ATLANTA (AP) ― The U.S. Postal Service is planning to add soul singer Ray Charles to its “Music Icons Forever” stamp series.Postal officials say the agency is releasing a stamp featuring the Albany, Georgia, native on Monday along with one of the artist’s previously unreleased songs.Charles was a singer and songwriter who pioneered the soul and rhythm and blues genres. He died in 2004.Events are being planned in Atlanta and Los Angeles to celebrate Charles’ inclusion in the series.R&B singer Ash

PerformanceSept. 24, 2013

Hallyu star Jang Keun-suk has created a mobile dating simulation game for fans to experience a secret romance with the star. The game, “Jang Kun-suk Heart-beating Love Story,” was released in Japan on Sept. 20.“With the special effects in the game, romance with Jang Keun-suk will seem more like reality than a fantasy,” said Jang’s agency Tree J Entertainment. Players start out as an employee at Jang’s agency, and can experience dating the star in secret, with realistic special effects that will

Sept. 24, 2013

Singer Jung Joon-young, who first came into the spotlight after appearing on cable channel Mnet’s “Superstar K4,” is set to release his first single on Oct. 1. CJ E&M released a teaser video of the track at noon on Tuesday showing a dark, mysterious setting paired with Jung’s strong voice. The track features a heavy rock sound, with the phrase “I don’t remember,” along with the date of release also appearing in the video. The title of the song has not been revealed. A representative for the sing

Sept. 24, 2013

Singer Jay Park has announced that he has established his own independent music label: AOMG, standing for “ABOVE ORD!NARY MUSIC GROUP.” The former 2PM member will still be under the management of the agency SidusHQ while managing his own label. Park launched the label to give more opportunities and support to younger hip-hop, R&B and pop artists in the market along with producing his own albums. The label will focus mainly on helping to train talented new and upcoming musicians and to jump-start

Sept. 24, 2013

K-pop-to-drama crossovers are fast becoming the norm, with many singers making their acting debut via the small screen. Girls’ Generation member Seohyun is among the recent crop of K-pop idols to star in a television series. “I have harbored dreams of becoming an actress since I was young,” the 22-year-old singer confessed at the drama’s press conference in Seoul on Monday. “But, I didn’t want to rush it.”“I planned on taking a chance when the right role came along,” she explained. Of the decisi

TelevisionSept. 24, 2013

A film about a famed shaman and her life intertwined with the tumultuous modern history will open this year’s DMZ Korean International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs), the organizers announced on Tuesday.Written and directed by famed media artist and filmmaker Park Chan-kyong, the documentary film “Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits” follows the tortuous life of Kim Guem-hwa, a well-known shaman in Korea. Born in 1931 in a rural town in Hwanghae Province, now in North Korea, Kim was often threat

FilmSept. 24, 2013

The race for the leadership of the country’s largest Buddhist order has intensified with the incumbent chief slamming the current election system. Ven. Jaseung, the current leader of the Jogye Order, on Monday said he did not support the current election system. “I think the leaders should be recommended for the position by a unanimous recommendation,” he said as he announced his platform in Seoul. “But if that is not feasible in real life, I think we should adopt a direct election system, where

CultureSept. 24, 2013

The Kokdu Museum in Seoul will be promoting Korea’s traditional wooden figurine culture overseas with a touring exhibition across Europe, the museum announced Tuesday. Collections of various kkokdu from the museum will be on display in Germany, Hungary, Belgium and France starting Thursday until April of next year. The Kokdu Museum is dedicated to the time-honored funeral rituals of kkokdu, which are small figurines carved from pine wood that were traditionally used during funeral practices duri

CultureSept. 24, 2013

The new SBS drama “Suspicious Housekeeper” got off to a respectable start, achieving an audience rating of 8.2 percent on its premiere night on Monday, Nielson Korea showed. The figure is close to the 8.5 percent achieved by the hit drama “Empire of Gold” in its premiere. In the original Japanese version aired in 2011, “I am Mita, Your Housekeeper,” audience ratings peaked in its last episode at a whopping 40 percent. Aired in the same time slot, “Good Doctor” on KBS-2TV recorded an all-time hig

EntertainmentSept. 24, 2013

Classical music doesn’t always have to be enjoyed in a sedate concert hall. On Oct. 3, Oct. 31 and Nov. 12, Seoul nightclub Octagon will be filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments delivering classical tunes under flamboyant lighting, along with drinks, cheer and laughter. The 2013 Yellow Lounge Seoul, aimed at bringing more people to classical music by visiting the trendiest venues, will present The Philharmonics, composed of members of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

PerformanceSept. 23, 2013

A total of nine Indonesian films will get the festival treatment in Korea this week, including a biopic of Indonesia’s third president, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.The first Indonesia Film Festival kicks off in Korea on Thursday, co-presented by Korea’s major multiplex chain CJ CGV, Korean entertainment company CJ E&M, Indonesian chain of movie theaters Blitz Megaplex and Indonesian film distribution company Jive Entertainment. The film festival will be held in Seoul and Ansan, Gyeonggi Province,

FilmSept. 23, 2013

MILAN (AP) ― Without entering the debate over climate change, Milan fashion designers are engaging in some serious season-bending.Though this week’s fashion previews are for summer 2014, designers ― without claiming to have any weather crystal ball ― have dotted the runways with furs, boots and leather. The biggest cross-seasonal indulgences are fur stoles, tops and Prada even had a summer fur coat. Boots were summer cuts, with open toes, and leather jackets in some cases was perforated or inter

Arts & DesignSept. 23, 2013

The trio of Busker Busker has squashed last year’s rumors of a possible breakup by announcing that they will be releasing the group’s much anticipated second studio album on Wednesday. The upcoming studio album will once again feature tracks written and composed by the bandmates themselves, according to representatives of Chungchun Music.  The Korean alternative band with members Jang Beom-jun on vocals and guitar, Kim Hyung-tae on bass and Brad Moore on the drums first gained fame as participan

PerformanceSept. 23, 2013

Oakwood Premier Coex Center, the leading serviced residence in Seoul, has embarked on a renovation project to offer a more guest-friendly experience 11 years after its opening. The 20 billion won ($18 million) renovation, which started in March, is transforming the classical interior of its 280 residences into a more chic and modern design that allows international travelers to stay comfortably in style. It is expected to be completed by October 2015.  Oakwood Premier Coex Center has undergone t

TravelSept. 23, 2013

Kim Hoon, among the first generation of abstract expressionists in Korea, died after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 89. Kim led the development of Korean modern art by opening the Modern Painting Exhibition in 1954 and forming the Korean Contemporary Printmakers Association in the late 1960s. His contemporaries include Park Soo-keun, Kim Whanki and Chang Ucchin. He was among the first Korean artists to be invited for an exhibition in New York in 1958, along with Kim Whanki and Pa

PeopleSept. 23, 2013