Most Popular
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Yoon, Fiala seek wider range of cooperation beyond nuclear energy
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40% of Korea's workers who reported bullying faced retaliation: survey
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Over 82,000 Korean young people unemployed, not searching for job long-term
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600 evacuated as heavy rain floods roads, homes in southern regions
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S. Korea, Czech Republic to increase direct flights
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Seoul, Prague to team up throughout nuclear energy project delivery
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[Weekender] Young Koreans more open to Japanese cultural products
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S. Korea to inject $37m in joint R&D projects with Czech Republic
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[KH Explains] Can smart chargers ease tensions over EV fires?
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Jeju's solo traveler-friendly spots offer solitude as well as camaraderie
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David LaChapelle on beauty and intuition
To pave a way for himself, US photographer David LaChapelle left his home in Connecticut at the age of 15 to pursue photography in New York, where he spent most of his youth in the darkroom. “I just wanted to take pictures,” he said at a press conference at the Ara Modern Art Museum in Insa-dong, Seoul, last week. “I did anything related to photography to survive.”A couple of years later, he was discovered by the late pop artist Andy Warhol, who offered him a job at Interview Magazine. LaChapell
Nov. 20, 2016
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2016 Melon Music Awards celebrates top K-pop artists
The annual Melon Music Awards on Sunday recognized some of the biggest Korean artists and groups for their contribution to K-pop this year. Among the top winners at the ceremony were the boy band EXO for the best artist of the year, Bangtan Boys, or BTS, for the best album of the year, and girl group Twice for the best song of the year with its single “Cheer Up.” Unsurprising to many fans and those in the industry, YG entertainment’s latest girl group Black Pink took home the Best New Artist Awa
Nov. 20, 2016
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Sechs Kies to hold year-end concerts in Daegu and Busan
First-generation K-pop boy band Sechs Kies confirmed that its year-end concerts will take place in Daegu and Busan.After holding its first group concert in 16 years in September, the group will be extending its tour “2016 Sechs Kies Concert Yellow Note” next month, the members explained on Naver’s broadcasting app V Live on Saturday.“When the concert came to an end, we all felt that we truly wanted to do it again,” said member Jang Su-won. The five-member act recently unveiled its new hit single
Nov. 20, 2016
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Hip-hop draws growing academic interest
BOSTON (AP) -- The forgotten music of Boston’s early hip-hop and rap scene is being revived by two unlikely heroes: a local college and the public library.Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston have been working with the Boston Public Library to compile an online archive of demo tapes by the city’s top hip-hop and rap artists of the 1980s. Opening to the public Saturday, the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive was created in part to reclaim the city’s role in the genres’ history.“It’s b
Nov. 20, 2016
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Tenor Jonas Kaufmann delays return to stage again
MADRID (AFP) -- The highly-anticipated return to stage of star German tenor Jonas Kaufmann this month has been delayed again for health reasons, Madrid’s opera house announced Friday.“The tenor Jonas Kaufmann has been forced to cancel the recital planned for Tuesday, Nov. 22, for health reasons,” the Teatro Real said in a statement.Just a day ago, the opera house had detailed what the 47-year-old was due to sing -- pieces by Robert Schumann, Henri Duparc, Franz Liszt and Richard Strauss.Kaufmann
Nov. 20, 2016
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Fans camp at Madrid venue weeks before Bieber's concert
MADRID (AFP) -- When you’re a die-hard Justin Bieber fan, having a ticket for the concert just isn’t enough.For days, weeks and in some cases more than a month, hundreds of Spanish Beliebers -- fans of the Canadian pop star -- have been camping outside the Madrid venue where he will perform on Nov. 23.Their aim: to get as close as possible to their idol when the gates finally open.“It’s tough at night with the cold, but I’m gradually getting used to it,” said Andrea Gil, 20, who came all the way
Nov. 20, 2016
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Retro party back on with Bruno Mars return
NEW YORK (AFP) -- Bruno Mars hasn’t had much time to bask in success. After a short breather, he is back with a new album -- and his spirit is as sunny as ever. “24K Magic,” which was released Friday, is from start to finish a party album, which brings crowds to their feet from the first beat and, even on ballads, keeps its upbeat vibe.The 31-year-old Hawaii-born singer has become one of the decade’s most successful artists with an unapologetically retro sensibility, producing pop tracks that ha
Nov. 20, 2016
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[Arts calendar] Musicals, exhibitions, concerts and more
Chung Kyung-wha (PRM)Classical music“Hyungi Kim Brahms Violin Sonata Recital”: Herald Philharmonic Orchestra violinist Hyungi Kim will tackle the works of Brahms in her upcoming solo recital. A graduate of Seoul National University’s College of Music and a member of the Korean Chamber Orchestra, Kim is slated to perform sonatas for violin and piano “No. 1 in G Major, “Regen”, Op. 78,” “Thun”, Op. 100” and “No. 3 in d minor, Op. 108.” The concert will be held at the Seoul Arts Center’s Recital H
Nov. 18, 2016
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‘Brexit: The Musical’ gives Boris star billing
LONDON (AFP) -- Wearing a blonde wig and bicycle helmet, a disheveled Boris Johnson sings and raps at a demonic Vladimir Putin -- Brexit as tragicomedy has hit the London stage.Five months after Britain’s shock referendum to leave the EU, “Brexit: The Musical” opened this week with a star role for Johnson, the gaffe-prone Brexiteer turned foreign secretary.“The trick (to play Boris Johnson) is mainly to pretend to know what you are doing but really sound like you don’t have a clue of what’s goin
Nov. 18, 2016
