Will Smith's son Jaden to release K-pop single By Eom Da-solWill Smith, right, and Jaden Smith visited Korea in 2013. / Korea Times fileWill Smith’s son Jaden plans to release a K-pop single this year.“I will be dropping a K-pop single in the next four months,” he said on Twitter on Apr. 21. He gave no further details.Since last December, Jaden has been proclaiming on SNS his dream to be a K-pop singer. “People see me and ask me if I want to be a K-pop star as if I have not made my goals for 2017 clear,” he said. “I just want to be a K-pop star. G-Dragon is my inspiration.”Netizens doubt if his plan is genuine because he is famous for making jokes. A Twitter user wrote, “Smith has to compete with K-pop singers who have been under rigorous training for years in their entertainment agencies. It will not be easy.”Will and Jaden Smith visited Korea in 2013 to promote “After Earth.” Jaden told a press conference, “I want to work with G-Dragon. If the movie goes viral in Korea, Smith family and YG Family will collaborate for an album.” YG Family refers Apr 24, 2017
K-pop star Psy returns with 8th album in May By Lee Han-soo, Woo Ji-wonPsy World-famous K-pop star Psy will return with his eighth album next month, his agency said Friday.“Psy has already finished filming two music videos that will be featured alongside the eighth album,” a YG Entertainment spokeswoman told The Korea Times. “We don’t have a fixed date for release, but the new album is in the final stage of production.”She said the album’s first single will be released first on YouTube, but refused to reveal other information about the song and album.Psy has laid low for 18 months since he wrapped up his performances with his 7th album “Chiljip Psy-da.”Psy, who made his debut in 1999, became an international sensation with his hit song “Gangnam Style” in 2012, which has been played more than 2.8 billion times on YouTube.Apr 21, 2017
Lee Hae-ri of Davichi debuts as soloist Lee Hae-ri of Davichi / Courtesy of CJ E&MBy Kim Jae-heunLee Hae-ri of the popular ballad duo Davichi has debuted as a soloist, releasing her first mini-album.Lee appeared on the K-pop scene in early 2008 with singer Kang Min-kyung, releasing the single “I Hate You, I Love You,” which won her the Rookie of the Month title from the Cyworld Digital Music Awards. Since then, the duo has achieved many commercial successes, with six singles topping local music charts. Lee, particularly, was in the spotlight for her exceptional vocal ability that perfectly suited the ballad genre and many of her fans have waited a long time for her first solo album.“I’ve long thought about releasing my solo album, but it took me some time because I am a perfectionist and I had to consider a lot before I finally made the decision,” Lee said during a press conference at Stradeum in Hannam-dong, Seoul, Wednesday. “I wasn’t sure if I had settled down with Davichi yet. And suddenly I realized it would be too late to stand alone if it were not now.”LApr 21, 2017
Review 'Boris Godunov' re-imagines Russian dark period A scene from opera “Boris Godunov” / Courtesy of KNOBy Yun Suh-young At first glance, “Boris Godunov” does not look like an attractive opera. Not from the name, not from the plot.As heavy as it sounds, the Russian opera that was staged for the first time in Seoul, from Thursday through Sunday by the Korea National Opera (KNO), is indeed a recount of a dark period of Russian history, the "Time of Troubles" following the reign of the notorious Tsar Ivan IV "The Terrible." The KNO staged the version composed by Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) based on the drama written by Russian poet and playwright, Aleksandr Pushkin.The opera begins with Boris Godunov, who reigned as Tsar (1598-1605) replacing Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich, the son of the late Tsar Ivan IV, after Dmitry mysteriously. Godunov is suspected to be behind the prince's death, but with the support of the aristocrats, he is nevertheless crowned. That's when the nightmare begins. A monk named Grigory Otrepyev, who claims he is the "risen" Dmitry, gathers an army from Poland and marches toward MoscApr 21, 2017
VIDEO TVXQ's Yunho finishes military service By Lee Han-sooKorean boy band TVXQ member Yunho completed his 21-month mandatory military service on Thursday.The idol singer, whose name is Jung Yun-ho, debuted in 2004 with the group’s first single “Hug” and gained international popularity with hit songs like “My Little Princess,” “Tri-Angle” and “Mirotic.”The group went through a major split in July 2009 after members Jaejoon, Yoochun and Junsu left, winning a court injunction to halt a 13-year contract under which their agency allegedly took too great a share of the group's earnings.Remaining members Yunho and Changmin returned as a duo in January 2011.It is unclear when Yunho will resume his singing career. Apr 20, 2017
