SM and Media Asia Hong Kong join forces

SM Entertainment CEO Lee Soo-man (right) poses with Media Asia Hong Kong officials. (SM Entertainment)SM Entertainment, the country’s biggest K-pop agency, has officially joined forces with Media Asia Group, the largest entertainment company in Hong Kong as joint Korea-China talent partners, according to a statement released by officials at SM on Wednesday. Under the new contract, Media Asia Group will act as the exclusive Chinese agent for SM artists EXO, f(x) and Zhang Li Yin during their prom

Sept. 4, 2014

‘Why Football Matters’ versus ‘Against Football’

Unlike Steve Almond and Mark Edmundson, the authors of two terrific new books on football, I did not grow up with a father who loved the sport.My father thinks football is commercialized barbarism ― 22 oversized idiots plowing into one another, following a byzantine set of rules no one truly understands. For me, football is a beloved fall ritual. It’s a season of Homeric contests playing out on my television screen.As the titles of their books suggest, Almond and Edmundson come down on similarly

BooksSept. 4, 2014

Mike Sacks’ ‘Poking a Dead Frog’ cracks comedy code

Comedy is having a moment. You can’t really talk about the vaunted New Golden Platinum Age of Television without reference to Louis C.K., Amy Schumer or Amy Poehler. Political discourse takes cues from Jon Stewart and John Oliver. The Internet, which drives the world, is three-quarters comedy (figure approximate). Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling write memoirs that also serve as manifestos, and the Children of Apatow sew their seeds through the culture, on multiple platforms.We are also in a time when

BooksSept. 4, 2014

David Mitchell’s ‘Bone Clocks’ revisits story lines of ‘Cloud Atlas’

The Bone ClocksBy David Mitchell (Random House)Count on David Mitchell ― whose novels regularly suggest a Borgesian library ― to invoke one of the most famous literary labyrinths of all in “The Bone Clocks,” his extraordinary new novel:“Half way along our journey to life’s end I found myself astray in a dark wood,” admits one of Mitchell’s protagonists ― invoking the opening of Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” to describe his midlife crisis, which prominently features the decline of his once-promisin

BooksSept. 4, 2014

‘Half of What I Say is Meaningless’ a strikingly felt essay collection

Half of What I Say is MeaninglessBy Joseph Bathanti (Mercer University Press)It’s 1976, and Joseph Bathanti, former North Carolina poet laureate, is leaving his native Pittsburgh in a 1969 VW Beetle that lacks a reverse gear. He is 23 and heading to the mythic South to work as a VISTA volunteer.In this land of extemporaneous prayer and exotic inflections (“On was own.” “Can’t was caint.”), life instantly begins to revise itself for the young transplant. “I was,” he writes in a new collection of

BooksSept. 4, 2014

Kim Soo-hyun wins 2 prizes at Seoul Drama Awards

South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun captured two prizes at the 9th Seoul International Drama Awards held in Seoul on Thursday. 　The hero of the megahit drama “My Love from the Star” was named the most-favored actor among netizens and the best actor. His drama won the top prize for Outstanding Hallyu TV Series.　In the drama, he played an alien who arrives in Korea by traveling through time from the Joseon era, 400 years ago, and ends up falling in love with a modern-day actress, played by Jun Ji-hyun

Sept. 4, 2014

‘My Love from the Star’ wins top prize at Seoul Drama Awards

The South Korean drama “My Love from the Star” received the top prize for Outstanding Drama Series at the 9th Seoul International Drama Awards held in Seoul on Thursday. 　The smash hit TV series won the top honor in the hallyu drama segment, outshining a slew of other popular TV shows. The second prize went to “The Heirs.” 　“My Love from the Star” sparked a sensation in the first half of the year, garnering more than 2.5 billion views online in China and achieving an average viewership of 25 per

Sept. 4, 2014

K-pop stars flock to funeral for EunB of Ladies’ Code

Celebrities flocked to the funeral home for EunB of Ladies’ Code to offer condolences on Thursday, a day after she died in an ill-fated car accident. K-pop stars including idol groups Apink, Dal Shabet, B1A4, sexy diva Ivy, singer-songwriter Kim ye-rim, and Jung Jae-eun visited the funeral home at Korea University Anan Hospital in Seoul. 　 (Twitter)Others left heartfelt messages online after the accident.　On Wednesday, Jaehyo of boy band Block B wrote on his Twitter, “I said hello to her a few h

Sept. 4, 2014

2PM’s 6th anniversary, “Thank you and love you all”

The idol group 2PM celebrated its sixth anniversary on Thursday by expressing gratitude to its fans.2PM made its debut on Sept. 4, 2008, with “10 out of 10,” the hit song from its album “Hottest Time of the Day.”Since its debut, the boy group has gained attention in the music industry with popular songs including “Again & Again,” “Heartbeat” and “Hands up,” as well as appearances in TV dramas and films.Out of gratitude for their fans’ love, Chansung and Junho posted a message on Twitter: “This i

Sept. 4, 2014

Henry vs Kim Byung-man on “Clenched Fist Chef”