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Jane Siberry haunts, stirs on ‘Angels Bend Closer’
Jane Siberry“Angels Bend Closer” (Sheeba Music)Jane Siberry twists genres and conventions on “Angels Bend Closer,” a haunting, uplifting album befitting her eclectic style.On the Canadian’s first major release in five years, Siberry’s lyrics arrive like emotional gushes barely contained by their musical frames, mostly lavish ballads with a bounty of details.Nearly seven minutes long, “Morag” encapsulates several aspects of the album and Siberry’s intense diversity -- nearly stream-of-consciousne
Nov. 18, 2016
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Sting rocks out again with a familiar sound
Sting“57th and 9th” (A&M/Interscope)Sting’s new album, his first in more than a decade, sounds a lot like the old stuff, but that’s not a bad thing.The first single “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” sounds like the love child of Police classics “Every Breath You Take” and “Can’t Stand Losing You.”There are the achy lyrics of the former, which holds up well but has more of a stalker vibe than it seemed to the first time around. And there’s the driving bass line of the latter, the style of playing
Nov. 18, 2016
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Pink Martini’s new album is entertaining global trip
Pink Martini“Je dis oui!”(Heinz Records)Pink Martini brings its progressive commitment to “Je dis oui! (I say yes),” an entertaining global jaunt in eight languages and a whirling variety of styles.With no airs and graces but plenty of splendor, Thomas Lauderdale’s big band/little orchestra explores songs from Armenia to Portugal, a few originals and American standards like “Love for Sale” on its ninth studio album.NPR’s Ari Shapiro helps out on “Ov Sirun Sirun,” said to be most famous folk song
Nov. 18, 2016
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Singer Jung Joon-young may return to ‘Two Days, One Night’
After a two-month hiatus, singer Jung Joon-young may return to KBS2 hit variety program “Two Days, One Night” next month, according to industry insiders on Thursday.However, the artist’s management agency C9 Entertainment denied the claim, telling local media that Jung “and the ‘Two Days, One Night’ team have not yet discussed his return to the show.”The 27-year-old singer-songwriter was mired in an alleged sexual offense scandal in September, when his ex-girlfriend filed charges against him for
Nov. 17, 2016
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Bob Dylan can't make Nobel ceremony: Swedish Academy
STOCKHOLM (AFP) -- Music icon Bob Dylan will not attend the Nobel ceremony in December to accept his literature prize because he has “other commitments,” the Swedish Academy said Wednesday. “The Swedish Academy received a personal letter from Bob Dylan yesterday where he explained that he could not make himself available in December,” it said in a statement. “He wishes that he could accept the award personally, but other commitments make it unfortunately impossible. He underlined that he feels i
Nov. 17, 2016
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Claude Monet painting fetches $81.4m in NYC
NEW YORK (AP) -- A painting from Claude Monet’s acclaimed “Grainstack” series fetched $81.4 million at Christie's New York auction of impressionist and modern art.Wednesday evening’s sale set a new auction record for the artist. The previous auction record for a Monet was $80.4 million set in 2008.The 1891 painting, shimmering with hues of reds, pinks, blues and yellow, depicts a close-up of a single cone-shaped stack after harvest.Monet's “Grainstack” series -- 25 in all -- was painted just ste
Nov. 17, 2016
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Back from hiatus, Metallica still angry
PARIS (AFP) -- Back with its first album in eight years, Metallica has returned to its thrash metal roots, making it clear the band hasn’t lost its anger.“Hardwired ... to Self-Destruct,” which comes out Friday, is the 10th album by a group determined to preserve its reign as one of the defining acts in heavy metal.“We’re four angry guys,” said lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, now 53 with a touch of grey in his long curly hair.“These songs have been written with a lot of anger, a lot of aggression,
Nov. 17, 2016
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One year after Chopin win, Cho Seong-jin still relaxed
Last year, pianist Cho Seong-jin caused a sensation when he became the first Korean to win the International Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 21. Over 90,000 copies of his two live albums were sold in Korea within a month. Classical music experts around the world lauded the “expressive nuance” of Cho’s interpretations. Naturally, Korean parents wondered how he had been educated.“My parents never pressured me. My mom didn’t even expect I would keep playing the piano. My dad told me to quit
Nov. 16, 2016
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Artist Lee U-fan’s forgery scandal continues
Three people have been arrested for allegedly forging and selling copies of artist Lee U-fan’s paintings, the Seoul Metropolitan Police said Tuesday. An art dealer only identified by the surname Gu, her husband Kim and painter Park are suspected of having created six of 13 seized paintings thought to be forgeries of works by well-known painter Lee U-fan. Painter Lee maintains that the 13 paintings in questions are his authentic works.Police said Gu and Kim are suspected of distributing some 40 c
Nov. 16, 2016
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K-pop stars return with new ballad releases
K-pop stars behind some of this year’s hit summer tracks are returning with new ballad releases just in time for the cold days ahead. Gearing up to unveil its first EP in over a year is the ballad group SG Wannabe. The trio revealed teaser clips for each of the tracks, including the title single “I am Missing You,” from its upcoming mini album “Our Days” on the group’s official social media channels on Wednesday morning. Written and produced in part by SG Wannabe members, the five-track album w
Nov. 16, 2016
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Experts war over whether 'lost' Van Gogh notebook is real
PARIS (AFP) -- The discovery of 65 previously unknown drawings said to be by Vincent Van Gogh set off a bitter row about their authenticity Tuesday, with Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum dismissing as fakes what others hailed as one of the biggest art world finds in years. In a damning statement, the museum claimed the contents of the “so-called lost sketchbook” unveiled by French publishers were imitations and “could not be attributed to Vincent Van Gogh.” But the experts behind the discovery accuse
Nov. 16, 2016