Royal treasures kept deep underground

Gyeongbokgung is an open museum without relics. Buildings in the palace are missing the furniture, tableware, books, paintings and clothes that used to make it a living space. Instead, these are kept in underground storages at the palace site as the prized collections of the National Palace Museum of Korea. Some 45,000 royal artifacts are housed at the 18 museum underground collection vaults at two different locations within the palace grounds. The artifacts -- including old documents, books, pa

CultureAug. 23, 2016

SIDance 2016 brings international contemporary dance to Seoul

The Korea chapter of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO will be hosting the 19th Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance) from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15 in various locations throughout the city, including the Seoul Arts Center, Sogang University, and D-Cube City. 　Bringing together leading dancers and choreographers from Europe, South America and Korea, the event will kick off with a performance of “Gala Preljocaj” from the French dance company Ballet Preljocaj to commemorate the Year of K

PerformanceAug. 23, 2016

‘The Lovers and the Despot’ to open in Korea

The documentary film “The Lovers and the Despot,” which provides a glimpse into the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il’s regime, is coming to Korea. 　Directed by British filmmakers Robert Cannan and Ross Adam, the documentary recounts the story of the high-profile kidnap of former top Korean actress Choi Eun-hee, and her ex-husband and late director Shin Sang-ok by North Korea in the late 1970s. It chronicles their personal and professional lives under Kim’s authoritative surveillance until

FilmAug. 23, 2016

Homme returns to spotlight

Rhythm and blues duo Homme is gearing up for a comeback with the new digital single “Dilemma,” according to the group’s management agency Big Hit Entertainment on Tuesday. 　Initially debuting as a project group with the hit single “I was Able to Eat Well” in 2010, the duo consists of 2AM member Lee Chang-min and Lee Hyun, a former member of the defunct group 8Eight.　 Homme’s upcoming track is a soft ballad intended to provide solace to those suffering from a heartbreak, said Big Hit Entertainmen

PerformanceAug. 23, 2016

Every second counts in new ‘Superstar K’

In the new season of Mnet’s audition program “Superstar K,” contestants will be given 20 seconds to sing. If the judges want to hear more, they can press a button which extends the allotted time by 10 seconds. Ultimately, contestants who are awarded enough time to complete one song in its entirety will be given a chance to move on to the next round.“We wanted to bring big changes this season,” said Kim Ki-woong, director of productions at Mnet, during a press conference for “Superstar K 2016” he

PerformanceAug. 23, 2016

Festival to celebrate world’s oldest metal-type book

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province (Yonhap) -- An international festival centered on the world’s oldest extant book printed with movable metal type will kick off in Cheongju in September to shed new light on its creative value, bringing together world-renowned writers and scholars, organizers said Tuesday.The Jikji Korea Festival will open Sept. 1 in the central South Korean city, some 130 kilometers south of Seoul, for an eight-day run under the theme of “Jikji, Enlightening the World,” with

CultureAug. 23, 2016

MMCA Gwacheon anniversary show riddled with confusion

A video entitled “Shoes/243.0 MHz” shows shoes floating on the sea off Hokkaido, Japan -- shoes that belonged to passengers of Korean Air 007, which was struck down by a Soviet fighter jet in August 1983. It is among some 300 works that the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has culled from its extensive collection to celebrate the Gwacheon Museum’s 30th anniversary. The somber scene in the video offers a fresh vantage point from which to look at the tragedy of the Cold War. I

PerformanceAug. 22, 2016

Korean-German play ‘Walls - Iphigenia in Exile’ comes to Asia Culture Center

Inspired by 18th century German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s take on ancient playwright Euripides’ “Iphigenia in Tauris,” “Walls - Iphigenia in Exile” will be performed at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju from Oct. 14-16.　A modern interpretation of an ancient Greek tragedy, the 120-minute play is a co-production by a team of four Korean directors, Choi Zin-A, Lee Kyung-sung, Yi Kon and Yang Jung-ung, and Tilmann Kohler, a German director. Each director will present a contemporary take o

PerformanceAug. 22, 2016

‘Take Off 2’ opens in US

Director Kim Jong-hyeon’s latest film “Take Off 2” opened in theaters across the US, distribution company Megabox Plus M said Monday. 　Starring Soo Ae, Oh Yeon-seo and Oh Dal-su, the sports comedy is about a seemingly mismatched group of women from different walks of life who come together to form a national ice hockey team.　Inspired by director Kim Yong-hwa’s 2009 production “Take Off,” the film made its international debut in major cities across the US, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago,

FilmAug. 22, 2016

FNC Entertainment unveils first boy dance group

Talent management agency FNC Entertainment announced its first male dance group Sensational First 9, or SF9, on its official social media channels on Monday at midnight. 　The nine members are Young-bin, In-seong, Jae-yoon, Da-won, Ro-woon, Zu-ho, Tae-yang, Hwi-young and Cha-ni. They all made their first public appearance earlier this year as the Neoz dance team on Mnet’s survival reality show “d.o.b : Dance or Band,” which features participants competing for a chance to join FNC Entertainment. 　

PerformanceAug. 22, 2016

Natalie Portman tells ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) -- “It’s like, I guess you caught me! I’m a nerd!” Natalie Portman says, laughing. She is talking about frenzied internet responses to a recent interview that she did with author Jonathan Safran Foer. The New York Times Style Magazine asked Foer to interview Portman about her directorial debut, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” They were not in the same city, and thus did the interview over email, which the magazine then coyly presented as actual emails between the tw

FilmAug. 22, 2016

K-pop girl groups primed to dominate global charts

From light and poppy lyrics about young love to hard beats inspired by electronic dance music, the latest releases from K-pop girl groups are lighting up the charts at home and abroad.　Earlier this month, Korean entertainment megahouse YG Entertainment finally lifted the veil on its first girl group in seven years, Black Pink.The four-member act’s worldwide hit tracks “Whisper” and “Boombayah” from their first single album “Square One” dominated major local music charts, and the the accompanying

PerformanceAug. 21, 2016

Big Bang goes all out for 10th anniversary concert

Appearing amid smoke and blue neon lights, Big Bang kicked off a steamy summer Saturday night with its 10th anniversary concert “0 To 10” in Seoul.The 65,000-seat Seoul World Cup Stadium was filled to the brim with a sea of blazing neon yellow sticks -- the Big Bang fan club’s signature color. The crowd erupted in cheers when the boy band appeared on stage at 7:30 p.m. and opened with “My Heaven.” The five members -- G-Dragon, Taeyang, T.O.P, Seungri and Daesung -- climbed onto mobile miniature

PerformanceAug. 21, 2016