Fuse TV names WINNER among top 13 breakout artists

Alongside the likes of Sam Smith, who shares a three-way tie with the year’s most Grammy Awards nods at six, and Meghan Trainor whose fame skyrocketed internationally after the release of her Grammy-nominated single “All About the Bass,” the YG Entertainment newbie members of WINNER have been named one of the world’s top breakout artists of the year by U.S. cable music program Fuse TV. At the No. 11 spot on Fuse’s “13 Top Breakout Artists of 2014” rankings, the five-member rookie K-pop sensation

Dec. 11, 2014

Keanu Reeves to visit South Korea next month

U.S. movie star Keanu Reeves will visit South Korea early next year to promote his new film “John Wick,” the film’s importer said Thursday.Reeves will arrive in Seoul on Jan. 7, in his first trip to the country since “Street Kings” (2008), Joy N Contents Group said.“John Wick” is an action thriller about a retired hit man seeking vengeance for the killing of his dog. During the visit, the actor is scheduled to attend a press conference and a red carpet premiere of the film at a theater in Seoul

FilmDec. 11, 2014

Autobiography shows writer’s world, growth

At least three different kinds of readers will find “Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography” a fascinating book: fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” stories, literary gossips, and writers and would-be writers who want to transform real-life experiences into fiction.Wilder (1867-1957) was more than 60 years old when she started writing “Pioneer Girl,” an autobiographical account of her early years. Wilder had been a columnist for the Missouri Ruralist newspaper; her daughter, Rose Wi

BooksDec. 11, 2014

Fascinating look at U.S. diplomacy

Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American DiplomacyBy Christopher R. Hill (Simon & Schuster)Chris Hill, in my opinion, was one of the two smartest American diplomats of his generation. The other, Bob Frasure, was killed in 1995 when the French armored car in which he was riding rolled down a mountainside in Bosnia-Herzegovina.Hill was U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Macedonia, Poland and South Korea, assistant secretary of state for East Asian Affairs and the U.S. envoy to the Six-Power Talks on Nort

BooksDec. 11, 2014

For Cheryl Strayed, writing ‘Wild’ was just the beginning

The big checks started coming in about nine months after “Wild” hit bookshelves and started its climb to the top of The New York Times best-seller’s list. To Oprah’s Book Club. And, as of this coming week, to movie theaters nationwide.The first thing author Cheryl Strayed bought was a $2,000 piano for her two children. It was something she never had in her powdered-milk and government-cheese childhood, but always dreamed of. Piano lessons, especially.“The piano was delivered, and the guys left a

BooksDec. 11, 2014

Puppies shake for memorable photos

Shake PuppiesBy Carli Davidson (Harper Design)This much cuteness should be a crime.Photographer Carli Davidson ― also an animal rights activist, pet foster parent and trainer who lives in Portland, Oregon ― has a follow-up to her bestseller, “Shake,” her picture book of dogs shaking themselves silly.It’s “Shake Puppies” (Harper Design), which takes her original idea and scales it down to puppies. Davidson gives readers more than 130 amazing shots of pups shaking, capturing all the ear-flapping a

BooksDec. 11, 2014

‘Us’ tackles domestic battleground

UsBy David Nicholls (Harper)David Nicholls’ engaging new novel is not the sort of serious, weighty fiction that often wins the Man Booker Prize, though it made the longlist for 2014. This year, that honor went to Richard Flanagan’s “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” about a prisoner of war in Burma in World War II.“Us” is about prisoners of a war in a more intimate skirmish: the domestic battleground. Like he did in his last novel, “One Day” ― I have not yet forgiven him for the weeping that e

BooksDec. 11, 2014

The dead are all around us in ‘Rooms’

“Rooms”By Lauren Oliver (Ecco)Lauren Oliver, author of the young adult best-selling Delirium trilogy, turns triumphantly to adult fiction with her latest, “Rooms,” a haunted house story of fine merit.Oliver’s confident, clever prose effortlessly convinces the reader ― whether already a believer in the supernatural or one with a willing suspension of disbelief ― that not only are the dead all around us, they’re listening in, commenting and making often-trenchant judgments about the still living.“

