[Herald Interview] Suran wraps up 2015 with single ‘Calling in Love’

It’s unusual to see a pop artist in Korea who speaks about her music with as much confidence and assurance as Suran. Actually, there is a lot about Suran that is surprising. There’s her unusual voice, which was shaped in the underground jazz scene and now has the dreamlike future-pop feel of Lim Kim, Jung In or Jinsil of Mad Soul Child. There’s the fact that as soon as she appeared in the mainstream music scene, she worked as a songwriter, producer and featured artist with hip-hop steady sellers

Dec. 22, 2015

Turbo returns after 15 years as trio, tops charts

The once hugely popular 1990s electropop duo Turbo has made its much-awaited return to the spotlight after 15 years -- only this time around, Turbo has returned as a trio.Kim Jung-nam and Kim Jong-kook, reuniting with past member Kim Jung-nam, have joined the ranks of g.o.d and Seo Taiji as ’90s music icons making a comeback to today’s K-pop scene, with the Turbo members dropping the 19-track comeback album “Again” on Monday. Members of the ’90s band Turbo pose during a press conference at the R

Dec. 22, 2015

G-Dragon composes track for iKON’s new album

iKON (YG Entertainment)YG Entertainment’s latest boy band iKON is preparing its first studio album release, which will feature a track cowritten and composed by fellow labelmate artist G-Dragon, one of the biggest figures in K-pop. The boy band’s upcoming track “I Miss You So Bad” was written in collaboration with G-Dragon and iKON rappers B.I and Bobby, and composed by G-Dragon and Dee.P.The track marks the first time that K-pop veteran G-Dragon has written and composed a song for an artist out

Dec. 20, 2015

Won Bin, Lee Na-young welcome first child

Lee Na-young (left) and Won Bin. (Eden 9)Seven months after tying the knot at their quiet Gangwon Province wedding, celebrity couple Won Bin and Lee Na-young have welcomed their first child. Their baby boy was reportedly born Saturday at a hospital in Gangnam, Seoul. “Lee Na-young has given birth to a son, and the mother and child are both very healthy,” said a representative from Lee’s managing agency. Won and Lee married on May 30 in a low-key wedding, which many in the public eye referred to

Dec. 20, 2015

Joo Young surprises with sudden enlistment last month

Joo Young (Starship Entertainment)Representatives at K-pop management agency Starship Entertainment announced Saturday that its solo singer-songwriter Joo Young had enlisted in the military last month. “Joo Young enlisted on Nov. 26. After going through four weeks of basic training, he will be fulfilling his services as a public welfare solider for two years,” the agency said in a statement.  Joo Young, 24, first made his debut as a R&B soloist in 2010 with his EP “Same as You.” Although still r

Dec. 20, 2015

Lee Hwi-jae, Hani, Taecyeon to host KBS Song Festival

KBS, the state-run terrestrial broadcasting company, confirmed Friday that TV personality Lee Hwi-jae, EXID’s Hani and 2PM’s Taecyeon will host the upcoming year-end KBS’ Song Festival.Lee and Taecyeon also hosted the event last year, while Hani is taking to the stage for the first time.  (OSEN)Lee has shot to stardom with the image of a friendly yet thoughtful father for his lovable twin sons in KBS’ child-rearing show “Superman Is Back.” His peculiar wit and banter are expected to enrich the f

Dec. 18, 2015

[EYE] Turning everyday people into heroes

When we met on Monday afternoon for a photo shoot at Seoul Plaza where his sculptures were being installed, Yi Hwan-kwon had to be cajoled into giving a big smile for the camera. And when he finally did, it was a disarming, child-like smile.　And that is the kind of smile often on the faces of people viewing Yi’s works that depict ordinary people in unexpected dimensions -- elongated out of proportion or squeezed squat. Even on that rainy afternoon, passersby stopped to look at the three towering

Dec. 18, 2015

Lucid Fall shares his life on 7th album

Singer-songwriter Lucid Fall, known for his beautiful melodies and simple yet stirring lyrics, says that he long ago made a promise with himself that he would release one studio-length album at least once every two years.“For me, an album is not only a chance to release new music, but a personal history,” he said in a press conference at the office of his label Antenna Music on Tuesday. “What have I done over the last two years? What experiences have I had? Which artists have influenced my music

Dec. 17, 2015

[HERALD INTERVIEW] Korea’s tumultuous years in photos

Japanese photojournalist Shisei Kuwabara, 79, has documented postwar Korea since the 1960s, capturing major historical moments such as massive pro-democracy protests, the dispatch of soldiers to the Vietnam War and Seoul’s urban redevelopment projects. Born in Shimane prefecture, the part of Japan nearest to the Korean Peninsula, Kuwabara has traveled to Korea more than 100 times. His photos have been an honest window into the turbulent time of Korea’s modern history -- major social, political a

Dec. 17, 2015

Kumho classical stars dominate competitions

Following this year’s Kumho Art Hall Rising Star series participant Christel Lee’s victory at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition earlier this month, the series’ musicians are continuing to snag international accolades. Supported by the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, the “Kumho musicians” dominated this year’s 9th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Novosibirsk, Russia, Tuesday, taking home first place for both violin and piano.  Violinist Kim Dong-hyun

