‘Infinite Challenge’ songs sweeping charts

Songs from MBC’s “Infinite Challenge Music Festival,” which was held Aug. 13 in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, are sweeping South Korea’s major online music charts, including Melon, Bugs and Mnet.A special edition of the light entertainment program featuring the festival was broadcast Saturday, after which all the tracks performed hit music streaming services. (OSEN)The six tracks are “Oh My God” by G-Dragon, Taeyang and Kwang-hee, “Leon” by IU and Park Myeong-su, “Sponsor” by Zion. T and Haha,

Aug. 23, 2015

Beauty meets art in AmorePacific R&D Center

The creativity of young artists has met technological innovation in cosmetics at the research and development center of AmorePacific, Korea’s leading cosmetics-maker.A total of 16 cutting-edge artworks ranging from sound art to architecture will be on display in the courtyard of the research center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, until Oct. 25. The exhibit is part of the annual public art project by the AmorePacific Museum of Art, established in 1979 by the cosmetics-maker to house the art collect

PerformanceAug. 23, 2015

Around the Hotels

Barbecue party at Sheraton Grande WalkerhillSheraton Grande Walkerhill’s Korean barbecue restaurant Myongwolgwan is offering unlimited barbecue, salad, dessert and beer on upcoming Saturdays -- Aug. 22, Sept. 5, Sept. 19, Oct. 3, and Oct. 10 -- from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Guests will be able to enjoy Myongwolgan’s high-quality, charbroiled beef prepared with premium hardwood charcoal at the restaurant’s outdoor garden, which boasts a panoramic view of the Hangang River against the backdrop of Achas

FoodAug. 23, 2015

SG Wannabe returns with characteristic Korean R&B

Korean R&B trio SG Wannabe has returned after a four-year hiatus with brand new EP “The Voice.” The two title tracks “Love You” and “Good Memory” have been topping major online music charts since their release on Wednesday.“Love You” exemplifies the distinctive SG Wannabe style, said member Kim Yong-jun at a showcase for the new album’s release in Hongdae, Seoul, on Thursday. The song is the brainchild of composer Cho Young-soo, who has previously written a number of the trio’s previous hits suc

PerformanceAug. 23, 2015

KORAIL chief calls for Seoul to lead inter-Korean railway

As KORAIL president and chief executive, Choi Yeon-hye was sedate, soft-spoken and well versed in the intricate web of railroad technologies, as well as the industry’s inner workings, brandishing her 20-odd years of expertise as a “railman.” Touching on a now-severed inter-Korean railway and the ongoing program to rebuild its southern section, however, she appeared resolute and principled. Reconnecting the line across the border is not a matter of commercial feasibility, she said, but of nationa

PeopleAug. 21, 2015

[Herald Interview] HyunA says her goal is bubbly, energetic type of sexy

There isn’t much variety to the words used to describe HyunA: All roads lead to “sexy.”HyunA (Cube Entertainment)That image of the 4minute member and solo singer who appeared in Psy‘s “Gangnam Style” music video remains alive and strong in her latest EP “A+,” which dropped Friday. Promotions for the EP started off with an adults-only trailer that showed the 23-year-old partying hard in Los Angeles, and the music video for the strutting lead track “Roll Deep“ is expected to follow in the same vei

PerformanceAug. 21, 2015

Mont St. Clair opens two more stores in Korea

Until a few weeks ago, dessert fiends who wanted to taste Mont St. Clair’s famous cakes could only find them at the Japanese brand’s first overseas outpost in Seoul’s Banyan Tree Club and Spa. Now, one can find them at two more locations in Korea. Mont St. Clair’s two new Korean outlets sell around 100 varieties of desserts, pastries and bread. (Mont St. Clair Korea)Mont St. Clair’s second overseas boutique launched on Aug. 11 at Hyundai Department Store’s Coex branch, and the third outlet opene

FoodAug. 21, 2015

[Travel Bits]

Ride bikes in ChuncheonThe Korea Tourism Organization will be expanding its bicycle riding tour program in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, in an effort to boost tourism in the region in the aftermath of the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak.It recently launched a pilot program enabling tourists to travel to Chuncheon from Yongsan Station via train and ride their bikes on a 30-kilometer course, and visit various attractions such as an animation museum.Some 70 people participated in the bikin

