From Tokyo to USA: Kusama’s eternal love of polka dots

She has two major exhibitions opening simultaneously in Japan and the United States at the venerable age of 87 -- but Yayoi Kusama is nowhere near her last hurrah.Living and creating are inseparable for the red-wigged avant-garde Japanese artist, as she explained to reporters in Tokyo on the eve of her show opening at the National Art Center. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama waves at a photo session during a press preview of her exhibition titled "My Eternal Soul" at the National Art Center in Tokyo

Feb. 28, 2017

Hyolyn is going global, and electronic

Hyolyn, the lead vocalist of K-pop girl group Sistar has signed a contract with Spinnin’ Records, the world’s largest electronic dance music label, according to her agency Starship Entertainment Tuesday.Hyolyn has become the first K-pop singer to sign with the company, the agency said in a statement. “Her collaboration with Justin Oh will be released globally in March,” Starship Entertainment said. Oh is a Korean DJ and producer who has garnered international fame and is also signed to Spinnin’

Feb. 28, 2017

Idol group Gugudan drops music video for "A Girl Like Me"

South Korean girl group Gugudan has released the music video for "A Girl Like Me," the lead single off its second EP album. (Jellyfish Entertainment)The clip, released on Monday, features Gugudan members engaging in various forms of narcissism, gazing at themselves in the mirror and being mesmerized.The production was inspired by the famous 16th century painting "Narcissus" by Caravaggio, which appears in the video. The title of the new album is "Act 2 Narcissus."The album was released via strea

Feb. 28, 2017

Lee Jong-suk meets Thai fans, wraps up Asia tour

Lee Jong-suk met with thousands of fans in Thailand over the weekend, wrapping up a five-nation Asia tour, his agency said Monday.The actor’s meet-and-greet event with some 3,000 Thai fans, titled “Variety,” was held at the Thunder Dome in Bangkok on Sunday, according to YG Entertainment. (YG Entertainment)During the meeting, fans were invited by Lee to the stage and together re-enacted famous scenes from “W,” his hit TV drama aired last year. The star later gifted perfumes and candies. “I thank

Feb. 27, 2017

Jerusalem art show turns ‘home’ inside out

A giant kitchen grater with menacing blades, an ironing board festooned with penises and Marcel Duchamp‘s repurposed urinal greet visitors to the Israel Museum’s new show “No Place Like Home.”The exhibition focuses on the reinterpretation of household objects in art, and takes Duchamp‘s jokey 1917 “Fountain” as its starting point.The 120 quirky and sometimes creepy exhibits are laid out in stark white spaces, identified as rooms of a home and labelled as entrance, living room, bathroom and other

Feb. 27, 2017

GFriend drops teaser for 'Fingertip' music video

South Korean girl group GFriend on Monday unveiled a teaser for the music video of its upcoming song "Fingertip." (Source Music) "Fingertip" is the title track of the group's upcoming EP album "The Awakening" slated to come out March 6, according to Source Music, the group's agency. The album is the first in eight months following its full-length album "LOL." In the brief clip uploaded to YouTube, the me

Feb. 27, 2017

2PM's weekend concert suspended after stage accident

A concert by South Korean boy band 2PM was abruptly halted over the weekend after member Jun. K was injured while performing, the group's agency said Monday. (Yonhap)The concert held at Seoul Olympic Park on Sunday was canceled after Jun. K fell off a moving vehicle while singing, JYP Entertainment said.Jun. K was immediately hospitalized and was later found out to have fractured his right elbow and right ring finger. Concert attendees will receive refunds for the canceled show, according to JYP

Feb. 27, 2017

Taeyeon, Suzy and more -- K-pop female acts return

From chart-topping solo singers to rising female bands, the K-pop scene will be rife with returning female acts this week. K-pop group Lovelyz dropped its second album “R U Ready?” on Sunday with the title track “WoW!” Lovelyz (Woolim Entertainment)Power vocalist Ailee, whose original sound track for “Guardian: The Great And Lonely God,” “I Will go to You Like the First Snow” is enjoying popularity here, is set to return Monday with a new track titled “Old Longing” (unofficial translation). Gugu

Feb. 26, 2017

Sistine chapel photographed in unprecedented detail

The famous frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling was painted by Michelangelo, can now be examined in minute detail thanks to an unprecedented photographic venture, the Vatican Museums have said.By combining innovative digital technology and special light-emitting diode LED lamps that aimed to reproduce daylight, photographers were able to make images measuring 43 centimeters tall by 1.2 meters wide. Journalists look at the Sistine Chapel with its new lighting during a press visit to the

