Articles by Hong Yoo
Hong Yoo
yoohong@heraldcorp.com-
Super Junior named as ambassador of Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority
Super Junior is the new ambassador of the Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority, SM Entertainment announced Tuesday. The inauguration took place during a tourism roadshow at the Westin Josun Seoul on Monday. “We will do the most we can to advertise tourism in Saudi Arabia. We were recently invited to the country by the Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority and there we made unforgettable memories. Saudi Arabia was not as far as we thought because there is a direct flight from South Korea to Saudi Arabia
K-pop May 23, 2023
-
Fantagio’s new boy group Lun8 to debut on June 15
Fantagio’s new boy group Lun8 will debut on June 15, the agency said Tuesday. The eight-member group is dropping its first mini album “Continue?” on the same day, according to Fantagio. The eight-piece is Fantagio's first boy group in seven years since the debut of Astro. Lun8 consists of seven Korean members -- Chael, Jinsu, Junwoo, Dohyun, Ian, Eunho and Eunseop -- and one Japanese member, Takuma. The group name holds the meaning of “eight boys who embrace the moon
K-pop May 23, 2023
-
B.I becomes first K-pop artist to perform at Lollapalooza Berlin
K-pop solo artist B.I will perform at Lollapalooza Berlin, one of the biggest music festivals taking place at Olympiastadion and Olympiapark Berlin on September 9-10. He is the first K-pop artist to perform at the festival, according to 131 Label. B.I will take the stage on Sept. 10 along with other renowned artists including Imagine Dragons, Macklemore and Jason Derulo. B.I has previously performed at various hip hop festivals in both South Korea and abroad, including the Amazon Music Festival,
K-pop May 23, 2023
-
[Herald Interview] Lee Mu-jin hopes to leave deep, permanent footprint on music scene
Singer-songwriter Lee Mu-jin wants to continue making songs that can be easily sung, listened to and sympathized with by many. True to his words, he tells the story of a boy with a crush in bright song “Ordinary Confession.” “Most of my songs loved by listeners were bright songs in which I try to portray the certain feelings and emotions of a moment with a melody. In this single, I tried to write about a feeling that most of us have experienced in our lives -- the feeling of an
K-pop May 22, 2023
-
ATBO ready to fly high with 3rd mini album “The Beginning: Take Off”
ATBO returned to the K-pop scene after a seven-month hiatus with an album filled with bright energetic songs on Thursday. “Not only have we always wanted to perform bright music on stage but also have our fans. We thought they would like to see us performing with happy facial expressions and freewheeling dance styles so we focused on that,” said Hyunjun of ATBO at a media showcase in Seoul on Thursday. Unlike the band's previous albums, which had a darker, fiercer edge, ATBO&rsq
K-pop May 19, 2023
-
[Herald Interview] Pentagon vocalist Hui opens up about ‘Boys Planet’ experience
For Hui, an experienced vocalist of K-pop boy band Pentagon who has been active since 2016, every moment spent shooting Mnet’s K-pop competition "Boys Planet" was a challenge. “I was under a lot of pressure when I was looking forward to my first stage in the show because as an experienced artist, I faced higher expectations to do better. So I showed off as much talent as I could on stage. I don’t even remember myself performing because I was so nervous,” said Hu
K-pop May 18, 2023
-
Mamamoo to hold 3 encore concerts in Seoul next month
Mamamoo will hold three encore concerts in Seoul as part of its first world tour, “My Con," from June 16-18 at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium. The encore concerts are to wrap up Mamamoo's world tour that has taken the quartet to nine cities in Asia and nine cities in the US beginning from November last year. Ahead of the encore gigs, Mamamoo unveiled a cinematic teaser clip with Wheein walking in a meadow, Hwasa immersed in thought, Sola walking down an eternal tunnel and Moonbyul
K-pop May 17, 2023
-
Jay Park to release new single 'Candy'
Singer Jay Park is set to drop a new single “Candy” next Tuesday. He announced the comeback by unveiling teaser content through his agency More Vision’s official social media account on Wednesday. The teaser image shows pieces of candy with “JAY PARK Flavor” written on their wrappers. The upcoming single “Candy” was produced by the renowned Cha Cha Malone and features singer Zion.T. All eyes are on what kind of synergy Jay Park will have with Zion.T'
