Hyun Bin receives savings award

Actor Hyun Bin has been chosen by the Financial Services Commission to receive a prize for his thrifty lifestyle. On Tuesday FSC announced that it will be giving several awards to hallyu starts in a ceremony on Oct. 29 to commemorate the 50th annual Savings Day. Savings Day began in 1973 to promote frugality and savings to bolster Korea’s financial industry. The 31-year-old heartthrob Hyun Bin starred in many widely popular television series including “Secret Garden,” which aired in 2011 and can

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

Singapore Airlines offers special day for disabled children

Singapore Airlines invited 20 disabled and underprivileged children for a special outing at Incheon International Airport to view and experience the airport’s facilities last week, the company said.The children enjoyed activities at each of seven “booths” that the airline company set up within the airport. They were sent on missions to explore the airport railways, airfields and other facilities, as well as to participate in airport services like getting their passports issued, checking in and e

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

Sunfull holds concert for Sichuan quake victims

The Sunfull Movement, which campaigns to foster a culture of positive online comments, held a concert at the Raum Art Center in Seoul on Monday to memorialize Sichuan quake victims.The host of the event also delivered a book of condolences gathered on the movement’s website to the People’s Daily, which is the Chinese partner of the drive to send encouraging messages to the quake victims.The concert included Seoul Pops Orchestra conducted by Ha Sung-ho, Sunfull publicity envoy and singer Ali, ten

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

Group campaigns to remove Takeshima from iPhone map

A group of civilian diplomats devoted to publicizing Korea in cyber space has launched a campaign to delete Japanese or any other names for the Korean islets of Dokdo from Apple iPhone’s map service. “Apple service refers to Dokdo as Takeshima too, which is the name it is called by Japan. We will carry out projects to erase Takeshima or any other names for the Korean islets from online services, not only by Apple but also by Google, Facebook and Microsoft,” said Park Gi-tae, founder of Voluntary

PeopleSept. 30, 2013

Park Myung-hoon named Isang Yun competition winner

Classical music composer Park Myung-hoon was named the Grand Prize winner of the Isang Yun International Composition Prize 2013 for his latest piece, “puzzle house,” the Isang Yun Peace Foundation said Monday. Park, 33, is the first Korean to receive the biennial prize, which was established in 2007 to commemorate the internationally acclaimed Germany-based Korean composer Yun Isang who died in 1995. Park will receive $20,000 in prize money.The jury including Lee Geon-yong, Paul Mefano, Bright S

PeopleSept. 30, 2013

Korea International Art Fair hopes to revive depressed market

Korea’s biggest art fair opens on Thursday amid the high expectations of local galleries that hope to attract potential collectors and give exposure to their artists in a depressed art market.The Korea International Art Fair kicks off a five-day art market in which 180 local and international galleries will showcase works of their artists at Coex in Samseong-dong, Seoul. This year’s art fair drew 130 Korean galleries and 53 overseas galleries from China, Japan, the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, th

PerformanceSept. 30, 2013

Paju book fest to feature Yi I, maps

Paju Book City, home to some 300 local publishing houses in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is throwing its annual book-themed festival, focusing on Asian literature and authors this year. Dubbed “Paju Booksori,” the festival celebrates its third edition this year. The event, which opened Saturday, includes lectures, performances and exhibitions, featuring authors and publishers from home and abroad.One of the festival’s exhibitions features the life and works of Yi I (1536-1584), one of the most promi

BooksSept. 30, 2013

Ancient Greek Olympic site threatened by crisis

NEMEA, Greece (AP) ― While world leaders and top athletes lit the Olympic flame with pageantry drawn from antiquity, another important ancient site of athletic prowess sat overlooked and endangered.Some 200 kilometers east of Ancient Olympia where the flame lighting for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi went off without a hitch Sunday, the Nemea stadium and its humbler games are in danger of closing to the public because of crisis-hit Greece’s harsh budget cuts, according to a renowned American arc

CultureSept. 30, 2013

SHINee to release new EP

SHINee is coming back with their fifth EP, “Everybody,” set for release on Oct. 14. On Monday, S.M. Entertainment released two teasers for the album’s upcoming release, showing images of member Taemin. The youngest member of SHINee, who is known for his baby face, is pictured sporting a whole new concept, showing a more charismatic, edgier side to the boy band member who is decked out in a bold red suit in one photo and a wide-brimmed hat in the other. In spring, the K-pop group released their t

Sept. 30, 2013

G-Dragon to release limited-edition LP

K-pop giant G-Dragon will release 8,888 limited-edition LPs of his second studio album “Coup D’etat,” which has been ranking high on music charts ever since its release on Sept. 5. “We will produce only 8,888 limited-edition LPs because G-Dragon considers the number eight his ‘lucky number,’” a representative for the artist stated. The artist will also take time to number all of the LPs from one to 8,888 in his own handwriting. The LP will feature special images from his latest exhibition “G-Dra

Sept. 30, 2013

B.A.P. nabs top spot on German K-pop chart

K-pop boy band B.A.P. has nabbed the top spot on Germany’s K-pop chart. According to an announcement made by their agency, TS Entertainment, on Monday, the group took the No. 1 spot on Germany’s K-pop chart for the month of August with the track “Hurricane” on Aug. 26 and has stayed there since.Germany’s K-pop Chart, which has been running since December 2009, takes votes from K-pop listeners in Germany and compiles a monthly top 20. B.A.P.’s “Hurricane” was released on July 17 as one of the thr

Sept. 30, 2013

Hallyu bash arrives in Gangnam

Seoul’s Gangnam is hosting its annual month-long hallyu bash starting Thursday, presenting a K-pop concert, fashion shows and an international marathon for both expats and locals starting Thursday.Marking its seventh edition this year, the Gangnam Festival celebrates hallyu culture as well as a marathon that welcomes expats, foreign tourists and local residents to run together. Gangnam gained worldwide attention last year as Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion

PerformanceSept. 30, 2013

Thatcher’s ashes laid to rest in London

LONDON (AFP) ― The ashes of late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were laid to rest alongside the remains of her late husband Denis in London on Saturday, at a military nursing home she had long supported.An oak casket containing the ashes of the “Iron Lady,” who died in April after suffering a stroke at the age of 87, was placed in the leafy grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea nursing home beside those of Denis, who died in 2003.In power between 1979 and 1990, the former Conservative

PeopleSept. 29, 2013