South Korea to Build Dedicated K-Pop Arena in Seoul

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefCinemas in South Korea received the good news last week that anti-COVID measures, including reduced seating capacity and bans on consumption of food and drink, were to end. But audiences reacted gingerly.“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” led the box office for a second weekend with $1.63 million, a drop of 44% from its opening weekend, and a 12-day cumulative of $6.55 million.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” dominated the South Korean box office on its opening weekend.The “Harry Potter” spinoff franchise film earned $2.94 million between Friday and Sunday, accounting for 72% of theatrical business in Korea, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Over the five days since its Wednesday opening, the film grossed $4.09 million.The film’s debut was strong enough to lift the nationwide weekend aggregate to $4.07 million. That was the first time in eight weeks that the total had exceeded $4 million.There were thin pickings for other titles.

SEOUL, South Korea -- State media anchor Ri Chun Hi is one of North Korea’s most famous voices after announcing the country's major events of past decades — among them nuclear and missile tests and the death of a leader — in a resounding, booming voice filled with emotion.The anchor dubbed abroad as the “pink lady” for her bright, traditional attire was the topic of official North Korean media herself Thursday after leader Kim Jong Un gave Ri a luxurious residence and asked her to continue to vigorously serve as the voice of his ruling Workers’ Party.Experts say Kim is trying to boost his support from elite North Koreas while the country deals with pandemic hardships and a diplomacy stalemate.“(Kim) said it is the sincerity of the party that there is nothing to spare for the treasures of the country like her who has worked as a revolutionary announcer for the party for more than 50 years since her girlhood,” the official Korean Central News Agency said. Kim expressed “expectation that she would as ever vigorously continue her work in good health as befitting a spokeswoman for the party.”Kim met Ri at a newly built riverside terraced residential district that was inaugurated Wednesday in Pyongyang.

KARD are gearing up to make their long-awaited comeback as a group soon.Earlier today (April 12), South Korean news outlet JTBC reported that the four-member act are preparing to release a new album prior to their July concerts in South America. This has since been confirmed by their agency, DSP Media.“KARD are working on their new album after their break during [J.Seph’s] military service,” stated the agency, as translated by Koreaboo, adding that the group would be making their comeback before heading to South America.

SHINee leader and vocalist Onew has made his solo comeback with a playful video for ‘Dice’, the title track of his new mini-album of the same name.In the vibrant new visual, Onew exchanges longing looks with a woman in the window of an upscale hotel, before she is taken away by a masked man. He attempts to infiltrate the hotel, first as a prince and later as a bellboy to rescue her.

According to South Korean law, every eligible male  aged 18 to 28 must serve a minimum of 18 months in the military, and have until age 28 to do so.

According to South Korean law, every eligible South Korean male must serve a minimum of 18 months in the military, and have until age 28 to do so.

Son Naeun is leaving after over a decade.

(G)I-DLE‘s Yuqi has opened up about the girl group’s bond and the hardships she faced while promoting on her own in China previously.In a recent interview with Dazed Korea, the five-piece spoke about their latest album ‘I Never Die’ and its hit title track ‘Tomboy’, during which Chinese member Yuqi had shared more about the indispensable bond among the group’s members.“I realised how difficult it is to promote alone while [doing so] in China during [(G)I-DLE’s] break,” she said, as translated by Soompi. Yuqi had been based in China for the better part of 2021 as a soloist, during which she had also participated as a contestant on the Chinese music survival series Explosion Stage: Stage Boom.After returning to South Korea late last year, Yuqi revealed that she felt best when her fellow members of (G)I-DLE were all together as a team. “We need to stay together to survive,” she concluded.

K-pop is a fast-paced, ever-changing industry.

The Korea Herald, the new complex, called Seoul Arena, will be constructed in Seoul’s northern Dobong-gu and is expected to be completed in October 2025.The Seoul Arena will reportedly include a specialised music concert venue boasting state-of-the-art sound equipment, with a seating capacity of around 19,000 and a maximum capacity of 28,000 people for events with standing room.The complex will also feature an additional, mid-sized concert venue with a maximum capacity of 7,000 people, alongside other commercial facilities. According to Pulse News, Kakao will be in charge of operating and maintaining the Seoul Arena for 30 years after it opens, while the venue will be owned by the city government.While Kakao officials have described the project as South Korea’s “first and largest” arena dedicated to K-pop, entertainment giant CJ ENM also began construction on a similar project last October.CJ ENM’s CJ LiveCity Arena, slated to open in 2024, is reportedly designed to accommodate 20,000 indoor attendees, with the capacity to extend to another 40,000 outdoors, per Variety.

JYP Entertainment‘s previously announced plans to establish a K-pop NFT platform with tech company Dunamu is no longer moving forward.Yesterday (April 4), South Korean news outlet Money Today reported that JYP Entertainment and Dunamu had mutually agreed to terminate their joint venture to launch a new NFT platform and distribute NFTs based on K-pop content.“Dunamu and JYP Entertainment planned to establish a joint venture for the NFT business, but at this moment, we have decided to terminate our business contract with each other after mutual agreement,” said a representative of Dunamu, as translated by Koreaboo.“We have agreed to continuously seek opportunities for collaboration with each other in various other ways,” the representative added. Neither company has revealed the reason for the termination of their partnership.The news comes nine months after JYP first unveiled its partnership with the cryptocurrency operator.

EXO’s Suho has made his solo comeback with the new single ‘Grey Suit’, off his fresh mini-album of the same title.The visual opens with Suho sitting on the roof, staring into the night as the raindrops that fall around him become suspended in mid-air. He later steps through different worlds through a series of doors, finding himself in past memories.“With you, the world is aglow / I pray, you’re light / Suddenly, the frozen minutes melt like a miracle / The moment I encounter you, it turns into colours,” Suho sings on the pensive rock-inspired ballad.The new six-track record marks Suho’s first release since he made his solo debut in March 2020 with the mini-album ‘Self-Portrait’, which had featured the title track ‘Let’s Love’.The EXO leader’s return to music also comes shortly after he was discharged from mandatory military conscription in February, following a two-year service.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefSix new films were released in South Korea in the past week, including Sony’s Marvel franchise title “Morbius,” but none were able to relieve the current malaise afflicting the Korean theatrical industry. “Morbius” was released on Wednesday and ran off with more than half of the nationwide business, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

There are already so many excellent K-Pop releases in 2022!

So many K-Pop superstars also happen to be social media sensations – and the top accounts have millions and millions of followers!

Mip TV is just around the corner and, as ever, the content will be king. Deadline takes you through 15 of the best dramas set to light up the Croisette as the market returns in-person for the first time in three years. Read on for the best-in-class scripted projects heading to France.