National Gugak Center bets on ‘Gongmudoha’

Masters of Korea’s traditional music and dance have joined forces with a famed stage director to present a new theatrical production that could redefine tradition. “Gongmudoha (Don’t Cross that River),” to be staged at the National Gugak Center in Seoul from Nov. 21-30, is the culmination of the state-run center’s efforts to transform gugak from a neglected genre to the face of contemporary Korean culture.  A poster of “Gongmudoha” (National Gugak Center)“I thought that the only way to truly ans

PerformanceOct. 29, 2014

Finding the extraordinary in average Koreans

KBS’ “National Song Contest,” which has been broadcast for 34 years, is the longest-running TV program in Korea. It was the first singing audition program open to the public. The contest has visited every corner of the country, attracting more than 10 million people to spectator seats.Some 85,000 people from all walks of life, including migrant workers and immigrant wives, have auditioned, and 30,000 of them have qualified to appear on the show. Its opening theme song is all too familiar to most

PerformanceOct. 29, 2014

[Herald Interview] Designer Ko Tae-yong goes beyond runway

Designer Ko Tae-yong has no doubts that he is one of the hottest and busiest menswear designers in Korea.He recently held his label Beyond Closet’s spring-summer 2015 fashion show at Seoul Fashion Week from Oct. 17-22.The collection won rave reviews from buyers and critics at home and abroad, for its unique, fun and preppy clothing lines. “But the finale never means an ending in the fashion business,” Ko said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Oct. 20 at his showroom in trendy Sinsa-dong,

Arts & DesignOct. 29, 2014

[Herald Interview] Mr. Big bringing ‘stories to tell’ to Sunday concert

More than 25 years since debuting as Mr. Big, bandmates Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey have managed to overcome their past conflicts ― leading the group to part ways for seven years ― and continue to perform and make new music.The ’90s American rock band is currently on a world tour and is scheduled to return to Korea for the first time in three years for a concert on Sunday. “It has been three years now and I may forget a few of their names, but I never forget a face,”

PerformanceOct. 29, 2014

Korean director to be honored at Singaporean film fest

Im Kwon-taekMaster director Im Kwon-taek will receive a lifetime achievement award during this year’s Singapore International Film Festival, organizers said Wednesday.The South Korean was chosen for his lifelong contribution to the development of film industries, they said.Debuting with “Farewell Duman River” in 1962, Im has produced more than 100 films over the past 50 years with many exploring Korean themes in an artistic way. He received the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival 200

FilmOct. 29, 2014

Actress Lee Young-ae wins Taiwanese charity award

South Korean actress Lee Young-ae has been chosen as the winner of an international charity award for saving the life of a premature Taiwanese baby earlier this year, her management agency said Wednesday.Lee, 43, will be presented with the Global Fervent Love of Lives Medal by the Chou Ta-guan Cultural and Educational Foundation, a Taiwanese nonprofit, in a ceremony slated for May 2015, her agency Leeyes said.In late February, Lee spent nearly $100,000 to cover the costs of medical procedures an

TelevisionOct. 29, 2014

Tassels and textures: 2 style-setters create accessories collection

In the fashion world, creativity and collaboration go together like needle and thread. Ever since legendary couturier Elsa Schiaparelli and pal Salvador Dali won rave reviews for their stiletto hat in the ’30s, designers and retailers have realized the power of teamwork to push aesthetic boundaries and inspire buyers to splurge on something they’ve never seen before.That’s sure to be the case with a new accessories collection, the result of a collaboration between two of Fort Worth’s most succes

Arts & DesignOct. 29, 2014

1,000-plus years of living: 10 centenarians share secrets to a long life

BALTIMORE, Maryland ― As a young girl, Downing Jett Kay danced to music played on a Victrola and watched Model T’s drive through the streets of Baltimore.She wore her hair in a flapper’s bob as a member of Forest Park High School’s Class of 1926, conducted interviews during the Depression for the Gallup Poll and listened to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats on the radio.Kay, who is to turn 107 next month, attributes her longevity to two factors: drinking lots of coffee and maintai

CultureOct. 29, 2014

Daughter’s one-dose ecstasy death spurs parents to publicize dangers

FORT WORTH, Texas ― Jessica Mary Hunter made two significant choices in life, her father said.The latter killed her.“Her first choice was accepting Jesus Christ,” her father Alan Hunter said, tears welling up in his eyes. “And her second was to take this drug.”Jessica, 21, died on Oct. 8, three days after taking Ecstasy with friends at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. It was the first time she had taken the party drug, friends said.Weeks after their daughter’s death, her parents remain dum

CultureOct. 29, 2014

[Newsmaker] Legendary rock star Shin Hae-chul dies

Iconic ’90s rock musician Shin Hae-chul, 46, was pronounced dead at 8.19 p.m. Monday at the Asan Medical Center in southern Seoul following a massive heart attack on Oct. 22, which left the singer in a comatose state for five days. Although it was previously reported that doctors were unsure of what caused the singer’s heart to suddenly fail, according to a statement from Shin’s agency, KCA Entertainment, the cause has now been determined to be the result of widespread infection in the intestine

PerformanceOct. 28, 2014

Busan play to examine ‘toxic nostalgia’

The Busan English Theater Association will present James McLure’s “1959 Pink Thunderbird Convertible” at the city’s Suyeong Butterfly Theater next week.The play is split into two one-act comedies, “Laundry and Bourbon,” featuring only three women, and “Lone Star,” with just three men, that show a slice of small-town Texas life. Both are set around Elizabeth and her husband, Roy, whose 10-year marriage has been marked by Roy’s wandering eye, his scarring two-year hitch in Vietnam and their mutual

Expat LivingOct. 28, 2014