Fact is, Paul Bettany is fine with vampires

LOS ANGELES ― In his new 3D action film “Priest,” Paul Bettany plays a laconic warrior with a cross tattooed on his face, a man who channels divine power to combat the vampire menace that terrorizes the citizens of a post-apocalyptic realm. But it’s not entirely new territory for the English actor, whose resume includes “A Knight’s Tale,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side

May 13, 2011

Cannes honors women in independent productions

CANNES, France ― This year’s Cannes Film Festival is filled with big-budget movies like “Puss in Boots” and “Kung Fu Panda 2,” but on Thursday evening, the focus was on the realm of independent film. Cannes judge Uma Thurman and actress Rosario Dawson were honored for their contributions to indie film. Also lauded were “Sleeping Beauty” director Jane Campion and the film’s producer, Jessica Brentn

May 13, 2011

Art community rallies to Ai Weiwei’s defense

LONDON (AP) ― Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has vanished. But look around, and he seems to be everywhere.More than a month after one of China’s best-known contemporary artist was arrested while trying to board a flight to Hong Kong, his name, his face and his art have popped up across the globe. China’s communist rulers have steadfastly refused to say where Ai is or who’s holding him, but his colleague

May 12, 2011

Can Kim Jun-su draw K-pop crowds again?

All eyes on Kim during rehearsal for ‘Mozart!’ musical starting its second roundNamsan Creative Center in Yejang-dong, central Seoul, was jammed with about 200 people on Wednesday when musical “Mozart!” opened its practice room to press and fans. Though there were no ardent fans screaming or waving placards, it was obvious by the direction the cameras were flashing in that most were there to see o

May 12, 2011

Beastie Boys return older and sillier

Beastie Boys members (from left) Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Adam “MCA” Yauch and Michael “Mike D” Diamond. (AP-Yonhap News)WEST HOLLYWOOD (AP) ― On a wind-swept balcony at the posh Chateau Marmont hotel, Michael “Mike D” Diamond, one-third of the legendary hip-hop trio the Beastie Boys, is recounting to Adam “Ad-Rock” Horowitz what happened at a party that he departed early the night before. Among t

May 12, 2011

Rare Korean musical instruments exhibited

Rare musical instruments used in ancient Korea will be exhibited with traditional music scores and related paintings at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, the organizers said.The museum and the National Gugak Center are jointly holding “Korea Traditional Instruments and Music” at the museum’s special exhibition room through June 26, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Gugak Cente

May 11, 2011

SM stars to perform 2nd Paris concert

SM Entertainment said on Wednesday it will hold an additional K-pop concert “SM Town Live World Tour in Paris” on June 11, after hundreds of French K-pop fans rallied in Paris calling for an extra concert last week. Their demonstration came after tickets for a June 10 concert, to be held at Le Zenith de Paris, sold out in just 15 minutes. The protests involved a flash mob and a group dance to Kore

May 11, 2011

S.E.S.’s Eugene to wed in July

Former S.E.S. member-turned actress Eugene announced Wednesday that she is marrying actor Ki Tae-young in July. The pair started dating right after starring together in the MBC drama “Seeking Love,” which ended last January. They are known to have become close while attending the same church after Eugene converted Ki to Christianity. They have been dating for about a year and a half. Ki Tae-young

May 11, 2011

SM to add another K-pop concert in Paris

SM Entertainment said on Wednesday it will hold an additional K-pop concert “SM Town Live World Tour in Paris” on June 11, after hundreds of French fans of K-pop rallied in Paris calling for an extra concert last week. Their move came after tickets for a June 10 concert, to be held at Le Zenith de Paris, sold out in just 15 minutes. The protests involved a flash mob and a group dance to Korean pop

May 11, 2011

Britney Spears subject of biographic comic book

In this comic book cover released by Bluewater Productions Inc., an issue of "Fame" featuring singer Britney Spears, is shown. (AP-Yonhap News)PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Britney Spears is no stranger to music buyers and concert-goers. Now, her star power will be on display with web-slingers, shape shifters and superheroes.The pop music star is the subject of a new one-shot comic book courtesy of Bluewate

May 11, 2011

S.E.S. Eugene to wed in July

 Former girl group S.E.S. member-turned actress Eugene announced Wednesday that she would marry actor Ki Tae-young in July. The two starred as the main characters in 2009 MBC drama “Seeking Love” and have been dating for about a year and a half. Both made an announcement to their fans first, by writing on their fan club community sites this morning. “There is something that pops up to my mind at t

May 11, 2011

Marley: Legacy wanes but the cult lives on

KINGSTON (AFP) ― Bob Marley’s musical legacy may be waning 30 years after his death as Jamaica’s youth prefers dancehall to reggae, but the singer remains a cult, if highly commercialized, figure.Marley has become a merchandiser’s dream, with everything from shoes to snowboards bearing his image, but his friends say it would be tragic if his message of justice for the oppressed gets lost to corpor

May 10, 2011

French art not all about classics

François Morellet’s neon lines show new side of French art to Korean publicYou would be forgiven if 19th century impressionism and its serene works by Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir were the first things to spring to mind at the mention of French art.Overshadowed by the Young British Artists and U.S. pop artists who captured the art world’s attention in the 20th century with their bold and

May 10, 2011

Whitney Houston voluntarily enters rehab

Whitney Houston (AP)NEW YORK (AP)- Whitney Houston is back in rehab.A representative for the superstar singer confirmed Monday that Houston is undergoing treatment. Kristen Foster says Houston is in an out-patient program for drug and alcohol treatment. She says it is a voluntary measure and part of Houston's ``long-standing'' recovery process.The 47-year-old, one of the most successful singers in

May 10, 2011

The Radiators put up last show at New Orleans’ jazz fest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― On the final day of this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, fans camped out early Sunday to get a great spot to hear the closing day set of The Radiators ― one of the city’s funkiest blues rock bands ― who have been closing the fest along with the Neville Brothers for years.The band ― keyboardist Ed Volker, guitarists Dave Malone and Camile Baudoin, bassist Reggie Scan

May 9, 2011

Samsung’s art museums back in full force

Rodin Gallery reopens as PLATEAU, kicks off first exhibition in three yearsJust as Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee has started to show up at Samsung offices on a regular basis, the group’s art sector is getting ready to engage more in the local art scene. Rodin Gallery, one of the three art museums run by Samsung, reopened with a new name, PLATEAU, last week in its original place in Taepy

May 9, 2011

Remote Indian state hooked on Korean wave

IMPHAL, India (AFP) ― When separatist rebels in the remote Indian state of Manipur banned Hindi movies a decade ago, they had little idea it would trigger a cultural invasion from a country more than 2,000 miles away.But when Bollywood was forced out, the Koreans moved in.In the markets of the state capital Imphal, shops are packed with DVDs of South Korean films and television soap operas, as wel

May 9, 2011

Lena Park to show on stage what TV couldn’t

Lena Park, also known as Park Jung-hyun, almost always shines more on the stage than on TV entertainment shows, as her strength in vocal and theatrical expressions is more obvious at concert venues.Plus, born and raised in Los Angeles, her mother tongue was English, which has made it quite challenging for her to appeal to a broad spectrum of the Korean audience in her early music career in Korea.T

May 8, 2011