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Ann Wilson Announces Cancer Diagnosis, Postpones Heart Tour

Ann Wilson, of the band Heart, performs onstage at the "Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops" on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP)
Ann Wilson, of the band Heart, performs onstage at the "Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops" on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP)
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Ann Wilson Announces Cancer Diagnosis, Postpones Heart Tour

Ann Wilson, of the band Heart, performs onstage at the "Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops" on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP)
Ann Wilson, of the band Heart, performs onstage at the "Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops" on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 in San Diego. (AP)

Ann Wilson, lead singer of rock band Heart, says she has cancer and the band is postponing the remaining shows on its Royal Flush Tour while she undergoes treatment.

Wilson said in a statement Tuesday that she underwent a surgery to remove a cancerous growth and is recovering steadily, but that her doctors urged her to undergo preventive chemotherapy and take time off from performing "in order to fully recover." That meant the rest of the shows on the North American tour will be postponed to dates in 2025.

"To the ticket buyers, I really do wish we could do these gigs. Please know that I absolutely plan to be back on stage in 2025," Wilson said in the statement. "My team is getting those details sorted & we’ll let you know the plan as soon as we can."

All previously purchased tickets for the now-postponed shows will be honored. The rescheduled dates will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release.

"This is merely a pause. I’ve much more to sing," Wilson continued in the statement before adding, "Respectfully, this is the last public statement l’d like to make on the matter."

Over 50 shows at stadium and arena venues in dozens of cities across the US and Canada are impacted by the postponement. Select shows were set to include performances from Def Leppard and Journey, and Heart has not announced whether those bands will accompany them at the rescheduled performances.

The band, led by Wilson and her sister Nancy Wilson on the guitar, canceled the European leg of their tour in May, citing that the singer had to have "a time-sensitive but routine procedure for which the minimum recovery time is six weeks."

Wilson posted on Instagram at the time of the European shows' cancellation, writing, "I’m okay! Please don’t worry. I do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. It’s certainly an inconvenience for me."

The Wilson sisters, who made hits like "Magic Man," "Crazy on You" and "Alone," have made music together since the ’70s. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers were honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2023.

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South Korean Cult-Horror Series ‘Hellbound’ Returns at BIFF

In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
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South Korean Cult-Horror Series ‘Hellbound’ Returns at BIFF

In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)

Netflix's Korean cult-horror thriller "Hellbound" returned for its much anticipated second season with a world premiere at Busan International Film Festival, showcasing intense performances from the new cast members, particularly Moon Geun-young.

Created by Yeon Sang-ho, known for zombie flick "Train to Busan", the first season of "Hellbound" achieved critical and commercial success with its portrayal of a world where supernatural beings suddenly appear to tell people of their impending death, followed by monstrous entities that drag the condemned to hell.

Yeon, whose early works included a dark animated film about a Korean cult organization, elevates the dystopian thriller into a more philosophical realm in its second season, while still delivering the spectacle of creatures, violence, and collective religious hysteria.

"I believe that the concept of disaster in the work 'Hellbound' refers more to a mental or ideological catastrophe than to a physical disaster," director Yeon said at a BIFF event late Friday.

The show had to let go of actor Yoo Ah-in, who played a key character in season one, after he was charged with illegal drug use. Yoo was subsequently found guilty.

Kim Sung-cheol takes on the role of the charismatic leader of a cult that arose amid the horrific supernatural deaths that triggered a wave of social media frenzy, delivering a convincing portrayal of this intricate character.

But the most captivating -- and gut-wrenching -- performance of the second season arguably belongs to Moon Geun-young, a much beloved former teen actress in South Korea, who portrays a young wife gradually transforming into a deranged cult fanatic.

Yeon said he decided to cast Moon after seeing her in a 2021 TV drama where she portrayed a tormented wife who succumbs to alcoholism while caring for her alcoholic husband.

Moon did not attend this year's BIFF, but fellow cast member Kim Hyun-joo said: "Moon Geun-young made a tremendous contribution. I already knew (she was immensely talented), but I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by her performance."

The series was featured at BIFF in its big-screen theaters, even as the festival faces criticism from cinephiles for selecting a streaming title, "Uprising", also from Netflix, as its opening film this year.

Cineastes blame OTT streaming platforms for some of the challenges encountered by the traditional theater market and independent filmmakers.

"BIFF has been a key player in showcasing fresh Asian films by young, emerging talents in the region, and this has been their priority," Kay Heeyoung Kim, owner of the film studio K-Dragon, told AFP.

"But the lines between traditional independent cinema and big-budget streaming titles have blurred at this year's festival, which is unfortunate to see."

Yeon, who began his career as an independent animated filmmaker, along with his work "Hellbound," is credited with increasing the global visibility of South Korean content in recent years, alongside works like "Squid Game" and "Pachinko."