SIDance fest to kick off with Korea-France collaboration

The annual Seoul International Dance Festival will raise its curtains this week, kick-starting 22 days of classical and contemporary dance performances from across the globe. 　SIDance 2016 will be held from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15 at a number of venues, including the CJ Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center, the Grand Theater and Small Theater of Sogang University Mary Hall and D-Cube Park in Sindorim D-Cube City.The upcoming festivities will include invited performances from around the world -- Portug

Sept. 19, 2016

BTS tops Japanese music chart

K-pop boy band Bangtan Boys, or BTS, is regaining momentum in Japan. 　After topping the weekly Oricon Singles Chart, BTS performed the hit track “Fire” from its second Japanese album “Youth” on NTV’s “Buzz Rhythm” last Friday, according to the group’s management agency Big Hit Entertainment on Monday.　Hosted by model Maggie and comedian Bakarhythm, “Buzz Rhythm” is a popular Japanese variety show that primarily features Japanese pop groups. K-pop girl group AOA performed on the show last year. 　

Sept. 19, 2016

Upcoming performances worth adding to the fall calendar

With the Chuseok holiday behind us, temperatures will soon begin to drop and live performance lovers will flock indoors to enjoy nights of cultural programs. Whether one’s interests lie in dabbling in the arts scene or head-banging the night away to the latest rock hits, the upcoming fall season promises a variety of performances. The country’s two biggest ballet companies will be staging two classic programs this year: “Romeo and Juliet” and “Sleeping Beauty.”The Universal Ballet is gearing up

Sept. 18, 2016

Van Gogh may have been ‘bi-polar’: researcher

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) -- Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh was possibly bipolar or had a borderline personality, but a combination of factors likely drove him to cut off his ear and commit suicide, a researcher said Friday.“We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s impossible to draw a final conclusion about his illness,” said Louis van Tilborgh, a senior researcher at Amsterdam‘s renowned Van Gogh Museum.Van Tilborgh last week led a two-day panel discussion with researchers and medical experts

Sept. 18, 2016

Snoop Dogg honored in politically charged BET Hip-Hop Awards

ATLANTA (AP) -- Snoop Dogg said he initially felt misunderstood at the beginning of his rap career while accepting his “I Am Hip Hop” honor during a politically charged BET Hip-Hop Awards show near Atlanta. Rapper Kendrick Lamar surprised attendees Saturday evening by introducing and handing Snoop the award during the 11th annual awards, which was taped. Lamar, in front of a packed crowd at the Cobb Energy Performing Centre, said the ultra-smooth West Coast rapper “paved a way into many hearts”

Sept. 18, 2016

VIXX to hold European fan meeting

K-pop boy band VIXX is heading to Europe.The six-member act is gearing up for its meet and greet “VIXX Live & Meet in Europe 2016” in Milan, Italy on Saturday and Paris, France on Sunday. This will mark the group’s first European tour since its global showcase, “The Milky Way,” which took place from 2013 to 2014. Following the fan meetings, VIXX will be performing at “2016 Feel Korea in Kazakhstan,” a two-day festival dedicated to promoting Korean pop culture taking place in Astana, Kazakhstan f

Sept. 13, 2016

‘Ham-ick’ play explores psychological turmoil of female Hamlet

With this year marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, theater stages in Seoul have seen their fair share of tribute performances of some of the playwright’s most-beloved masterpieces this year. In April, the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre opened its 2016 season with a production of “Henry IV: Part I and II,” the first time the play was performed in Seoul in 14 years.Once again bringing back the works of Shakespeare this month, the Seoul theater troupe is gearing up to present “Ham-ick

Sept. 13, 2016

Modern meets traditional in Gansong exhibition

A towering piece titled “Between Red” by painter Lee Se-hyun stands at the entrance of the “Old & New” exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.The striking yet detailed oil on canvas painting portrays rows of crimson, rolling mountains and stacks of smoke. It is an homage to the Joseon-era artist Jeong Seon, frequently referred to by his pen name Gyeomjae, who was active in the mid-18th century and is renowned for his realistic representations of Korean landscapes.While the reference to tradit

Sept. 12, 2016

EXO and Yoo Jae-suk to release collaborative single

K-pop boy band EXO and popular comedian and show host Yoo Jae-suk have come together for a new collaborative project.　The unlikely partners will be releasing a samba-inspired dance track, “Dancing King,” through S.M. Entertainment’s digital music platform S.M. Station, according to the management agency Monday. S.M. Station aims to release a new collaborative single by the company’s artists and non-S.M. artists every week for a year.　 Yoo also made an appearance at EXO’s concert “EXO PLANET #3 -

