Author: Samar Khouri

K-Pop star AleXa and Radar Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) Kuwaiti-Saudi-based creator Bader AlShuaibi’s collaborated on a new single ‘Is It On.’ Sung in Korean, English and Arabic, the K-pop-style track features a reggaeton rhythm and a catchy lead sound.  “Music is music, so the same passion was injected into this project, but the new element I felt during this song was that the tempo of the music was different than what we are used to in the MENA area. It was a fun, new, awesome experience,” AlShuaibi said in a statement. ‘Is It On’ is seemingly the region’s…

Netflix’s new romance film ‘Sweet & Sour’ is set for release on June 4. Directed by Lee Gae-byok, the film depicts a “realistic tale” of modern romance following three young people: Jang Hyeok, Da-eun, and Bo-yeong. “The seemingly contradictory title alludes not only to the first sugary stages of love but also to its bitter end, as will surely come with the passage of time,” Netflix said in a statement. The cast includes rising stars Jang Ki-yong, Chae Soo-bin and Krystal Jung. Rising actor Jang, who had started in roles in ‘Search WWW’,’ The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos’ and this May’s ‘My Roommate is a Gumiho’,…

Netflix has announced the full cast of the Korean adaptation of popular Spanish original series ‘La Casa De Papel’.  Directed by Kim Hong-sun, the forthcoming Korean series will star some of the country’s top talents, including Yoo Ji-tae (The Swindlers) and Kim Yunjin (Ode to My Father), Lee Won-jong (“Moscow”), Park Hae-soo (Berlin). Under the production companies BH Entertainment, and Contents Zium, the Korean series is set on the Korean peninsula, centering around members of the gang recruited by the Professor, hostages, and Task Force Team tackling the heist. The writers of the original series are Ryu Yong-jae, Kim Hwan-chae, Choe Sung-jun, who…

UAE’s forthcoming virtual concert has been postponed to April 4 to pay tribute to the death of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance. A part of the ‘Korea-UAE Festival’, the ‘Korea-UAE K-Pop Festival’ is still set to feature line-up of stellar artists such as Mamamoo, B.I.G, Astro, NCT Dream, The Boyz, and aespa. Of the six acts, popular girl group Mamamoo and SM Entertainment’s newest quartet aespa will be making their debut performance to fans in the UAE. Emirati Opera singer Fatima Al Hashmi will also be performing on the…

Girls’ Generation Seo Hyun and Lee Jun-young are all set up to star alongside each other on new Korean romance film ‘Moral Sense(WT)’. Directed by Park Hyun-jin, the Netflix original is based on the popular webtoon of the same name on a different kind of romance between a man and a woman who engages in a “special” relationship with her co-worker after she accidentally stumbles upon his secret. ‘Moral Sense(WT)’ will be her first role in a movie. She recently played a shapeshifting swindler in the k-drama ‘Private Lives’. The male lead in the “cheerful and provocative romance film” will be…

The BlackPink member will be releasing her debut solo album, ‘R’, and title track is ‘On The Ground’ on March 12. Rosé is finally making her long-awaited solo debut and the countdown has begun! On March 1, YG Entertainment and the singer initially shared two teaser images, without revealing the title and tracks of the upcoming musical project. “My very first single, On The Ground is finally coming out on March 12th!!! To everyone who has been waiting patiently, thank you and I can’t wait for you guys to hear the song 🌹” she said on her personal Instagram post.…

GOT7’s Yugyeom is beginning his new music career by signing with a hip-hop label AOMG. Yugyeom and AOMG fueled speculation when they simultaneously dropped a “dance visual” video, dancing to ‘Franchise’ by Travis Scott featuring Young Thug and M.I.A. alongside a crew set against the backdrop of a grand construction site. “We are here to announce that YUGYEOM is officially signed with AOMG to take a new step together. Please keep your eyes out on YUGYEOM’s various musical activities with AOMG,” the label said on Instagram. The video confirmed earlier reports that he signed with AOMG, home to artists such…

Blackpink’s Lisa has been selected to be part of the jury of the 2021 ANDAM (Association Nationale de Developpement des Arts de la Mode) Fashion Awards this summer. Born as Lalisa Manobal, she is the only K-Pop idol to help select the next winner of the prestigious French prize during all the candidate selection process this year. As part of the 14-person guest jury, the Thai rapper, singer and dancer will join a diverse list of creative types, that includes French singer and actress Lou Doillon; photographer Juergen Teller, investor and entrepreneur Natalie Massenet, Chinese singer Chris Lee, Amazon’s head of fashion direction Sally…

Surprise suprise! On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, Netflix Korea has gifted fans with a sweet gift, announcing that the second season of ‘Love Alarm’ will be out on March 12. The Korean-based social media platform shared on its social media channels two image stills of the K-drama with the launch date. ‘Love Alarm’ is centred in an alternate reality where an application by an unknown developer alerts people if someone within a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings for them. Based on a popular webtoon of the same name by South Korea’s renowned graphic novelist Kye Young-chon, the 12-episode series…

BTS’ pastel-coloured ensemble outfits in the music video of the mega-hit song ‘Dynamite’ sold for a total of $162,500, eight times its estimate price. It was forecasted to auction off between $20,000 – $40,000. The MusiCares Charity Relief Auction was hosted by Julien’s Auctions on Sunday, with all proceeds to benefit MusiCares, the the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy. The BTS collection of outfits worn by RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook went to a Japanese art collector, Yusaku Maezawa, and top Japanese YouTuber HIKAKIN. This isn’t the first time the Grammy-nominated septet have auctioned off their…