War declared against music chart rigging By Kwon Ji-younThe Korea Music Content Industry Association (KMCIA) declared war against music chart manipulation Monday, pledging to ask the government and the National Assembly to establish a law to root out chart rigging.“Chart manipulation misleads consumers with false information, cuts business profits for service providers and deprives the right people from receiving royalties,” a KMCIA official said.The KMCIA said that chart manipulation became a serious problem in 2012, when the ranking system was re-implemented at music shows. In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched an investigation into manipulation, but it faded quickly from public awareness, it said.The KMCIA has decided to work closely with the culture ministry and the National Assembly so that a bill can be drawn up for the punishment of manipulators. It promised to consistently monitor the charts for signs of rigging, to run a website on which consumers can voice their complaints and write a policy guide.“It is difficult to eradicate chart manipulation just through technical soluOct 5, 2015
B.A.P back on stage in November / Courtesy of TS entertainmentSix-member boy band B.A.P will return to the stage in November after a year and nine months away, agency TS entertainment said on Monday.The concert, titled “151115,” will be at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on November `15. B.A.P announced its schedule, and posted its comeback poster on its official site on Monday.The band gained popularity with its first full-length album “First Sensibility.” However, the band stopped performing after the single “Where are you? What are you doing?”The group sued its agency in November 2014 for an alleged slave contract and unfair income distribution. However, the band and the agency reconciled in August after a long legal dispute.The comeback poster shows a mysterious spaceship making an emergency landing while emitting light against a dark background.B.A.P plans to perform its hits, including “Warrior”, “Crash,” “1004(Angel)” and some new songs.“Fans, both here and abroad, have responded enthusiastically for the band’s comeback after about tOct 5, 2015
MU:CON to promote globalization of K-pop Musicians participating at the annual Seoul International Music Fair, also known as MU:CON, pose during a press conference at Yes24 Move Hall in Seoul on Sept. 22. Organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), MU:CON will take place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from Oct. 6 to 8. / Courtesy of KOCCA4th Seoul Int’l Music Fair to take place on Oct. 6-8 at DDPBy Baek Byung-yeulThe Seoul International Music Fair, also known as “MU:CON,” will begin its fourth edition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from Oct. 6-8.MU:CON is an international music market and fair to expose participating artists to the world’s leading music industry people and international audiences. Organized by the state-run Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), it comprises showcases, business-matching programs and conferences.For the showcase events, 51 artists from here and abroad will perform. The lineup includes Korean rock bands Hyukoh and Kiha & the Faces, and idol bands B1A4, Girlfriend and MAMAMOO. In addition to K-pop musicians, the showcase features stylSep 29, 2015
20 years on, Bon Jovi rocks Korean fans again Fans rock along with Bon Jovi during the band’s concert at the Jamsil Sports Complex in southern Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Live Nation KoreaBy Kwon Ji-younAge is truly an issue of mind over matter for U.S. rock band Bon Jovi.Front man Jon Bon Jovi’s hair might have gone from long and blonde to thick, short and silver over the 20 years since he last appeared in Korea, but his explosive energy and scintillating smile remained untouched, and all the members of the band seemed genuinely glad to see their fans here for the first time in two decades.The “Bugs Super Sound Live ― Bon Jovi Live in Seoul” concert at the Jamsil Sports Complex Tuesday was a part of the band’s 2015 promotional tour for their latest album “Burning Bridges,” released on Aug. 21. Though the band was coming off an intense gig in Singapore four days before, they had no trouble turning the concert venue into a rock festival of sorts, complete with beer kegs, a euphoric crowd and raging music by one of the world’s best-selling rock bands. The 23-song set Bon Sep 23, 2015
Bon Jovi to delight S. Korean crowd after 20 years Bon Jovi will hold his first concert in South Korea in two decades later Tuesday.The American rock band will perform at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium at 8 p.m. in its second-ever concert in the country.The group last performed here in 1995 when "Always," a track on its first greatest hits album, "Cross Road," captured South Korean fans."I'm really pleased to come to meet my Korean fans for the first time in 20 years," Bon Jovi said through its agency in July.Debuting in 1984 with the studio album "Bon Jovi," the band received critical acclaim with their third album "Slippery When Wet" two years later. Its fourth album, "New Jersey," was equally successful in 1988. The trio of lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time. It has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and staged more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries. (Yonhap)Sep 22, 2015
