Most Popular
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Driver in fatal crash was speeding from hotel: police
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Korea to provide W25tr support for debt-laden small business owners in H2
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Support for borderline intelligent people introduced
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Son Heung-min's father questioned in child abuse investigation
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Hyundai Motor completes EV ecosystem in Indonesia
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Korea to weigh in on food delivery fees
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[Community Discovery] From fashion mecca to robotics hub: Gangnam-gu's new ambition
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Basketball star's messy dispute with ex-girlfriend continues
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Taxi crashes into hospital in central Seoul, injuring 2
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LG acquires Dutch smarthome specialist to enhance connectivity
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Chun Kyung-ja’s long-disputed artwork declared genuine
Prosecutors announced Monday that “Beautiful Woman” was painted by the late Korean artist Chun Kyung-ja, ending a 25-year controversy over the authenticity of the work which the artist had denied creating.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office conducted a nearly five-month investigation into the authenticity of the painting after Chun’s family sued several officials at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, which stores the piece, alleging infringement of copyright la
Dec. 19, 2016
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Stravinsky's once-lost 'Funeral Song' to make Asian premiere in Korea
Lost for more than a century, Igor Stravinsky’s “Funeral Song” is being revived and getting set for its Asian premiere in Seoul next month. The Seoul Philharmonic orchestra will perform Stravinsky‘s long-lost “Funeral Song” during its two-day concert series on Jan. 20 and 21 at the Lotte Concert Hall, marking only the third time the repertoire has ever been performed. The recently rediscovered 12-minute piece was composed by Stravinsky in 1908. It was first performed on Jan. 17, 1909, during a
Dec. 18, 2016
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Uhm Jung-hwa to return with nine dreams
Mystic Entertainment announced the details of Korean pop diva Uhm Jung-hwa’s new album, “The Cloud Dream of the Nine,” on Friday. The songstress is returning to the stage for the first time since her 2008 digital single “D.I.S.C.O Part 2.” The album’s promotion will kick off with four promotional images, two preview videos and five series of interviews with Uhm’s acquaintances, including actor Jung Woo-sung. The album’s nine tracks will each tell the story of a dream. Four songs will be released
Dec. 17, 2016
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18th century Chinese imperial seal sells for record $22m
PARIS (AFP) - An 18th-century Chinese imperial seal sold for a record 21 million euros ($22 million) in Paris on Wednesday -- more than 20 times its estimate, the Drouot auction house told AFP.Decorated with stylized dragons, the symbol of imperial authority, the extremely rare stamp in red and beige nephrite jade comes from the Qianlong period (1736-1795).It was snapped up by an unnamed Chinese collector after a furious bidding battle between would-be telephone buyers and those in the salesroom
Dec. 15, 2016
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Spend the holiday season with live music
With Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, festive cheer is in the air. Despite the weather quickly taking a turn toward bone-chilling temperatures, there is a long list of live concerts and performances where people can celebrate the holiday season out of the winter cold. For those looking to escape the winter blues, there’s nothing like a bit of cultural indulgence to add a little musical enchantment to an evening. Steve Barakatt’s “Christmas Dream” Canadian pianist and composer
Dec. 15, 2016
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Kanye West emerges from hospital to meet Trump
NEW YORK (AFP) - Rap superstar Kanye West on Tuesday delivered a surprise even in this most unusual of political years -- he met President-elect Donald Trump, marking the artist’s first appearance since a reported mental breakdown. West, a rare artist and even rarer African American celebrity to voice support for Trump, said he went to discuss issues of concern to minorities with the populist leader. Trailed by an entourage including his own cameraman, West silently walked into Trump Tower and r
Dec. 14, 2016
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[Herald Interview] Big Bang wants to enjoy its last moments
No matter how successful he may be, it is the inevitable destiny of every Korean male K-pop star to halt his career and join the mandatory military service.Megastar group Big Bang is no exception. The group has reaped worldwide success since its debut 10 years ago. Reported to have raked in $44 million this year, the five-member band ranked No. 54 on Forbes’ list of celebrity earnings, becoming the first Korean act to make the list. “It still doesn’t feel real,” said Big Bang’s rapper T.O.P. on
Dec. 13, 2016
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‘Death Note’ showcase sells out in less than a minute
Promotional image for the musical “Death Note,” starring Kim Jun-su (C-JeS Entertainment)Kim Jun-su, often referred to here as the “ticket power king,” has not lost his touch: Tickets for a showcase of the upcoming musical “Death Note” sold out in less than a minute. On Monday, tickets for the musical preopening day showcase went up for sale on Interpark at 3 p.m. and all 1,000 seats were booked in under a minute. The K-pop star recently wrapped up the musical “Dorian Gray,” which is a Korea
Dec. 13, 2016
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Rain to return to music scene next month
K-pop star Rain (Rain Company) Singer-actor Rain is gearing for a January return with his first album in nearly three years, according to his agency Rain Company. The upcoming album will be Rain’s first music release since his “Rain Effect” album in January 2014, which marked his return since completing his mandatory military service. The singer was initially slated to return to the stage in the latter half of this year, but his agency said that the album was not ready yet and decided to push
Dec. 13, 2016
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Cellist Mun Tae-guk named new Kumho Artist in Residence
Up-and-coming cellist Mun Tae-guk has been named as next year’s Kumho Art hall Artist in Residence, which will provide an opportunity to further his musical career.Mun, 22, is currently studying at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts under famed musician Laurence Lesser. He started playing the cello at the age of 4. At 20, he won the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition in Hungary, where he played Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, op. 129 accompanied by the Hungaria
Dec. 12, 2016
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Girl groups, old and new to usher in 2017
Next year’s K-pop calendar looks to be dominated by girl groups, ranging from first-generation groups to rookies.One of the earliest sensations, S.E.S. will kick off 2017 with the release of their first album in 14 years on Jan. 2. The group, formed by S.M. Entertainment in 1997, led the first wave of K-pop girl groups, alongside Fin.K.L. and Baby Vox. S.E.S. released the single “Love (Story)” in November and will be holding year-end concerts on Dec. 30 and 31, revving up activities for 2017. S.
