Most Popular
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Torrential rainfall forces 1,500 to evacuate, causes widespread damage to homes, roads
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Over 82,000 Korean young people unemployed, not searching for job long-term
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40% of Korea's workers who reported bullying faced retaliation: survey
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[KH Explains] Can smart chargers ease tensions over EV fires?
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600 evacuated as heavy rain floods roads, homes in southern regions
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1 in 5 households to have breadwinner over 80 in 30 years
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New Fifty Fifty off to strong start
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[Weekender] Young Koreans more open to Japanese cultural products
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Evicted guest burns down inn; 3 killed
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Assembly to review disputed appointment of national soccer team coach
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High culture at low cost
Tickets for a classical music concert or a ballet production in Korea can be quite expensive, particularly when they carry names of internationally renowned artists. A seat at Seoul Arts Center’s concert hall where the four-night relay concerts of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra took place in April cost as much as 380,000 won ($344).But an encounter with high arts doesn’t necessarily require breaking the bank. If you look hard enough, there are plenty of opportunities where you can enjoy a decent
June 3, 2015
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Gyeonggi Philharmonic to tour Germany
The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Sung Shi-yeon, is gearing up to embark on its first cross-country Germany tour.The Suwon, Gyeonggi Province-based orchestra is slated to perform its first concert on June 9 at the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall ― home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra ― making it the first ever Korean musical ensemble to be invited to perform at the prestigious hall. The orchestra will then hold performances in Wiesbaden and Saarbrucken on June 11 and
June 2, 2015
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Korean choir grabs top award at international competition
Korea’s Gracias Choir won the top prize at the 14th International Chamber Competition Marktoberdorf, one of the world’s most prestigious chamber choir competitions, last Tuesday. Helmed by choir leader Park Eun-sook and conductor Boris Abalyan, Gracias Choir competed with 10 other teams in the competition’s mixed choirs category and won first place for its performances, which included “Blessed Art Thou” by Rachmaninoff and Korean folk song “Gakseoli Taryeong.” The choir was additionally awarded
June 1, 2015
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Kim Whanki’s abstract painting leads Christie’s Korean sales in Hong Kong
A painting by Kim Whanki was sold for about five times more than the highest estimate, leading the sales of Korean art at Christie’s evening sale of Asian works Saturday and Sunday in Hong Kong. Kim’s “Montagne Bleue (Blue Mountain)” was sold at HK$13.8 million ($1.8 million), more than five times its high estimate of HK$2.5 million. It was the highest sale price of the 43 works of Korean artists on offer on the weekend. Kim’s other painting “Montagne” was sold for more than double its top estim
June 1, 2015
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Bobby Kim gets suspended term for inflight misdeed
Rhythm and blues singer Bobby Kim was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years, and fined 5 million won ($4,500), for his inflight misconduct in January that breached aviation safety law. The Korean-American celebrity came under fire earlier this year for displaying inappropriate behavior on board a Korean Air flight traveling from Incheon to San Francisco on Jan. 7. Kim, 41, while intoxicated with alcohol, yelled and created a ruckus inflight and forcibly grabbed a 27-year-old fem
June 1, 2015
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Will ‘Death’ bring rebirth to Se7en?
Se7en, a K-pop star whose fortunes seem to have faded recently, hopes to turn things around when he makes a debut in a stage musical production later this month. Using his real name Choi Dong-wook for the first time since his debut as a singer in 2003, the 30-year-old will star in a highly anticipated rerun of “Elisabeth,” slated to open on June 13 at Blue Square in Itaewon, Seoul. Choi’s role, Der Tod, or Death, is not a lead character, but its sexy, mysterious appeal, rock numbers and powerful
June 1, 2015
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Violinist Lim Ji-young wins Queen Elisabeth competition
A young Korean violinist with no overseas training has won top honors at a prestigious music competition in Belgium, largely regarded as a launchpad for an international career. Lim Ji-young, 20, took home the grand prize of the 2015 Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, which comes with a cash prize of 25,000 euros ($27,300) and a four-year loan of the “Huggins” Stradivarius violin, made in 1708 by the master craftsman Antonio Stradivari, the organizers said Saturday. A student at the Korea Nation
May 31, 2015
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‘Music is energy’
For Lee Sae-rom, the lead clarinetist of the Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra, music equals energy. “My definition of music is that it equals energy,” said Lee, 30, in an interview. “Playing the clarinet has given me the energy. It can also give the audience ― the listeners ― the energy and the comfort they need.”This is what the young artist constantly keeps in mind when planning for her recitals or practicing and performing with the Incheon Philharmonic. Music ― whether classical or non-classica
May 31, 2015
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‘A room of her own’
The high-ceilinged studio of artist Yun Suk-nam is filled with images of women. Her signature paintings of women painted on wood blocks occupy one side of her spacious studio in a scenic, rural village in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. “I’m making new pieces for a very nice exhibit at Baengnyeonsa Temple in Haenam,” the 76-year-old artist said enthusiastically. “I’m going to surround the walls of the temple with these wood paintings.” Yun Suk-nam (Yoon Byung-chan/The Korea Herald)Yun is a pioneer
May 29, 2015
