Overcoming obstacles to expression

Iconic Spanish artist Javier Mariscal’s works are eye-catching ― the bright, bold colors and strokes are loud and lively, demanding attention. Unbeknownst to many, however, the artist suffers from dyslexia, a condition he has had since childhood that makes reading difficult among other things. “When you are a dyslexic child, you don’t understand why others read very well, while you understand nothing,” he said at a press conference for the opening of his exhibition “The Art Player” held in Hanga

Dec. 10, 2013

MTV picks Miley Cyrus as artist of the year

NEW YORK (AP) ― Here’s something to wag a tongue at: MTV says Miley Cyrus is the best artist of the year.The former child star twerked her way to the top. Her eye-popping duet with Robin Thicke on the MTV Video Music Awards was one of the year’s most talked about cultural events.MTV said Monday the VMA duet on “We Can’t Stop” and “Blurred Lines” was the year’s most-watched video on its websites. Similarly, the MTV artist site devoted to Cyrus had more visits than any other artist’s.Besides “We C

Dec. 10, 2013

Infinite brings ‘One Great Step’ to a close

After a promising debut in 2010 with the group’s first EP “First Invasion,” the seven members of K-pop group Infinite have finally completed the group’s first world tour, venturing to 14 countries and 21 cities for 31 live concert performances. Since launching the first leg of the concert tour in August with two shows in Seoul in front 15,000 fans, members Sung-gyu, Ho-ya, Dong-woo, L, Woo-hyun, Sung-yeol and Sung-jong have been performing all across Asia, Europe, the U.S. and even making a stop

Dec. 10, 2013

Photos outline Korean identity

Photography is one of the most common and popular mediums of art enjoyed by Koreans. It’s not unusual to see people hold a digital camera in one hand and take a “selfie,” which then goes instantly online on micro blogs or social networking sites. While such popularity has undermined the value of photography as a genre of art, fine art photographers in Korea have been capturing what individual amateur photographers miss. A touring photo exhibition brings together images that reflect changes in Ko

Dec. 9, 2013

Winner to make return to the small screen

YG Entertainment’s much-anticipated new boy band Winner will be making its return to the small screen. The agency announced that it will launch a new reality TV series starting this week titled “Winner TV.” The five members of the idol group in the making with leader Kang Seung-yoon, Song Min-ho, Nam Tae-hyun, Lee Seung-hoon and Kim Ji-woo were previously known as “Team A” in YG’s survival reality TV program “WIN: Who is Next?”The popular program first premiered in August as YG CEO Yang Hyun-suk

Dec. 9, 2013

Billy Joel, 4 others receive Kennedy Center Honors

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The “Piano Man” who became one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time with such hits as “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Girl” and “Allentown” was awarded the nation’s highest honor Sunday for influencing American culture through the arts.Billy Joel joined Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, opera star Martina Arroyo and actress Shirley MacLaine in receiving the Kennedy Center Honors. All have been playing music, dancing or singing since they were children ― and never stopp

Dec. 9, 2013

U.S. singer wows viewers in Arab talent show

BEIRUT (AFP) ― An American singer who cannot even speak Arabic has come runner-up in television reality show “Arabs Got Talent” after wooing audiences across the Middle East.The renditions of classical Arab songs by Jennifer Grout, a petite blonde from Boston, Massachusetts, ensured that was among the three finalists on the popular show.First prize in the pan-Arab contest went to Syrian dance troupe Sima for a performance portraying the autocratic rule of veteran leaders in the Middle East, MBC

Dec. 9, 2013

Samsung’s smartphones win top prize at CICI Korea Image Awards

Samsung’s Galaxy Android series of smartphones has been selected as the top prize winner of the CICI Korea Image Awards 2014, the institution announced on Monday. The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) is a non-profit organization that pursues the mission of promoting Korea’s image abroad.Samsung Galaxy, a series of Android-powered mobile computing devices designed and marketed by Samsung Electronics, has made an enormous contribution toward promoting Korea’s image as an IT powerhouse, C

