Kim Soo-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun on course for jackpot year

Actor Kim Soo-hyun and actress Jun Ji-hyun are set for another massively profitable year in 2015, propelled by their hit drama “My Love from the Star.”According to advertising and entertainment industry sources, Jun and Kim’s combined earnings from advertising are likely to break the 50 billion won ($46.2 million) mark for the second consecutive year. Last year, Jun and Kim earned an estimated 20 billion won and 30 billion won, respectively, from advertising and endorsement fees. Jun Ji-hyun (le

TelevisionJan. 14, 2015

Heartthrob Lee Min-ho to show ‘inner cruelty’ in new film

After stealing the hearts of many Asian girls with his modern-day Prince Charming roles in the TV series “Boys over Flowers” and “The Heirs,” actor Lee Min-ho is about to reveal his cruel, charismatic side. In the upcoming film “Gangnam 1970,” he plays an impoverished orphan-turned-mobster in a tale of money, violence and betrayal set against the tumultuous history of real estate development in what is now Seoul’s most affluent district. The noir action flick is the final installment of director

FilmJan. 14, 2015

Film on modern Korean history tops 10m attendance

A domestic film depicting the life of a typical father from Korea’s older generation became this year’s first movie to surpass the 10 million viewer mark at the local box office, a market tracker said Wednesday.“Ode to My Father” hit the milestone at 10,001,709 viewers Tuesday, 27 days after it opened on Dec. 17, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) said, adding that it became the 14th film ever to attract 10 million viewers at the local box office. In South Korea, average budget films seen by more t

FilmJan. 14, 2015

When women are few, men settle down: study

PARIS (AFP) ― Women want to settle down while men prefer to play the field, right? Not quite, said a study Wednesday that challenged long-held views of sexual selection.It turns out the dynamics of sex are partly driven by the law of supply and demand: a man’s fidelity depends to a large degree on the number of available women.“When women are rare, men respond by desiring long-term committed relationships with a single partner,” University of Utah anthropologist and study lead author Ryan Schach

CultureJan. 14, 2015

Cook up some color for a kitchen that pops

Some like it hot, but when it comes to kitchen design, most of us don’t dare to boldly go where no one has gone before. A little edgy with backsplashes, maybe. A lime spatula or even a KitchenAid mixer in raspberry, why not? But an aqua fridge? Or a radiant orchid range? Seriously? Radiant Orchid may not suit your decor, but BlueStar ranges come in more than 750 color and finish choices. (BlueStar)Seriously. This is not for the design timid. This is about the anti-white kitchen, that classic tha

Arts & DesignJan. 14, 2015

Film on modern Korean history tops 10 mln in attendance

A domestic film depicting the life of a typical father from Korea's older generation became this year's first movie to surpass the 10 million viewer mark at the local box office, a market tracker said Wednesday. Over 10 million viewers have seen "Ode to My Father" since its release on Dec. 17. (CJ Entertainment)"Ode to My Father" hit the milestone at 10,001,709 viewers Tuesday, 27 days after it opened on Dec. 17, the Korean Film Council said, adding that it became the 14th film ever to attract 1

FilmJan. 14, 2015

Unpuzzled to put community into theater

A group of expats and Koreans will look to involve more Koreans in expat drama with a community theater project in Gwangju.Unpuzzled Theatre Company, set up by British acting graduates Victoria Brown and Jamie Oliver-Jones, was set up in 2013 and has worked in Thailand and Korea, mostly on projects linked to English education. But they are looking to use their expertise for a final project in the wider community before leaving Korea in April.The organizers hope to create short 10-minute pieces a

Expat LivingJan. 13, 2015

Tang Wei, AmorePacific chief honored

Chinese actress Tang Wei, AmorePacific chairman Suh Kyung-bae and speed skating champion Shim Suk-hee received awards from a non-governmental organization on Monday for their contributions to Korea’s image abroad. Some 600 people, including artists, athletes, diplomats, politicians, businessmen, professors and journalists, participated in the Corea Image Communication Institute’s awards ceremony in Seoul. “Our company has continuously striven to spread the beauty of Asia to the rest of the world

CultureJan. 13, 2015

Colbert to get CBS debut in September

PASADENA, California (AP) ― CBS has hosts and starting dates for its remade late-night lineup ― Stephen Colbert on Sept. 8 and James Corden on March 23 ― and now is waiting to find out what kinds of shows the two men create.The network announced Monday that Colbert will take over the “Late Show” after Labor Day. He’s replacing David Letterman, who is retiring and will have his last show on May 20. CBS will air reruns of prime-time programming in the time slot until Colbert starts.Colbert is brin

TelevisionJan. 13, 2015

Lee Min-ho talks violence, poverty, and pressure on “Gangnam 1970”

Actor Lee Min-ho talked about playing an impoverished orphan-turned-mobster in the upcoming “Gangnam 1970,” a noir action film depicting the tumultuous history of real estate development behind Seoul‘s now most famous district.“I haven’t really played a lot of impoverished characters,” the actor commented during a news conference on Tuesday. “Mostly I’m depicted as that guy from a really rich family, so I doubt audiences will be able to immediately adjust to my character. But I just hope that pe

FilmJan. 13, 2015

Exploitation at the ends of the Earth

With images of the North and South Poles becoming cliche through overuse in environmental documentaries, artist Han Sung-pil’s photographs of the Arctic and Antarctica offer a different view of these vulnerable regions. He focuses on the history of human exploitation in the world’s least explored places since the time when early European explorers discovered the lands and their rich natural resources. He made several trips to the Arctic and Antarctica from 2013 to 2014 searching for traces of ex

PerformanceJan. 12, 2015

CJ E&M joins Broadway theater league

A poster for the CJ E&M-coproduced musical “Kinky Boots.” (CJ E&M)Korean entertainment giant CJ E&M is now a member of the Broadway League, an association of Broadway theater owners and producers, the Seoul-based company said Monday. The membership is expected to give the Korean firm a stronger foothold in the global performing arts industry, it said in a press release. CJ E&M is Korea’s first and Asia’s third to join the league after a Japanese and a Singaporean member. “If a production has at

CultureJan. 12, 2015

K-pop stars see earnings rocket

  Girls’ Generation (SM Entertainment)As K-pop continues to lead the Korean Wave, singers are enjoying their sharpest ever increase in income, government statistics show.According to the National Tax Service, the average yearly income of singers rose 72.2 percent in three years between 2010 and 2013, by far the sharpest hike among all Korean celebrity groups. The average annual salary came in at 46.74 million won ($42,000) in 2013, more than doubling from 26.97 million won in 2010. Over the same

PerformanceJan. 12, 2015