Foreign cultural figures try Korean mask dance

Leading cultural figures from around the world participating in this year’s Culture Communication Forum visited the National Hangeul Museum Monday to learn about the Korean alphabet and experience talchum, the traditional Korean mask dance. 　A total of 23 participants, including Australian barista Paul Bassett, Turkish dancer Behan Murphy and American jazz vocalist Tim Stong toured the museum that traces the history of Hangul, the Korean alphabet system.“There are only two countries in the world

CultureSept. 5, 2016

Gwangju Biennale 2016 explores future

GWANGJU – The Gwangju Biennale, now in its 11th year, seeks to depart from the typical showcase of large-scale avant-garde art, offering instead philosophical accounts of the society we live in and the future we will soon confront. Instead of wowing visitors with large-scale installations and flashy media works, the biennale this year presents art projects -- more than 250 artworks by 120 artists and teams from 37 countries are on display -- that invite viewers to stand in front of artworks and

PerformanceSept. 5, 2016

Martin Smith signs with V Entertainment

Martin Smith, one of the top five contestant groups from the last season of Mnet’s popular music competition show “Superstar K,” has been signed by V Entertainment, according to the management agency Monday. 　“Martin Smith will be kicking off official promotional activities under the company’s management,” said V Entertainment. “The group will be unveiling its new, diverse content on both broadcast and online outlets,” it added.Founded in 2012 by Korean rock band Schizo’s lead guitarist Joo Sung

PerformanceSept. 5, 2016

[Herald Interview] Puer Kim, the eccentric model student

Singer-songwriter Puer Kim’s moody crooning has often been described as seductive, enchanting. She previously grabbed attention with her gothic getup in the 2014 release “Manyo Maash”; her provocative 2012 album “Mom & Sex” includes songs with such titles as “It’s Hard to be a Daughter of a Woman Loved by God.” Despite her eccentric musical persona, however, the 30-year-old Berklee College of Music graduate says she has always been a well-behaved “model student” adored by teachers. Even now, she

PerformanceSept. 5, 2016

Se7en to return with new album

Singer Se7en is one step closer to a comeback after a three-year hiatus.　“Se7en will be returning with what will most likely be a mini album,” said the performing artist’s management agency Eleven9 Entertainment on Monday. “He contributed to both songwriting and producing all of the tracks that will appear in the upcoming album.”　After a prostitution scandal in 2013 involving a visit to an adult massage parlor, the singer halted major public and broadcast appearances. He was serving his mandator

PerformanceSept. 5, 2016

The exhibition of Reading Gaol: Wilde's prison opens doors

READING, United Kingdom (AFP) - Reading Gaol broke Oscar Wilde during his two-year incarceration but 120 years later, the prison is welcoming the Irish writer back -- this time through his works, in an exhibition on isolation.Her Majesty's Prison Reading, west of London, is also hosting works from the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and British visual artist Steve McQueen for the exhibition entitled “Inside.”It would be hard to find a better place to discuss separation, deprivation and despair than wit

PerformanceSept. 5, 2016

'My GoldStar phone' wins Soorim literary award

A novel about a young aspiring writer has won a literary prize co-awarded by Yonhap News Agency and the Soorim Cultural Foundation, the news agency said Monday.“My GoldStar phone” by Kim Hena tells the story of a 25-year-old university research assistant who strives to become a writer after growing up as a rebellious and financially-strapped teenager.“Had the story taken place in the real world, it would have been a series of trivial and humble monologues that drew little attention, but all of a

BooksSept. 5, 2016

‘Humans of Seoul’ captures lives of everyday Seoulites

A post from the Humans of Seoul Facebook page features a photo of a 20 or 30-something-year-old man with a short crown top hat and two suitcases, accompanied by a childhood episode about his brother’s damaged hearing after a physical attack by an elementary school teacher: “My father fought a legal battle for five, six years on his own with what little money we had... But eventually, I heard that the teacher quit teaching and, after being sentenced to one year in jail, went into a mental institu

CultureSept. 4, 2016

[Herald Review] ‘Age of Shadows’ shrouded in intrigue, style

“The Age of Shadows” is the latest among a handful of Korean movies this year to gain international attention. After being invited to Toronto and Venice international film festivals, the film was chosen last week as Korea’s contender for the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film.Directed by Kim Jee-woon (“I Saw the Devil”), the film is a stylish noir-thriller brimming with intrigue. It also spins a Western spy-action take on the history of the Korean independence movement, which will be ref