Genius chef Henry vs skilled chef Kim Byung-man on “Clenched Fist Chef”Famous and talented comedian Kim Byung-man and singer Henry will compete in a cooking contest on SBS‘s special TV program for Chuseok “Clenched Fist Chef.”Kim Byung-man has cooked snakes, piranhas, bats, and other unbelievable cooking ingredients in the jungle for many years. His counterpart is Henry, who has mastered Chinese cuisine from a professional chef for many months. The crew members of the program said, their distinc

Sept. 4, 2014

Ladies’ Code RiSe still unconscious

RiSe of Ladies’ Code was still in critical condition on Thursday, a day after she was in an ill-fated car accident that killed her fellow group member EunB. “RiSe remains unconscious. There is no progress from yesterday. She is now receiving treatment in the intensive care unit,” said an official from Polaris Entertainment. 　 (OSEN)Her family, friends and colleagues are hoping for her recovery at the site, the agency said. 　On Wednesday, the van carrying Ladies’ Code skidded off the road and cra

Sept. 4, 2014

AOA Seolhyun in sexy jeans editorial

K-pop group AOA’s Seolhyun has posed in tight jeans for fashion brand Buckaroojeans. The idol wore “nude” makeup and tight jeans, revealing her slim figure. Seolhyun won the grand prize at the Smart School Uniform Contest in 2010 before making her debut as one of the members of AOA. She will also make her screen debut alongside actor Lee Min-ho in the movie “Gangnam Blues” at the end of the year. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo credit: Buckaroojeans)

Sept. 4, 2014

Ladies’ Code tops music charts after member’s death

The dream of Ladies’ Code member EunB, who tragically died in a car accident on Wednesday, has been fulfilled by fans who propelled her group’s song to No. 1.“I’m Fine Thank You,” from second EP “Pretty Pretty” is at the top of nine music charts on Korea’s prominent music streaming sites, including Melon, Genie, Bugs, and Soribada.Despite the song being released last September, it is being purchased by people wanting to offer condolences for EunB and fulfill her lifetime dream of “topping the mu

Sept. 4, 2014

Park Shin-hye confirmed to star in ‘Pinocchio’

Hallyu actress Park Shin-hye will play the heroine of SBS’ new television series “Pinocchio,” the broadcaster confirmed on Thursday. Star label S.A.L.T. Entertainment said Park won the final confirmation from the broadcaster to play Choi In-ha, the heroine, of the romantic drama. The drama portrays the passionate pursuit of justice by young news reporters on the social affairs desk. (Park Shin-hye Twitter)According to the scenario, Choi has a chronic symptom called “Pinocchio complex,” breaking

Sept. 4, 2014

Cookie-cutter hallyu won’t last long: culture minister

New Culture Minister Kim Jong-deok said Wednesday that hallyu was bound to lose its appeal unless it moves on from its current cookie-cutter style and content. “Hallyu is now driven mostly by (the popularity of a small bunch of) entertainers (the so-called hallyu stars,)” he told a group of reporters in Seoul on Wednesday. But that’s not a sustainable strategy.Speaking at his first press conference since taking office on Aug. 21, the minister stressed the need for genuine cultural exchange and c

CultureSept. 3, 2014

Festival recreates glamour of Istanbul

The opulence and glamour of old Istanbul will be recreated in the historic South Korean city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, during “Istanbul in Gyeongju 2014,” an upcoming cultural festival to tie the two cities as partners.The festival will kick off a 10-day run on Sept. 12 as part of the Gyeongju World Culture Expo, amazing visitors to Gyeongju with decorations resembling historic sites in Istanbul. It will also entertain them with performances, exhibitions and parades, all with a foc

CultureSept. 3, 2014

[Herald Interview] Russian museum director talks value of cultural exchange

Alexy Levykin has dedicated most of his life to the preservation of Russian history.As a former supervisor of studies at the Moscow Kremlin Museum for nearly 10 years and now the director of The State Historical Museum, Levykin is a firm believer that museums are gateways to both the past and the future. “The human memory is the guarantor of preservation and development of personality,” he said. “The museum is a place where it is necessary to go periodically and discover something new every time

CultureSept. 3, 2014

Innovation, ‘ppalli ppalli’ interest cultural leaders

With the underlying initiative of cultivating “unofficial ambassadors of Korea,” the Corea Image Communication Institute hosted its fifth annual Culture Communication Forum this week, inviting 16 cultural figures from around the world to participate in a three-day cultural exchange in Korea. Aiming to provide this team of various cultural leaders from 16 countries ― including Turkey, India, Russia, Brazil and the U.S. ― with hands-on experiences and insights into the local culture and history, C

CultureSept. 3, 2014

[Herald Interview] Williams encourages people to appreciate Korea’s treasures

Aside from being the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the most renowned and best-known museums in the world, attracting more than 6.2 million visitors every year. As the Met’s chief audience development officer, Donna Williams says she has had a number of opportunities to work closely with her local Korean-American community, adding that the establishment of its Asia Wing has “built a very big connection” with it. “We had this wo

CultureSept. 3, 2014