, sang all but two tracks from it. But he also included a few older favorites, including “We Don't Talk Anymore,” “Marvin Gaye,” “Suffer” and “One Call Away.” Puth's vocals were solid throughout the show, from the sh

Nov 9, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Charlie Puth excites sold-out Seoul crowd
K-pop

INTERVIEW K.Will prizes authenticity, natural charms in new album

A teaser image for K.Will's new album “Mood Indigo” Courtesy of Starship EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooK.Will's fourth album “Part.2 Mood Indigo,” released on Tuesday, is a collection of seven intimately crafted and candid songs about love and heartbreak that display the singer's striking vocals as well as his abilities as a lyricist and co-producer. The new seven-track album is the singer's first release since September 2017 “Part.1 Nonfiction” when came out.In a recent interview prior to his album release, K.Will explained why he called the album “Mood Indigo.” “I decided to call it Mood Indigo because I was inspired by the movie of the same title. The storyline is definitely quirky and surreal, but visually the movie has natural flows and kaleidoscopic colors. Likewise, I wanted to convey my natural charms,” he said.During his hiatus, the singer performed in the Korean edition of the French musical “Notre Dame de Paris.” When asked if there were any changes to his singing style after appearing in musicals, the

Nov 7, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] K.Will prizes authenticity, natural charms in new album
K-pop

TWICE achieves 10 straight hits with new single 'Yes or Yes'

TWICE members perform “Yes or Yes” at a press showcase to unveil their new album at KBS Arena in southwestern Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-soo K-pop group TWICE dominated local music charts this week with its new single “Yes or Yes” from its sixth mini album of the same name.The latest song ranked No.1 on multiple digital music platforms as soon as it was released at 6 p.m., Monday. It has topped seven music streaming sites such as Melon, Mnet, Naver Music, Olleh, Genie, Soribada and Bugs Music as of 9 a.m. Tuesday. Moreover, “Yes or Yes,” the electro-pop track with lyrics, “Come on and tell me yes,” topped iTunes album charts in 17 countries and regions, including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. “This is the first album that comes after our third anniversary of our debut. I think our songs have had similar upbeat melodies with vibrant beats. But with this one, we wanted to display music that is much more powerful and dynamic,” group leader Jihyo said during a press showcase for the album

Nov 6, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
TWICE achieves 10 straight hits with new single 'Yes or Yes'
K-pop

R&B star Crush's voice is wonder at 'Wonderlost' concerts

R&B singer Crush opens his two-night concert series at Olympic Hall in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Amoeba CultureBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean R&B artist Crush's rich-toned voice was a wonder and his charm was fully on display at his Seoul concerts titled “Wonderlost” held on two days last weekend at Olympic Hall.The 26-year-old vocalist and producer frequently tops the charts and has a loyal legion of fans here, but he doesn't try to manufacture a cool public image. Instead, he lives the dream while going through things that face others of his age group. Crush explained he made his latest album “Wonderlost” thinking about the past and the things he lost in the midst of his hectic life. “Wonderlost, both the title of my album and the concert series, is a personal theme that reflects upon when I first started music. The overall theme of the album correlates with my dreams and my past,” Crush said during his Saturday show.“I love all things analog and I'm really into vinyl records these days. I want all of you in this room to think of your pa

Nov 5, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
R&B star Crush's voice is wonder at 'Wonderlost' concerts
K-pop

Rising K-pop idols to watch - Monsta X, NCT 127, Stray Kids

Monsta XBy Kwak Yeon-sooThanks to BTS, 2018 has become a litmus test for K-pop's global expansion. This year has shown how far a K-pop act can reach in the United States and gain traction in Western markets. Along with their speech at the United Nations, the seven-member boy band has set multiple records, including topping the Billboard 200 twice and selling out big concerts in Europe and North America. BTS was neither the first nor the only K-pop band to break into the U.S., but it was the one to give global music fans a taste of K-pop ― which often embodies catchy melodies, powerful choreography, conceptual staging and heartfelt lyrics. While K-pop is experiencing success on its own terms, the questions now arise upon which acts are likely to glide into the global pop music scene as BTS did. Here are three acts on the rise ― Monsta X which successfully completed their second world tour, NCT which was the second K-pop band to be ever invited to the American Music Awards (AMAs), and Stray Kids whose fandom is stronger worldwide than in Korea. Monsta XMonsta X, a seven-member band com

Nov 4, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Rising K-pop idols to watch - Monsta X, NCT 127, Stray Kids
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