Please don’t see my animated blockbuster, says Japan’s ‘new Miyazaki’

PARIS, (AFP) - Makoto Shinkai has a problem, a big problem. His mystical teenage body-swap movie “Your Name” has become such a massive hit it’s beginning to worry him.“It’s not healthy,” the boyish director told AFP. “I don’t think any more people should see it.”Every week it gets closer to being the biggest Japanese animated film of all time.And now there’s talk of Oscars. “I really hope it doesn’t win,” he added.It would be funny if Shinkai wasn’t so in earnest about getting off the promotiona

FilmDec. 28, 2016

Film factory Budapest, where Hollywood dreams are made

BUDAPEST, (AFP) -- Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Hugh Jackman. Spotting hunky Hollywood actors is no big deal any more in Budapest, now one of Europe’s top hubs for foreign film productions thanks to attractive tax breaks and cutting-edge facilities.Some of the biggest US blockbusters in recent years were filmed here, including 2015 action comedy “Spy” with Jude Law and 2016 mystery thriller “Inferno” featuring Tom Hanks.The 60-year-old star of the sequel to Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” spent seve

FilmDec. 28, 2016

German comedy is international sensation of 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- “Make sure they know to play it loud,” the filmmaker Maren Ade advises ahead of a screening of her film, “Toni Erdmann.”Since its rollicking debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May, “Toni Erdmann” has been the unlikely rock star of the international film festival scene. It’s a German comedy that runs 162 minutes and prominently features fake teeth, Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” and a furry Bulgarian kukeri costume . “I knew I had something that I liked,” said Ade in

FilmDec. 28, 2016

Heated debate continues over authenticity of ‘Beautiful Woman’

The debate on whether the painting “Beautiful Woman” is a genuine work by late Korean artist Chun Kyung-ja is far from over, despite the prosecutors’ recent conclusion that the piece was Chun’s creation.During a heated press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, Jean Penicaut, CEO of French image analysis firm Lumiere Technology, fiercely defended his firm’s conclusion that there is only a 0.0002 percent chance the piece could have been painted by Chun.Penicaut held the press conference to rebut Korea

PerformanceDec. 27, 2016

Culture Ministry recommends themed travel outside of Seoul

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a new initiative to promote travel outside of Seoul next year, recommending destinations based on different themes. 　The ministry selected its top sightseeing cities outside of Seoul. Separated into 10 regions, the new travel promotion initiative highlights themes such as “Peace and National Security,” “Road to Pyeongchang,” “Seonbi (classical scholar) Culture,” “Time Travel” and “Islands and Wind.” 　To allow travelers to get the best out

TravelDec. 27, 2016

Fan-based Comic World convention gains global traction

BUSAN (Yonhap) -- Comics and cartoon strips used to be the domain of professionals. Today, fans have also taken up the sketchpad, flocking to fan-made art conventions with their favorite series as the template. Some of the most popular forms of fan art include illustrations and fanfics, or fan-written stories, of characters from comics, games and animation films. “Cosplay,” or dressing up as characters from those comics and games, is another widely followed way of enjoying a series. Among the mo

CultureDec. 27, 2016

Taiwan-born Tzuyu chosen as most popular K-pop idol in Taiwan

TAIPEI -- Tzuyu, a Taiwanese member of the multinational K-pop girl group TWICE, and "Descendants of the Sun" have turned out to be the most popular Korean idol and TV series, respectively, in Taiwan, a local paper reported Monday.The Liberty Times released the popularity results based on the number of searches on the Internet and social media sites.In November 2015, Tzuyu put herself at the center of a diplomatic controversy when she waved the Taiwanese national flag during an online-exclusive

PerformanceDec. 26, 2016

Seoul’s royal palaces welcome record number of visitors

Seoul’s royal palaces enjoyed an unprecedented rise in popularity this year, the Cultural Heritage Administration said.A record number of 10.1 million visitors tread past the gates of Seoul’s four major palaces -– Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -– as of November, according to CHA, a government agency charged with preserving and promoting Korean cultural heritage. Nighttime strolls in Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung were popular, the statistics showed. A total of 532

CultureDec. 26, 2016

Shin Dong-yup, Lee Kwang-soo nab top entertainment prizes

Comedian-television host Shin Dong-yup and actor-comedian Lee Kwang-soo nabbed the top prizes at this year’s SBS Entertainment Awards on Sunday. Shin received the Grand Prize for successfully hosting “Mom’s Diary -- My Ugly Duckling,” an SBS reality show spotlighting celebrities and their mothers. The show, which launched in July, boasted a viewership of over 10 percent on Fridays at 11 p.m. Shin Dong-yup receives a prize at the SBS Entertainment Awards held in Yeouido, Seoul on Sunday. (SBS)Lee

TelevisionDec. 26, 2016

Red Velvet’s Wendy releases song with Ricky Martin

Red Velvet’s main vocalist Wendy collaborated with Latin music icon Ricky Martin for his new digital single, “Vente Pa’ca.” The song was released Tuesday on major local music streaming sites including Melon, Genie and Naver Music, and on global services such as iTunes and Spotify. “Vente Pa’ca,” a club dance track with pop-reggae sounds, was previously released in Spanish in September with Columbian artist Maluma. Wendy contributed to the English version. Wendy of Red Velvet (SM Entertainment)Ma

PerformanceDec. 26, 2016

Pianist Steve Barakatt to compose anthem for Saemangeum

Canadian pianist, composer and producer Steve Barakatt has agreed to compose and record the official anthem for the city of Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province.  　Saemangeum lies at the mouth of the Dongjin and Mangyeong rivers on the coast of the province. The area comprises reclaimed tidal land and is currently being developed as a free economic zone. 　“It is now official, I will compose the Official Anthem of the revolutionary City Project of Saemangeum, South Korea,” the New Age pianist tweete

PerformanceDec. 26, 2016

Korean cinema of 2016: Women, politics, horror

Women, female relationships and political intrigue were the hallmarks of Korean cinema this year. A number of films that delved into the world of the occult, driven by unfathomable forces of evil, also stood out in a year that saw the return of some of Korea’s most renowned directors, including Park Chan-wook and Na Hong-jin, who each added significant pieces to their idiosyncratic oeuvre. Spotlight on women  Kim Tae-ri (left), Kim Min-hee star in "The Handmaiden." (CJ Entertainment)Kim Ha-neul

FilmDec. 25, 2016

[Photo news] Preserving Pompeii

PRESERVING ANCIENT RUINS From left, Massimo Osanna, Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini and Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni visit the archeological excavations of Pompeii on occasion of the reopening of part of the House of the Vettii and the securing of the entire Regio VI area, carried out as part of the Great Pompeii Project, in Pompei, Italy, Saturday. The Great Pompeii Project funded by the European Commission is aimed at safeguarding the unique UNESCO World Heritage site. (EPA-Yonh

CultureDec. 25, 2016

Michelle Obama’s fashion influence rivaled Jackie Kennedy’s

NEW YORK (AP) - The morning after Michelle Obama’s big speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2012, in which she argued passionately for a second term for her husband, designer Tracy Reese’s phone was ringing. And ringing.　 Mrs. Obama’s powerfully delivered speech had attracted much attention -- but these phone calls were about her dress. A shimmering sleeveless sheath in rose and silvery gray, it was pretty universally considered a fashion slam dunk. And customers wanted it.　 There was

Arts & DesignDec. 25, 2016