Naul, a member of the popular R&B group Brown Eyed Soul, is stepping beyond his voice and showing off the full extent of his artistic abilities by holding a special exhibition of his paintings at the Gallery Kaze in Osaka, Japan.The two-person exhibition, for which Naul is joined by fellow Korean artist Noh Jun, will run until July 17. The R&B singer previously held a solo exhibition in Seoul in 2006, titled “drawing 05” with the theme of “Plant the Sweet Things.” The Osaka show includes portrai

PerformanceJuly 4, 2013

Hallyu star Jang Keun-suk has installed a billboard advertisement featuring himself at Gimpo International Airport. The advertisement is mainly aimed at welcoming foreign fans entering Korea. “Jang Keun-suk wanted to repay his foreign fans for their love and support, so he participated in the making of the billboard,” said Tree J Company, the agency representing Jang.The billboard is located at the entrance of the international flight immigration checkpoint and reads, “Jang Keun Suk Welcomes You

July 4, 2013

One of the biggest box-office hits of 2012, “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,” is opening in Japan on Aug. 31 under the Japanese title of “Bad Guys.” The action flick directed by Yoon Jong-bin stars two big-name actors, Choi Min-sik and Ha Jung-woo. The film is set in the ’80s and ’90s in Busan when corruption and crime were so rampant that the government declared a war against organized crime in 1990. The movie attracted over 4 million moviegoers in the first 26 days of its release here. D

July 4, 2013

Singer Ailee is planning to release her second EP titled “A’s Doll House” in July. The 24-year-old singer known for her strong vocal skills has already unveiled the album cover and also plans to provide a teaser video for the album via an online music site on Friday. For her latest album, Ailee has adopted a unique look, donning lighter hair and a nose stud on the album cover. “Ailee’s image on the album cover is both lively and chic, giving off an interesting vibe,” said the singer’s agency, YM

July 4, 2013

“I’m tired of remembering,” actress Ava Gardner laments during one of many sessions with the ghostwriter working on her memoir. “I’m sick of trying to explain myself all the time.”Her spirit may have been unwilling, but Gardner’s motivation was powerful: She needed the money. At 66, with her acting career over and her body suffering from the effects of a debilitating stroke, one of film’s most beautiful women was nearly broke. The star of “The Barefoot Contessa’’ (1954) and dozens of other movie

BooksJuly 4, 2013

Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to QuestloveBy Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Ben Greenman (Central Publishing)Countless rappers and NBA stars have adopted a self-consciously nerdy fashion acumen, everything from Izod shirts to conspicuous eyeglasses.Then there’s the real deal, Ahmir “Questlove“ Thompson: driving force behind the Roots, Twitter giant, compulsive compiler of music lists and now author, with Ben Greenman, of the new quasi-memoir “Mo’ Meta Blues.”The guy who emerges from these

BooksJuly 4, 2013

William Shakespeare’s ‘Star Wars’ By Ian Doescher (Quirk Books)If you are scared of a summer reading slump for your media-obsessed student ― or game-obsessed adult ― there’s a solution: Shakespeare a la George Lucas.In other words, take “William Shakespeare’s ‘Star Wars’” by Ian Doescher for a spin. He has adapted “Star Wars” (otherwise known as “Episode IV, A New Hope”) in the style of the great Bard of Avon.This can lead to some hilarious reading.In the movie, for example, when the pirate aka

BooksJuly 4, 2013

“Scarlet Pimpernel,” “High School Musical,” “Elizabeth,” “Chicago,” and many more are set to raise their curtains on South Korea’s musical stages in the latter half of 2013.In a bid to forecast which musicals and actors would advance, The Herald Business, a sister paper of The Korea Herald, conducted a 10-day survey from June 21-30 about the upcoming musicals on 1,891 members of Interpark’s Play DB, a performance arts Web portal.Kim Jun-soo, a member of music group JYJ, dominated the charts.Out

