When spring blooms

Tucked away off the streets of Anguk-dong sits a beautiful hanok, a traditional Korean house, filled with fresh flowers of many different shades. Among the pretty bouquets are pink tulip Dreaming Maids, purple sweet peas, violet roses, white cherry blossoms and mauve scabiosas. Spring certainly has arrived at florist Lee Joo-hee’s atelier Iena, opened three years ago. Unlike most flower shops in Seoul, Iena does not have a floral fridge. They are displayed rather naturally in one of the rooms of

March 22, 2013

Eyelike:

Bon Jovi offers self-help, catchy chorusesBon Jovi``What About Now‘’(Island Def Jam)Why does Bon Jovi crank out an unending string of relentlessly upbeat, unavoidably catchy songs in the style that made the Jersey boys famous 30 years ago and kept them there `till now?Because they can.The band‘s 12th album, ``What About Now,’‘ fairly bursts with the encouraging self-help anthems that have long defined the Bon Jovi sound and style, from the early days of Tommy and Gina ``Livin’ on a Prayer‘’ to k

March 22, 2013

Lee Hi takes M! Countdown crown once again

Super rookie Lee Hi, who exploded onto the music scene with her debut single “1,2,3,4,” is back on top once again with her latest release “It’s Over.” The singer performed her newly released single on the M! Countdown comeback stage on Thursday, beating out veteran ballad singers 2AM to receive her fourth countdown crown in her short career. The 16-year-old unveiled the first part of her debut album, titled “First Love Part 1,” on March 3. “It’s Over,” the album’s title track that put her on top

March 22, 2013

Jeju landscape drawn by a native son

There’s something about landscape paintings that allows viewers to accept them as they are. When viewing Kang Yo-bae’s landscape paintings of Jeju island, one can stop trying to understand the art, but just let the works touch their hearts. The 61-year-old native of Jeju is a landscape painter who has been portraying the southern island of Jeju for more than two decades. Born on Jeju, the artist spent his 20s and 30s in Seoul, studying painting at Seoul National University and teaching high scho

March 21, 2013

Starman: London show hails rock icon David Bowie

LONDON (AFP) ― Outrageous costumes and hand-scrawled lyrics are among hundreds of items going on show in a major London retrospective tracing David Bowie’s relentless self-reinventions over five decades.Charting the British singer’s rise to fame and his reincarnations as Ziggy Stardust and other outlandish alter egos, the “David Bowie Is” exhibition has become the fastest-selling show in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s history ahead of its launch on Saturday.The prestigious art and design museu

March 21, 2013

Psy to change name of song ‘Assarabia’

Psy announced he would change the title and lyrics of his potential “Gangnam Style” follow-up “Assarabia” over concerns it could offend Arabs.The Korean term can be written as “Assarabia” and “Assaravia” in English. Equivalent to the term “Oh yeah!” in English, assarabia is slang used by Koreans to express excitement. However, the Korean term did not translate well globally ― separating the “Ass” and “Arabia,” some said it was insulting to Arabs. The K-pop singer clarified the matter on Monday t

March 21, 2013

Snoop Lion to hold first Seoul concert

One of the most influential figures in the American hip-hop industry Snoop Lion, aka Snoop Dogg, is scheduled to perform live in Seoul for the first time this May. The concert titled, “Unite All Originals Live with Snoop Dogg,” will also feature local music and fashion trendsetters 2NE1, who will be sharing the stage with the legendary rapper as special guests. After a trip to Jamaica last year, the rapper announced his conversion to the Rastafarian movement and his rebirth under the name Snoop

March 21, 2013

Psy’s new song sparks attention from foreign media

International media outlets are paying keen attention to Psy’s new song, particularly its “controversial” title. U.S. music magazines such as Billboard and Rolling Stone and Britain’s The Sun reported that Psy, who shot to stardom with his addictive music video for “Gangnam Style,” decided to change the Korean title of his new song “Assarabia” as it could be misheard as offensive.YG Entertainment, Psy’s agency, said the 39-year-old singer considered changing the title even before the controversy

March 21, 2013

Revisiting ‘Mystical Paradise’