Dec. 16, 2015

[Herald Interview] After 8 months, Laboum returns more mature

Six-member girl group Laboum has returned to the stage with a retro pop song called “Aalow Aalow.” Their new two-track single comes eight months after “Sugar Sugar,” a long hiatus considering that they had promoted three tracks -- “Pit a Pat,” “What About You” and “Sugar Sugar” -- between their debut in November 2014 and March.“During the break, we really felt how precious each performance was,” member Yulhee told The Korea Herald on Monday at the offices of NH EMG, the group’s label.The long br

Dec. 15, 2015

National Geographic photos open up ‘World of Mystery’

Since publishing its first issue in 1888, National Geographic has captured the hearts of millions, making it one of today’s oldest continuous publications.With its dedication to showcasing the stories of the world, it has earned a reputation for having some of the most iconic and recognizable photographs that define the times. The National Geographic archive is in a league of its own, inspiring generations of photographers, both professional and amateur. A photograph of the Gomateshwara Bahubali

Dec. 15, 2015

Korean celebrities pose with babies to raise adoption awareness

Top Korean celebrities posed with babies awaiting adoption for an annual charity photo exhibition aimed at raising adoption awareness. The 13th annual photo exhibition “Letters from Angels” features black-and-white portraits of 24 celebrities holding babies and children awaiting adoption. Participating celebrities include singer Roy Kim, Kangin of Super Junior, Lee Moon-se, four-member vocal group Noel, actors, actresses and star athlete Park Chan-ho. Celebrity photographer Cho Sei-hon, well kno

Dec. 15, 2015

Brand New Music wraps up 2015 with family concert

 Home to heavyweight hip-hop names like Verbal Jint and San E, hip-hop and rhythm and blues label Brand New Music has set itself apart from big K-pop production agencies with its free-spirited style.So perhaps it should come as no surprise the agency’s annual year-end concert “Brand New Year” held Saturday at the KBS Sports World in Seoul was more of a club party than a concert. Security was minimal and the standing crowd was nearly within arm’s reach of the stage. Audience members roamed around

Dec. 14, 2015

Biggest-ever Rubens collection at National Museum

A special exhibition titled “Rubens and Other Masters” at the National Museum of Korea is showcasing for the first time in Korea a collection of pieces from the Liechtenstein Museum, including major works by the acclaimed 17th century artist Rubens.The collection includes some 120 paintings, sculptures, crafts and tapestries from the Renaissance, Baroque and Biedermeier eras, carefully curated and brought in from one of the largest royal museums in Europe.   “Portrait of Clara Serena Rubens” by

Dec. 14, 2015

[Herald Review] Frankenstein’ musical grim, but totally worth it

The musical rendition of one of the world’s most recognized horror tales, “Frankenstein” is guaranteed to send chills down the spine this bleak winter.Returning to the stage after premiering last year, the musical version of Frankenstein is one of few original Korean productions. Although based on Mary Shelley’s 19th century novel of the same title, the Wang Yong Beom Production’s musical adds new characters and plot twists to the classic monster tale.  Reportedly costing some 4.5 billion won ($

Dec. 13, 2015

[Herald Interview] Kim Jo-han continues cooking-up music with ‘no MSG’

At a time when rhythm and blues music was virtually nonexistent in the Korean music scene, Solid, the now-defunct vocal trio of Korean-American singers, became one of the pioneering forces of Korean soul with its debut in 1993.  Former Solid members Kim Jo-han, Jeong Jae-Yoon and Lee Joon, whose debut album was aptly titled “Give Me a Chance,” are, to this day, still regaled as among the country’s most influential figures in introducing the R&B genre to Korean listeners. Solid was short-lived. T

Dec. 11, 2015

Evaluating Korean Pavilion at Venice 2015

The Korean Pavilion at this year’s 56th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale attracted over 360,000 visitors May 6 and Nov. 22, more than double the figure from the previous art edition in 2013.Its site-specific seven-channel video installation without any dialogue that portrayed a possible life in the future drew interest from viewers and critics.At a symposium Wednesday at Artist’s House in Jongno-gu, Seoul, held to evaluate the results of this year’s exhibition, everyone seemed

Dec. 10, 2015

JYJ's Kim Jae-joong to hold hologram concert

Kim Jae-joong of pop trio JYJ will be performing a concert via hologram, recorded before his current stint in the military service, in Tokyo on Feb. 9-10, in celebration of the release of his latest album also slated for February.  The concert will be “a gift to his fans,” giving them an opportunity to see Kim, who began his mandatory military service in March, virtually during his absence, his agency C-jeS Entertainment in a statement.  Promotional poster for Kim Jae-joong’s Feb. 9-10 hologram

Dec. 10, 2015

Spotlight on Kim Whanki

Artist Kim Whanki’s (1913-1974) oil painting of small patches of blue repeated endlessly along diagonal lines fetched the highest price ever for a work by a Korean artist when it went on the block in October.The 1971 painting “19-VII-71 #209” sold at the record price of $4 million at a Hong Kong auction. The pioneer of abstract art is one of the best-known Korean artists in the international art market. His large abstract paintings, featuring blue dots and lines, have taken a prominent place in

Dec. 9, 2015