PerformanceJuly 4, 2013

Iris Grace Halmshaw, an autistic 3-year-old girl living in Britain, has attracted keen public attention with her fascinating paintings. Iris, diagnosed with autism in 2011, cannot talk; she even gets distressed when her friends get close to her. She started painting as a part of therapy. In the process, her parents noticed she is a talented painter. Since then, her paintings have been on display on Facebook and two pieces were sold for up to 1,500 pounds ($2,200) each.  Her parents are now plann

CultureJuly 4, 2013

The Jell, located on the outskirts of Itaewon, was first established in 1992 as Seoul’s first wine shop. A decade later in 2002, it was converted into a members-only fine dining restaurant and bar that combined the elements of exclusivity with the comforts of dining in a homey atmosphere. Another decade later, in October of last year, the owner, Hans Lee, decided to open the doors to the public. Becoming an award-winning wine sommelier, Lee has set the highest of standards for his bar. Once, whe

FoodJuly 3, 2013

PARIS (AP) ― Naomi Campbell not only owns the clothes she wears, but by her sheer magnetic presence commands the entire runway when she walks it. Donatella Versace knows this well, casting the age-defying 43-year-old to start Paris haute couture week with a bang of indomitable energy.It was a hard act to follow.Monday, the first of three full days of collections, showcased a universe of divergent and notable styles: From Dutch wunderkind Iris Van Herpen’s organic musings, the diaphanous display

Arts & DesignJuly 3, 2013

Juun.J, one of the few Korean brands participating in Paris Fashion Week, has rolled out fresh spring and summer looks for 2014. The collection featured a mix of classic tailoring with sporty looks, challenging typical designs of menswear collections. The 38 pieces included variations of oversized sweatshirts with bold numbers emblazoned on them, high-waisted pants and photo-printed graphic sweatshirts. The spring and summer looks were put together under the theme “ununiform,” coined by the desi

Arts & DesignJuly 3, 2013

Takashi Murakami is famous for his Japanese anime-inspired artworks and celebrated characters, which appeal to not only an Asian audience, but to the international art scene as well: His works often sell for millions of dollars at auctions. His artworks represent an example of combining fine arts with commercialism as they are regularly featured in popular culture. His collaboration with the luxury brand Louis Vuitton produced the famous monogrammed bags. With Kanye West, he created an animated

PerformanceJuly 3, 2013

The National Museum on Wednesday unveiled the discovery of a king’s name inscribed on the sheath of a large sword found at the ancient Geumgwan (Golden Crown) tomb in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The inscription, “Yisajiwang” or King Yisaji, is the oldest name of a king found at a Silla (B.C. 57-A.D. 935) tomb and makes Geumgwan the only sepulcher with an identified owner, researchers at the museum said. The Geumgwan tomb, believed to have been built in the sixth century, has been thorou

CultureJuly 3, 2013

K-pop experts chose Seo Taiji and Boys as the top K-pop icons Tuesday. The selection was a part of cable channel Mnet’s project show called “Legend 100-Artist.” The show invites 50 music professors, critics and professional musicians every month and selects the most influential Korean musicians in certain category. July’s edition sought to decide on the leading K-pop icons. “Seo Taiji and Boys influenced Korean pop culture greatly enough to divide our past 100 years of history into the times bef

PerformanceJuly 3, 2013

Located on the border between North Korea and China, the Amnok River, or Yalu River in Chinese, separates the two countries by just 48 meters. The river is the shortest route of escape for many North Korean defectors, who risk their lives to cross the border to China. Tens of thousands of North Korean defectors are currently believed to be hiding in China, where many of them are caught and repatriated to the North to face severe punishment, torture and even execution. An upcoming film, titled “4

FilmJuly 3, 2013

Singer Lee Hyori is to tie the knot with her boyfriend Lee Sang-soon, a renowned guitarist and singer in Korea, in September, according to news reports on Wednesday. Reports said that the upcoming wedding came to light as news spread about the couple preparing wedding invitations. The two have been together since 2011.  However, the news of the impending wedding has not been officially confirmed, with Lee Hyori’s agency B2M Entertainment changing its statements throughout Wednesday.The CEO of th

PeopleJuly 3, 2013