Park Ji-yoon’s ‘Mr. Lee’ conquers music charts

Veteran singer Park Ji-yoon’s newly released “Mr. Lee” has pushed aside tracks by IU and Busker Busker to rank No. 1 on eight major music charts including Olleh, Daum, Bugs and Naver. The track ranked No. 2 on Melon and Cyworld. “Mr. Lee” is a track off the EP “Mr.” which was released online Monday. Park also held a showcase commemorating her comeback on Monday where she performed her song for the first time. The track was composed by hip-hop artist Primary and features rapper San E. Considering

Oct. 22, 2013

Sporty vibe dominates menswear at Seoul Fashion Week

Seoul fashion designers had sports enthusiasts in mind for next spring and summer, judging by the collections that hit the runway at Seoul Fashion Week on Friday. With sweatshirts and athletic shorts serving as staple pieces, menswear collections featured relaxed, sometimes elevated urban sporty looks that could appeal to trend-savvy men.Young designers in particular freed men from body-fitting suits, finding their inspiration in gym workouts, and engaging with philosophical concepts. Beyond Clo

Arts & DesignOct. 22, 2013

Bae Yong-joon wins grand prize at Japan’s hallyu awards

Bae Yong-joon, as known as “Yonsama” in Japan for his huge popularity among Korean drama fans, received the grand prize at the Korean Entertainment 10th Anniversary Awards in Japan on Saturday, his agency KEYEAST said Sunday. Bae also won the best actor award in the category of Korean drama. At the ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the airing of “Winter Sonata” ― a KBS TV show that fueled the “Bae Yong-joon syndrome” in Japan ― Bae expressed gratitude. “This is a meaningful event, being a

PeopleOct. 21, 2013

Tito’s widow Jovanka Broz, from glory to isolation

BELGRADE (AFP) ― Jovanka Broz, once a symbol of elegance as the wife of Yugoslav communist strongman Tito, lived the last three decades of her life as an outcast.For Broz, who died in Belgrade on Sunday aged 88, the glory days ended shortly before Josip Broz Tito’s death in 1980 when his allies accused her of plotting a coup.“They chased me out ... in my nightgown, without anything, not allowing me even to take a photo of the two of us, or a letter, a book,” Broz said in a rare interview in 2009

PeopleOct. 21, 2013

African contemporary art gets increased interest

LONDON (AP) ― African tribal art has long been treasured by wealthy Western collectors, but increasingly the continent’s contemporary art scene is the one making its presence felt at museums, auction houses and art fairs. The trend is spurred by wealthy Africans supporting home-grown talent and European collectors searching for the next big thing. Several London galleries focused on African art have opened in the past few years, the flagship Tate Modern has set up an African acquisitions committ

PerformanceOct. 21, 2013

‘Hide and Seek’ to open London Korean Film Festival

Director Huh Jung’s thriller “Hide and Seek” has been selected as the opener of the upcoming London Korean Film Festival, the film’s producer said.Organized annually by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, the London Korean Film Festival celebrates its eighth anniversary this year. The thriller, released in August, tells the story of Sung-woo, an established businessman who lives with his wife and two loving children in a luxurious apartment. He one day learns that his brother, whom he cut off contact

FilmOct. 21, 2013

Sydney Opera House celebrates 40 years

SYDNEY (AFP) ― The Sydney Opera House, world heritage-listed as “one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity,” celebrated its 40th birthday Sunday with a flotilla of lifesavers, Aboriginal dancers and a gigantic cupcake.Huge crowds packed the steps for a distinctively Australian performance on the glittering harborfront, where three generations of Danish architect Jorn Utzon’s family were the guests of honor.It was a postcard-perfect day beneath the same cloudless blue skies that in

Arts & DesignOct. 21, 2013

Winterplay’s ‘Two Fabulous Fools’ released abroad

Jazz-pop duo Winterplay’s album “Two Fabulous Fools,” which was originally released in Korea in July, has been released in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau after the artists recently signed an agreement with music label Universal Music. The duo already has a growing fan base in Asia and is planning end-of-the-year performances in December. Along with the album itself, the music video for title track “Yoboseyo Baby” will be released in Hong Kong. The artists are also planning various promotiona

Oct. 21, 2013

Psy to collaborate with Aerosmith’s Tyler

Rap star Psy, who has been an Aerosmith fan since he was a young boy, has revealed that he will be collaborating for an upcoming track with the legendary Steven Tyler. “When I was in middle school, I literally cried when Aerosmith sang ‘Crazy’ or ‘Amazing’ or whatever,” Psy said in this month’s issue of L’Uomo Vogue, where the K-pop star graced the cover. “They were my lifetime role models, and now I am collaborating with Steven Tyler. ... I love my life.”Psy has pushed back the release of his u

PerformanceOct. 21, 2013

Taeyang releases solo album teaser

Big Bang member Taeyang released a teaser image promoting his new album on YG Entertainment’s official blog on Saturday night. The promotional image is an intense black-and-white shot of Taeyang wearing a black turtleneck covering half of his face with black symbols tattooed on his forehead. The artist sports dramatic black eyeliner that adds to the dark atmosphere. This upcoming album will be Taeyang’s first in three years after he released his first studio album “Solar” in 2010. That album far

Oct. 21, 2013

Hanks’ Mary Poppins tale closes London Film Fest

LONDON (AFP) ― The London Film Festival closed on Sunday with the world’s first screening of “Saving Mr Banks,” the humorous and moving tale of Mary Poppins’ adaption for the big screen.The film off the film, released in the United States in mid-December, explores the stormy relationship between celebrated Hollywood producer Walt Disney, played by Tom Hanks, and Pamela Lyndon Travers, the Mary Poppins author portrayed on film by British actress Emma Thompson.Having fallen under the spell of the

PerformanceOct. 21, 2013

Jesus Christ through lensof traditional Korean culture

One of the most famous biblical scenes ― baby Jesus in the arms of Mary surrounded by wise men from the East ― doesn’t feature the usual Western biblical representation in the late artist Woonbo Kim Ki-chang’s Jesus paintings. At a thatched-roof house, home for commoners in the Joseon period (1392-1910), Jesus appears as a happy child in the arms of Mary, wearing a rainbow-striped jeogori ― the traditional Korean jacket for children. The Eastern wise men worshipping the newborn are dressed in of

PerformanceOct. 20, 2013

Women speak candidly about abortion experiences

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province ― In 2009, a group of pro-life doctors reported clinics and fellow physicians that performed illegal abortions. Under Korean law, abortions are illegal except under special circumstances, such as the unborn baby posing a serious health risk to the mother. The practice still remains widespread here, however, especially among young and unmarried women.The particular event in 2009 inspired filmmaker Jo Se-young to create a film about the issue, featuring women who agreed t

FilmOct. 20, 2013

Black Tree hopes to show their ‘color’

This is the 11th in a series on producers, MCs, DJs and artists working in the Korean underground hip-hop scene. Translators Ary Kim and Cha Yo-rim contributed to this article. ― Ed.For rookie group Black Tree, being in today’s underground hip-hop scene is not easy. Those who have yet to make a name for themselves find it difficult to play at events, and there aren’t many options for places to perform.“Basically what happens is all the artists, the famous artists, they get to perform at all the

PerformanceOct. 20, 2013