EXO-M leader Kris diagnosed with myocarditis: report

EXO-M leader Kris. (SM Entertainment)Popular K-pop group EXO-M leading member Kris has been diagnosed with myocarditis, a disease marked by the inflammation of the heart muscle, according to Chinese media reports.The news comes after Kris officially filed a lawsuit against his agency SM Entertainment to terminate his contract. His complaint was received by the Seoul Central Court on Thursday. Prior to Kris’ diagnosis and lawsuit, the group had been scheduled to hold its first solo concert in Se

May 16, 2014

[Weekender] Eyelike: Wheesung shares confessional monologue on new EP

Wheesung reflects on self on new EPWheesung“The Best Man” (KT Music)Ballad and R&B singer Wheesung has released his new EP “The Best Man,” featuring seven tracks filled with personal reflections and signature vocals.Wheesung looks back on his life as a singer on his new album, sharing his thoughts as he returns to the music scene after more than two years of military service.The last track, “Must Make Money,” is particularly attention-grabbing given that the singer blatantly criticizes himself a

May 16, 2014

The power of a dream

This is the third in a series highlighting women and their accomplishments in the various facets of the Korean entertainment industry. ― Ed.For producer and CEO of SouLime SounD Jung Mi Sung, also known as Melody, there has always been one dream in her life: music.The 26-year-old started playing piano and attending music academies at age 5. However, her parents had other plans for the enthusiastic musician, saying they wanted her to live a normal life and pursue a normal path. Still drawn to mus

May 15, 2014

‘Music of friends’ beckons

Every late spring and summer, chamber music ― a form of classical music performed by a small group of musicians at a small venue ― pops up in the local music scene, which is otherwise dominated by symphony orchestras and solo recitals. This is because, usually around this time of the year, musicians find time out of their busy schedules as soloists or members of large ensembles or orchestras to get together and play music with their colleagues, just by themselves with no strings attached. In cha

May 14, 2014

Italian contemporary art on view in Seoul

Installation view of the exhibition of Italian contemporary art at SongEun Art Space in Seoul (SongEun Art Space)Besides the rich artistic history of the Renaissance, Italian art, especially contemporary art, has been rarely introduced to the Korean audience in depth. This month, an exhibition of 22 Italian artists offers a chance for Koreans to understand Italian contemporary art. The event is part of the project by SongEun Art Space that introduces contemporary art from various countries that

May 13, 2014

Hyundai Card rock festival to feature over 30 acts in August

This summer, Hyundai Card is once again launching the two-day rock festival Hyundai Card Citybreak 2014, which brought world-famous bands Muse and Metallica among other local and foreign musicians to Seoul last year.The festival will take place on Aug. 9-10 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The first Hyundai Card Citybreak rock festival took place in 2013 and was attended by over 75,000 rock fans. It featured an impressive artist lineup that included headliners Muse and Metallica, as well as Iggy

May 13, 2014

Hotel decries video leak of Jay Z, Beyonce sister

Entrepreneur and singer/songwriter Jay Z (left) and his wife, singer Beyonce, watch an NBA playoff game in New York on Monday. (AP-Yonhap)NEW YORK (AP) ― The Standard Hotel in New York City says it is investigating the leak of a security video that appears to show Beyonce’s sister, Solange, attacking Jay Z. Asked about the video on Monday by the Associated Press, the hotel issued a statement saying it is “shocked and disappointed that there was a clear breach of our security system.” TMZ posted

May 13, 2014

Julio Iglesias is a fan of Eurovision queen Conchita

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias poses for photographers at a press conference with his award after being named the “Most Successful Latin Artist of All Time” at a central London venue on Monday. (AP-Yonhap)LONDON (AFP) ― Spanish singer Julio Iglesias on Monday expressed his admiration for Conchita Wurst, the Austrian bearded transvestite who won Eurovision at the weekend.“She’s a super singer and she’s an amazing girl, very sensitive, and I’m really happy for her,” said the 70-year-old.Iglesias wa

May 13, 2014

Musee d’Orsay brings blockbuster exhibit

Nineteenth-century Paris has a unique place in the history of art, giving birth to two very important movements ― Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Many masterpieces of this era are housed at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. They include works by such illustrious artists as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin, van Gogh and Czanne. Some such works are currently in Seoul for a special exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in a ravishing treat for art lovers here. “Beyond Impressionism, Masterpieces

