Worth more than the paper they’re drawn on

An extensive collection of paintings and drawings on paper by acclaimed modern Korean artists is on view at Gallery Hyundai, shedding light on one of the oldest and most common art mediums ― paper. The showcase of 132 works by 30 artists explores the significance of paper in the history of Korean art. The exhibits were created using diverse media including pencils, inks, watercolors and painting markers throughout modern Korean art. The modern art period in Korea encompasses the Japanese colonia

Feb. 2, 2014

Crushed hopes in Egypt become art in New York

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The brutal aftermath of the once euphoric Egyptian revolution is on stark display in a powerful New York exhibition that lays bare grief, death and shattered hopes.Three years after protests first erupted across the Arab world, ultimately deposing autocratic rulers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, the hopes of millions now lie stagnant or in tatters.In Egypt, Iranian-American artist Shirin Neshat witnessed firsthand the evolution as she traveled between New York and Cairo mak

Feb. 2, 2014

g.o.d comeback rumors continue

Nothing could bring back more nostalgic memories of the beginning heyday of K-pop boy bands than the news of the possible return of popular idol group g.o.d. It was previously revealed late last year that the stars of g.o.d. would be reuniting this year in honor of the group’s 15th anniversary. The rumor mill is continuing to circulate with the most recent claims that the members are already gearing up for a comeback and that they have already completed recording one track from their upcoming al

Feb. 2, 2014

Life devoted to photographing Mount Baekdusan

Mountain photographer Ahn Seung-il has always believed Mount Baekdusan holds the soul of Korean people. The mountain, straddling North Korea and China, is the starting point of the backbone of the Korean mountains. It has been regarded as a sacred place for many Koreans as legends surrounding national foundation originate from the mountain and the surrounding area. Ahn also believes he deserves the rank of best photographer when it comes to the mountain.With many years of experience photographin

Jan. 28, 2014

N’Dour ready to be flag-bearer for peace in Central Africa

DAKAR (AFP) ― Senegalese music icon Youssou N’Dour has told AFP he is ready to travel to the Central African Republic to spread his message of peace amid inter-religious violence which has torn the country apart.Speaking late Sunday at the recording of a single dedicated to reconciliation in Central Africa, N’Dour said artists had a role in talking about world events such as the CAR crisis and that music “allows us to take shortcuts” to speak to a wider audience.“We can participate in bringing p

Jan. 28, 2014

Kim Dong-ryul to make comeback for 20th anniversary

Popular veteran singer Kim Dong-ryul announced that he will be returning to his fans with a new album in commemoration of his 20th year in the music industry. Kim posted on his personal Facebook page on Monday that he had just completed work on his next album and hopes he will be able to unveil the tracks sometime this year. “I have been looking at a number of songs that I had written several years before as well as ones that I’ve written recently, and even in one day my mind keeps changing back

Jan. 28, 2014

Rachael Yamagata to hold live concert in March

American singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata will stage a live concert in Seoul in March.The concert is scheduled for March 14-15 at the Baekyang Concert Hall of Yonsei University in northwestern Seoul.Jazz-pop musician Emi Meyer, a friend of Yamagata, is slated to perform alongside the main artist.The concert, her fourth gig held in Seoul, is focused on delivering a “live acoustic” sound this time, so will exclude as much electronic sound as possible, according to Southern Star Entertainment, Ya

Jan. 28, 2014

A romantic comedy opera for Valentine’s Day

As February approaches, a rom-com opera is set to go on stage, armed with charm and humor. A local production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte” will be staged at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts on Feb. 11-12, just in time for Valentine’s Day, starring the country’s young, up-and-coming opera singers. Composed by Mozart at the height of his fame and first performed in 1790, “Cosi fan Tutte” is a tale of two young soldiers who are goaded by a gentleman into a wager regarding thei

Jan. 27, 2014

Shinhwa to hold 16th anniversary show minus Andy

Shinhwa, the country’s longest-running K-pop boy band, will hold its 16th anniversary concert in March. However, because of the illegal gambling scandal that continues to plague member Andy, it was announced that he will not be joining the other five members for their yearly anniversary show. Last year, Andy ― along with a handful of local television celebrities including Tony An of H.O.T, Lee Soo-geun and Tak Jae-hoon ― was placed under investigation for participating in illegal online sports g

Jan. 27, 2014

Ga-in goes explicit with new single

Brown Eyed Girls member Ga-in has made her solo act return with the prerelease single “Fxxk U,” featuring rapper Bumkey, from her soon-to-be-released third EP album “Truth or Dare.” Ga-in first piqued fans’ attention after releasing an erotic teaser of the “Fxxk U” music video, showing the singer’s silhouette behind a steamy shower curtain with a man who was later revealed to be actor Joo Ji-hoon. The sexy 19+ R&B track was released at midnight Tuesday and marks the singer’s solo return, followi

Jan. 27, 2014

Big Bang to release new album this summer

After returning from its six-city, 16-concert Japan Dome Tour where the five hallyu stars of Big Bang performed in front of 770,000 Japanese fans, leader G-Dragon announced the group’s plans to release a new album. The group recently held three performances at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium from Friday to Sunday, drawing in around 36,000 local fans. On the final night of the “2014 BIGBANG +α IN SEOUL” concert series, G-Dragon announced to the audience that the group is working on its ne

Jan. 27, 2014

‘Mr. Chow’ comes home with Hong Kong exhibition

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Best known as a celebrity restaurateur whose 1960s mission to change Western attitudes to Chinese food has lasted nearly 50 years, Michael Chow is also a trained painter who, until recently, had not picked up his brushes for decades.Mr. Chow restaurants became glamorous centers for Swinging London, New York’s disco days and today’s Hollywood and art world elite. The man behind them has unveiled his first solo exhibition in Asia, a show he says reflects his complicated relations

Jan. 26, 2014

Veterans give stage time to new rappers

For aspiring rappers in a country dominated by K-pop, finding a stage to perform on is a daunting task. Most hip-hop shows only book established artists and, with the Internet as the main resource, it’s hard to build a big enough fan base to become established.However, a few established names in the underground scene are giving this elusive opportunity to new rappers.For first-generation artist MC Meta, one half of group Garion, this takes the form of an open mic. Every Sunday at the P-Bro Sound

Jan. 26, 2014

New and old stars vie, or team up, for Grammys glory

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Music’s top stars gather Sunday for the Grammys, with artists ranging from the Beatles and veteran rapper Jay-Z to French electro duo Daft Punk and newcomers like New Zealand’s Lorde up for honors.Rapper Kendrick Lamar, pop diva Taylor Swift, chart-topper Justin Timberlake and Seattle hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are also among those vying for prizes at music’s version of the Oscars in Los Angeles.The show will also feature some eye-popping collaborations, including ro

Jan. 26, 2014