Feb. 26, 2017

Chun Kyung-ja's controversial painting to go on public display

A national art museum said Saturday it has decided to put on public display renowned painter Chun Kyung-ja's work that her bereaved family alleges is a fake.This, if realized, would mark the first time that the painting has been shown to the public in 26 years. "Beautiful Woman" will be part of the exhibition for works by some 100 painters representing the Korean fine art of the 20th century, set to open in the Gwacheon branch of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in mid-April, acc

Feb. 25, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals in Korea this week

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservation is required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, J

Feb. 24, 2017

Twice to debut in Japan

K-pop group Twice on Friday announced the group will be heading to Japan on June 28, starting the countdown on its official Japanese website.The album to mark the start for the nine-member group‘s musical career in Japan is to be titled “#TWICE,” and will be a compilation of Twice’s hit songs, including “Like Ooh-Ahh,” “Cheer Up” and “TT.” Ten songs, in both Korean and Japanese, will be featured on the album. Twice (JYP Entertainment)Twice is also slated to hold a showcase to commemorate the alb

Feb. 24, 2017

Facts about Dean’s new single

R&B artist Dean dropped a new single titled “limbo” on Feb. 17, comprised of two songs.　The producer-turned-singer, who has written songs for K-pop’s biggest names such as EXO, VIXX and Taeyeon, has been consistently collaborating with artists such as Crush to produce trendy tracks. 　The following is a list of facts about the new album:1. The album’s concept is the state of limbo between dreaming and reality, where the two are indistinguishable. 2. It was inspired by the Christopher Nolan movie

Feb. 23, 2017

GFriend to release new EP next month

South Korean girl group GFriend will drop a new album next month amid anticipation that it will follow the success of the group's previous hits, its management agency said Thursday.  (Yonhap)The upcoming EP, slated to come out March 6, is the first in eight months after its full-length album "LOL," according to Source Music.The six-member act -- Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB and Umji -- rolled out two albums last year and enjoyed enormous popularity at home and abroad with back-to-back hits "R

Feb. 23, 2017

BTS becomes 1st Korean artist to have 4 straight albums on Billboard 200 with “‘You Never Walk Alone”

The latest album by Bangtan Boys has ranked No. 61 on Billboard’s top 200 album charts, marking the fourth consecutive time the Korean boyband has made the list.According to the group’s agency Big Hit Entertainment, this is the first time any Korean artist has appeared on the list for four albums in a row. Bangtan Boys (Big Hit Entertainment)The seven-member band last week released the album “You Never Walk Alone,” as a follow-up to its second studio album “Wings” in Oct. 10. The album peaked at

Feb. 23, 2017

Red Velvet, Tiger JK, Yoon Mi-rae to perform at ‘K-Pop Night Out’ at SXSW

Korean band Kim Ban-jang and Windy City has been invited to perform at the South by Southwest festival in the US, according to local media reports Thursday.The band is slated to perform at the Flamingo Cantina at Austin, Texas, the venue of the SXSW. It marks the third year the band is participating in the annual event. caption: Red Velvet (SM Entertainment)Other Korea-based artists who will take part include Glen Check, Luna Lee, Neon Bunny, and XXX.　The Korea Creative Content Agency has also r

Feb. 23, 2017

French artist is entombed in rock for a week

A French artist was entombed Wednesday inside a 12-metric ton boulder for a week, saying, “I think I can take it.”With the world‘s press looking on, the two halves of the limestone rock were closed on Abraham Poincheval by workmen in a Paris modern art museum.  French artist Abraham Poincheval performs “Pierre” (“Stone”), at the Palais de Tokyo on Wednesday in Paris. (AFP-Yonhap)The 44-year-old had hollowed out a hole in the rock just big enough for him to sit, with a niche to hold supplies of w

Feb. 23, 2017

David Bowie honors, George Michael tribute top Brit Awards

The Brit Awards recognized big international stars including Drake and Beyonce and a cross-section of homegrown talent Wednesday -- but the ceremony was overshadowed by the much-missed David Bowie and George Michael.　 Bowie, who died in January 2016 at age 69, was crowned British male artist of the year and won British album of the year for "Blackstar," released days before his death.　 Bowie‘s son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, accepted the best album award on behalf of his father, who he said had "al

Feb. 23, 2017