Dec. 9, 2013

Psy’s comeback may be imminent: report

Psy has settled on a title track for his upcoming album -- an indication that the YouTube sensation is close to making his highly anticipated next hit, a local news outlet reported Monday. “Now that the title track has been chosen, his (Psy’s) comeback is imminent. But the details (of his comeback) will be set only after he has finished working on the album,” an acquaintance of the 36-year-old singer told Osen. Psy has been working on the follow-up of “Gangnam Style” and “Gentleman” with songwri

Dec. 9, 2013

All the world’s a stage for experimental performance art

Performance artists from around the world will bring a vibrant vibe to the artistic streets of Hongdae in Seoul and Seogwipo in Jeju during the 12th Korea Experimental Arts Festival this month. The annual festival, which began in 2002, will bring performances by more than 50 artists from 15 countries to the public from Thursday to Dec. 23.“The Korea Experimental Arts Festival aims to observe various social and environmental issues of today through art performances. The festival, to be held in tw

Dec. 8, 2013

Fawcett portrait worth $12m, expert tells jury

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― An Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett currently held by actor Ryan O’Neal is worth an estimated $12 million, an appraiser told a jury Friday.New York art appraiser Lee Drexler testified in a lawsuit by the University of Texas at Austin against the actor in which the school is seeking to gain possession of the Fawcett portrait for its art museum.O’Neal contends the artwork was given to him as a gift by Warhol and did not belong to Fawcett when she died in 2009. The “Charlie

Dec. 8, 2013

Producer-turned-rapper wants everyone to know his name

This is the 18th article in a series on producers, MCs, DJs and artists working in the Korean underground hip-hop scene. ― Ed.Producer and rapper Gray said the only concept for his first EP as a performing artist was getting his name out there and introducing himself to the public. “Call Me Gray” was the first album released under AOMG, the hip-hop and R&B label recently started by former idol star Park Jae-beom.The two met when they both appeared on a KBS music show. They contacted each other a

Dec. 8, 2013

EXO wins twice at Chinese music awards

K-pop newcomers EXO have won the Best Group and Most Popular Group prizes at the sixth annual Top Chinese Music Billboard Newcomers Awards.The group EXO ― with its subunit groups EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Mandarin) ― was named the best music act of 2013, with its sub-unit group EXO-M crowned as the year’s most popular group. The awards ceremony was held in Beijing on Tuesday, and was attended by members of EXO-M Tao, Luhan, Lay and Kris. This was the second year in a row that EXO won the Most Po

Dec. 8, 2013

Eyelike: ’VOODOO‘ catchy but average

’VOODOO‘ catchy but average VIXX “VOODOO”(CJ E&M) One year after their debut, rookie boy band VIXX has come out with the release of their first full-length studio album, “VOODOO.” Although with 15 tracks there are many to pick and choose from, much of the album sounds like catchy but average K-pop affair.The album begins with a short horror movie-esque instrumental piece titled “VOODOO.” Albeit short, the introductory track is actually very well made with a haunting piano melody that transitions

Dec. 6, 2013

‘Mamma Mia!’ returns with British cast

The globally popular hit musical “Mamma Mia!” has returned to Seoul, this time starring a British cast from the original London production. Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, and based on songs by ABBA ― the famous Swedish pop group, active from 1972 to 1982 ― including “Dancing Queen,” “Money, Money, Money” and “Thank You for the Music,” the musical offers a hilarious tale of a young bride-to-be’s search for her unknown father. The musical premiered in 1999 in the West End at Prin

Dec. 6, 2013

Ancient beliefs spirited away in the shift to modernity

Shamanistic practices were considered an aspect of Korea that needed to be stamped out in its shift to industrialization and modernization. In the 1970s, the government-initiated New Year’s campaigns, promoted in newspapers, stressed that people must build their own fortune by working hard, rather than depending too much on shamanistic fortunetelling. A few practices have survived despite the government’s attempt to break away from old customs, but most of them are remembered through research an

Dec. 5, 2013