[Video] Exploring the art of K-pop dance

For choreographer May J. Lee, K-pop dance comes off as a mix of two conflicting features.It’s complex, incorporating all different genres of dance depending on a song’s concept, but still simple enough to be catchy, says Lee, the co-creator of the dances for Twice’s “Knock Knock” and Jay Park’s “All I Wanna Do.”Choreography has become inseparable from K-pop, from Psy’s easy-to-follow “Gangnam Style” gallop to BTS’ vigorous on-stage performances, where its members showcase complicated routines in

CultureJan. 31, 2018

Korean music master Hwang Byung-ki dies at 82

Hwang Byung-ki, a master of the Korean traditional musical instrument “gayageum,” died of pneumonia Wednesday, his family said.“He was treated for a cerebral stroke last December but died of pneumonia that he’d developed as a complication,” a family member told Yonhap News Agency.He died at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday. Hwang Byung-ki (Yonhap)The master, professor emeritus at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, is credited with pushing the boundaries of the Korean traditional music “gukak” and experimenting

CultureJan. 31, 2018

‘Idol Moms’ shows why mothers are true star makers

There were times when young K-pop wannabes had to confront parents who were unsupportive of their seemingly rugged dreams. But with K-pop’s recent global success, the situation is now vastly different, with mothers of idol hopefuls standing firmly at the forefront of raising their kids to be the next K-pop stars. To deliver such a message, “Idol Moms,” Lifetime Korea’s new reality show co-produced with S.M Entertainment, focuses on the lives of such young K-pop wannabes and their mothers, who fu

TelevisionJan. 30, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead,’ formulaic, funny, but not super-fun

It’s a bit of a stretch to compare director Kim Sok-yun‘s “Detective K” series to Marvel’s “Iron Man” franchise. In both cases, the first movie was a pleasant surprise, the second was a disappointment, and the third was not bad, but leaves viewers scratching their heads.The third installment “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead” takes the audience on a ride to uncover a mystery surrounding a vampire legend and a strange serial murder case. There were no vampire lores in the Joseon Dynasty, bu

FilmJan. 30, 2018

French director Sylvain Chomet to cinematize novelist Hwang Sok-yong’s ‘Familiar Things’

Korean author Hwang Sok-yong’s novel “Familiar Things” is expected to be cinematized by French animator Sylvain Chomet, who directed “Triplets of Belleville” and “The Illusionist.”The Susijn Agency, a London-based literary agency that represents Hwang, on Tuesday said that the firm is currently “in mid-negotiation” with Chomet over the cinematization of the novel. Details will be revealed after contracts have been signed, it added. Chomet had expressed hopes to make an animation with Seoul as a

FilmJan. 30, 2018

SeMA to step up efforts amid unfavorable circumstances

Seoul Museum of Art on Monday unveiled its 2018 SeMA Biennale lineup, as well as other exhibitions scheduled for this year, but concerns about inadequate time to prepare for the September biennale and budget cuts loom large.SeMA has made significant changes to the 2018 SeMA Biennale -- now renamed the Seoul Mediacity Biennale. This year’s biennale will comprise exhibitions organized by six curatorial collective members, a departure from the 10-year-old practice of having one director.  A floor i

Arts & DesignJan. 30, 2018

Steve Aoki confirms collaboration with BTS

Steve Aoki, the mastermind behind BTS’ “Mic Drop” remix, has confirmed his next collaboration with K-pop’s reigning boy band. The musician-producer recently told US pop site Trending Live that he plans to release an original track with BTS this year. Steve Aoki (Yonhap)“That (‘Mic Drop’ remix) was the start. And now we got some new music coming out for 2018. That’s exciting as well. So we got this remix to put out there, but now we have some more original music as well,” he said. The “Mic Drop”

PerformanceJan. 30, 2018

[Photo News] Inje ice fishing fest successful

The Inje Ice Fishing festival is gaining popularity, with 110,000 people flocking to rural Inje County on the event's first day to catch smelts through holes pierced in a frozen lake, the county office said Tuesday.The annual festival opened Saturday for a nine-day run after a four-year hiatus due to unseasonably warm winter weather.The lake, located 165 km northeast of Seoul, was packed with people all day long Sunday despite one of the strongest cold spells in the country's history. Some 6,000

TravelJan. 30, 2018

Suzy: “I always wanted to sing about various facets of love”

Juggling her roles as a singer and an actress, Suzy has been keeping a delicate balance. Just when the scale seems to have tipped toward acting, the former Miss A member once again jumped toward music with her new EP “Faces of Love.”  Suzy at a media showcase for her new EP “Faces of Love” in Seoul on Monday. (JYP Entertainment)The singer’s second EP released Monday evening marks her first album release since her R&B-tinged debut EP “Yes? No?” in January last year. Returning as a soloist has bee

PerformanceJan. 29, 2018

[Graphic News] Per capita rice consumption falls to low in 2017

　South Korea‘s per capita rice consumption hit a record low last year, government data showed.　The average annual consumption of rice per person fell to 61.8 kilograms in 2017, down 0.2 percent from the previous year’s 61.9 kg, according to the data by Statistics Korea.　Daily rice consumption per person also dropped to 169.3 grams last year from 169.6 grams tallied in the previous year, the data showed.　Consumption of non-rice grains edged down 2.2 percent on-year to 9.1 kg in 2017 from 9.3 kg a

