Devoid of clothing, bare, au naturel ― this seems to be the sole cloud hovering in everyone’s mind following French director and choreography Olivier Dubois’ latest contemporary dance production, “Tragedie,” making its Asian premiere over the weekend in Korea. After debuting in France in 2012, the show has now been performed more than 80 times worldwide. The 19-and-older, nonverbal show ― minus the occasional screams and grunts ― held two shows at the Seongnam Arts Center on Friday and Saturday,

April 12, 2015

K-pop is no longer limited to idol groups and their synchronized dance moves to upbeat music: The term has broadened to encompass all genres of music from Korea. “You will be surprised to know that Korean rock is very popular in the U.S.,” said Bernie Cho, president of DFSB Kollective, a pioneer in introducing Korean indie music to the United States, during an interview with The Korea Herald on April 6.Having just returned from the U.S. where he had introduced a team of Korean musicians to SXSW

April 10, 2015

Rucker shines on 4th country albumDarius Rucker / “Southern Style” / (Capitol Nashville)Darius Rucker’s second career as a country singer shows no signs of slowing down on his new album, “Southern Style.” The lead singer of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker has scored three chart-topping solo country albums, spawning six No.1 hits, including the Grammy-winning “Wagon Wheel,” one of the most popular country hits of recent years. “Southern Style” continues to emphasize upbeat, pop-influe

April 10, 2015

When 27-year-old young art dealer Park Myeong-ja opened her gallery in April 1970, the first response she received from people was how fast she would give up and close the shop. It was a time when even the word “gallery” was unfamiliar to most Koreans.  Exhibition view of the Korean abstract painting exhibition that marks the 45th annniversary of Gallery Hyundai. (Gallery Hyundai)“People didn’t know there was such a place where you could view and buy paintings,” Park recalled at a press viewing

April 9, 2015

Girl group 2NE1’s Sandara Park is furthering her acting career, taking up a lead role in a new Web drama produced by CJ E&M, the Korean entertainment giant said Thursday. Based on a Webtoon of the same title, the drama, “We’re Separated,” will portray the country’s younger generation battling with their unclear future through the story of an unmarried young couple who are driven to live together even after they are separated, the company said. In the new series, Park will play No Wu-ri, a high-s

April 9, 2015

A little over four decades ago, folk singer Hahn Dae-soo invited listeners to come with him down a “Long Long Road” with his debut album. The singer, who was briefly banned for what the authoritarian regime at that time called “subversive anti-regime” lyrics, introduced the concept of singer-songwriter to the Korean music scene. His best songs, such as “Land of Happiness” and “Give Me Water” remain classics to this day. Now, 40 years after his first album, the folk music icon looks back on his m

April 9, 2015

The hip-hop duo Jinusean will make a comeback next week, its agency YG Entertainment said Wednesday. Jinusean ― consisting of Sean Ro and Kim Jin-woo ― will release a new single on April 15, ending an 11-year hiatus in their music career. The announcement was made with a poster titled “Jinusean Comeback after 11 Years” on its official website. It listed the date and promised a new single and music video. Despite the long absence in the industry, the duo has frequently appeared on TV talk shows a

April 8, 2015

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha is ready to blow fans away with her world-class fiddlework in her first full concert in Seoul in two years. Having fully recovered from what was once thought a career-killing finger injury in 2005, Chung said she was feeling better than new and was looking forward to the upcoming “Immortal” recitals on April 28 and 30. “It was like a temporary retirement after injuring my hand, so for me to make a full recovery is like a miracle. I still can’t even fully believe it. I’m

April 7, 2015

Singer Park Hyo-shin’s new single “Shine Your Light” topped major Korean music charts upon its release, demonstrating the artist’s continuing strength in the K-pop scene. Released at midnight on April 6, the song dominated over six major music streaming sites, including Melon, Genie, Soribada, Mnet.com, and Bugs Music, replacing Miss A’s “Only You” as number one and overtaking current chart favorites such as EXO’s “Call Me Baby” and Lee Moon-sae and Naul’s “Spring Breeze.”  Park Hyo-shin. (Jelly