Local choreographer Hong Sung-yup is widely nicknamed “the dancer of literature.”The director of Korea National Contemporary Dance Company has been praised for his ability to translate works of literature into contemporary dances. Some of the state-run troupe’s repertoires include “Ah Q,” based on Lu Xin’s 1921 novella “The True Story of Ah Q,” and “The Blood in Horses’ Eyes,” an adaptation of playwright Peter Shaffer’s “Equus.” Hong’s latest output was “Rashomon,” which is based on Japanese wri

March 20, 2013

U-KISS and 2NE1 to perform at Formula 1 event

U-KISS and 2NE1 have been invited as Korean representatives to perform at the F1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix which takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 22. Following Wonder Girls in 2011 and Girls’ Generation in 2012, 2NE1 and U-KISS are the third group of Korean artists to perform at the ritzy sporting event, along with U.S. pop stars Demi Lovato and the Backstreet Boys.“We have performed in lots of foreign places. We have been on stage with famous overseas pop stars before, but thi

March 20, 2013

M-Flo DJ gives SNSD a new spin

DJ Taku Takahasi of the popular Japanese electronica hip-hop duo M-Flo has released a special remix album of some of the most popular Japanese hit singles by Girls’ Generation. “Girls’ Generation Best Selection Non Stop Mix,” a 21-track album, was released Wednesday. The album features the DJ’s electronic remixes of 20 of the ladies’ hit songs including “Gee,” “The Boys,” “Run Devil Run,” “Genie,” “Mr. Taxi” and “Oh!”  Takahasi is best known as a member of M-Flo and he and fellow Korean member V

March 20, 2013

[Photo News] JYJ practice session for upcoming concert

Photos of K-pop group JYJ practicing for its upcoming concert in Japan were uploaded onto their official Facebook webpage (www.facebook.com/CJESJYJ) Wednesday. Backed up with a live band, the photos unveiled the three members of JYJ working hard to ensure a perfect performance. JYJ’s live concerts at Tokyo Dome will be held from April 2 to 4. About 150,000 tickets for the concert have already been sold. By Park Sui, Intern reporter(suipark@heraldcorp.com)<관련 한글 기사>JYJ 도쿄돔 라이브 연습현장 사진 공개!JYJ의 도쿄돔

March 20, 2013

Hermes Foundation Art Award finalists selected

Hermes Korea has selected three artists as finalists for the 2013 Hermes Foundation Art Award. Na Hyun, Noh Sun-tag and Jung Eun-young were chosen from among 10 artists by a five-member judging committee, which consists of Korean and foreign art experts including Ute Meta Bauer, dean of Royal College of Art, and Guillaume Desanges, artistic director of La Verriere in Belgium.  The three artists are expected to come up with new work with support by Hermes Foundation, and exhibit their works at A

March 19, 2013

Hip-hop duo Supreme Team back in action

Simon D and E-Sens of Supreme Team have finally made their way back to their fans after two years with the long-awaited release of duo’s latest EP album, “Thanks 4 the Wait.” This is the first release that the two have put out as a team since they suspended their group’s activities after member E-Sens was charged with marijuana use in 2011. Released Tuesday, “Thanks 4 the Wait” features two singles: title track “Geudaero Isseododwae” and “Eat It.” The album’s title track is a mid-tempo smooth ra

March 19, 2013

Singer Jang Jae-in suffering from paralysis: agency

Singer Jang Jae-in is suffering from partial paralysis induced by peripheral nerve damage, her agency said Tuesday.“She had been diagnosed with peripheral nerve damage,” said an official from her management agency Namutip Entertainment, adding that the singer may be hospitalized for treatment.Jang on Monday said via Twitter that she started feeling under the weather last fall. “(The paralysis) has progressed considerably on my left side. It doesn’t feel like my body anymore. Playing the guitar i

March 19, 2013

Scholar claims discovery of Korea’s oldest painting

A local scholar on Sunday claimed he has discovered what he believes to be the oldest painting in Korea.Lee Dong-cheon, a guest researcher at the Museum of Liaoning Province in China, said he recently found a painting which he believes dates back to 14th century Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). “It seems like this piece of work is an imitation of the famous 12th century painting ‘Dokhwarosado,’” the scholar was quoted as saying in news reports. “It looks like the painting was created circa 1350.” The

March 18, 2013