Super Junior’s Sungmin to tie knot with actress

Sungmin, a member of K-pop boy band Super Junior, confirmed Tuesday that he will marry actress Kim Sa-eun in December, hours after Kim denied news reports about their betrothal. Sungmin himself announced his plan to marry Kim on Super Junior’s official homepage, apologizing to his fans for the fact that they had first heard the news through the news reports.  “I met a good woman and will marry her on Dec. 13. I am heartbroken that you might have been perplexed and surprised about the news,” Sung

Oct. 14, 2014

Project group S returns to K-pop scene

Members of the legendary K-pop groups H.O.T and Shinhwa will return to the music scene later this month with their first album release in almost 11 years. H.O.T’s Kangta and Shinhwa’s Shin Hye-sung will team up with actor-singer Lee Ji-hoon for the album “Autumn Breeze,” to be released on Oct. 27. The three are of same age and belong to the same management agency ― SM Entertainment. The three formed a project group called Group S, and gained popularity with hit songs such as “I Swear” from their

PerformanceOct. 14, 2014

Kim Hyun-joong to join military in March: source

South Korean singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong will join the military in March to serve his two-year duty, a source in the advertising industry said on Tuesday.Kim’s decision comes after he came under fire for allegedly beating an ex-girlfriend, an incident that led to a police investigation. The source said Kim is currently rearranging his advertisement schedules and contracts for his military service.Kim’s management agency KeyEast was not available for comments. The 28-year-old K-pop star was origi

Oct. 14, 2014

Actress Kim Sa-eun denies rumor on marriage with Sungmin

Actress Kim Sae-Eun’s agency denied reports that she and Super Junior member Sungmin will get married in December.A local news outlet stated on Tuesday that Sungmin and Kim will tie the knot on Dec. 13 at a luxurious wedding hall “The Raum” in southern Seoul.However, Kim‘s management agency denied the reports as untrue.“Kim and Sungmin are still dating, but the rumor of the two getting married is not true. Kim is currently focusing on her schedule as an actress,” Kim‘s agency was quoted as sayin

Oct. 14, 2014

[SUPER RICH] Self-made millionaire’s passion for art

As a collector, artist and businessman, Kim Chang-il, president of Arario Group, has for decades run his own company while following his passion for art. This year, the self-made multimillionaire opened four new private museums in Korea to display part of the collection he has assembled over the past 35 years. For Kim, who launched his business in a humble cafeteria inside a bus terminal, galleries are a part of his longtime dream. Art, for him, is also a way to relive stress and help others rel

PerformanceOct. 13, 2014

A guide to musical theater in fall, winter

Seoul’s musical theaters, scattered across the city, are offering a wide spectrum of shows this season. From a gay-themed show getting its first off-Broadway run in Korea to a set of original Korean works based on gugak, traditional Korean music, here’s a look into some of the most anticipated musicals of the fall-winter season. ‘Marie Antoinette’ The EMK Musical Company, which started the European musical boom in Seoul, is presenting in November its most ambitious production this year ― “Marie

CultureOct. 13, 2014

Nobel prize boosts Modiano’s book sales

Following the announcement of French novelist Patrick Modiano as the recipient of this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature, on Oct. 9, domestic sales of his books have boosted. Modiano’s titles, including his renowned 1978 novel “Missing Person” had been introduced in Korea, but never appeared among the top-selling titles in the past. According to Kyobo Bookstore, the country’s largest book chain, a total of 1,200 books written by Modiano have been sold since last Thursday ― 300 in stores and 900 o

BooksOct. 13, 2014

Bjork plans to coproduce new album with Arca

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bjork, three years after her wildly ambitious “Biophilia” multimedia project, says she is working on a new album coproduced by the Venezuelan DJ Arca.The Icelandic musical icon, known for her sweeping vocal range and conceptual imagery, apologized in a Facebook message for missing the London premiere of the “Biophilia Live” film and said she was “already working on her next album,” which will be out in 2015.Arca, whose real name is Alejandro Ghersi, said on Twitter that he and B

PerformanceOct. 13, 2014

Jang Na-ra confesses to eating disorder

Jang Na-ra. (Jang Na-ra Offical Website)Hallyu star Jang Na-ra has suffered from serious mental breakdowns over her 15-year career, the singer-actress confessed on a television talk show.Jang said on SBS’ “Healing Camp,” which aired on Monday night, that she has suffered from panic disorders, bulimia and acrophobia since debuting in 2001, decrying her trademark smiley face and joviality. Her popularity did not exempt her from the immense pressure that a celebrity had to undergo, she added.She sa

TelevisionOct. 13, 2014

Lee Joon to part ways with MBLAQ

Lee Joon, member of the popular boy band MBLAQ, has announced his plans to leave the idol group in order to focus on his acting career, news reports said Monday.According to the reports, Lee’s contract with entertainment agency J. Tune Camp was recently terminated and the singer opted not to renew his contract so he could pursue other interests. Despite the end of his contractual obligation with MBLAQ, it was announced that Lee still plans to participate in the group’s upcoming solo concert, “MB

Oct. 13, 2014

Epik High returning after two years with ‘Shoebox’

Officials at YG Entertainment have finally answered the question of “Who’s Next?” as it was announced on Monday that Tablo, Mithra Jin and DJ Tukutz of hip-hop trio Epik High will be lacing up their sneaks for the release of the group’s eighth studio album, “Shoebox.” For weeks, YG had been releasing a string of “Who’s Next?” teaser posters, baiting fans with its mysterious taunts about which one of the company’s artists was next in line to return to the airwaves with something new.  Epik High.

Oct. 13, 2014

Lee Joon to leave MBLAQ : report

Boy group MBLAQ member Lee Joon plans to leave the idol group to focus on his acting career, news reports said Monday.According to the reports, the contract between Lee and his agency, J. Tune Camp, was recently terminated. The singer decided not to renew his contract to pursue acting.Despite the contract termination, Lee is to participate in the MBLAQ concert “MBLAQ Curtain Call,” which is scheduled to be held Nov. 29-30. After the concert, Lee will officially end his involvement in the group.L

Oct. 13, 2014

Behind Korea’s film renaissance

At a glance, Korean cinema seems to be having a renaissance. In a world where Hollywood blockbusters dominate the silver screen, local films grabbed a market share of 60 percent in 2013, double that of U.S. titles. Not only that, ticket sales exceeded 200 million for the first time in history last year, as Koreans once again proved themselves to be among the world’s most avid cinemagoers. Then this summer came another major milestone. A local period flick, “Roaring Currents,” attracted more than

FilmOct. 12, 2014

[Herald Review] Herald Phil: A critic’s view

Corporate engagement in cultural activities is not only based on capitalistic motives. Rather, its impact is immensely positive in terms of encouraging people’s cultural awareness. The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble founded by Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, held its debut concert Wednesday night at the Concert Hall of Seoul Arts Center.The newly created orchestra’s music director and conductor, Kim Bong-mee, opened the concert with the famous trumpet fanfare of “Tri

PerformanceOct. 12, 2014

John Lennon comes to life in N.Y. show

NEW YORK (AP) ― When John R. Waters first heard the Beatles on the radio as a teenager, he made more than one mistake. He thought they were Yanks. And he suspected not all of them were male. “They sounded like a Motown band and I thought there was a chick singer in there somewhere,” said Waters laughing. The British-born, Australian-based Waters soon learned the truth, but it never stopped his adoration of a band that he says “changed the face of song-writing.” Waters, an actor and musician, has

PerformanceOct. 12, 2014

Seo Taiji reveals personal side on TV

Less than a week before legendary ’90s K-pop icon Seo Taiji is slated to perform his highly anticipated comeback concert on Saturday, the singer continues to prep and hype the public with his return to the limelight. Seo appeared on the popular KBS2 TV program “Happy Together 3” last week, giving the public a rare glimpse into his personal life as he talked about the birth of his daughter and his surprise marriage with the lesser-known actress Lee Eun-seong last year. Following the announcement

Oct. 12, 2014