MMCA reveals recent works from artist residency program

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on Friday kicked off “MMCA Residency Changdong Report 2018,” an annual exhibition that introduces works of artists currently under the nation-led museum’s residency program.Over 10 days, the artists will introduce works and performances produced during their residencies at a studio in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul.  Artist Sung Nak-hee’s 2018 work "Untitled Changdong2 (detail)" (MMCA)Seven artists from five different countries are currently under

Arts & DesignNov. 23, 2018

T-ara’s Jiyeon signs with Koo Hye-sun, Han Ye-seul’s agency

T-ara’s Jiyeon signed with Partners Park, the same agency that works with actresses Koo Hye-sun and Han Ye-seul, for her domestic activities. Partners Park said Friday that it will exclusively manage Jiyeon’s domestic singing and acting deals. “We will endeavor to assist Park Ji-yeon in bringing great works to you,” the agency said.  Park Ji-yeon (Partners Park)Jiyeon debuted in 2009 as a singer in the group T-ara. She is known for her hits “Lies,” “Bo Peep Bo Peep” and “I Go Crazy Because of Yo

FilmNov. 23, 2018

Ailee confirms solo concert in December

Singer Ailee will stage a solo concert in December, according to YMC Entertainment on Friday.The event, which runs Dec. 8-9 at the Olympic Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, is the star’s first solo concert this year. A poster for Ailee’s upcoming concert in December (Yonhap)The agency said Ailee will show her full potential as a singer during the concert, filling the stage with various genres of music from soft ballads to powerful dance tracks.“I cannot believe that it’s already been a year since my

PerformanceNov. 23, 2018

Rapper gets suspended sentence for assaulting girlfriend

An appeals court upheld rapper Iron’s 2016 sentence of eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, after a lower court found him guilty of multiple counts of assault.The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found Iron, 26, guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend on several occasions, including an assault during a sexual encounter.He was also ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.  (Yonhap)Iron was booked without detention in September 2016 after punching his girlfriend

PerformanceNov. 23, 2018

Block B without Zico? Group leader not renewing with agency

Rapper Zico is leaving Block B after his five-year contract with the group’s label recently expired. Seven Seasons, which represents Block B, announced in a statement on Friday that Zico and the agency had agreed not to renew.“We thank Zico for (all the efforts he put in) as the leader and producer of Block B,” Seven Seasons said in its statement. “We wish Zico luck on his new beginning. We will always support him.”  Zico (Yonhap)The remaining six band members have extended their contracts, Seve

PerformanceNov. 23, 2018

Jang Geun-suk’s fans sue online commenters for defamation

Cri-J, the fan club of actor Jang Geun-suk, is taking legal action in defense of its hero’s reputation. The fan club told local media Friday that it had launched a fundraiser in August, seeking 20 million won ($17,690) to sue online rumormongers who had posted “unfounded ill-intended words (against Jang Geun-suk).” Fans say the targets of the suit repeatedly left malicious comments about Jang. With the funds it raised, the fan club recently filed a defamation suit against the commenters. (Tree J

PerformanceNov. 23, 2018

18th-century royal court artwork to be designated national treasure

An 18th-century collection of works that includes a historic painting depicting events at the Joseon Dynasty royal court is slated to become one of South Korea’s national treasures, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday.The “Gisa Gyecheop,” or “Album of Paintings of the Gathering of Elders,” is to be promoted to national treasure status after 30 days of deliberation by the Cultural Heritage Committee and feedback from experts. The work is currently Treasure No. 929. 　The 50-pag

CultureNov. 23, 2018

Drunken Tiger says he considered giving up music for financial reasons

South Korean hip-hop icon Drunken Tiger has opened up about struggling with financial difficulties five years ago.He said during a group interview with reporters on Thursday that he was so financially strapped that he considered giving up music and starting a tteokbokki (a spicy rice cake dish) stand in his neighborhood.In South Korea, a tteokbokki stand is one of the most common businesses opened by low-income self-employed workers.The story came as a surprise because the award-winning hip-hop

PerformanceNov. 23, 2018

[Eye Plus] Botanical garden opens in Seoul

As South Korea’s capital, home to some 10 million people, is blanketed in a heavy fine dust that clogs throats, a newly opened botanical garden in western Seoul has become a haven for those seeking to breathe clean air. Seoul Botanic Park, which is twice the size of Yeouido Park and located at the center of Magok high-tech industrial zone, has opened for a test run after a five-year construction before its official launch next spring. The indoor botanic garden showcases gardens from 12 tropical

TravelNov. 22, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Taekwondo to spearhead bringing peace to Korean peninsula’

Choue Chung-won, president of World Taekwondo, expresses confidence in ‘One world, one taekwondo’A punch to the face. This seems to be all that separates taekwondo practice in South and North Korea. The South, following the rules of World Taekwondo -- on which most international competitions, including the Olympics, are based -- bans punches to the face, while the North allows them with gloves.As the two Koreas seek to mend fences and expand exchanges in the cultural sector, World Taekwondo Pres