April 7, 2015

Popular Korean rock band CNBLUE will release its new Japanese EP “White” on Wednesday, its agency FNC Entertainment announced Tuesday. The album’s eponymous title track, which was prereleased on Japanese music site Recochoku, has topped the chart since April 1. The single also reached number one on another major Japanese music chart, HMV. For the band’s ninth Japanese album, all the members actively participated in composing the songs and writing lyrics.  CNBLUE. (FNC Entertainment)The title tra

April 7, 2015

When the clock struck midnight Tuesday, online music sites released the new full-length album from one of Korea’s most beloved singers, Lee Moon-sae. His new album, “New Direction,” is the first full-length album from the balladeer in 13 years, following his 14th album in 2002. “The title is ‘New Direction,’ but it’s not a grand statement about setting a new direction for music. It’s an album that’s truly Lee Moon-sae,” he said at a press conference at Baek-Am Art Hall in Samseong-dong, Seoul on

April 7, 2015

Singer-actor Kim Jun-su, also known as Xia Jun-su, will star in the Korean production of musical “Death Note” in June, alongside acclaimed musical actor Hong Kwang-ho. Kim, a member of JYJ and crowd magnet in the local musical scene, will take up the role of genius private detective L in the upcoming musical. Hong, who made his musical debut at London’s West End in 2014, will play Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a deadly notebook that kills anyone whose name is written inside. 

April 6, 2015

K-pop mogul Park Jin-young will return to the stage as an artist in his own right, according to industry sources Sunday. The singer, producer and chief of JYP Entertainment will release a new album of original tracks on April 13. It will be Park’s first new release in 19 months, following his 10th album “Halftime” in September 2013.Sources say that Park is putting the final touches on his album, personally working on the music, lyrics and choreography. He is expected to release a teaser and his

April 5, 2015

Noel Gallagher, the former lead guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter for hit English rock band Oasis, made his way back to Seoul to perform two sold-out shows on Friday and Saturday. In his third visit to Korea and the second with his own band, High Flying Birds, the British singer performed songs from his latest album “Chasing Yesterday.”Released in February, the album is a follow-up to his band’s eponymous debut album four years ago. After working on albums for Oasis, with which he par

April 5, 2015

The pensively fragile and emotionally shattered Giselle fumbles across the stage after learning that the man she had fallen hopelessly in love with was not the man she thought, resulting in her dying of heartbreak. For regular theatergoers, this is a variation on a scene they know far too well. “Giselle” is one among a long laundry list of classical ballets that have stood the test of time. However to some, the excessive reprise of such classical stories can place a stymie on creativity and conc

April 3, 2015

‘Balas y Chocolate’ equal parts emotion, styleLila Downs“Balas y Chocolate”(Sony Music)Fluency in Spanish isn‘t necessary to understand Lila Downs’ shape-shifting voice: It transcends language, carrying pure emotion.　 On her latest album, “Balas y Chocolate” (Bullets and Chocolate), the Grammy-winning Downs expresses outrage and pain over events in Mexico, her birthplace. And she capably blends traditional Latin rhythms with modern elements in an array of popular standards and her own compositio

April 3, 2015

With its Turkish harem motif and timeless tale of love, Mozart’s opera “The Abduction from the Seraglio” was set out to be a crowd pleaser. Ever since its premiere, the fantastic tale of love and clashing cultures has intrigued many opera fans and novices alike, firmly establishing itself as one of the most beloved operas in Europe. A long overdue Korean premiere of the opera is scheduled for April 16 at Seoul Arts Center. Helming the Korea National Opera production of the 18th-century work is G

April 2, 2015

K-pop singer BoA will likely release a new album this year to mark 15 years since her debut. “BoA is preparing to release a new album in Korea,” an official from SM Entertainment said. “But the exact date has not been confirmed.”  Singer BoA. (Official website)The upcoming album comes three years after she put out the seventh studio album “Only One” in Korea.The 28-year-old also posted a photo of herself singing at a recording studio on Instagram, leading fans to suspect a comeback. BoA debuted

April 2, 2015