logo
Seo In-guk to meet Malaysian fans this October

Seo In-guk to meet Malaysian fans this October

The Sun13-06-2025
SOUTH Korean singer and actor Seo In-guk is bringing his Heart Cookie Asia Fan Meeting Tour to Kuala Lumpur on Oct 10 at HGH Convention Centre. This marks his return to Malaysia, giving fans the rare chance to meet the star who has made his mark in both music and acting.
Seo first gained national attention after winning Mnet's Superstar K in 2009. His debut mini album Calling topped charts and cemented his position as a rising star. He later transitioned into acting, earning acclaim with the 2012 hit drama Reply 1997, where he starred alongside Jung Eun-ji. This role propelled him into the spotlight and marked the beginning of a successful acting career.
Since then, he has appeared in numerous popular dramas, including Master's Sun (2013), High School King of Savvy (2014), Hello Monster (2015), Shopping King Louie (2016), The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018), Doom at Your Service (2021), Café Minamdang (2022) and the critically acclaimed Death's Game (2023).
In film, Seo has taken on lead roles in No Breathing (2013), Pipeline (2021), and Project Wolf Hunting (2022), the latter gaining international attention for its bold and intense direction, with Seo praised for his gritty performance.
This year, Seo continues to expand his presence in the entertainment industry. In May, he released Couple, a duet with Jung Eun-ji, marking their first musical collaboration in 13 years. He's also set to star in several upcoming dramas, including KBS2's Twelve and Netflix's Boyfriend On Demand (working title), where he appears opposite Blackpink's Jisoo. The latter has already generated major buzz across Asia, with fans anticipating their chemistry and the drama's mix of romantic comedy and heartfelt storytelling.
The Heart Cookie Asia Fan Meeting Tour, announced by his agency Story J Company on May 20, is designed to offer a more intimate fan experience. The tour includes live performances, interactive games, surprise moments, and personal segments meant to connect Seo with his fans affectionately known as 'Heartriders'. Seo himself shared that he looks forward to meeting fans in person after a long hiatus and hopes to express his gratitude through heartfelt performances.
Tickets for the Kuala Lumpur show go on sale on June 27 at 12pm.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

K-pop Demon Hunters Break Records with Golden at No. 1
K-pop Demon Hunters Break Records with Golden at No. 1

BusinessToday

time3 hours ago

  • BusinessToday

K-pop Demon Hunters Break Records with Golden at No. 1

The fictional girl group HUNTR/X has made history by becoming the first female collective to top the Billboard Hot 100 in nearly 24 years. Their song 'Golden,' from the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, hit number one on the chart on August 11, 2025. Before HUNTR/X, the first female collective to top the Billboard Hot 100 was Destiny's Child, whose Bootylicious reigned in August 2001. Voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, Golden is the ninth K-pop-associated track to reach No. 1 and the first led by female vocalists. It is also only the second song from an animated film this decade to top the chart, following Disney's We Don't Talk About Bruno from Encanto. With this, K-pop Demon Hunters becomes the first non-Disney animated feature to achieve such a feat. Released on June 20, the film's track climbed to the top in just seven weeks, fuelled by 31.7 million official US streams in the August 1–7 tracking week, alongside an impressive 71% boost in radio airplay and 7,000 digital sales. On streaming platforms, 'Golden' has consistently outperformed many real-world pop acts, even rivalling numbers from BTS, Rosé and Katseye. This has made 'Golden' not just a chart-topper but a serious contender for music awards, elevating its status in the soundtrack and K-pop spheres. The soundtrack's reach isn't limited to HUNTR/X. Rival fictional boy band Saja Boys has also scored chart success, with 'Your Idol' climbing to No. 9 on the Hot 100. Nearly every track from the film's OST—aside from a couple of B-sides and score pieces—has entered the main chart. The success of 'Golden' has extended beyond the US. In the UK, the track has topped the Official Singles Chart, making it the first K-pop song to do so since PSY's Gangnam Style in 2012. It's also reached No. 1 on Amazon Music, Apple Music's global and US charts, and US Spotify. For an animated soundtrack, this level of crossover appeal is rare—Let It Go from Frozen famously peaked at No. 5 in 2014, despite its cultural ubiquity.

Prince Harry and Meghan stay with Netflix – but with a lesser deal
Prince Harry and Meghan stay with Netflix – but with a lesser deal

The Star

time7 hours ago

  • The Star

Prince Harry and Meghan stay with Netflix – but with a lesser deal

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue their stint at Netflix. Photo: AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue their stint at Netflix after their production company signed a multiyear, first-look deal with the streamer for film and television projects. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new arrangement is less exclusive than their original 2020 agreement with Netflix, which was an overall deal, according to a person familiar with the pact. That earlier deal gave Los Gatos, California-based Netflix the exclusive rights to anything developed by the Sussexes' Archewell Productions and covered things like overhead costs. Netflix and Archewell Productions did not disclose the terms of the Sussexes' new deal in statements released Monday (Aug 11). "We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As ever brand," Meghan said in a statement, referring to her lifestyle brand, which was developed in partnership with Netflix and includes wine, cookie mix and fruit preserves. So far, Archewell Productions has released several documentary series and reality shows, including 2022's Harry & Meghan and Live To Lead , which chronicled the life stories of world leaders, 2023's sports-focused Heart Of Invictus , 2024's Polo and cooking show With Love, Meghan . Harry & Meghan , which detailed the couple's love story and exit as working royals, got a total of 23.4 million views on the streaming platform, making it Netflix's fifth-most popular documentary series of all time, the company said. With Love, Meghan had 5.3 million views in the first half of 2025, making it Netflix's most-watched culinary show since its release. "Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere," Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in a statement. "We're excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together." Archewell Productions' upcoming slate of projects includes a second season of With Love, Meghan , which releases later this month, a film adaptation of the romance book Meet Me At The Lake and a documentary short called Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within about an orphanage in Uganda. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service