유노윤호 전역… "면회 온 레드벨벳 고마워" (영상) (서울=코리아타임스) 우지원 인턴기자 = 동방신기 유노윤호(31, 본명 정윤호)가 1년 9개월간의 군생활을 마치며 "인간 정윤호로서 많은 걸 내려놓고 임했다"고 소감을 전했다.유노윤호는 20일 오전 9시 30분 경기도 양주시 제26기계화사단에서 전역식을 가졌다. 2015년 7월 군악대로 입대한 유노윤호는 복무 중 최우수 훈련병 상을 받고 특급전사로 선발되는 등 성실한 군생활을 보낸 것으로 알려졌다. 전역을 마친 유노윤호는 취재진을 향해 “멈춰있던 시간이 다시 시작된 것 같다. 복잡한 기분이 든다. 방금 인사하고 나온 우리 부대원들 보고 싶고 또 팬 분들도 너무 그리웠다”고 말했다. 이어서 그는 “군 생활 중 가장 힘이 된 걸그룹은 레드벨벳이 아닐까 싶다. 멤버들이 면회도 자주 와주고 공연도 함께 하면서 힘이 많이 됐다. 고맙다고 전하고 싶다”고 했다. 이어 팬들에게도 “기다려준 시간 그 이상으로 보답해드리겠다. 감사드린다. 동방신기 완전체도 기대해달라”고 인사를 전하는 것도 잊지 않았다. 유노윤호의 제대에 이어 함께 동방신기로 활동한 최강창민 역시 오는 8월 전역을 앞두고 있어 이어질 동방신기의 활동 재개에도 관심이 쏠리고 있다.최강창민은 현재 서울지방경찰청에서 의경으로 병역 의무를 수행하는 중이다. 2010년 동방신기의 일부 멤버가 이탈한 뒤로 두 사람은 2인조로 연예 활동을 펼쳐 왔다.이날 유노윤호의 전역식 현장에는 800여명의 팬들이 몰려 대표적 한류 스타다운 유노윤호의 위용을 다시 한 번 과시했다.Apr 20, 2017
K-pop stars take stern action against fans' extravagant behaviors On the left is Yerin of GFriend / Korea Times photo fileBy Kim Jae-heunK-pop stars are suffering from their fans’ bad behavior. Many stars had ignored such rudeness in the past but they are now deciding to take legal action on the issue.Popular singer-songwriter IU said she will sue a man who made sexual remarks about her on YouTube recently, claiming to be her fan. Although the male fan posted an apology, IU said that she will not halt the suit.Fans give a hard time to their idols at meet-and-greets as well.K-pop girl group GFriend recently caught a man videotaping the members with a hidden camera attached to his glasses. Band member Yerin realized the fan was secretly recording them and notified an agency official immediately.The agency announced it has identified the man and will limit his participation in GFriend’s future fan meeting events.New idol group Pristin also became the target of an obsessive fan at a recent fan meeting held at Mokdong Youth Center in Yangcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul, Sunday.An anonymous man said he won the lottery to join the girl group&rsquApr 19, 2017
'I left 2NE1 to pursue my dream' says Minzy Minzy, a former member of K-pop band 2NE1, returns as a soloist under the new talent agency Musicworks during the showcase for her new mini-album at Shinhan Card Fan Square Live Hall in western Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunMinzy said she left the popular K-pop idol group 2NE1 and did not renew her contract with YG Entertainment to pursue her own style of music.“As my contract expired, I had to make a decision to show my new sides, how much I have grown,” Minzy said during the press conference for her new solo album at Shinhan Card Fan Square Live Hall in western Seoul, Monday. “I wanted to do music that gives energy to people and empathizes with people, so I had to write my own songs.“But in YG, there are fancy lineups of music producers who I could never get anywhere close to. There, I was more of a listener and I was too young to give my opinion.”Minzy added that she would never have made it if YG hadn’t been there as she learned to sing and dance. However, the singer also hinted that if YG was a place where she could dream of achieving heApr 19, 2017
Famed K-pop boy band returns with album of new songs after 17 years By Eom Da-solK-pop boy band Sechs Kies, popular for decades, will return with a new album after 17 years, according to agency YG Entertainment on Wednesday.Sechs Kies, whose six members are in their late 30s, will officially release the album on Apr. 28. YG said it will have new songs, unlike the band’s previous album in December that was a compilation of past hits.Sechs Kies in 1997 / Korea Times fileThe band also will celebrate its 20th anniversary with concerts and an exhibition of its history this month. Details have not been unveiled.The band made a flamboyant debut in April 1997 and claimed nationwide fame for over three years -- followed by an unexpected break-up. Devastated fans protested in front of DSP Entertainment, the band’s then agency, but were told “the band members made their decisions to leave the celebrity life when they are at the peak of popularity.”Band members temporarily reunited last April when they appeared as the main guests in a “guerrilla” gig prepared by TV variety show “Infinite Challenge” on MBC. AlthoughApr 19, 2017
Paik Kun-woo's Beethoven odyssey highlights 32 sonatas Paik Kun-woo speaks at a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Yun Suh-young"I don't know exactly know why I fell in love with Beethoven, but I think there's a point in life when a musician meets his piece of a lifetime."To every musician, there's a favorite composer. To pianist Paik Kun-woo, a legendary figure in the history of Korean music, it’s Beethoven."It's like suddenly you understand Debussy or feel closer to Chopin. For me, it was Beethoven 10 years ago. I guess it hits us as we mature," he said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday.Paik returns after 10 years with a series of performances where he will complete the 32 sonatas of Beethoven, a task that is rarely challenged because of its strenuousness, even for young pianists. But at age 71, Paik is still daring."Completing the 32 sonatas is actually a huge project. It's been 10 years since I performed the complete 32 sonatas. It feels like I kept performing these for 10 years. I feel like I'm getting closer to them as I play. Now that I'm doing it again, I feel like I understand these pieces better. It Apr 18, 2017
