Big Bang's Seungri appears for police questioning on narcotics, sex-for-favors suspicions

Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appeared before police on Wednesday to face questioning on suspicions that he circulated narcotics and attempted to buy sexual services for potential foreign investors."I apologize for causing trouble," he told reporters as he arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul around 9:00 p.m. "I will faithfully respond to the investigation." Seungri, a member of popular boy group Big Bang, appears before the Seoul Metropolitan Polic

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s barefoot heroine ‘Cinderella’ to perform in Korea

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo will perform “Cinderella” from June 12-14 at the Seoul Arts Center, the first time the company is performing in Korea in 14 years.“Cinderella” is one of the iconic choreographic works produced by the ballet company’s longtime director Jean-Christophe Maillot, who has produced more than 30 ballets for the company, including “Vers un Pays Sage (1995), “Romeo and Juliette” (1996), “The Sleeping Beauty” (2001), “Le Songe” (2005), “Altro Canto” (2006), “Faust” (2007) and “L

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

Ex-Wanna One member Ha Sung-woon kicks off solo career with self-produced EP

Ha Sung-woon, a member of popular K-pop boy band Wanna One, which disbanded earlier this year, officially launched his solo career Wednesday with his EP "My Moment," a collection of five tracks, all composed by him.His first solo record will hit the shelves and online music stores Thursday, propelling him into the increasingly competitive spring music scene.Ha is the second of the 11 former Wanna One members to go solo, following Yoon Ji-sung's release of his first solo album, "Aside." Ha Sung-w

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

Seungri fiasco marks latest headache for YG

Seungri, the youngest member of BigBang and the latest headline generator of YG Entertainment, expressed his willingness Wednesday to fully cooperate with the police investigation into the allegations surrounding him -- ranging from drugs, to police corruption and brokering prostitution.“Seungri has told us that he is truly sorry to everyone for all the issues that had been caused by him in the past month, and said he wishes to appear before the investigators as soon as possible to take drug tes

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

BTS ranks second in 2018 artist chart by intl recording federation

K-pop boy band BTS ranked second among the top ten global recording artists of 2018, named by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, becoming the first Korean musicians to make it on the chart, the chart result showed Wednesday.The Global Artist Chart of 2018 was uploaded on Tuesday (US time) on the official website of IFPI, the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide.(IFPI Twitter @IFPI_org)Drake, a Canadian rapper, took No. 1, and BTS, coming in s

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

NCT 127 to begin tour of 11 N. American cities in April

K-pop boy band NCT 127 will visit 11 North American cities in April as part of its ongoing first-ever world tour, the group's agency said Wednesday.The North American leg of NCT 127's world tour, "NCT 127 World Tour 'Neo City - The Origin,'" will kick off at Prudential Center in New Jersey on April 24 and then move to 10 other cities, according to SM Entertainment. (S.M. Entertainment)The itinerary includes Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and two Canadian cities, Vancouver and Toron

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2019

Exhibition features alternative ways to approach history

A train of cartoonish drawings by Lee Woo-sung encircles the gallery space of Ilmin Museum of Art. The small, square drawings, which look like cuts from a webtoon, or Instagram pictures, are fragments of the artist’s memory of photographs stored in his cellphone, the artist said.“Years ago, I started asking questions about the ways in which people store photographs on online social media and in their cellphones. Then, I thought I could just draw the photographs stored in my own one. I thought I

Arts & DesignFeb. 26, 2019

[Newsmaker] Police target Seungri in sex-trade investigation

Seoul police on Tuesday said they had launched an investigation into an allegation that K-pop star Seungri of Big Bang ordered his employees to procure sexual favors for his investors at a nightclub.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, its special crime squad will seek to verify a recent report by SBS funE showing text messages it claimed the singer had written. The messages indicated that he and his employees had attempted to procure prostitutes for two men accompanying an investo

PerformanceFeb. 26, 2019

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski appreciates ‘DNA’ of orchestra

When conductor Vladimir Jurowski leads the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on March 7, it will likely be his last appearance here as the principal conductor of the orchestra founded in 1932. Jurowski, who has led the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007, will be stepping down at the end of the 2020/21 season, heading to the Bavarian State Orchestra in Munich where he will take up the post of music director. In a recent email interview, he described his

PerformanceFeb. 26, 2019

Lee Sun-kyun plays corrupt police in 'Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage'

With his mild demeanor and low baritone voice, Lee Sun-kyun has the look of a gentle soul. This is ironic given that he is playing a police officer that he describes as “a total scumbag” in director Lee Jeong-beom’s upcoming crime film “Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage.” “(My character) is a police officer, but he really is trash,” said Lee in describing his character Jo Pil-ho, during a promotional press conference for the film in Seoul on Monday. “He doesn’t compare to other characters that I have

