Debbie Allen’s twist on ‘The Nutcracker’ wins

NEW YORK (AP) ― It’s not yet Christmas, but Debbie Allen has already gotten a nice present ― the Goldstar National Nutcracker Award.The ticket discounter has declared the award-winning director and choreographer’s school the winner of the 7th annual contest that crowns the best version of “The Nutcracker” in the land. The Debbie Allen Dance Academy’s show, “The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” that was mounted earlier this month in Los Angeles, beat out nearly 60 other productions of “The Nutcracker.”

PerformanceDec. 25, 2013

Choe’s essays released posthumously

The literary remains of the late novelist Choe In-ho (1945-2013) were published on Tuesday, three months after his death. Choe’s eight-year battle against salivary gland cancer, involving pain, tears, meditation and epiphany, is reflected in “Nunmul (Tears),” based on a batch of manuscripts found by Choe’s wife and others. The novelist, who was once called an “enfant terrible” for entering the literature scene at the tender age of 17, while he was still in high school, released some of the most

BooksDec. 25, 2013

Justin Bieber announces retirement on Twitter

Pop star Justin Bieber on Wednesday announced via Twitter that he is retiring.“My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “The media talks a lot about me. They make up a lot of lies and want me to fail but I’m never leaving you, being a belieber is a lifestyle.” The announcement was re-tweeted more than 200,000 times in just four hours of being posted. Bieber has nearly 48 million followers. No official reaction has been made by his record label or management

PerformanceDec. 25, 2013

JYP to launch three K-pop groups next year

JYP Entertainment, one of the three most influential showbiz agencies in the country, on Tuesday announced a set of plans to launch three new K-pop groups next year. In January, a seven-member boy band consisting of singers and dancers from the U.S., Thailand, Hong Kong, China and Korea will be unveiled. Tentatively named “Post 2PM,” the group will be an “enhanced version” of the megahit group 2PM, the agency said. The members are reportedly planning to present martial arts performances on stage

PerformanceDec. 25, 2013

Tang Wei returns to Korean theaters as pregnant woman

Chinese actress Tang Wei has a huge fan base in Korea, especially after the release of her 2010 film “Late Autumn,” in which she co-starred with popular Korean actor Hyun Bin.In the romance film directed by Korean director Kim Tae-yong ― the film is also a remake of Korean director Lee Man-hee’s iconic 1966 movie of the same title ― Tang starred as Anna, a Chinese-American prisoner who murdered her husband years ago and is released from jail for three days to attend her mother’s funeral in Seatt

FilmDec. 25, 2013

Up-and-coming Yeonnam-dong emerges as new hangout

Just a few minutes away from the vibrant and crowded neighborhood of Hongdae, known for its art scene and nightlife, is the often overlooked area of Yeonnam-dong. Although it has certainly not reached the status of a must-see hot spot, its growing number of boutique shops and galleries is turning it into Seoul’s next up-and-coming neighborhood. There is still something to be said for being able to go to a quiet coffee shop with your friends without having to worry about whether a table will be a

CultureDec. 25, 2013

Vegan leather, faux fur are hot holiday gifts

ATLANTA (AP) ― Finding a knockoff version of the fur you want under the Christmas tree would ordinarily be a disappointment.Not this year.Faux is the new black this season for holiday gifts. But this isn’t the “pleather” of the 1980s ― that cheap, plastic-looking material made popular by Michael Jackson during his “Thriller” days.A $198 fuzzy brown coat at Banana Republic has a prominently placed tag that reads “faux fur.” Dresses with “vegan leather” accents are flying off virtual shelves at sh

Arts & DesignDec. 25, 2013

Hollies dazzle in holiday landscape

There is nothing that quite says Christmas like a holly showing out with its festive bright red berries. A specimen holly kissed by frost or draped with a blanket of snow is a sight and memory to be treasured.After years of being mesmerized by their beauty I am now being treated to a new look at our garden in Savannah, Ga., the holly adorned with Spanish moss, looking as though they have been carefully decorated with a special tinsel of nature.Regardless of where you live, Spanish moss or not, t

