Comedian faces prosecution investigation over attempted rape

An attempted rape case involving a local comedian has been sent to the state prosecution for further investigation, police said Thursday.Yoo Sang-moo, 36, is accused of attempting to rape a woman, whose identity was withheld, at a motel in southern Seoul in May after they drank together at a local bar, the Gangnam Police Station said, wrapping up a two-month investigation.  (Yonhap)The woman in her 20s filed a report with the police at the scene of the alleged crime that Yoo had attempted to rap

EntertainmentJuly 21, 2016

Veteran actor to show Korea's scientific heritage on TV

Veteran Korean actor Lee Sun-jae will begin a new TV series Thursday that showcases Korea's scientific heritage and promotes the country's achievements in the field."KBS Special," a documentary program on state broadcaster KBS, traces the roots of South Korea's scientific and technological development by revealing the legacy of Korea's Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in four parts -- mathematics, medicine, astronomy and time. (KBS)"I'm not a science person at all," the actor said at a meeting with re

TelevisionJuly 21, 2016

Heroine packs a comic punch

“Someone Please Have Sex With Me” By Gina Wynbrandt2dcloud Comics & Graphic Novels (140 pages, $17.95)A girl and her Justin Bieber crush don’t exactly sound like the sort of material that darkly funny comics are made of. But Gina Wynbrandt’s first book takes seemingly innocuous girl culture and transforms it into something humorously abject.“Someone Please Have Sex With Me,” as her slim book is titled (2dcloud Comics & Graphic Novels; 140 pages, $17.95), gathers five stories about a hapless char

BooksJuly 21, 2016

U.S. spoof of Korean dramas provides comic relief

An American-Korean web drama capturing the cliches of Korean soap operas has been providing comic relief to viewers with its witty spoofs of what makes K-dramas popular here and in other parts of the world."Dramaworld," produced by the U.S.-based video streaming site Viki, bares it all -- from the handsome but arrogant male lead who refuses to inherit his family business and sets up a high-class restaurant, to the two women vying for his attention, in and outside the kitchen. (Yonhap)The 10-part

TelevisionJuly 21, 2016

'The Big Book of Science Fiction' a portal to endless reading pleasure

"The Big Book of Science Fiction" Edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer; Vintage (1,216 pages, $25)Surprisingly, the literary spirit that haunts Ann and Jeff Vandermeer's massive new anthology, "The Big Book of Science Fiction," isn't Arthur C. Clarke or Isaac Asimov or even H.G. Wells.It's Jorge Luis Borges, the creator of miniature fables of humans grappling with their double-edged longing for and terror of infinity and omniscience. He's represented by a signature story, name-checked in another on

BooksJuly 21, 2016

National museums in Seoul to open year-round

National museums in Seoul will open their doors year-round starting in late September, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has said.The extended opening aims to enhance people's rights to enjoy culture and provide foreign tourists with more chances to visit the museums, the ministry said Wednesday.The plan will affect five facilities -- the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, the National Hangeul Museum, the Seoul branch of the National Museum of

EntertainmentJuly 21, 2016

Tongyeong to play host to classical autumn series

Following the annual Tongyeong International Music Festival’s homage to the “Sounds of Tomorrow” in March, the city of Tongyeong is gearing up for the autumn concert series starting in September. From Sept. 4, the Tongyeong Concert Hall will play host to nine concerts by both local and international musicians until October. Opening the curtain for this year’s autumn musical festivities is the local Novous Quartet, featuring Son Yeol-eum on the piano. The acclaimed ensemble is slated to perform S

PerformanceJuly 21, 2016

'Train to Busan' fetches record opening

"Train to Busan," one of the most anticipated films of this summer, has set a new record opening for all movies ever screened in the country, data showed Thursday.The apocalyptic zombie thriller drew an audience of 858,659 on Wednesday, taking 82.3 percent of all ticket sales, according to the computerized box-office figures from the Korean Film Council. (Yonhap)The previous record was 727,901 set by "Captain America: Civil War" in April, which surpassed the 2014 Korean film "Roaring Currents."

FilmJuly 21, 2016

Movie star Gong Yoo opens up about his own fears

In the zombie apocalypse film “Train to Busan,” which opened in theaters Wednesday, actor Gong Yoo plays the role of a father who is too busy with his demanding job as a fund manager to spend quality time with his daughter.　　“I’m still single, so I had to use my imagination for that,” Gong told reporters at a group interview on Monday in a cafe in Seoul. Casually dressed and waering a baseball cap, the actor discussed his thoughts on parenthood, social media and his own horrors.　 Actor Gong Yoo

FilmJuly 20, 2016

Kim Hyun-joong to receive first verdict in August

Singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong will receive the first verdict for the case involving his alleged assault on his ex-girlfriend early next month.Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday concluded hearing from both parties’ legal agents. The court will announce the verdict at 2 p.m. on Aug. 20.  (Yonhap)Kim has been entangled in a number of civil and criminal suits with his ex-girlfriend. She claims that had Kim beaten her, resulting in the miscarriage of a child as she was supposedly pregnant at the

July 20, 2016

KARA's Park Gyu-ri seeks career change at new agency

K-pop singer Park Gyu-ri, a member of now-disbanded girl group KARA, reached a deal with a local talent agency as she moves to become a full-fledged actress, her new management said on Wednesday. The 28-year-old idol singer signed a contract with Motion Media Entertainment after the four-member K-pop band officially dissolved in January. The Seoul-based talent agency also manages actor Lee Jong-hyuk and child actress Seo Shin-ae. (Motion Media Entertainment)"We sealed an exclusive management con

EntertainmentJuly 20, 2016

Audition-winning BewhY will carry on with ‘nice’ rap

BewhY wants to continue spouting his own brand of “nice” rap. The 23-year-old, whose real name is Lee Byung-yoon, nabbed the spotlight as the leading contestant during the fifth season of hiphop audition program “Show Me the Money,” which began airing on Mnet in May. He eventually nabbed the top prize in last week’s final episode.The rookie rapper has been open about his Christian faith on the show. He wants to carry on writing lyrics that both convey his own beliefs and resonate with the wider

PerformanceJuly 20, 2016

Nick Offerman finds the voice of Tom Sawyer

If you imagine Nick Offerman is a real-life version of Ron Swanson, the mustachioed, macho character on “Parks and Recreation,” think again. Sure, he likes the outdoors, and yes, he has a wood shop in Los Angeles. But those things are connected to growing up in Illinois, not so far, really, from the American heartland portrayed by Mark Twain. And Offerman knows Twain; he’s a big reader.It makes sense, then, that Offerman has just recorded “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” for Audible, the audiobook

BooksJuly 20, 2016

Gay Ecuadorian author overcomes barriers and publishes novel

NEW YORK (AP) -- As a deaf and gay student in Ecuador, Cesar Baquerizo was bullied and a victim of societal prejudice.Now, after five years of writing, Pen Name Publishing has released his first novel in English, “A Safe Place With You.”The book talks about homosexuality in Ecuador in the ’80s, when it was illegal.“I want to move readers through my words, so they can put themselves in LGBT people’s shoes and feel like they are there, in the novel, with my characters,” Baquerizo, 30, told the AP

BooksJuly 20, 2016