BooksDec. 11, 2014

[Herald Review] ‘Kinky Boots,’ if your spirit needs lifting

Seoul’s performing arts scene in December is chock-full of timeless classics and feel-good shows to lure theater goers as well as novices who want to celebrate the end of the year with some cultural experiences. “Kinky Boots,” the six-time Tony Award-winning musical currently on its first non-English-speaking run in Korea, seems to be at the top of the pack. Opened Dec. 3 at Chungmu Art Hall, the show is a delightful mix of Broadway glitz and glam, uplifting songs and a heartfelt message about d

PerformanceDec. 10, 2014

On translating the work of Jules Verne

He was neither an engineer nor a scientist. But he participated in the most groundbreaking science and technology establishments of this generation. He was a dreamer with inspirations and a prophet who wrote about the future long before it happened.So did translator Kim Seok-hee praise the French novelist Jules Verne (1828-1905). “I have never paid this kind of respect to any other writer before,” said the 62-year-old, who has translated more than 100 books including Nanami Shiono’s 15-volume se

BooksDec. 10, 2014

Girls’ Generation to release first single as octet

Following the shock exit earlier this year of K-pop idol star Jessica from Girls’ Generation, the now eight-member girl group has revealed that it will release a new single in Japan.According to an announcement by SM Entertainment, Girls’ Generation will release a new Japanese single sometime early next year, which will mark its first release since the departure of Jessica. The members of Girls’ Generation recently performed in front of their Japanese fans for the first time since becoming an ei

Dec. 10, 2014

Bernat and Taeyang collaboration rumored

A myriad of rumors began circulating online Wednesday morning surrounding up-and-coming American R&B singer Jeff Bernat, who reportedly posted a tweet hinting at a possible collaboration with popular K-pop idol star Taeyang of Big Bang. According to a number of reports, Bernat tweeted a message suggesting that he would be working with the Big Bang star on Tuesday, but quickly deleted it soon after posting, leaving fans questioning its veracity. In a previous interview with The Korea Herald in Oc

Dec. 10, 2014

New Dylan album to interpret Sinatra classics

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bob Dylan’s new album which will come out in February will feature interpretations of classics sung by Frank Sinatra, all stripped down and recorded with minimal studio production.Dylan had previously confirmed he was working on his 36th studio album, entitled “Shadows in the Night,” but little was known about it.The album features the 73-year-old rock legend’s versions of 10 popular songs, which are mostly from the 1940s. All have been performed by Sinatra among other artists.“

PerformanceDec. 10, 2014

JYPE releases ‘One Mic’ live album

JYP Entertainment fans can now hear the never-before-released collaborations by their favorite JYP artists with the release of the agency’s live concert album, “One Mic.”K-pop artists from JYPE, including agency founder Park Jin-young, recently held the Seoul leg of their JYP Nation concert tour in August, gathering 28 of the agency’s stars to perform a show that featured a wide variety of arrangements of some of its past hits. Previous shows were held in Tokyo and Hong Kong. JYPE is home to som

Dec. 10, 2014

Sealed with a salute: Ohio man send thousands of cards to service members

BARBERTON, Ohio ― Tom Stiles’ heart ached when his son and best buddy, Joshua, left for the U.S. Navy just before Christmas last year. While he was a proud papa, he knew he would miss him terribly. So Tom found therapy in writing cards to our servicemen and women ― thousands of them.Sitting in the lobby of Summa Barberton Hospital, where Tom is a surgical assistant, is a small table with a selection of Christmas cards, pens and a sign that reads “Stiles Salutes Our Military Troops.”The table is

PeopleDec. 10, 2014

Students learn compassion through solar project

WINTER GARDEN, Florida ― Valencia College student Thomas Dillen held a solar panel as high as he could, trying to catch the waning sunlight.Two dozen fourth- and fifth-grade students at Tildenville Elementary School clustered around him, hoping the panel would power the portable generators they’ve been building to send to an orphanage in Africa. “Yay!” the students cheered when an LED light bulb attached to one of the generators lit up.The students are working on a project that’s one part scienc

CultureDec. 10, 2014

Helping kids embrace new rituals when holiday tinged by loss

Sometimes the most wonderful time of the year arrives at the worst time of your life.Divorce, death, layoffs ― grief-inducing losses don’t take a holiday, and they can wreak havoc on yours, particularly if you’ve got children looking for you to uphold the annual traditions that bring them so much joy.A familiar face no longer at the dinner table, fewer gifts, even a new, unfamiliar home ― all can feel like an affront to the senses at a time of year when rituals are sacred.We contacted a handful

CultureDec. 10, 2014