May 12, 2014

Ballet dancers tie the knot

Universal Ballet dancers Konstantin Novoselov (left) and Kang Mi-sun pose for a photo right after their engagement on Dec. 28. (UBC)Universal Ballet Company’s principal dancers Kang Mi-sun and Konstantin Novoselov tied the knot on Sunday at L.luce Wedding Convention in Seoul, nearly five months after their public engagement in December.According to Universal Ballet, the two dancers have been dating for the last six years. Kang joined the troupe in 2002, while Russian-born Novoselov joined the co

May 12, 2014

Toy’s Yoo Hee-yeol writes requiem for Sewol victims

Yoo Hee-yeol performs “Sea of Mother” during his music program Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook on Saturday.Composer Yoo Hee-yeol, leader of the project group Toy, has written a requiem for the victims of the Sewol ferry accident.“Sea of Mother” is a calm and melancholy piano composition written by Yoo as a small gesture of encouragement to a nation grieving deeply over the accident, said his management agency Antenna Music.Its theme is a healing mother, who provides peace and solace to her children du

May 12, 2014

McCartney returns to Tokyo venue for first time since 1966

Paul McCartney performs during the opening concert of his “Out There” tour in Montevideo on April 19. (AFP)TOKYO (AFP) ― Paul McCartney is to play Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan Hall this month, marking his first return to the venue since appearing there with The Beatles in 1966. And for some fans, the nostalgia even extends to the tickets, with 100 seats for those aged under 25 going on sale for 1,500 yen ($15), the same price as they were 48 years ago, organizers said. The rest of the tickets for the

May 12, 2014

Austrian drag queen wins Eurovision song contest

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) ― The Austrian bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a James Bond-inspired power ballad that had unleashed a wave of protests in eastern Europe before the competition. The song, “Rise Like a Phoenix,” helped Wurst ― the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth ― secure Austria’s second victory in the competition with 290 points. The country also won in 1966. “This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a

May 11, 2014

Dynamic duo: The success of Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre

NEW YORK (AP) ― They truly are marching to the beat of their own drum.It’s as though anything Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre touches turns to gold: The dynamic duo marked epic-level success when they introduced Eminem to the music world 15 years ago, and their lucrative Beats by Dre business reached blockbuster heights following reports that Apple plans to buy the headphones’ parent company, Beats Electronics, for $3.2 billion.But the music industry veterans have had a string of triumphs, and we take

May 11, 2014

[Band Uprising] Expat rock band New Blue Death looking to break into underground scene

As the Korean music market begins to receive more international recognition, the local band scene is looking to rise up and represent the next generation of Korean music. This is the 11th installment of a series of interviews with Korean rock, acoustic and alternative bands. ― Ed.Six strangers from different walks of life, hailing from across the globe and all with different occupational backgrounds, found themselves in Korea on a temporary void-filling search for something new and exciting. Lit

May 11, 2014

Beauty of math in art

“GRIB 4” (Bernar Venet Studio)Mathematics and art may seem irrelevant in the world of contemporary art, in which artistic creativity takes precedence over the aesthetic ideals pursued by Renaissance artists. But French artist Bernar Venet said mathematics has inspired his works since the early 1960s, when he started his career as an artist. The first painting Venet created was a mathematical painting that resembles functional graphs consisting of symmetrical curves on a y-axis. “I painted a line

May 8, 2014

Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’ auctioned in N.Y. for $27m

NEW YORK (AP) ― Claude Monet’s rarely seen “Water Lilies” sold at auction in New York for just over $27 million. The 1907 painting of his beloved garden in Giverny, France, sold Tuesday at Christie’s to an undisclosed bidder. The work was part of late copper heiress Huguette Clark’s estate. It has not been publicly exhibited since 1926. Christie’s is selling hundreds of items from her collection after a feud over her estate was settled in the fall. “Water Lillies” had been expected to sell for $

May 7, 2014

Eurovision winner says bad planning behind tepid sales

COPENHAGEN (AFP) ― Despite winning hands down at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Danish singer Emmelie de Forest has struggled to find commercial success in her native Denmark. “I had too much to think about. You have so much to think about when you win Eurovision,” said de Forest, who this year will perform the official Eurovision theme, her latest single “Rainmaker,” at Saturday’s final in Copenhagen. As fans from around the world descend on the Danish capital, the city has converted its

May 7, 2014