When changgeuk meets Greek tragedy

Euripedes’ epic Greek tragedy “Medea” is downright terrifying and brutal. The ill-fated Medea, a princess of Colchis, takes revenge upon her husband Jason for cheating on her by killing the people around him, including their children, one by one. The tale of Medea’s cold-hearted retaliation was told recently through changgeuk, a Korean traditional opera which is performed like a play in pansori (Korean folk narrative) style. The changgeuk version, which explores Medea’s side of the story depicts

CultureOct. 6, 2014

‘Girl’ nabs No. 1 at U.S. box office

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “Annabelle” couldn’t scare off “Gone Girl” at the weekend box office. The Fox thriller starring Ben Affleck as a man whose wife goes missing overcame the Warner Bros. possessed-doll horror movie with a $38 million debut, according to studio estimates Sunday. Both films join the recently released “The Maze Runner” and “The Equalizer” in crossing the $30 million mark this fall, a typically low-earning season at the box office. “It was virtually a photo finish,” said Paul Dergara

FilmOct. 6, 2014

[Herald Interview] Billboard’s Janice Min talks potential and future of K-pop

With the pursuit of using music to connect countries, people and content across geographical boundaries, the annual MU:CON Seoul music conference kicked off on Monday with the opening address of keynote speaker Janice Min, copresident and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group.As the copresident and CCO, Min oversees the prestigious American entertainment media publications The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. In 2010, the former journalist took the reins of The Hollyw

Oct. 6, 2014

2PM OKs Nichkhun-Tiffany dating publicly

Wooyoung from the K-pop boy band 2PM said that the group has no problem with his bandmate Nichkhun openly dating Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany. “2PM is okay with Nichkhun seeing Tiffany. Our fans, of course, take it sensitively, but dating is an extension of (their) musical career for singers,” the 25-year-old idol said during an interview with a local media outlet. “It does not make sense for us to write and sing love songs without loving someone,” he said. The popular idol couple made their rela

Oct. 6, 2014

GOT7 tops weekly albums chart in Thailand

Rookie K-pop group GOT7’s latest album released in Thailand topped the weekly albums chart at a local record store, its label JYP Entertainment said Monday. 　The septet dropped the compilation album “GOT7 Thailand Special Set,” composed of its first EP “Got It?” and second EP “GOT♡,” on Sept. 25 in Thailand.  After the album was released it immediately rose to the top of the B2S international albums chart for the week of Sept. 22 to 28. B2S is Thailand’s largest record label.　The up-and-coming b

Oct. 6, 2014

JYJ enthralls 50,000 fans in Gangnam

True to the name of JYJ’s world tour concert “Return of the King,” the trio seemed like kings who had conquered the K-pop world on Sunday. 　On Sunday evening, tens of thousands of people flocked to Gangnam, an affluent southern district of Seoul, for the K-pop concert featuring JYJ.The entire seven-lane Yeongdong road in front of the Korea Electric Power Corp. headquarters in Samseong-dong, blocked off for the two-hour concert, was filled by some 50,000 fans from home and abroad.　As admission to

Oct. 6, 2014

Dynamic Duo‘s Gaeko to release solo album mid-October

Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko will drop his first studio album on Oct. 16. 　The 33-year-old rapper is to make his first official solo release with his upcoming album “Redingray,” two years after his first EP “Rhythm is Life.” 　 (Ameba culture)The album’s name reflects his greed, aspirations and fantasies, represented by red, while living in a gray city. 　His album is to drop online at noon on Oct. 16, and in stores the next day. 　Dynamic Duo, one of the country’s best-known hip-hop acts, debuted in 2004 w

Oct. 6, 2014

Beyond K-pop

For three days starting Monday, Korea’s small but vibrant indie music scene will get some much-craved international exposure. Billed as the “springboard to global recognition,” MU:CON Seoul 2014 will be held in the city’s Itaewon neighborhood from Oct. 6-8, highlighting Korean music’s cutting-edge styles, diverse genres and unique voices. Over 100 local and international music industry executives are expected to attend, offering tips on global trends while they search for new talent here. “This

PerformanceOct. 5, 2014

Stars, directors and film lovers flock to Busan

BUSAN ― Chinese actress Tang Wei, during her visit to the 19th annual Busan International Film Festival, shared her thoughts and experiences on her role as Chinese literary icon Xiao Hong in director Ann Hui’s latest film, “The Golden Era.”The Hong Kong film is a biopic of legendary Chinese writer Xiao (real name Zhang Naiying), who lived through a period of political turmoil in modern Chinese history from 1911 to 1942. Before the writer died at the young age of 32, she published many short stor

FilmOct. 5, 2014

Pretty Yende returns to Met for Mozart

NEW YORK (AP) _ When Pretty Yende walked on stage for her Metropolitan Opera debut 21 months ago, she immediately fell for the audience.　 But not nearly as hard as the audience fell for her.　 The South African soprano tripped on steps leading down from a wooden platform during a pantomime in the opening minutes of Rossini‘s “Le Comte Ory.’‘ She did more than quickly recover _ she went on to score a dazzling success in the difficult role of the Countess Adele, earning a standing ovation from a ch

