#BTS Tops Billboard Hot 100 with a Korean Song
BTS’s new hit-song “Life Goes On” landed at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. A few months ago, “Dynamite” blasted into atop the chart, but this time, this mega Korean act topped Hot 100 with a Korean song. This is the first time in 62 years that a song mostly sung in Korean landed at No. 1. According to Billboard, “Life Goes On” is the first non-English song that took the top spot of Hot 100 since Luis Fonsi’s Spanish song “Despasito.”
#Movie Theaters “Halted” for the Time Being
To prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the government decided to enforce stricter social distancing measures from Dec 5. Accordingly, movie theaters are only open until 9 p.m. Considering that the running time of the movie is around two hours, the movie cannot be screened after 7 p.m., which equals a significant drop in the number of moviegoers. Film officials are sighing as these emergency measures are added to the already deepening slump with the COVID-19 pandemic. As new films are also considering delays in their release, the “halt” phenomenon is expected to count in the theater for some time. Only Josee has confirmed the release this month.
#Broadcasting and Film Industry Stuck Hard by COVID-19
The red light has been turned on in the K-pop scene when singers were tested positive for COVID-19. UP10TION’s Bitto was first to be tested positive for the virus, and soon, his teammate Kogyeol also received a positive result. Only a few days later, EVERGLOW’s Yiren and Sihyeon were confirmed with COVID-19. Many idol groups and staff members who participated in the music program with them conducted the COVID-19 test as a preemptive response, but thankfully, most of them received negative results.
Trot singer Lee Chan Won was also diagnosed with COVID-19. The impact was even greater as he participated in numerous shows as a “trendy” trot singer. With the news, a large number of fellow trot singers and cast members that took part in the same shows as the singer, including Lim Young Woong, Young Tak, Jung Dong Won, Park Myung Soo and Lee Hwi Jae, underwent COVID-19 test. Fortunately, all of them tested negative for COVID-19.
The same goes for the film industry. Today, officials from Chungmuro Short Film Festival said, “Director Min Gyu Dong was tested for COVID-19 on Dec 5 and received a positive result on Dec 6.” Director Min attended the 5th Chungmuro Short Film Festival, which ended on Dec 5, and actors, directors and staff who overlapped in movements were reportedly tested for COVID-19. Fortunately, no additional confirmed cases have been reported so far.