Maroon 5 fires up crowd Maroon 5 performs at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul, Monday. It was the first concert in the group’s fifth Korea tour. / Courtesy of Live Nation KoreaSeoul concert opens Korea tour in 3 yearsBy Yun Suh-young It was a near-deafening experience to sit near the stage next to the standing section as the crowd went wild throughout the concert — the screams, which echoed through the stadium, almost numbed the eardrums.The first Maroon 5 concert opening the band’s Korean tour was held at Olympic Park in eastern Seoul, on Monday evening. The concert was part of a world tour celebrating the release of the album “V.”The first concert was scheduled to have been held in Daegu on Sunday but was cancelled an hour before the start because of singer Adam Levine’s “neck muscle problems.” It was unclear whether he had a throat problem or a neck problem.With the Daegu concert rescheduled for Thursday, the band faced complaints from fans who asked for refunds, while others worried whether they could make the rescheduled concert.Due to tSep 8, 2015
Paik Kun-woo looks back on 60-year career Pianist Paik Kun-woo speaks during a press conference at the Munho Art Hall in centralSeoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Kwon Ji-younIt has been 60 years since Paik Kun-woo, just 10 at the time, performed Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto at his very first recital in 1955. To celebrate, the pianist has arranged for two concerts this fall with repertoires that will be impressive, to say the least. Paik, 70, will perform Alexander Scriabin’s 24 Preludes during the first half of his piano recital at the Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 22, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 1 in the second half. In November, he will join Valery Gergiev and the Munich Philharmonic for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (The Emperor Concerto).“The sonata will be the highlight of the piano recital,” Paik said during a press conference at the Munho Art Hall in central Seoul, Monday. “I try to introduce lesser-known works to Korean audiences at my local recitals. I’ve come to love Russian music _ the symphonies, the choruses and the religious music. It is rare that RachSep 7, 2015
Seoul Phil members speak up for Chung Cellist Park Mu-il, second from right, of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) speaks during a press conference at the SPO rehearsal room of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kwon Ji-younThe members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) held a rare press conference to show their support for maestro Chung Myung-whun who has been embroiled in embezzlement allegations.Some 50 members of the orchestra attended the press conference at the SPO rehearsal room of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Tuesday, where they stressed the weight Chung carries with the SPO.Their support for Chung comes as the conductor has decided not to renew his contract as music director of the nation’s top orchestra. Despite quitting the music director job, Chung made it clear that he will continue conducting.“We are in the process of normalizing and realigning operations, and the absence of a musical director will only hamper this,” said cellist Park Mu-il, who represents the members. “Maestro Chung has some 30 years of experiencSep 1, 2015
Will maestro Chung Myung-whun leave Seoul Philharmonic? Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra music director Chung Myung-whun in the rehearsal room at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts / YonhapBy Kwon Ji-youn On Friday evening at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s (SPO) Beethoven concert at Seoul Arts Center, a slideshow filled with images reflecting maestro Chung Myung-whun’s ten years with the SPO was screened following its performance of Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony.” It was a surprise the members had prepared in response to the reports that Chung had decided not to renew his contract as music director of the nation’s top orchestra.In an interview with the local newspaper Chosun Ilbo published Friday, Chung expressed his intent to step down as music director of the orchestra based in Seoul when his current contract expires at the end of the year. He did not specify a reason in the short interview, but added he will conduct the concerts already scheduled for 2016.“The money I will receive from the orchestra will go towards the SPO’s development, UNICEF and other charities,” he sAug 30, 2015
EDM festival rocks out on Oct. 3 /From Global Gathering's Facebook pageThe electronic dance music festival "Global Gathering Korea 2015" will be held Oct.3 at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul, organizer YU ENT said Thursday.The organizer also unveiled its first lineup, which includes sought-after artists such as Above & Beyond, Head Hunterz, Mat Zo, The Chainsmokers and HOSPITALITY.The festival, which marks its seventh year, offers a wide range of electronic dance music such as live, house, trans and dubstep.Previous festivals featured artists Krewella, Knife Party, Prodigy and David Guetta.Aug 27, 2015By Kim Bo-eun