PerformanceOct. 5, 2014

Lukewarm welcome for Lindsay Lohan stage debut

LONDON (AP) ― It wasn’t a car crash, but there weren’t fireworks, either. Critics gave a lukewarm welcome to Lindsay Lohan’s professional stage debut last week, which followed months of hype and speculation about whether the wayward star was up to the job. “Shock news: Lindsay Lohan can act a bit,” wrote Dominic Maxwell in The Times on Friday after the opening night of David Mamet’s Hollywood satire “Speed-the Plow.” The Guardian’s Michael Billington called Lohan’s performance “perfectly credita

CultureOct. 5, 2014

[Herald Review] Global Gathering Korea electrifies EDM lovers

Thousands of local electronic dance music fans flocked to Jamsil Olympic Stadium on Saturday night for the annual worldwide Global Gathering music festival in Seoul.More than 30 acts performed across the stadium’s three stages ― Main, Sub and Bunker Stage ― including Axwell & Ingrosso and Krewella, who took the spotlight on the main stage.Although the lineup initially had Australian duo Knife Party as the following act to Krewella, it was announced that the group was unable to make the show. Ins

PerformanceOct. 5, 2014

Ailee tops ‘Inkigayo’ with ‘Don’t Touch Me‘

K-pop diva Ailee took the top spot on SBS music program “Inkigayo” with her track “Don’t Touch Me” on Sunday. 　The Korean-American vocalist won the top prize, outshining Girls’ Generation subgroup TaeTiSeo and the duo SoYu X Urban Zakapa.Wearing red striped shorts, Ailee wowed the audience with her powerful dance moves and stable vocals.　Ailee’s victory comes only a week after the 25-year-old singer returned to the K-pop scene with her third EP “Magazine” on Sept. 25. 　The Sunday music show also

Oct. 5, 2014

‘Running Man’ team on Asia fan meeting tour

South Korean entertainer Ji Suk-jin released a photo that he took with costars from SBS’ variety show “Running Man” on Sunday.　The picture features “Running Man” cast members Ji, Kim Jong-kook, Haha, Lee Kwang-soo and Song Ji-hyo posing for the camera after a fan meeting in Hong Kong on Saturday. 　“See you again, Hong Kong. Thank you,” Ji wrote on Twitter alongside the picture. 　Following the fan event on Saturday, the “Running Man” team will host the event in Indonesia on Oct. 25, Malaysia on N

Oct. 5, 2014

Park Hae-jin, Ma Dong-suk go ‘manly adorable’

Photos of Park Hae-jin and Ma Dong-suk, two of the five lead actors of OCN’s new television action series “Bad Guys,” were released on Sunday. The photos showed Park and Ma leaning on each other’s shoulders while taking a short break between the scenes.  Actors Ma Dong-suk(top left) and Park Hae-jin (top right) take a break between the scenes for OCN's new television series "Bad Guys." (CJ E&M)The action drama portrays the alliance of two police officers and three outlaws who team up in a plea b

Oct. 5, 2014

Jo In-sung talks about break-up with Kim Min-hee

Top South Korean actor Jo In-sung said on Saturday that he does not know much about women, which led to his break-up with actress Kim Min-hee. 　The 33-year-old actor made the remarks about his recently-ended relationship on Park Kyung-lim’s “Talk Concert” held Saturday in Seoul by entertainer Park Kyung-lim. 　 (OSEN)Jo, a longtime friend of Park, made a surprise appearance at the concert, attended by some 700 women. 　He shared his thoughts on the women’s problems and presented one participant, w

Oct. 5, 2014

Heechul, Kangin, Taeyeon throw ramen party

K-pop boy group Super Junior’s Heechul posted a photo taken with Kangin and Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon on his Instagram on Saturday. 　The idols, all under the management of SM Entertainment, pose for camera with Japanese ramen noodles on the table. 　Super Junior kicked off a world tour concert in Tokyo on Saturday.　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com) 　

Oct. 5, 2014

Miss A‘s Suzy shows off doll-like appearance

Miss A’s Suzy showed off a doll-like appearance in a selfie posted on Sunday on her Instagram. 　In the picture taken while filming for a commercial shoot, Suzy wears a green tank top with matching ruby red lipstick. 　Separately, Suzy is shooting for the film “Dorihwaga” to be screened next year. 　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

Oct. 5, 2014

Chinese director Zhang Yimou says his film captures human hope

Zhang Yimou                                                                                                                      (Yonhap)  Renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou said Saturday he wanted to tell about the "inextinguishable" hope of mankind through "Coming Home," his latest film about a long-awaited love.   Starring Gong Li, the period drama tells the story of a devoted married couple who is separated when the husband is sent away to a labor camp for his right-leaning thoughts durin

FilmOct. 4, 2014