FilmFeb. 26, 2019

Kim Tae-hee and Rain awaiting birth of second child in September

Kim Tae-hee and Rain, one of South Korea's top star couples, are awaiting the birth of their second child in September, the actress' management agency BS Company said Tuesday."There is a piece of warm, good news from Kim Tae-hee ... Kim Tae-hee has recently conceived her second child and is expected to give birth in September, becoming a mother of two children," BS Company said. (Yonhap)"Upon news of the child that once again came like a blessing, Kim is currently taking a rest with a heart full

TelevisionFeb. 26, 2019

BTS wins big at major Japan music awards

K-pop boy band BTS scooped up five prizes at the annual Japan Gold Disc Award on Tuesday, a major music awards ceremony hosted by the country's Recording Industry Association.BTS won Best Asian Artist at the 33rd Japan Gold Disc Award, while its 3rd full-length Japanese album, "Face Yourself," released in April last year was given awards for Album of the Year and Best 3 Albums, according to the list of this year's awardees.  (Big Hit Entertainment)The septet scored another Best 3 Albums award fo

PerformanceFeb. 26, 2019

Actor Lee Jong-suk to enlist in Army next month

Actor Lee Jong-suk will be temporarily away from his fans from next month to complete his mandatory military duty as a public service worker, his management agency said Tuesday."Lee will begin his alternative military service as a public service worker on March 8," A-Man Project said in a release. (A-man Project)Able-bodied South Korean men are required to serve in the military for about two years.The 30-year-old actor was judged not fit for active duty because of a knee injury he sustained in a

TelevisionFeb. 26, 2019

Royal palaces, tombs to open gates to commemorate March 1 Movement

Royal palaces and tombs across the country will be open to all visitors free of charge this Friday to mark the centennial of the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919.According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the Joseon-era palaces Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung will be open free of charge on Friday, along with the shrine Jongmyo and the royal tombs of the Joseon Kingdom. It is the first time they will be open free of charge for the March 1 holiday.  This b

CultureFeb. 25, 2019

EXO's 'Tempo' music video hits 100 mln YouTube views

The music video for K-pop boy band EXO's song "Tempo" hit the threshold of 100 million YouTube views on Monday, adding to the collection of the band's songs that have achieved that feat, SM Entertainment said."Tempo" is the main track off EXO's fifth full-length album, "Don't Mess Up My Tempo," released on Nov. 2, which topped the iTunes album charts in 48 countries and regions upon its release. (S.M. Entertainment)It also ranked as high as 23rd on the main Billboard 200 album chart. "Don't Mess

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2019

French photographer claims BTS' 2016 music video takes from his work

A French photographer and writer has claimed that a banquet scene from BTS' 2016 music video "Blood Sweat & Tears" drew inspiration from one of his photos, his local agency said Monday.Bernard Faucon sent a document containing the claim to BTS' management agency Big Hit Entertainment in August and October.According to Faucon's agency here, the document also claims that his photograph "le banquet," taken in the 1970s, must have been a reference for the filming of the banquet scene in "Blood Sweat

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2019

Commemorating Korea’s independence movement with Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ symphony

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a concert at the Sejong Arts Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, paying homage to Korea’s independence movement with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55, “Eroica.” A poster for Friday’s performance (SPO)The program is in honor of those who dedicated themselves to the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919, which saw nationwide protest in Korea against Japan’s colonial rule. The symphony is a dramatic piece celebrating the memory of a

PerformanceFeb. 24, 2019

Near barbed wire fences of NK, music festival to sing for peace

The DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2019 will be held from June 5 to 9, taking place across Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone in Gangwon Province.On the first two days, events such as a showcase, seminar and conference will be held at culture complex Platform Changdong 61 in Dobong-gu, northern Seoul.  DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2019 (DMZ Peace Train Music Festival)The rest of the festival, including the main concerts, will be held for three days near Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, not far f

PerformanceFeb. 24, 2019

‘It has to be this generation’

Photographer Chris Jordan urges to people to face environmental crisis Environmental issues are an urgent matter that only this generation can address, according to photographer Chris Jordan.“We don’t have enough time to wait for the next generation to make the changes. There is a tremendous urgency. It has to be this generation who makes the changes to our behavior in a lot of different ways to protect life as we know it,” Jordan said during a press conference held Wednesday at the Sungkok Art

Arts & DesignFeb. 24, 2019

‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ from NT Live to screen at National Theater of Korea

The National Theater of Korea will hold screenings of Benedict Andrews’ production of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and James Macdonald’s reinterpretation of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by Edward Albee, from March 14 -24 at Daloreum Theater. The National Theater of Korea’s upcoming screenings of the two theater masterpieces are imports from National Theatre Live, the Royal National Theater’s program launched in 2009 to broadcast live performances of British theater works and

PerformanceFeb. 22, 2019