Kolleen Park returns to the theater

Music director-TV celeb to show her acting talent for first time in 20 years with musical ‘Next to Normal’It was difficult to recall charismatic conductor Kolleen Park seeing her on a musical stage ― looking somewhat frail and vulnerable, her voice even trembled slightly as she led the song “You don’t know” in front of the press on Monday at Doosan Art Center in Yeonji-dong, central Seoul. Park, a

July 5, 2011

Lady Gaga in another quirky outfit

Pop star Lady Gaga appeared on Japanese talk show “Room of Tetsuko” wearing yet another unique outfit called “costume onion,” according a report from Oricon.co.jp. The singer shocked the Japanese interviewer Tetsuko with a round black dress resembling an onion and a “reverse vortex” hairstyle measuring 50 centimeters high. She also sported her iconic 40 centimeter high-heeled shoes. Gaga offered h

July 5, 2011

Yoon promises continued support for Korean traditional music

Yoon Young-dal, CEO of Crown-Haitai Confectionary, received the 20th Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award on Monday at the Shilla Hotel’s Dynasty Hall in central Seoul. The foundation recognized Yoon’s contributions to developing and promoting the Korean traditional music “gugak” worldwide and his efforts to discover and foster young gugak musicians. “Since sometime ago, we have tended to

July 4, 2011

Museum shows royal books returned from France

  Five significant copies among 297 returned Uigwe shown to mediaThe National Museum of Korea on Monday revealed five significant copies of the total of 297 retrieved ancient royal books, known as “Uigwe,” to the media for the first time since their return from France earlier this year.Korea retrieved the royal documents ― which contain both text and hand-drawn illustrations of significant royal r

July 4, 2011

Barenboim to lead peace concert at Imjingak

Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim will lead his youth orchestra, consisting of artists from the Middle East including Israelis and Palestinians, to perform at Imjingak near the demilitarized zone to promote peace on the Korean peninsula.The concert will be held on Aug. 15, Liberation Day in Korea, the organizer said.Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which the conductor formed in 199

July 3, 2011

Album cover caught for copyright issues

 Playboy magazine has claimed trademark infringement on YG Entertainment’s popular duo “GD&TOP” album. 　 YG Entertainment has confirmed on their official website that GD&TOP’s first album’s cover was designed based on the magazine’s rabbit logo and took into account Playboy’s demands to stop using the trademark.YG also said that they will discontinue the production of the original album and create

July 3, 2011

Summer music fests around the corner

Top music acts will perform at summer music festivals at major amusement parks in late July and early August. Summer Wave Festival will be held at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on July 22-23.Will.i.am., the talented producer and member of The Black Eyed Peas, will be performing a DJ set, while Korean American hip-hop rapper Tiger JK, UV and 2PM will also take to the stage.The performances

July 3, 2011

Calendar

Exhibitions“Pilgrim”: Hollywood actor Richard Gere is holding a photo exhibition in Seoul. The show is composed of 64 photographs taken by the actor, capturing Tibet, its people and community, as well as 24 photos by 24 artists including Annie Leibovitz, Jerry Uelsmann and Steve Meisel. Gere has established and is running The Gere Foundation to aid those suffering because of wars and natural disas

July 1, 2011

eye-like

Peyroux explores rootsier sound Madeleine Peyroux“Standing on the Rooftop’’ Emarcy/DeccaMadeleine Peyroux impressed on her 1996 debut “Dreamland,” singing early jazz and blues standards with a tone uncannily reminiscent of Billie Holiday, re-emerged as an innovative interpreter of more contemporary fare by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and others on 2004’s best-selling “Careless Love” and established h

July 1, 2011

Koreans win five prizes in Tchaikovsky competition

MOSCOW ― South Korean artists clinched five prizes, including two top vocal prizes, in one of the world’s most prestigious classical music competitions.Bass Park Jong-min, 24, and soprano Seo Sun-young, 27, of Korea won first prizes in the male and female solo vocal categories of the 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition that closed here on Thursday.In the two-week-long contest, Korea’s risin

July 1, 2011

Girl’s Generation charms French

K-Pop enthusiasts in France surprised many people in Korea as they queued for hours to see the SM Town concert. Now they are gathering online to talk about the stars. The French fan site “Sweety Nine Forum” (snsd.frenchboard.com) has a fan base ranging from the 12 to 26-years-old, but what they share in common is the Girl’s Generation. They talk about what they like about the girl group and list c

July 1, 2011

Chung makes a sweep of French cultural honors

The French Ministry of Culture and Communication conferred the country’s top French cultural order “Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters” on Maestro conductor and pianist Chung Myung-whun Wednesday, making him a recipient of all three French cultural honors.The medal is the highest honor among the three “Order of Arts and Letters,” awarded to an artist who has made significant contribution t

June 30, 2011

Jukebox musicals push right buttons

Works based on hits by folk singer Yang Hee-eun, ’90s K-pop group DJ DOC and today’s hottest bands make fans nostalgicOld songs have the power to bring back memories and fans of the time period back together. Targeting this fact, so-called “jukebox musicals” dedicate their entire shows to a single artist or a band’s hit songs. “Mama Mia,” based on Swedish pop band ABBA’s hits, and “We Will Rock Yo

June 29, 2011

Exhibition on beauty of ancient royal palace, culture

Changdeokgung and its legacy featured by national museumAmong the five grand palaces that were built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), “Changdeokgung,” or Changdeok Palace, was favored by many members of the royal family. The literal meaning of the palace, “Palace of Flourishing Virtue,” is reflected in Changdeokgung’s architecture and scenery, where the buildings are harmoniously bl

June 28, 2011

Chungs confident Great Mountains fest can become world-class event

Late works of great composers to be heard on the hills of Gangwon ProvinceInternationally renowned sister musicians Chung Myung-wha and Chung Kyung-wha said they will combine their decades of musical experience to help the Great Mountains Music Festival & School become a world-class chamber music festival.Cellist Myung-wha and violinist Kyung-wha have become new artistic directors for the GMMFS, t

June 28, 2011

K-pop stars dating for a month

Gu Ha-ra (left) and Yong Joon-hyung (Yonhap News)K-pop idols Gu Ha-ra of the girl group KARA and Yong Joon-hyung of the boy band BEAST revealed their romantic relationship Tuesday. Yong’s agency announced Tuesday that the two stars have been dating for a month.Cube Entertainment agency added that when Gu, 20, was having hard time going through the contract dispute with her agency, Yong, 22, had be

June 28, 2011