PeopleNov. 22, 2018

Bohol, island close to unexplored nature

BOHOL, the Philippines -- When you think about the Philippines, your first thoughts might be of Cebu or Palawan. But if you want to experience a travel destination that is more natural, more unexplored, Bohol -- the country’s 10th-largest island -- may just be perfect. Bohol, which boasts dense forests and amazing beaches with crystal-clear water, offers diverse marine activities such as swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. There are also two unique attractions that you cannot experience elsew

TravelNov. 22, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Christmas dining at Grand Hilton Seoul Grand Hilton Seoul’s all day dining restaurant Atrium will host a gala dinner on Christmas Eve.Fresh oyster, lobster soup, smoked duck, king prawn and tenderloin steak, bass roast and Christmas dessert will be served. The set-course menu costs 150,000 won per person. On Christmas day, Atrium will offer a special brunch where unlimited fresh salad bar and king prawn & steaks will be served, along with seasonal fruits and various kinds of detox juices. The br

FoodNov. 22, 2018

Enjoying modern life in traditional style

Past the steel-and-glass skyscrapers and stacked apartment complexes, a village of houses built in traditional Korean style can be found in northwestern Seoul. But something about them looks very new. Designated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Eunpyeong-gu in 2011 as a housing development site, Eunpyeong Hanok Village aims to encourage those looking to build hanok.Middle-aged couple Park In-ki and Park Eun-jeong live in the village, together with their two sons and the husband’s mother.

CultureNov. 22, 2018

‘Make way, Mr. President’: BTS storms Time’s person of the year poll

Both President Moon Jae-in and boy band BTS are vying to be named Time’s 2018 person of the year, in the US magazine’s annual search for the person or group who has had the greatest influence for the past 12 months. This photo of Moon and BTS was posted on the band`s official Twitter account on Oct. 14. (Twitter @BTS_BigHit)BTS currently leads the magazine’s online poll with 10 percent of total votes, followed by Moon with 7 percent.Time started holding the online poll in 1998 to let readers wei

PerformanceNov. 22, 2018

BTS wins first platinum single and first gold album from RIAA

BTS recently won its first platinum single and two gold album certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America.RIAA certifications are awarded based on number of recording units sold -- over 500,000 certify for gold, over 1 million platinum, over 10 million diamond. (Big Hit Entertainment)The septet’s latest album “Love Yourself: Answer,” which debuted at the top of Billboard 200’s Sept. 1 chart, has been certified gold, becoming its first gold-certified album. The lead track to t

PerformanceNov. 22, 2018

‘Produce 101’ star Jeon Somi to debut solo under YG subsidiary

Jeon Somi, a winner of season one of the talent competition show “Produce 101,” will embark on a solo career in March 2019. (Mnet)Jeon debuted with the yearlong project group I.O.I following the season finale in April 2016. Comprising contenders who finished within the top 11, I.O.I enjoyed success, winning three new artist of the year awards at three of the major music awards at home: Golden Disc, Mnet Asian Music Awards and Seoul Music Awards.Previously signed with JYP Entertainment, Jeon did

PerformanceNov. 21, 2018

Making Stravinsky visible

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company’s “Three Stravinsky” is a set of three dances based on three compositions by Igor Stravinsky, one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.A follow-up project to last year’s “Three Bolero,” in which three choreographers reinterpreted composer Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero,” this piece also involved three choreographers: the company’s artistic director Ahn Sung-soo and colleagues Kim Jae-duk and Jung Young-doo. Each one selected a Stravinsky sc

PerformanceNov. 21, 2018

‘Take Point’ delves into story of privatized military

From James Cameron’s “Avatar” to “Ready Player One,” soldier of fortune characters have made frequent appearances in Hollywood blockbusters. But rarely does one become the subject of a Korean film.The upcoming action thriller “Take Point,” directed by Kim Byung-woo, features a pack of mercenaries operating within an international military corporation, working on an enormous project with potentially catastrophic ramifications.“When we think of combat action, we often think of soldiers. I wanted a

FilmNov. 21, 2018

[Video] ‘Encounter’ marks Song Hye-kyo’s return to TV drama

Actress Song Hye-kyo is returning to the small screen with the new romance series “Encounter,” ending a hiatus following her high-profile marriage to Song Joong-ki in 2017.She will star opposite actor Park Bo-gum as his love interest. Park has also been away from TV for nearly two years, since “Love in the Moonlight.” Song plays Cha Soo-hyun, the daughter of a prominent politician and a celebrity in her own right as the ex-wife of a conglomerate heir, widely known as a chaebol in Korea. Cha take

TelevisionNov. 21, 2018

Rapper Microdot apologizes after parents’ fraud allegations

Rapper Microdot has apologized in the face of growing pressure to address fraud allegations surrounding his parents.In a statement released Wednesday, the rapper said, “First and foremost, I want to apologize to those who were hurt because of what my parents did.” (Microdot`s Instagram)“As a son, I think I have some responsibility to bear. I want to meet each and every one (of the victims) and listen,” he added. Microdot also apologized for his previous comments that the allegations are unfounde

PerformanceNov. 21, 2018