Sept. 12, 2016

Mamamoo to release new single

K-pop girl group Mamamoo is gearing up for a new release.　The four-member act will be unveiling its new single “New York” next week and has plans to return to the spotlight as a group in October, Mamamoo’s public relations agency announced Monday. 　Sporting leather pants and skirts as well as new hairstyles in the promotional poster for the new song, the band will be showing a different side in the upcoming single. 　 Most recently, the girl group completed its first solo concert, and released it

Sept. 12, 2016

Sechs Kies calls comeback concert its ‘dream stage’

A South Korean hit boy band of the 1990s has made a comeback to the K-pop scene after 16 years, calling its two-day concert a “dream stage” and “a beginning,” hinting at active musical activities at home. Of the six original members of the 1997 group, only five -- Eun Ji-won, Lee Jae-jin, Kang Sung-hoon, Kim Jae-duc and Jang Su-won -- showed up at the press conference that took place in the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in southeastern Seoul on Sunday. “This is our dream concert,” said Kang, l

Sept. 12, 2016

CL to perform on US late-night talk show

Singer-songwriter CL will be performing on major American broadcast network CBS’ “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”　Hosted by British comedian James Corden, the American talk show has featured prominent entertainment figures, including Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon. The program also airs on international CBS-affiliates in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and England. 　CL, who is also a member of K-pop group 2NE1, is the first Korean musician to be invited to perform on the show. She

Sept. 11, 2016

Black Pink tops brand value ranking among female K-pop groups

Rookie K-pop group Black Pink is topping charts once again. 　According to more than 40 million pieces of data collected and analyzed by the Korea Institute of Corporate Reputation from Aug. 9 to Sept. 10, Black Pink was found to have the highest brand value among major K-pop girl groups, followed by I.O.I at No. 2 and Twice at No. 3. 　Released every month, the brand value ranking is based on participation, communication, media and community indices. 　“(Black Pink) is the first girl group to have

Sept. 11, 2016

[Highlights] Arts and entertainment calendar

Theater 　　“Mr. Show”: By renowned musical director Kolleen Park, the naughty male striptease show “Mr. Show” is returning to the stage this year. The women-only variety show features strapping young men who dance and perform various themed acts that are geared toward tantalizing females. The live show – only for those 19 and above -- will be staged from Sept. 24 to Dec. 4 at the Shinhan Card Fan Square’s Live Hall in Seoul. Tickets are 52,000 won and 80,000 won. For more details, call 02-547-569

Sept. 9, 2016

GOT7 to release new album

K-pop boy band GOT7 is getting ready to unveil new releases.　The seven-member act is currently working on a new album, scheduled to be announced at the end of the month or beginning of October, the group’s management agency JYP Entertainment told local media outlets Thursday. 　The upcoming album will be the group’s second studio release after the 11-track album “Identify.” Its lead track “Stop Stop It” received positive reviews globally, landing at No. 4 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart.

Sept. 8, 2016

Fall art shows in full swing

A strong lineup of art shows are being offered this fall, more so than other seasons. With two big biennale events -- the Gwangju Biennale and Busan Biennale -- kicking off last week, major Korean museums and galleries have opened a plethora of exhibitions to attract the influx of international art professionals and local art lovers. Some of the more notable exhibitions are taking place in the tranquil art district of Samcheong-dong near Gyeongbokgung and the National Museum of Modern and Contem

Sept. 8, 2016

‘La Boheme’ to kick off Daegu opera festival

Giacomo Puccini’s masterful tale of tragic love, “La Boheme” will kick off this year’s 14th annual Daegu International Opera Festival.This year’s opera festival, taking place Oct. 16 to Nov. 5 at the Daegu Opera House in North Gyeongsang Province, will feature the timeless works of Beethoven, Georges Bizet and Christoph Willibald Gluck.Highlights this year include “Fidelio,” a Korea-Germany joint production, “Orfeo ed Euridice,” “Tosca” and the finale program “Carmen,” looking to continue to exp

Sept. 7, 2016

Sistar to collaborate with Italian producer Moroder

K-pop girl group Sistar is collaborating with Italian musician and producer Giorgio Moroder on a special project, according to the group’s management agency Starship Entertainment on Wednesday.An established name in the global music industry, the three-time Academy Award winner received his fourth Grammy Award in 2014 for his contribution to French electronic duo Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” album. In addition to working with international pop icons, Moroder wrote the official anthem for

Sept. 7, 2016