K-pop May 17, 2023
-
3rd generation K-pop girl group Twice still adored in Japan
The third-generation K-pop girl group Twice continues to be loved by many in Japan. Last weekend, Twice became the first K-pop girl group to hold a concert at a stadium in Japan. Tickets to the nine-member group’s two-day concert at the Yanmar Stadium in Osaka, Japan were sold out. These gigs were part of the Japanese leg of Twice's world tour “Ready to Be.” Next up are the act’s gigs at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday and Sunday. Around 220,000 fans are e
K-pop May 16, 2023
-
(G)I-dle sings about self-esteem in new album 'I feel'
(G)I-dle has returned with a new album to deliver the message that those who are filled with self-esteem are the ones who look truly beautiful to others. The five-piece group released its sixth mini album “I Feel” on Monday, seven months after the group's last release. The girls took on a new challenge to dramatize the album through tracks that develop around one single story in which each member has their own character. “We wanted to make a dramatized album because when I
K-pop May 16, 2023
-
Hit by 'Cupid,' global listeners are head over heels for Fifty Fifty
Virality was the key to success for the K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty to break records in the biggest Western music charts, US-based Billboard and UK-based Official Charts, despite its low profile in South Korea. Fifty Fifty, which consists of four members -- Keena, Aran, Sio and Saena -- debuted in November last year with its first EP “The Fifty” led by the title track “Higher.” Fifty Fifty, housed by a small-sized independent record label Attrakt, seemed set for an uphil
K-pop May 15, 2023
-
Jennie to take part in 76th Cannes Film Festival
Jennie of Blackpink will attend the 76th Cannes Film Festival which kicks off next week for the premiere of the upcoming HBO series “The Idol” and the red carpet event on May 22, according to YG Entertainment. Jennie made her debut as an actress with “The Idol” and the series has been chosen by Cannes Film Festival as one of four Out of Competition Selections. The story of “The Idol” revolves around the protagonist’s character, an aspiring pop star named
K-pop May 11, 2023
-
[Album Review] Aespa drops intensely conceptual music and tries out new style
Aespa is finally back from Kwangya -- the fictional universe shared by the artists of SM Entertainment -- to the “real world” to introduce its new album. “My World” is made up of songs filled with bright, young energy -- the kind of music that the quartet has always wanted to do. Just in time for a change, aespa dropped pursuing intensely conceptual tracks, instead going for easily understandable music that revolves around the life of ordinary teenagers. “Welcome to
K-pop May 11, 2023
-
Kai of EXO begins national service
Kai of EXO began his mandatory military service today, according to SM Entertainment. He is to serve as an alternative social worker after receiving basic military training at a boot camp. He is the seventh member of the group to enlist after Xiumin, D.O. Suho, Chen, Baekhyun and Chanyeol. The specific time and place of his admission have not been revealed. “We respect Kai’s decision to go as quietly as possible, so we will not share the time and place of his military admission. Ther
K-pop May 11, 2023
-
BTS' Jimin features in 'Angel Pt. 1' from 'Fast X' soundtrack
Jimin of BTS featured in “Angel Pt. 1,” the original soundtrack of the upcoming movie “Fast X” along with other artists including Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, JVKE and Muni Long. The single will be released on May 18, a day after the movie premieres in South Korea, according to Universal Pictures on Wednesday. Jimin also starred in the song's music video, scheduled for release on the same day as the single. Jimin is the first South Korean singer to feature in the soundtr
K-pop May 10, 2023
Most Popular
-
1
Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
-
2
Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
-
3
S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
-
4
[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
-
5
Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
-
6
Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
-
7
Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
-
8
[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
-
9
Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
-
10
Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket