Super Bowl sets record for TV viewers

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Seattle’s 43-8 blowout of Denver in Super Bowl 48 offered little in the way of suspense, but 111.5 million viewers made it the most-watched television event in U.S. history.Ratings released by the Fox network on Monday showed Sunday’s game also set a record for the most-streamed online sports event, while a whopping 25.3 million related tweets composed by 5.6 million authors were logged before, during and after the contest.The viewership for the Seahawks’ lopsided victory ecl

TelevisionFeb. 4, 2014

[Photo News] 60 years with UNESCO

PeopleFeb. 4, 2014

Substance abuse took toll on celebrities

Since the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, an American actor who most recently starred in the “Hunger Games” series, other stars who passed away due to drug or alcohol abuse have attracted the media spotlight once more. From left: Cory Monteith, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger (Wikimedia)1. Cory Monteith, 31, (May 11, 1982 - July 13, 2013)Monteith, a Canadian actor who starred in TV series “Glee,” was found dead in a Toronto hotel room after a heart attack caused by

EntertainmentFeb. 4, 2014

Exposure to third-hand smoke can be deadly: study

Second-hand smoke has long been known to cause health problems, but the third-hand smoke is also deadly, a new study has suggested. (123RF)Third-hand smoke is defined as the second-hand smoke that is soaked into the surfaces, objects and other things around people.A research team from the University of California, Riverside, studied the effects of third-hand smoke on several organ systems in mice.The study found that third-hand smoke led to significant damage to the liver and lungs in mice, as w

Life&CultureFeb. 4, 2014

EXO to host fan meeting in Japan

K-pop sensation EXO is planning to hold a special two-day event for Japanese fans from April 12-13 in Tokyo, Japan. The fan meeting is EXO ’s first official event for Japanese fans, who sent a flood of requests for EXO to visit Japan. Durign the fan meeting, EXO will meet some 70,000 fans and perform four times. Japanese daily Nikkan Sports also extensively covered the news of EXO’s upcoming event, echoing Japanese fans’ growing interest in EXO even before the rookie idol band’s official Japanes

EntertainmentFeb. 4, 2014

Old but fresh

A handful of early music specialists are coming here this spring, offering the Korean audience chances to explore the world of 17th- and 18th-century music. Setting the tone in this Baroque-music concert lineup is flutist Emmanuel Pahud and Berliner Barock Solisten, who will perform the works of Bach and Telemann, two of the most appreciated composers of the era, at Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 22.Pahud, who was named principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 22 some 20 y

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

‘I am Homeland’ showcases Korean-American poets

A collection of poems written by first-generation Korean-Americans has been published in the U.S. It consists of 120 poems delving into their migration experiences, sense of displacement and their daily lives as immigrants in the country they chose as their second home. Titled “I am Homeland,” the collection is edited by Choi Yearn-hong, a scholar who also serves as the founding president of the Korean-American Poets Group. In his introduction, Choi explains why the collection is unique compared

BooksFeb. 3, 2014

Film explores ‘Kids for Cash’ scandal in U.S.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― Charlie Balasavage, a baby-faced boy of 14, landed in juvenile detention after his parents bought him a stolen scooter. Hillary Transue was sent away over a MySpace parody of her vice principal. Justin Bodnar was locked up for mouthing off to a woman at his school bus stop. They are just three among thousands of youths whose lives were derailed by a corrupt Pennsylvania judge, a post-Columbine fervor for zero-tolerance policies and a secretive juvenile court system, a story d

FilmFeb. 3, 2014

Kim Hyung-jun plans anniversary concert

Kim Hyung-jun of the formerly popular five-member boy band SS501 will be holding a special solo concert this week in celebration of his third anniversary since he debuted as a solo artist with his EP album “My Girl” in 2011. SS501 debuted in 2005 and released their last group album in 2010. Although its members moved on to pursue individual careers before their agency contracts expired, the group still maintains that SS501 has not disbanded. According to a representative of Kim’s agency S-Plus E

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

Superstar K4’s Yoo Seung-woo looks to make mature return

Young singer Yoo Seung-woo ― the “naturally gifted” musician who first garnered widespread attention on the singing audition program Superstar K4 as a 16-year-old high school student ― will return with his second EP album “Early 19.” Yoo’s upcoming album is scheduled to be released on Monday, with the singer looking to show listeners a new, more mature side as he enters adulthood, turning 19 this year. “This album will be drastically different from Yoo Seung-woo’s previous releases because it wi

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

Sunmi to release debut EP this month

After making a successful solo debut with hit track “24 Hours,” former Wonder Girls member Sunmi will return to the music scene with her first EP album this month. Officials at JYP Entertainment have announced that Sunmi has already completed the first half of the album and is currently working on the second. The EP is expected to be released in the middle of February and will feature around five to six tracks, including the lead track produced by Park Jin-young. It was previously suggested that

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

Kim named director of national theater company

Kim Yun-cheol, president of the International Association of Theatre Critics, has been named new artistic director of the National Theater Company of Korea, the culture ministry announced Monday.Kim, 65, will serve three years starting from Feb. 4, the ministry said. A graduate of Seoul National University, the new director has a long career in the academic study of theater plays. He has been teaching at Korea National University of Arts since 1994, after a stint at Sejong University’s departmen

PeopleFeb. 3, 2014

Lee Young-ae promotes traditional Korean dishes in TV documentary

South Korean actress Lee Young-ae has returned to the small screen with a special documentary program dedicated to traditional Korean food and dining culture.Lee, who became a pan-Asia star after appearing in the hit drama “Daejanggeum,” is hosting the SBS documentary “Lee Young-ae’s Dinner” to explore the identity of the Korean people through their diverse food traditions and dishes such as the royal cuisine of the Joseon Dynasty.In the first episode, which aired on Sunday, the 43-year-old actr

TelevisionFeb. 3, 2014

Country with world’s heaviest drinkers: Korea

South Korea has the heaviest drinkers in the world, with its people downing 13.7 shots of liquor per week on average, according to a study by market research firm Euromonitor. (123RF)Russia followed Korea with 6.3 shots per week. Filipinos drink roughly 5.4 shots per week and Americans consume only 3.3 shots.The hard alcohol crown can be problematic at times. South Korea’s alarming alcohol consumption has led to outbreaks of drunken violence.A different study by medical journal The Lancet found

Life&CultureFeb. 3, 2014

Song Ji-hyo and Gary make a good couple, fortune-teller says

Actress Song Ji-hyo and hip-hop artist Gary, who co-star in SBS variety show “Running Man,” appear to be the best match in the program. In the latest episode that aired on Sunday, the stars carried out a special mission to find their “soul mates.” Song and Gary were found to make the best couple, according to a fortune-teller. 　“We were also very surprised. Experts found that the two stars have good chemistry,” said the show’s production team. 　The fortune-teller also raised the possibility of t

TelevisionFeb. 3, 2014

Heavyweight actresses gather for ‘Venus Talk’

Major local film house Myung Films’ latest project offers a rare opportunity to watch three of Korea’s most prominent actresses on the silver screen all at once: Uhm Jung-hwa (“Montage,” “Dancing Queen”), Moon So-ri (“HaHaHa,” “Oasis”) and Jo Min-soo (“Pieta”).Titled “Venus Talk,” (a literal English translation of the Korean title is the Law of Sensuality) the film is a screen version of the grand prize winner of the 1st Lotte Entertainment Screenplay Contest. It deals with the love, sex and wor

FilmFeb. 2, 2014

Worth more than the paper they’re drawn on

An extensive collection of paintings and drawings on paper by acclaimed modern Korean artists is on view at Gallery Hyundai, shedding light on one of the oldest and most common art mediums ― paper. The showcase of 132 works by 30 artists explores the significance of paper in the history of Korean art. The exhibits were created using diverse media including pencils, inks, watercolors and painting markers throughout modern Korean art. The modern art period in Korea encompasses the Japanese colonia

PerformanceFeb. 2, 2014