Insooni denies evading taxes

Veteran singer Insooni denied claims of tax evasion after singer Choi sung-su‘s wife, surnamed Park, accused her of evading about 5 billion won ($4.13 million) in taxes, the singer’s agency Blue Sky Entertainment said Thursday.　Park submitted documents to show tax evasion by the singer in 2008 to the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office and the National Tax Office on Feb. 5.  Insooni (Blue Sky Entertainment)　Park claimed that she had returned 4 billion won of the singer‘s 5 billion won investment in her

PerformanceFeb. 12, 2016

[Travel bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

K-Smile Campaign to greet foreign tourists　Visit Korea Committee conducted K-Smile Campaign at Myeong-dong Theater on Feb. 12 to celebrate Korea Grand Sale held as part of 2016-2018 Visit Korea Year. The campaign aims at building a culture of kindness and raising the level of tourists’ satisfaction by improvements in the tourism sector, including accommodation, transportation, food, and shopping. Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kim Jong-deok, “Non-summit” members Alberto Mondi and Nikol

TravelFeb. 12, 2016

[Box Office] Latest movie releases

The Dressmaker (Australia)　Drama. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse　Opened Feb. 11　　Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage (Kate Winslet) was chased out of her childhood hometown as a young woman, accused of murder. Years later, she makes a dramatic return as an elegant dressmaker. She wins back the hearts of the villagers with fabulous gifts of haute couture dresses, but her true goal is to set right the wrongs of the past.　　Malice (Korea)　　Horror. Directed by Kim Yong-woon　Opened Feb. 11　　After her family’s finan

FilmFeb. 12, 2016

[Album Review] 'Cold Chilling: Compton' just sort of tepid

California knows how to party. So goes the refrain on 2Pac’s enduring rap favorite “California Love.” That love is on display in the form of an homage on “Cold Chilling: Compton,” an album of reimagined takes on West Coast rap classics.　Musically, the release is polished. The vocals are carefully crafted and the lyrics are true to their origins. But songs like Snoop Dogg's “Gin and Juice,” reworked by The Rooks, seem conflicted. The lyrics don’t seem a solid fit for the mature, lush vocals. More

PerformanceFeb. 12, 2016

[Album Review] 'The Driver' focuses on love, life on the road

On the song “Leaving Nashville,” singer Charles Kelley delves into the personal and professional struggles that a songwriter faces after tasting a modicum of success. The complex narrative establishes why this member of the country trio Lady Antebellum wanted to record a solo album: Kelley’s intimate, emotional performance would have sounded out of place with a group identified with vocal interplay and harmonies. Charles Kelley “The Driver” (Capitol Records Nashville)　Kelley's album, “The Driver

PerformanceFeb. 12, 2016

[Album Review] Lucinda Williams' new album isn’t a fun listen

Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams digs deeper into raw, mystical electric blues on her new double album, “The Ghosts of Highway 20.” Focused on faith, death, the afterlife and rural Southern settings, “Highway 20” sounds like a William Faulkner novel put to music.  Lucinda Williams “The Ghosts of Highway 20” (Highway 20 Records)　It's not a fun listen; it’s not something you'll sing along to; it’s not something you‘ll put on at a party. But it conveys a haunting gravitas that conjures spirits an

PerformanceFeb. 12, 2016

[Herald Interview] Um Hong-gil always has a new peak to reach

Stepping into Um Hong-gil's inner office at the Um Hong Gil Human Foundation in Jung-gu, Seoul, one can’t help but be struck by the feeling that everything is small -- the man and the office, both.　Um is of medium stature, and the office is ordinary. But when considered against the feats that constantly tail Um's name, his down-to-earth manner, easy smile and unremarkable office are a bit unsettling at first. It’s difficult to imagine him clinging to the Himalayan slopes, fighting back the numbi

PeopleFeb. 12, 2016

'Like for Likes' to be released in U.S. later this month

(Yonhap)"Like for Likes," a South Korean romantic comedy starring actor Yoo Ah-in, will be released in the United States later this month, the film's distributor said Thursday.The film, which follows three couples relying on social media to communicate their innermost feelings, will hit the screens in Los Angeles and 18 other North American theaters on Feb. 26, CJ Entertainment America said."Like for Likes" will also feature "hallyu" megastar Choi Ji-woo, who plays an "old maid" flight attendan

FilmFeb. 12, 2016

Lawyer’s memoir recounts stories of justice and redemption

By Molly Born　Pittsburgh Post-GazetteAt first Bryan Stevenson was conflicted about whether writing a book on his life’s work was the best use of his time.Since 1989 the lawyer and activist has led the Equal Justice Initiative, the Alabama legal practice he founded, which represents death row prisoners, juvenile offenders sent to adult prisons and the wrongfully convicted.“I felt like if more people saw what I see on a regular basis, they would think differently about those issues, and that is ul

BooksFeb. 11, 2016

When citizenship can be bought and sold

By Sasha Frere-Jones　Los Angeles TimesM.I.A.‘s single, “Borders,” isn’t the official theme song for journalist Atossa Araxia Abrahamian‘s nonfiction debut, “The Cosmopolites” (Columbia Global Reports), but we can pretend it is. In the first verse, M.I.A. asks, “Borders -- what’s up with that?” “The Cosmopolites” is one answer.Both the book and the song are reactions to the movement of populations, the increasingly permeable divisions among states. This condition bridges classes and countries: It

BooksFeb. 11, 2016

Networks’ pilot programs hit and miss during holiday

The three major broadcast networks in Korea launched pilot programs over the Lunar New Year holiday, testing the waters for potential new regular programs. Each network’s top show chose a different strategy to pull in viewers, with SBS’ music competition show and MBC’s hidden camera comedy clearly appealing to viewers more than KBS’ show featuring girl group members battling against one another.The pilot programs that received top ratings on each network were “God’s Voice” on SBS (10.4 percent a

TelevisionFeb. 11, 2016

[Herald Interview] Korea’s buzzing classical music scene

A classical music craze has swept over the country ever since young pianist Cho Seong-jin’s historic win at last year’s International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. He is the first Korean ever to win the prestigious title and his win has helped revive classical music here. Costa Pilavachi, senior vice president of classical artists & repertoire for Universal Music International Group, is among those looking to capitalize on the current buzz in the classical music scene. “Korea is a hot place

PerformanceFeb. 11, 2016

K-Travel Bus offers special deal for February

The Visit Korea Committee is offering a special promotion this month for foreign travelers using the K-Travel Bus.The promotion is part of the Korea Grand Sale, a month-long shopping and tourism festival taking place in Seoul and major cities around the country from Feb. 1 to Feb. 29. During the festival, tourists from overseas can take advantage of large discounts in shopping, food, entertainment, Korean cultural experiences, transportation and accommodations.Promotional image for the K-Travel

TravelFeb. 11, 2016

Apple co-founder is bringing us an even nerdier ‘Comic Con’

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak had a front row seat as the personal computer began to reshape society. So it made perfect sense to him to bring a convention meshing technology with pop culture to Silicon Valley. The convergence will occur March 18-20 in San Jose, California, with the debut of Silicon Valley Comic Con. It's a new twist on an idea that has brought together fans of science fiction, fantasy and superheroes at packed shows held around the world for years. Apple

CultureFeb. 11, 2016