This is the ninth in a series on foreigners working in the Korean entertainment industry. ― Ed.Korean-American Bryan Park, also known by his stage name NoName, came to Korea to pursue a music career in 2008, and though it has been hard going, his efforts are starting to bear fruit.The hip-hop artist left his label over the summer and opened up his company, AMP Media, in August 2012, and currently has about 15 to 20 people working there, including two artists and a group of trainees for an idol g

Jan. 6, 2013

The former husband of late actress Choi Jin-sil was found dead at his home in Seoul Sunday in an apparent suicide, police said.The body of Cho Sung-min, 39, a former top baseball player who was married to Choi from 2000 to 2004, was found in the bathroom of his apartment in the southern Seoul neighborhood of Dogok-dong, police said.A friend discovered the body and told police, saying Cho appeared to have strangled himself with a belt.The late actress committed suicide in 2008 after struggling wi

Jan. 6, 2013

Dance“Romeo and Juliet”: The Korea National Ballet is opening this year’s season with Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The troupe is presenting a version created by legendary French choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot of Monte Carlo Ballet Theater. Unlike the Kenneth MacMillan version showcased by Universal Ballet Company last year, the upcoming show presents simple and modern costumes and choreography. Its stage setting, created by French designer Ernest Pignon-Ernest, is also noted for

Jan. 4, 2013

Elle Goulding’s ‘Halcyon’ is hauntingly beautifulEllie Goulding“Halcyon”(Polydor Records)In an age of auto tuned homogeneity, Ellie Goulding’s voice is really something. She imprints on everything she sings with unique character. Goulding’s tremulous vibrato and hoarse timbre have the feel of something primal and folky, her birdlike high notes are childlike, while darker tones imply ancient depths of sorrow. Ellie Goulding has always dealt with unfairly high expectations. Best known in the U.S.

Jan. 4, 2013

Hong Ra-hee, the director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, has been named the most influential figure in the Korean art circle, according to a survey. The survey of 3,368 visitors to art museums, galleries and fairs was conducted by the Korea Art Price Appraise Association during last year. According to the art evaluation agency, Hong was also voted as the most influential figure every year between 2005 and 2009. Hong’s museum attracted more than 260,000 visitors in 2012 with major exhibitions s

Jan. 3, 2013

The name of hip-hop rookie trio Phantom does not refer to the definition for “ghost” that first comes to mind. Rather, it’s rooted in science, describing the dispersing of energy. The band’s vocalist Sanchez selected the name. While he was attending college, he developed an interest in Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, which is where the group’s name originated. He remembers one day watching a documentary in which he learned about the effects of time and space, and more specifically, phantom ener

Jan. 3, 2013

A Hangeul-themed artwork by the famous Korean installation artist Kang Ik-joong will go on permanent display at the Kyoto University of Art and Design.The piece was made as part of a joint project of Kang and independent publicist Seo Kyoung-duk to promote the Korean writing system to the world. “I created the piece to promote Hangeul through art at a time when people started to take interest in the Korean alphabet along with the hallyu boom,” Kang told a local news outlet.  The artwork “Yoon Do

Jan. 3, 2013

U.S. pop star Britney Spears said via Twitter she is working on her eighth album, her first since 2011‘s “Femme Fatale.”The Grammy Award-winning singer tweeted during the weekend she is “working hard” on the new CD and “collaborating with some new inspiring producers.”She did not disclose the names of the producers, or a possible title or release date for the album.Asked by a fan online if she will return for a second season as a judge on TV’s “The X Factor,” she tweeted, “Really focused on my m

Jan. 3, 2013

K-pop star Rain will face disciplinary action for dating a top TV actress while on official military duty, the defense ministry said Thursday, in the wake of an outpouring of criticism over the special treatment of celebrities while they fulfill their mandatory military service. The latest move comes after local media reported the 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, went on dates with actress Kim Tae-hee on several occasions while he was on leave last month.The top singer well-k

Jan. 3, 2013

The latest group exhibition at Ilmin Museum of Art presents a rather serious theme for the beginning of the New Year ― the survival of humanity. But with forecasts warning of a worsening economy, survival may not be a distant theme to consider: Art is a reflection of the world we live in, it is widely saidFive artists ― Kang So-young liilliil, Song Ho-jun, Ahn Doo-jin, Chung So-young and Will Kim ― present their own interpretations of survival in the forms of film, painting, installation and mor

Jan. 2, 2013

The announcement of Sistar19’s comeback in January has sparked news of other spin-off groups who wish to make a name for themselves this year. Girl group 4minute and the new boys of Infinite have both confirmed that they will be launching sub-groups of their own.Early last year, one of the leading girl groups in the K-pop world, Girls’ Generation, found success with their own spin-off group, Girls’ Generation-TTS, also known as TaeTiSeo, with members Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. Now, with the a

Jan. 2, 2013

Girls’ Generation released their fourth album “I Got a Boy” on Jan. 1, but some fans who had eagerly awaited the girl group’s return were disappointed with the title track “I Got a Boy” and its music video. A number of Twitter users sent out a flurry of tweets that the new album does not strongly appeal to listeners. They said that “I Got a Boy” seems to be partly inspired by other girl group songs with similar chord progression and dance moves. Some online users even said the new album lacked t

Jan. 2, 2013

Police say a paparazzo was hit by a car and killed after taking photos of Justin Bieber’s white Ferrari on a Los Angeles street.Los Angeles police Officer James Stoughton says the photographer, who was not identified, died at a hospital shortly after the crash Tuesday evening. Stoughton says Bieber was not in the Ferrari at the time.The sports car was parked on the side of Sepulveda Boulevard near Getty Center Drive after a traffic stop. The photographer was struck as he walked across the boulev

Jan. 2, 2013

“Gangnam Style” video stars perform in Times SquareKorean singer Psy performed “Gangnam Style” with actors Yoo Jae-suk and Noh Hong-chul, who were featured in the video, at “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on Dec. 31 in New York Times Square. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve” is one of America’s biggest shows with millions of people gathering at New York Times Square on the last day of every year to see spectacular performances. And Psy invited Yoo and Noh to perform with him at the even

Jan. 2, 2013

The life of 21-year-old pianist Ji-Yong has been extraordinary. He shot to international stardom when he became the youngest ever to win the New York Philharmonic Young Artists Competition in 2001 at the age of 10 and debuted with the New York Philharmonic with Maestro Kurt Mazur as conductor. Since then he has performed with world-class orchestras and maestros and is now a Julliard student. And Ji-Yong, whose full name is Kim Ji-yong, seems to be determined to show the world that he is no longe

Jan. 1, 2013