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Eyelike: Whitesnake, Chris Connelly, Boosie Badazz
Whitesnake delves deep into Purple past on new albumWhitesnake“The Purple Album”(Frontiers)Who says you can‘t go home?David Coverdale delves deep into his Deep Purple background on the new Whitesnake album, which redoes songs from his tenure fronting the legendary classic rock outfit.“The Purple Album” begins with a more bottom-heavy version of the classic rock anthem “Burn,” on which Coverdale previously shared lead vocals with Glenn Hughes on the original track. And while the remake misses Hug
May 29, 2015
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Korean dance production ‘Les Noces-Mae’ to premiere in Austria
Local choreographer Lee Hye-kyung and composer Choi Myung-hoon’s upcoming contemporary Korean dance production “Les Noces-Mae” will premier this month at the historic Landestheater Linz in Linz, Austria.“Les Noces-Mae,” which was also directed by Taiwanese artist Lin Mei-hong ― widely praised as one of the world’s top contemporary choreographers ― will have its first showing on May 30, marking the first time a Korean contemporary dance program has ever been slated to feature as part of a Europea
May 28, 2015
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Everything from opera, folk, jazz to classical with Herald Philharmonic
Rhythmical orchestral tunes reverberated throughout the Seoul Arts Center concert hall Wednesday evening as the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra delivered a dynamic performance ― featuring everything from Russian opera, staple Korean folk songs and classical string symphonies to a jazz-infused New York rhapsody ― in celebration of May, the month of family.Filled with cheerful melodies, theatrical entertainment and informative narrations in between pieces, the concert provided a night of lighthearte
May 28, 2015
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Jung Joon-young goes back to musical roots with new band
Singer Jung Joon-young, known for his rise to widespread fame through the audition program “Superstar K” and his more recent work as an MC and actor, is returning to the stage as the frontman for the new quartet Jung Joon-young Band.“When I first signed with my company, it was agreed that I would eventually work with a band,” Jung said at a media showcase held at the MUV Hall in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. “Since I started music with a band, it was actually hard for me to bring out my true style
May 28, 2015
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BigBang to release new album
South Korean boy band BigBang will release the second single album of its "Made Series" on Monday, the group's management agency said."Made Series" is the name for a project in which BigBang promised to release a new single on the first day of every month from May to August. "Loser" and "Bae Bae," both tracks in the first single album "M" of the series, became sensations, sweeping various local music charts.The second album "A" will also have two songs -- "Bang Bang Bang" and "We Like 2 Party,"
May 28, 2015
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[Herald Interview] Gugak-pop fusion band SOREA looks to be new face of hallyu
In a world where the international mainstream hip-hop beats of Flo Rida meet the old-fashioned sounds of “janggu,” a Korean traditional drum, local fusion pop band SOREA is striving to take its amalgamation of traditional Korean instrumentation and modern music to new heights. Founded on a musical base of “gugak” (Korean traditional music), SOREA takes traditional Korean instruments such as the gayageum (a zither-like string instrument) and the daegeum (bamboo flute) and mashes them together wit
May 27, 2015
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Classical music concerts to look out for in June
True opera fans would probably know this name ― Jonas Kaufmann. With his dashingly handsome looks, exceptional vocal powers and impressive acting skills, Kaufmann is the undoubtable superstar of opera right now. The German tenor, with a track record of selling out prestigious opera and recital halls in the U.S. and Europe, is coming to Korea next month, leading a pack of international classical music artists who are making their long-anticipated Korean debut. Kaufmann will perform at Seoul Arts
May 27, 2015
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On 7th EP, KARA grows out of trademark cuteness
At a press showcase for KARA’s seventh EP “In Love” at Blue Square in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, the phrase repeated most by the members was “KARA-style music.” The group, which celebrates its eighth anniversary this year, has had its ups and downs ― including significant member changes ― but has always maintained a particular image and style of music. According to the members, their goal with “In Love” was to show the evolution of the definition of being “KARA-style.”“When our fans think of
May 27, 2015
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Big Bang to release song ‘Bang Bang Bang’ in June
K-pop group Big Bang’s new song to be released in June will be titled “Bang Bang Bang,” YG Entertainment announced Wednesday. The onomatopoeically christened song is to be included in “A,” the second single of Big Bang’s four-part “MADE” series, which will be released on the first day of June. The five-member K-pop act, returning from a hiatus of nearly three years, has announced that it will unveil a single on the first day of the every month until August. The group’s May 1 release, “M,” contai
May 27, 2015
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Feast of modern ballets in June
From the ballet version of Shakespeare’s classic tale “Othello,” to the contemporary retelling of Hesse’s struggle between the world of light and illusion in “Demian,” the upcoming fifth annual Ballet Festival Korea promises to be a feast for all tastes. This year’s festival will raise its curtain on June 4 at the Seoul Arts Center and is slated to highlight 16 performances throughout the month by 15 local ballet companies ― from the top production houses to all the independently run, small-scal
May 26, 2015
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Seventeen hopes to shine like diamonds with ‘17 Carat’
After years of training and endless evaluations in a pre-debut system that was broadcast to the public, Pledis Entertainment’s new thirteen-member multinational boy group Seventeen finally made its official debut Tuesday in an hourlong live TV performance. “We’ve performed a lot of songs by other artists through the pre-debut system, but we’re very nervous because this is our first time performing our own tracks,” said member Woozi at a press conference at the MBC Dream Center in Ilsan, Tuesday.
May 26, 2015