FilmSept. 4, 2016

Gwangmyeong Cave wraps up Lascaux exhibition, looks to next chapter

For the first time in Asia, France’s cherished Lascaux Paleolithic cave paintings found a temporary home inside Korea’s Gwangmyeong Cave. 　In celebration of the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France, the Lascaux International Exhibition made its way here. The commemorative diplomatic project allowed Gwangmyeong Cave -- the country’s latest tourist hot spot -- to host the Lascaux International Exhibition from April through Sept. 4. 　The world-famous Lascaux cave paintings

CultureSept. 4, 2016

Rock duo Hall & Oates get Hollywood Walk of Fame star

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Top-selling rock duo Daryl Hall and John Oates, known for such hits as “Out of Touch” and “Maneater,” were honored with a star on Hollywood‘s Walk of Fame on Friday.“It’s an honor to be part of the great sidewalk of fame,” Oates said during the ceremony attended by music executive Jerry Greenberg and Eurythmics guitarist Dave Stewart.“LA has a really special place in my memories,” he added. “We recorded three albums out here in the mid-70s. And it‘s always been a blast to com

PerformanceSept. 4, 2016

Jude Law bewitches as Sorrentino’s dangerous ‘Young Pope’

VENICE (AFP) - It‘s Jude Law’s first day as pope, and after dropping his nightgown to reveal the sort of toned backside to make nuns blush, he addresses the crowd in Saint Peter‘s Square on the pleasures of masturbation.　Italian master Paolo Sorrentino’s first foray into the world of television series has produced a 10-part wonder set at the heart of the Vatican state, where the College of Cardinals has just elected its first-ever American pope.　Lenny Belardo, aka Pius XIII, is revealed in the f

FilmSept. 4, 2016

Maestro Chung appointed Tokyo Phil honorary music director

Maestro Chung Myung-whun (Yonhap)Esteemed South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun, the former Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra music director, has been appointed the honorary music director of Japan’s oldest classical orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. 　Chung officially took rein as honorary music director of the Tokyo Phil beginning Sept. 1, following a longtime relationship with the orchestra, He worked with the ensemble as a special artistic advisor from 2001 to the 2009/10 season, and

PerformanceSept. 4, 2016

Punchnello gears up for debut

Rapper Punchnello will be making his official debut next week, the artist’s management agency HIGHGRND said Friday. 　“Punchnello has already established a name for himself in the hip-hop industry from his previous collaborations with artists like Sik-K and Penomeco,” said HIGHGRND, a sub-label managed by Epik High’s Tablo under YG Entertainment, in a statement.Recently, the musician -- along with rhythm and blues singer Crush -- was featured on Penomeco’s latest single track “For You,” which has

PerformanceSept. 2, 2016

Sechs Kies releases concert poster

First generation K-pop boy band Sechs Kies unveiled the official poster for its upcoming two days of concerts.　Released via the official blog of the group’s management agency YG Entertainment on Friday, the image features five of the original six members. 　All concertgoers will be gifted yellow balloons and notebooks to align with Sechs Kies’ official color theme. 　YG Entertainment also announced that the performance will feature animation clips produced in collaboration with Lee Jae-jin, known

PerformanceSept. 2, 2016

Busan Biennale highlights East Asian avant-garde art movements

Busan Biennale, one of the largest celebrations of contemporary art in Korea, opened on Saturday, bringing together more than 100 artists from 22 countries in the port city of Busan.　This year’s exhibition, themed with “Hybridizing Earth, Discussing Multitude,” highlights East Asian experimental art trends and their historical significance. The show is curated and presented by the curatorial team that consists of Korean, Chinese and Japanese curators.  Visitors view the Busan Biennale exhibition

PerformanceSept. 2, 2016

[Highlights] Arts and entertainment calendar

Pop Music“Andra Day”: American rhythm and blues artist Andra Day, who was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 2016 Grammy Awards, will be performing in Korea on Sept. 23 at the Yes 24 Live Hall in Gwangjang-dong, Seoul. The singer-songwriter soul diva, with hit songs like “City Burns,” originally rose to fame with her groove-filled covers of songs by Eminem, Jessie J, Florence and the Machine and Lionel Richie. Her debut LP “Cheers to the Fall,” which contains a rich blend of doo-wop, jazz

PerformanceSept. 2, 2016