TravelAug. 21, 2015

Tokyo gallery invites Korean monochrome artist

Following the recognition that Korean monochrome art has recently been garnering in international art circles, artist Kim Ga-beom has been invited to showcase her work in Japan. Kim, who is considered to have largely contributed to introducing Korean monochrome art -- called “dansaekhwa” -- to American and European art circles, will be exhibiting some 30 of her pieces at the Niche Gallery in Tokyo. Kim’s paintings have been described as an experiment of form, color and abstract expressionism. St

PerformanceAug. 20, 2015

‘Bodyguard’ musical to get Korean premiere in 2016

"The Bodyguard," a musical adaptation of the eponymous movie starring the late singer Whitney Houston, will get a Korean premiere next year in a production by local entertainment giant CJ E&M, the company said Thursday. The West End musical, featuring Houston's hits, is one of three shows the Seoul-based company will present in 2016, along with an original musical based on Victor Hugo's novel "L'Homme Qui Rit (The Man Who Laughs)" and a revival of Broadway jukebox show "Kinky Boots." CJ E&M had

PerformanceAug. 20, 2015

Fall season promises top-notch classical music lineup

Latvian-born Israeli cellist Mischa Maisky (Courtesy of Hideki Shiozawa)Following the unforgettable performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic -- under the reign of Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel and conductor Ivan Fischer -- and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s four-day homage to Beethoven in the spring, the next lineup of classical music performances this coming fall has much to live up to.Below are some of the most anticipated performances over the coming months. Kim Sun-wook and Isa

PerformanceAug. 20, 2015

Book traces roots of K-pop from 1900s to present

　“Introduction to K-pop History”　By Zhang Eu-jeong, Suh Byung-kee　(Sung An Dang)  Cover of "Introduction to K-pop History" (Sung An Dang)　Listeners of K-pop may be surprised to find that the content of a book titled “Introduction to K-pop History” goes all the way back to the year 1907. The term “K-pop” has become so synonymous with the global phenomenon of idol groups, dance music and fandoms that it seems hard to imagine anything before that as being Korean pop.The new book, planned by the Kor

BooksAug. 20, 2015

K-Performance poll underway to pick the most favored show

(Official website of K-performance)K-Performance, the Korea Tourism Organization’s one-stop platform for Korean performance tourism, is currently collecting votes on the Korean performance you want to watch the most.Both Koreans and foreigners may cast their votes in the month-long online poll titled "Vote, Korea Performance in Seoul." Participants have only to make a choice from the list of seven highly acclaimed nonverbal Korean performances after accessing the event link. The seven shows are

PerformanceAug. 20, 2015

Expat comics to descend on Korea for stand-up contest

Expat comedians based across Asia will battle it out in the Korea International Comedy Competition next weekend.A follow-up of last summer’s Seoul International Comedy Competition, this year’s event will feature 13 performers based across Asia, including Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and Vietnam.In line with the name change, the contest has also moved location ― from Seoul to O’ Lounge in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Korea’s first expat comedy club.“My original plan was to always hold it in Seoul

Expat LivingAug. 19, 2015

Camarata seeks young singers for kids’ choir

The Camarata Children's Choir performs at the Chungdong First Methodist Church in central SeoulCamarata Music Company is seeking young singers for its children’s choir in the fall session to begin at the end of this month.The Camarata Children’s Choir had over 40 children in the choir from more than 10 different countries for its spring session, and is seeking to grow in number and diversity.“It is a wonderful way for children to be exposed to music in a fun, stress-free setting, meet new friend

Expat LivingAug. 19, 2015

Modern dance homage to Silk Road to hit Seoul stage next month

A scene from the contemporary dance production of, “Ohna II,” which will be staged as part of the upcoming 2015 Silk Road for Performing Arts cultural dance festival. (Lim AMC)Conceptually bridging the cross-cultural influences of the East and the West along the ancient Silk Road, this year’s Festival Silk Road for Performing Arts will be kicking off its festivities on Sept. 3. Slated to be held as part of the ongoing Silk Road Gyeongju 2015 -- the nearly two-month long Eurasia cultural arts fes

PerformanceAug. 19, 2015