FoodJan. 29, 2018

White roses, Kesha offer rallying cry for women at Grammys

NEW YORK -- Dozens of Grammy Award performers and attendees wore or held white roses Sunday in support of the Time’s Up movement, in an awards season where every awards show has confronted sexual misconduct in show business.“My message on this is for everybody to treat each other like we want to be treated,” said Reba McEntire, winner for best roots gospel album. “It’s the golden rule.”Singer-songwriter Ledisi, nominated for three Grammys and a performer at the Women‘s March in Las Vegas earlier

PerformanceJan. 29, 2018

BTS: Secret behind our success is not social media, but sincerity, equality

Many have attributed the high popularity of the K-pop boy band BTS to its clever use of social media, but the group said its sincerity and quality were more integral to its success.“People pay attention only to the fact that we have communicated well with our fans on social media. But more important is that since we’re singers the quality of our music and performance should be unconditionally good,” RM, leader of the group, said during a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul. BTS (GQ

PerformanceJan. 29, 2018

Bruno Mars has magical night at Grammys, winning 6 for 6

NEW YORK -- Bruno Mars owned the Grammys with his R&B-inspired album “24K Magic,” winning all six awards he was nominated for at a show where hip-hop was expected to have a historical night.Jay-Z, the leading nominee with eight, walked away empty handed Sunday -- a year after his wife lost album of the year to Adele, causing fans and peers to criticize the Recording Academy for not properly rewarding Beyonce’s bold “Lemonade” project. And though Kendrick Lamar won five awards, he lost in the top

PerformanceJan. 29, 2018

H.O.T to reunite on ‘Infinite Challenge’

Legendary K-pop act H.O.T is to reunite on TV entertainment show “Infinite Challenge.” The mega-hit band debuted in 1996 and quickly rose to stardom, attracting fans from all age groups before it ultimately disbanded in 2001.  H.O.T (S.M. Entertainment)The production staff of MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” announced the H.O.T reunion Monday, “H.O.T is to perform at MBC Dream Center on Feb. 15 as a part of the TV show.” It explained discussions had started in 2014, but as the bandmates had spent a lo

PerformanceJan. 29, 2018

Guilt-free shopping spree without spending a dime

“I just spent over 15 million won ($14,000) on shopping.” A popular beauty vlogger’s recent post created buzz in the YouTube community. It wasn’t violent, disgusting or sexual -- it was lavish. In the clip, the vlogger excitedly explained how she spent some 15 million won on bags, clothes and shoes from a high-end fashion brand. Beauty vloggers introduce luxury goods they have purchased. The two vloggers spent more than 15 million won ($14,000) each buying clothes, bags and shoes. (YouTube)The e

TelevisionJan. 29, 2018

Artday to hold January action

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding an online auction between Jan. 27 and Jan. 31, presenting major works of art by contemporary artists here and abroad. The latest art auction will offer numerous artworks by renowned artists including Oh Su-fan, Choi Byung-so, Kim Chong-hak, Kwun Sun-cheol and Son Eung-sung, along with foreign artists.  cap – “Tranquility” by Oh Su-fan /ArtdayIn particular, the collection will feature Oh Su-fan’s “Tranquility” series, as well as the monochro

Arts & DesignJan. 28, 2018

GOT7 to drop new album

Boy band GOT7 is to release a new album. “The group is preparing for a comeback, but the exact date has not been set,” said the group’s management agency JYP. GOT7 (JYP Entertainment)Local media outlets expect the release to be between February and March, citing industry officials. According to reports, the seven-member group is shooting a music video for the new track. The multinational band, which includes three non-Korean members, debuted in 2014. Its latest EP “7 for 7” released last October

PerformanceJan. 28, 2018

B1A4 sustains minor injuries in car crash

K-pop act B1A4 was rushed to a hospital after being involved in a car accident.The boy band was on its way to perform at the ICON Concert in Inje, Gangwon Province, on Saturday. The event was held in support of the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.  B1A4 (WM Entertainment)The accident occurred in the Gapyeong area of Gyeonggi Province when the group’s car collided with a vehicle in front of it. At the time of the crash, all of the five members -- CNU, Baro, Gongchan, Sandeul and Jinyoun

PerformanceJan. 28, 2018

Medical drama ‘Cross’ to bring attention to organ transplantations

Setting itself apart from other medical dramas, tvN’s “Cross” deals with the subject of organ transplantation, hoping that viewers come to recognize the importance of the issue. Medical dramas have become a popular fixture on Korean TV, many portraying the strenuous lives of surgeons. But there has not been a drama that speaks of organ transplantation, as the subject itself is still unfamiliar to the public. A new Monday-Tuesday drama series “Cross” -- featuring actors Cho Jae-hyun and Go Kyung-

TelevisionJan. 28, 2018

Seoul Philharmonic to perform Beethoven‘s ‘Emperor’ with pianist Yevgeny Sudbin

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a concert at Seoul Arts Center in Seoul on Thursday, along with Russian concert pianist Yevgeny Sudbin and conductor Antony Hermus. 　The concert will feature Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 73 -- also popularly known as “Emperor” -- with Sudbin on the piano. Pianist Sudbini is acclaimed for his recording of Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto together with the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Osmo Vanska. The pianist is currently signed with Sweden-based

PerformanceJan. 28, 2018