South Korea's national museum of contemporary art will present a series of exhibitions featuring Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and other great artists starting next year, the museum’s director said Monday.Bartomeu Mari, director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, unveiled a list of exhibitions planned for next year and beyond under such themes as “Other Modernities,”“Convergence of Architecture, Design, Cinema,” and “Modern and Contemporary Masters.”“I think it is very important

Dec. 6, 2016

LONDON (AFP) -- Sculptor Helen Marten on Monday won the Turner Prize, at a London ceremony where the art world rallied against xenophobia and intolerance.The prize is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition, and has become synonymous with controversy in its 32-year history with previous winners including contemporary art agents provocateurs Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.Marten, 31, impressed the judges with her sculptures from unusual materials such as fish skin and sno

Dec. 6, 2016

K-pop group Sechs Kies, which regrouped this year for a reunion concert after a 16-year hiatus, has released a new album filled with remakes of the band’s past hits.　More than a decade since their heyday, the members said they felt nervous but happy, with a stronger sense of responsibility than before, when the members were 20-somethings.“Before, we would basically follow the directions of the songwriters and producers,” said member Kim Jae-duck. “Now, we feel a responsibility to make better mus

Dec. 5, 2016

From Violetta in Verdi’s “La Traviata” to Fiorilla in Rossini’s “Il Turco in Italia,” up-and-coming opera star Hyesang Park is gearing up to tackle one of the theater world’s most iconic leading ladies -- Shakespeare’s Juliet. Marking her first return to the local stage since performing alongside the legendary Placido Domingo in his final concert in Korea in October, the 28-year-old Korean soprano is back home to star in the Korea National Opera’s upcoming staging of Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and

Dec. 4, 2016

Daesung of the iconic K-pop group Big Bang is gearing up for his solo tour in Japan in April. The artist -- also known as D-Lite by his Japanese fans -- will be kicking off his Japanese tour “D-Lite Japan Dome Tour 2017” at the Seibu Prince Dome in Saitama on April 14 and 15, and heading to the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on April 23 to 23, according to his management agency YG Entertainment on Sunday. The tour is expected to draw some 200,000 concertgoers to the two cities.  Before releasing his firs

Dec. 4, 2016

Members of iconic K-pop group Big Bang will be ending their busy year together on MBC’s “Infinite Challenge,” Korea’s longest-running variety program.“We discussed (Big Bang’s) potential appearance on the show last year, but the timing did not work out,” an official from the show told local media Wednesday. “This will be a meaningful way to end the year all together, and we are in the process of figuring out what the format (of the show) will look like.” Celebrating the band’s 10th anniversary t

Dec. 1, 2016

The K-pop scene is about to get bigger. DSP Media -- the agency behind girl groups Rainbow and April -- is getting ready to unveil a new act.On Thursday morning, the entertainment company released a cryptic teaser image, featuring the words K.A.R.D and Ohnana, and the numbers 12 and 13, on the official social media pages for K.A.R.D, the name of the anticipated group. “Until now, (members of K.A.R.D) have been working behind the scenes, showcasing their writing, composing and choreography skills

Dec. 1, 2016

NEW YORK (AFP) - New York’s Lincoln Center on Wednesday announced a low-key memorial for legendary poet and singer Leonard Cohen next week, with the art complex simply to play his songs.Lincoln Center -- the campus of premier US art institutions including the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic -- said the remembrance event will take place Monday.Recordings of Cohen’s music, as selected by his fans and friends, will play for four hours starting at noon at Lincoln Center’s outdoor plaza

Dec. 1, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- Megan Levinson had one wish when she turned 12. She was already starring onstage as Clara in the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular” but she wanted more. “I blew out my candles and I said, ‘I hope I grow tall enough to be a Rockette,’” she recalled. Wish granted.Levinson, of North Caldwell, New Jersey, is one of two former Claras who have graduated to the ranks of the 80 women whose high kicks electrify this year’s holiday show in New York. A family tradition for many, the show a

Nov. 30, 2016

Singer-songwriter Eric Nam is gearing up for a collaboration with renowned US producer Timbaland. Timbaland -- which has worked with global pop icons, including Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Drake and Rihanna -- aims to show a more masculine and mature side of Nam with the upcoming single “Body,” according to entertainment agency CJ E&M.The two artists will perform their fresh track on stage at this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards, one of Asia’s largest K-pop venues, which will take place a

Nov. 29, 2016

Returning with his seventh album this month, MC Mong is looking to end the year with a bang.The hip-hop artist, who recently released his 13-track album “U.F.O,” unveiled the guest lineup for upcoming concerts, titled “U.F.O,” taking place this weekend at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in Hannam-dong, Seoul.The concerts will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. K.Will and Leebadab, will join the performance on Saturday, while Mamamoo and Lyn will appear the following day.  Hip-hop duo Mi

Nov. 29, 2016

SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Celebrated composer Hans Zimmer is hitting the road again with his career-spanning concert tour, which he describes as a little bit cinematic and a little bit rock ’n’ roll.“People came thinking it’s going to be sort of a bit stodgy. ... It’s going to be the pretentious composer sitting at his big, black, grand piano,” the Oscar winner said of his tour, “Hans Zimmer Revealed,” which kicked off in Europe earlier this year.“It’s a very, very different way of presen

Nov. 29, 2016

Reunited after 14 years, first-generation K-pop group S.E.S has returned with a bang. The trio announced their latest single “Love [story]” on S.M. Station, S.M. Entertainment’s digital music platform, Monday morning. The song is part of the group’s long-term project “Remember,” which commemorates the band’s upcoming 20th debut anniversary next year.The track ranked among the top five on major local music charts, including Olleh, Mnet, Naver Music, Bugs and Monkey3, upon its release, according t

Nov. 28, 2016

A pioneer of Korean abstract art, Kim Whan-ki, has once again broken the record for the most expensive piece of Korean art sold, confirming the artist’s lasting global appeal. His yellow dotted painting “12-V-70 #172” was sold for 6.32 billion won ($5.36 million) at Seoul Auction’s 20th Hong Kong Sale at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong on Sunday. The painting garnered significant attention from buyers even before the auction opened over the weekend. The bidding started at 4.5 billion won and eventuall

Nov. 28, 2016