Winning Grammy will be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome,' says ‘Golden' songwriter Ejae
Winning Grammy will be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome,' says ‘Golden' songwriter Ejae

The Star

time10 hours ago

  • The Star

Winning Grammy will be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome,' says ‘Golden' songwriter Ejae

SEOUL: Everyone has a dream. Some see it through. Others are forced to let go. For 33-year-old Korean American singer-songwriter Ejae, born Kim Eun-jae, the dream was to debut as a K-pop idol after spending 10 years training at SM Entertainment. But the call never came. Neither in a group nor as a soloist did the powerhouse label see her fit to debut. Instead of turning her back on music, Ejae found another path — one that would lead her to co-write 'Golden,' the soaring anthem from Netflix's megahit 'KPop Demon Hunters,' released in June. The song has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts — a rare feat for a song from an animated film soundtrack. It also claimed No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart, becoming the first K-pop track to do so since Psy's 'Gangnam Style' in 2012. Netflix has also reportedly submitted 'Golden' for awards consideration. Ejae's next goal is no longer about becoming a famous singer. It is about winning a Grammy — an achievement she says would carry a meaning far beyond her own career. 'It wouldn't just be a personal milestone,' she said. 'It would be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome in this industry,' she said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. Ejae describes her years at SM Entertainment as 'incredible' and 'character-defining,' instilling in her a work ethic and perseverance that would later sustain her. Learning dance and performance at such a high level also proved invaluable when she began writing for K-pop idols. 'As a trainee, I learned to think about how a song might translate into choreography or a music video,' she said. 'That perspective has shaped my songwriting ever since.' In 2011, Ejae left SM Entertainment to study at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Around that time, she discovered the underground SoundCloud scene, drawing inspiration from artistes like Ta-ku, Sango and Shlohmo. Making beats became both a creative outlet and a way to cope with the depression that followed her trainee years. Her pivot to songwriting came unexpectedly. 'Some producers in Korea asked me to topline on tracks for fun,' she recalled, explaining how she started by contributing melodies. 'My first song ended up being picked up by a well-known artist. That's when I realised writing wasn't just something I enjoyed — it was something I needed. It became my therapy.' Ejae's trainee period at SM Entertainment ended about two years after she graduated. Her passion crystallised in 2017 when she attended her first SM Entertainment songwriting camp. On the very first day, she penned what would become Red Velvet's hit 'Psycho,' a song born from an argument with her then-long-distance fiance. Released in 2019, the track's success opened new doors and, eventually, led her to the opportunity that would change everything: 'KPop Demon Hunters.' Ejae entered the project through composer Daniel Rojas, joining early in the creative process. Together, they wrote some of the first songs that set the tone for the soundtrack. Because she recorded most of the initial demos, the directors invited her to become the singing voice of the film's lead character, Rumi. 'Having been part of the project from the start, I felt deeply connected to her,' she said. 'As a former K-pop trainee, I related to her perfectionism, her struggle to hide her flaws and her drive to chase her dream.' 'Golden,' co-written with Mark Sonnenblick under the guidance of music director Ian Eisendrath, is a pivotal moment in the film. The song reflects each character's struggles, while carrying a message of perseverance. 'There's a bittersweet layer,' Ejae explained. 'Rumi's lyrics reflect her desperation to fix her patterns. It's like her personal pep talk — telling herself not to give up and that she can reach her dreams.' In crafting the song, Ejae also had to meet a personal challenge: hitting Rumi's high notes to showcase her 'crazy vocal skills.' The result is both technically impressive and emotionally resonant, a combination that has resonated with audiences far beyond the film. Beyond 'Golden,' Ejae is especially proud of 'Hunter's Mantra,' the film's opening number that fuses traditional Korean genres like pansori and Arirang with modern pop sensibilities. Pansori is a traditional Korean musical storytelling performance that combines singing, narration and dramatic expression. 'I wanted to bring Korea's rich traditional sounds into the music with my own twist,' she said. 'It's part of who I am.' For Ejae, the Grammy dream is not just about recognition — it is about representation. 'As an Asian American, specifically a Korean American woman, I don't really see enough people who look like me in the pop and K-pop industry,' she said. 'That's why winning an award for a song about hope and chasing your dreams would be incredibly serendipitous.' As someone who once doubted her skill and talent, fearing that she would be exposed as a fraud, Ejae has message for others who find themselves feeling the same way. 'Your voice matters. Your stories are worth telling. Don't give up,' Ejae says. 'If this song ('Golden') can spark even a little hope in someone to keep going, then that, to me, is the greatest honour.' - The Korea Herald/ANN

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store