Dec. 12, 2016
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Giving ephemeral graffiti art permanence
In a nod to a form of street art that has gained traction in the contemporary art scene, graffiti, once regarded as little more than delinquent scribbles found on the walls of derelict neighborhoods, has now been brought inside the gallery.Following in the steps of pop art, graffiti has become a leading genre recording the phenomena and emotions of contemporary times, according to 53-year-old graffiti legend JonOne. “I think it represents our generation,” he said last Thursday during a press pre
Dec. 11, 2016
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JYJ's Junsu bids farewell in final concert before joining military
Junsu of South Korean K-pop trio JYJ bid farewell to his global fans in his last concert before starting his compulsory military duty. The musical performer beamed during the "2016 Xia Ballad & Musical Concert with Orchestra Vol. 5" held in eastern Seoul from Friday to Sunday. The 29-year-old has arranged to serve his two-year military service starting February. On the second day of the goodbye concert, the musical performer tugged at his fans' heartstrings as he cried out "Chungseong," a milita
Dec. 11, 2016
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Stones roll back the years with chart-topping album
LONDON (AFP) -- The Rolling Stones on Friday scored their first British No. 1 album in over 20 years, a day after frontman Mick Jagger became a father for the eighth time, aged 73.“Blue & Lonesome,” a tribute to the blues legends who inspired the iconic British band, sold 106,000 copies, making it the second-highest opening-week sales for an album in 2016, behind David Bowie’s “Blackstar.”“We are absolutely delighted with the success of ‘Blue & Lonesome’ in the UK and around the world,” said the
Dec. 11, 2016
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[Album Review] Childish Gambino gets immersed in the funk
Childish Gambino“Awaken, My Love!”(Glassnote Records)It’s OK not to “get” Childish Gambino’s third studio album “Awaken, My Love!” With its lush soundscapes and sparse lyrics, one can only gather that the funk-drenched latest release from the multi-talented Donald Glover is a collection that is to be felt first and understood second -- if understanding is possible at all. Outstanding first single “Me and Your Mama” and equally arresting follow-up track “Redbone” are the easiest to digest of the
Dec. 9, 2016
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[Album Review] Massive Kate Bush album a concert series souvenir
Kate Bush“Before the Dawn”(Concord Records)Kate Bush gives fans an exquisite souvenir with “Before the Dawn,” a massive live album taken from her series of 22 concerts in 2014. With tantalizingly few chart hits and dominated by two conceptual collections, the triple album conjures its magic spells with Bush’s powerfully expressive voice, her captivating songs and the integrity of an artistic vision that nurtures and challenges the imagination.By all accounts, her residency at London’s Hammersmit
Dec. 9, 2016
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[Album Review] Eclectic cultural influence in ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’
Various artists“The Hamilton Mixtape”(Atlantic)Long before President-elect Donald Trump took on the cultural juggernaut that is “Hamilton” and made it front-page news, creator Lin-Manuel Miranda had been looking for a way to expand the musical’s influence beyond Broadway.With “The Hamilton Mixtape” (Atlantic), which Miranda says is the first of at least two, he and a star-studded cast of collaborators ranging from The Roots to Sia and Miguel employ a variety of strategies to bring the show’s mus
Dec. 9, 2016
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[Arts calendar] Musicals, exhibitions, concerts and more
Theater“Jekyll and Hyde Musical”: Inviting the original Broadway cast members, the Jekyll and Hyde Musical will be hitting stages across the country next March including Seoul, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju. The musical horror-drama is based on the internationally acclaimed novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson and is a tale of the struggles of good and evil. The upcoming production will star Kyle Dean Massey, Bradley Dean, Diana DeGarmo and Lindsey Bliven. The
Dec. 9, 2016
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18th-century Buddhist painting returned to home soil
As a lover of Korean art and an avid collector, American Robert Mattielli often visited Mary’s Alley, known for its hole-in-the-wall antique shops, in Insa-dong, Seoul during his more than 30 years in Korea. On one of his regular visits to the neighborhood in the early 1970s, he discovered and purchased a Buddhist painting with notable wear and tear for a mere $10. Unknowingly, Mattielli -- director of the arts and crafts program for the US military in Korea at the time -- had become the owner
Dec. 8, 2016
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BTS’ ‘Wings’ ranked among 20 best albums of 2016 by Fuse
This has been a big year for boy band Bangtan Boys, otherwise known as BTS. After topping music charts at home and abroad upon its release in October, the group’s latest studio album “Wings” was chosen as among the top 20 albums of the year by Fuse -- a US-based music media outlet -- this week. Noting that the album encompasses “the seven different personalities that make up BTS,” Fuse said the boy band is a rare find in K-pop. “BTS has garnered a wholly passionate fan base around the world, th
Dec. 8, 2016