Articles by Choi Ji-won

Choi Ji-won
jwc@heraldcorp.com-
Pentaport Incheon opens big, rocks out in sweltering heat
"We performed right here in front of an empty field three years ago, and it's awesome to be back with a full crowd!" South Korea's long-loved rock band Galaxy Express shouted to a frenzied crowd Friday at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, which was held via livestream for two years due to the pandemic. Even the sweat-dousing humid weather couldn't hold back the live music enthusiasts from sticking close to the main stage and jumping up and down to the band's psyc
Performance Aug. 4, 2023
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Rebooted Treasure heads to Tokyo Dome
K-pop boy band Treasure is making a foray into Japan's prestigious concert hall, the Tokyo Dome, YG Entertainment said. On Friday, the agency announced its rookie band is holding a fan meeting under the title "'Hello Again' Tokyo Dome Special" at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 12. The biggest concert venue in Japan, the Tokyo Dome is a coveted concert venue for K-pop singers. The five-city 20-show series will start on Sept. 2-3 at Fukuoka's Kokusai Center and continue over
K-pop Aug. 4, 2023
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Summer stunner Kwon Eun-bi returns with 'The Flash'
Soloist Kwon Eun-bi is out to solidify her image as a sexy summer queen that she gained with her steamy performance at the 2023 Waterbomb music festival with new single "The flash." "I'm back after 10 months with my first solo single, and it's a summer album," she said during a press showcase in Seoul on Wednesday. "I always try to show a new side with my albums, and this time I've brought three songs of different genres, all tuning in with the summer seas
K-pop Aug. 3, 2023
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NewJeans debuts atop Billboard 200, lands 3 songs on Hot 100
K-pop sensation NewJeans has made it to the top of Billboard. The band's new album "Get Up" notched No. 1 on the US music publication's albums chart, Billboard 200, becoming the second K-pop girl group album to land atop the list. According to Billboard's latest chart release, the album, the second EP from NewJeans, led Billboard 200 with a total of 126,500 in sales tallied between July 21-27. The quintet is the second girl group in the world to top Billboard 200 in the
K-pop Aug. 3, 2023
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Blackpink's Jisoo, actor Ahn Bo-hyun dating
Blackpink's Jisoo and South Korean actor Ahn Bo-hyun are confirmed to be dating. Both the singer and her agency, YG Entertainment, confirmed the news on Thursday. Local news outlet Dispatch's first reported the news in an exclusive on Thursday. The report stated that Jisoo and Ahn have started dating recently, with the couple mostly spending time at Jisoo's house located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Separate pictures of Jisoo and Ahn assumed to have been taken in Jisoo's apartment c
K-pop Aug. 3, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Mamamoo Plus hopes to pave new path for girl group longevity
A decade together has passed already for Solar and Moonbyul of Mamamoo, yet the two singers still feel like fresh rookies, they said in a recent interview. The interview, conducted with local press on Tuesday in Seoul, came a few days before the duo's subunit return as Mamamoo Plus, with their first EP "Two Rabbits." Imagining this moment around a decade ago when they first set off as Mamamoo in 2014, Moonbyul said she did not imagine a rosy future just then. "I thought that
K-pop Aug. 3, 2023
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BTS' V to team up with Ador CEO Min Hee-jin for solo album
V of BTS is coming out solo with NewJeans' producer Min Hee-jin at the lead of production. The group's agency Big Hit Music on Wednesday announced that V will collaborate with Min, who is the CEO and executive producer of NewJeans' label Ador. Big Hit Music and Ador are two independent labels housed under the multilabel entertainment company Hybe. According to Big Hit Music, the collaboration started from V's idea, and Min will take the helm of the singer's solo projec
K-pop Aug. 2, 2023
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Boy band Pow to debut in September
Novice label Grid is set to launch its first boy band next month. The multinational quintet will include reality audition program "Loud" contestant Youn Dong-yeon and Thai singer-actor Yorch, the agency said in a press release on Wednesday. "Our first five-piece boy band has confirmed its name as Pow and will officially debut in September," Grid announced. Along with Yorsch and Youn, Korean members Jungbin, Hyunbin and Hong will comprise Pow. Yorch, whose real name is Yongsin
K-pop Aug. 2, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Rookie Xikers gears up for real game with second album
In less than five months after its debut, boy band Xikers returns revamped, ready to invite listeners deeper into its universe. Opening the second chapter of their fledgling journey is the band's second EP, "House of Tricky: How to Play," which is set for release on Wednesday evening. In March 30, the 10-member boy group -- consisting of members Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Junghoon, Se-eun, Yujun, Yechan and, the band's only foreign member, Hunter -- debuted as th
K-pop Aug. 2, 2023
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'13egin': Infinite's new beginning at 13th year
Infinite has returned with its first new album in five years, "13egin," marking a new start 13 years since they debuted. The album, the band's seventh EP, came out Monday evening. The desperation to make their comeback work was even fiercer than when the group first debuted in 2010, Jang Dongwoo, the six-piece's main vocalist and rapper said Monday during a press conference held in Seoul. "Establishing Infinite Company, we did everything ourselves this time, from the alb
K-pop Aug. 1, 2023
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SM to debut new boy band Riize in September
SM Entertainment is debuting a new boy band, Riize, in September. The K-pop powerhouse on Monday announced the new group will be a seven-piece act that will carve out a new niche in emo-pop, an unconventional sound yet to be explored inside the K-pop scene. According to SM, the group's name compounds "rise" and "realize" to convey the group's ambition to rise up and realize its dreams. Consisting of seven multinational individuals with different strengths and charac
K-pop July 31, 2023
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[Herald Review] Enhypen thrives with 'Fate' world tour
Marking the start of Enhypen's second world tour "Fate" in Seoul on Sunday, the electronic screens of the KSPO Dome glided open sideways to show the seven members in shimmering white suits adorned with gold, each holding a rose. The electrifying "Drunk-Dazed" opened the night. Joined by dancers, the boys kicked into a wordless dance break, bringing the whole focus onto their fierce movements and captivating expressions. It seemed like the septet was ready to show how muc
K-pop July 31, 2023
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'Aloha' says returning summer queen Soyou
Singer Soyou returned to the music scene Wednesday with her second mini album "Summer Recipe." The soloist, formerly a member of girl group Sistar, is coming back a year and three months after she last released her first EP "Day & Night." "Summer Recipe" unveils Soyou's tricks for enduring the sizzling summer, the singer's agency BPM Entertainment said. The album's five tracks of various genres and sentiments delves deeper into the charms of the
K-pop July 26, 2023
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Jungkook bolts beyond BTS, cements 'pop star' persona
Jungkook is the sixth member from BTS to come out solo, and the most successful so far, experts say. His solo single "Seven (feat. Latto)" soared to the top of the most recent Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking the second time any South Korean solo song has nabbed a Hot 100 No. 1 spot on the prestigious US singles chart. The first was by his bandmate Jimin's "Like Crazy." "Seven" is also the 68th song in Billboard's history to enter the Hot 100 at the top. W
K-pop July 26, 2023
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Shownu X Hyungwon debut as Monsta X's first subunit with 'The Unseen'
K-pop boy band Monsta X's Shownu and Hyungwon are set to make their subunit debut Tuesday with the EP "The Unseen." Under the name Shownu X Hyungwon, the duo is emerging as the six-piece's first subunit group. The new album, "The Unseen," looks into the minds of the two singers as they face the various shapes of "self" seen through the eyes of others. Just like other Monsta X music, the duet touches on various ideas of love and plays them out through the E
K-pop July 25, 2023
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