K-pop boy band iKON will release a singles album in Japan on Sept. 28, according to its management agency YG Entertainment.　The four-track album “Dumb & Dumber” will be the group’s first Japanese release and it will be unveiled alongside a DVD of music videos and behind-the-scenes footage. 　Those who preorder the deluxe CD and DVD set online by Aug. 22 will stand a chance to attend the group’s meet-and-greet event at either Pacifico Yokohama on Oct. 22 or at the Kobe Convention Center on Oct. 23

PerformanceAug. 11, 2016

Within hours of its release, the single “Puzzle,” from rappers C Jamm and BewhY, topped eight local music charts -- MelOn, Mnet, Olleh Music, Soribada, Genie, Bugs, Naver Music and Monkey3.Rather than holding special promotional events or media announcements prior to the release, the duo quietly lifted the veil on “Puzzle” through BewhY’s personal social media outlet Tuesday. 　Released at midnight Wednesday, the new track ended the three-day streak of new K-pop girl group BlackPink in the top sp

PerformanceAug. 11, 2016

The fictional realm of “Dramaworld” very consciously parades out every K-drama cliche: It weaves in trademark tropes such as the immaculate, not-lived-in homes, ferocious kimchi slaps, excessive product placement, overbearing mother-in-laws and, of course, the male lead who, though an heir to vast wealth forges his own path as a restaurateur.The lead character is Park Joon, played by British-Korean actor Sean Dulake. There are two women fighting for this ideal man’s affections: gold-digging rest

TelevisionAug. 11, 2016

Australian artist Emma Hack paints on a model’s body until it perfectly aligns with the intricate, colorful patterns of the wallpaper behind the model. In other work, she perfectly adjusts the contours of her models to match the detailed patterns of flowers and animals. The artist’s work -- captured in photographs -- have been exhibited in major cities around the world, including New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. She is holding her first solo exhibition in Korea at Savina Museum of Contemporary

PerformanceAug. 11, 2016

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Seoul Performing Arts Company.has unveiled a multicultural live song and dance theater production, “Nori.” Under the theme “A Journey with Music of the World,” the new show features a melting pot of worldwide cultural performances intertwined with Korean flair. “In honor of this milestone (the 30th anniversary) we knew we needed to tackle something new and bigger for our stage. So we tried to broaden our vision when coming up with this storyline,” said

PerformanceAug. 11, 2016

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Vegan diets are considered by most as healthy and environmentally responsible, with celebrity poster children touting benefits like weight loss, clear skin and increased energy.But even vegans -- who eschew all animal products like meat, eggs and dairy-- crave junk food. As the movement becomes more and more popular, temptations including donuts, pizza and mock hamburgers allow vegans to eat just as badly as everybody else.“There are a lot of unhealthy options. It's hard to r

FoodAug. 11, 2016

HELSINKI (AFP) - Is stripping down and getting sweaty with strangers your kind of thing? In Finland, despite an astounding 2 million private saunas, the hottest trend sweeping the sweat tank loving country is public saunas.They’re Helsinki’s coolest spots this summer, drawing Finns and tourists of all ages to unwind on wooden benches in slick waterfront locales where the mercury hits at least 80 degrees Celsius.A trendy new boutique sauna called Loyly (Finnish for “Steam”) opened its doors on th

TravelAug. 11, 2016

The Daesan Foundation, dedicated to supporting and promoting Korean literature, has announced the recipients of this year’s Grants for the Translation, Research and Publication of Korean Literary Works, providing funds for 13 works of Korean literature to be translated into 10 languages.The works selected include those by emerging authors such as Hwang Jung-eun’s novel “Let Me Continue” (unofficial translation), the winner of last year’s Daesan Literary Award. Hwang’s novel about the relationshi

BooksAug. 10, 2016

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will be celebrating the upcoming 71st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan with a free public performance. This year’s performance will be held at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, where guests can enjoy the music in an open field.Conducted by Choi Soo-yeoul, the orchestra will open the concert with the Korean national anthem, followed by popular works by well-known composers and musicians, including Bruch, Mozart and Brahms. Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will be ac

PerformanceAug. 10, 2016

Competing at the 11th Seoul International Drama Awards are a wide array of pieces from around the globe, from the renowned British detective thriller “Sherlock” series starring actor Benedict Cumberbatch to Korea’s quaint family drama “Reply 1988,” set in late 1980s Seoul. This year’s selections are more realistic, as opposed to fantastical, said actor Yoo Dong-geun, a Grand Prize judge, at a press conference for the awards Wednesday at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club.“A lot of TV movies

TelevisionAug. 10, 2016

Buying art isn’t as easy as buying books or movie tickets. Even if you fall in love with a piece of art at an exhibition, taking it home could turn out to be the priciest decision you ever make. Fearing shrinking art sales and the domination of the art market by super-rich collectors, the art world is coming up with ways to make art more accessible to a wider audience and to attract art lovers to experience buying artworks. The Affordable Art Fair Seoul, the Korean edition of the London-based gl

PerformanceAug. 10, 2016

China Education Television is gearing up to launch its new language education program, “Easy to Learn, Easy to Use ‘Travel Korean,’” starting this October. The main objective of the program is to provide a creative way to help teach Chinese viewers simple Korean phrases that will come in handy during their travels in Korea, such as on how to order food. “It’s the first time for us to collaborate like this with a Chinese broadcasting station to create a Korean language education program,” said Ki

TelevisionAug. 10, 2016

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - When opera lovers ask New York's Carnegie Hall for souvenir concert programs, they’re not usually interested in Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland. More often than not, the name they request is Florence Foster Jenkins, an American socialite who only appeared at the legendary venue once, and couldn't hold a note.“In order for a singer to succeed, they need to have a combination of talent, charisma, and interpretive quality,” Carnegie’s archives director Gino Francesconi wrote in

FilmAug. 10, 2016