CultureDec. 25, 2013

[Photo News] K-pop singers included on ‘most beautiful faces’ list for 2013

A host of K-pop singers have been included on “The 100 Most Beautiful Faces 2013” list by U.S.-based film review website IndependentCritics.com. The list was announced on Monday. A total of 14 South Koreans made the list, on which the Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard was named the most beautiful face of the year.The South Korean highest on the list was Nana at No. 2, a singer and former model who is best known as a member of girl group After School. Despite being little-known in the

PerformanceDec. 25, 2013

Exhibition explores Korea’s mountains

The mountains are a popular retreat for those looking to escape the city in Korea, but for those who wish to escape to the countryside this winter without braving the bracing winds, an expat exhibition provides one solution.Curated by expat artist Martyn Thompson, “Mountains” features six artists from as many countries and runs at Gallery i in Seoul’s Insa-dong until Saturday.“What attracts me to the mountains more than anything is that it’s an escape. People in Korea, they work like crazy, they

Expat LivingDec. 24, 2013

Gallery[t] to provide regular space for expat artists

Daegu expat art magazine [b]racket has teamed up with local brunch cafe T.Morning to create Gallery[t], a space for regular exhibitions in the cafe.Magazine cofounder Jess Hinshaw said the cafe had already opened with the intention of showing art, but he had been unable to get the ball rolling. “He remodeled and made it bigger, and he specifically made the walls to house art but he never could get a connection with somebody or any artists to take the initiative and get something up there,” he sa

Expat LivingDec. 24, 2013

Maestro Chung comes back to piano

Maestro Chung Myung-whun has been known for bringing life to orchestras. Many from Opera Bastille and Radio France to Seoul Philharmonic, have been praised for innovation under his lead, while Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony and other internationally acclaimed orchestras invited him for his powerful but sophisticated conducting over the past three decades. But on Tuesday, Chung was back to where his love for music started: Piano. The 60-year-old pianist-turned conductor

CultureDec. 24, 2013

Author Bae’s short story published on Amazon’s ‘Day One’ Journal

The English translation of Korean author Bae Su-ah’s short story “Highway with Green Apples” has been published in “Day One,” Amazon’s digital literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers, as well as translations of non-English literature.It is the first time that a Korean work of fiction has been published in the journal, according to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea.Born in Seoul in 1965, Bae is considered one of the most unconventional writers in K

BooksDec. 24, 2013

Royal palaces to open until late in February

Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace in Seoul will open until late at night in February, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday. The Changgyeonggung Palace will remain open until 10 p.m. and Gyeongbokgung Palace until 9 p.m. from Feb. 12-17, as part of the CHA’s cultural programs to help citizens and visitors immerse themselves in the rich history of the Joseon period. The CHA have set the quota for admission to 1,700 visitors a day at Changgyeonggung Palace and 1,500 at Gy

CultureDec. 24, 2013

Pomp, amoral ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ is rich, humorous

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Digging into deep-pocket gluttony, Martin Scorsese’s dark comedy “The Wolf of Wall Street” highlights a world rich in drugs, fast cars and private jets. The American dream is amplified, yet those indulging in it are never satisfied.In the film’s opening segment, trading tycoon Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, declares, “Money is the best drug. It makes you a better person.” This was the motto fueling a host of hustling stockbrokers in the late 1980s and early 1990s

FilmDec. 24, 2013

More TV dramas accused of plagiarism

After only its second episode, the newly aired SBS drama “My Love from the Star” starring popular stars Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun (Gianna Jun) has found itself wrapped up in a heated plagiarism controversy with an ongoing Korean comic book series titled “Seol Hee,” which is based on a similar concept to the drama. “My Love from the Star” is based on the historical “Gwanghae Journal” from the Joseon era that referenced mysterious UFO sightings. The TV drama adapted the tale into a show that te

TelevisionDec. 24, 2013

Lawrence tops AP entertainer list

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The battle for AP entertainer of the year came down to the Girl on Fire and the Queen of Twerk.Jennifer Lawrence edged out Miley Cyrus by one vote in the Associated Press’ annual survey of its newspaper and broadcast members and subscribers for Entertainer of the Year.There were 70 ballots submitted by U.S. editors and news directors. Voters were asked to consider who had the most influence on entertainment and culture in 2013.Lawrence won 15 votes. Cyrus had 14. Netflix was a

FilmDec. 24, 2013

[Photo News] Hero firefighter award

PeopleDec. 24, 2013