[Herald Interview] Jang Hyun-seung hopes to show new side through solo debut

When onstage as a member of Beast or half of the duo Trouble Maker, Jang Hyun-seung exudes charisma and sex appeal. But offstage, at a group interview on Monday at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, Jang was soft-spoken and shy as he talked about his first solo EP, “MY.”“I wanted to come without any makeup, but I was afraid you’d think I didn’t really care about the interview,” he said as he sat down in a red flannel shirt and torn jeans, running a hand through his hair.According to Jang, he wante

May 12, 2015

[Up & Coming] Cho Jin-joo talks lifelong relationship with violin

Up & Coming is a series of interviews with emerging artists in various fields of arts and entertainment. ― Ed.Widely hailed as one of the leading violinists of her generation, 26-year-old Cho Jin-joo continues to make waves in the world of classical music. However, her relationship with the violin was not one of instant passion. On the contrary, she was introduced to the instrument because her mom believed it would help her child’s brain development. “My mother had this ambition for her daughter

May 10, 2015

Eyelike: Zac Brown Band, Chris Stapleton, Jon Regen

Zac Brown Band eclectic on ‘Jekyll + Hyde’Zac Brown Band“Jekyll + Hyde” (Southern Ground-John Varvatos-Big Machine-Republic Nashville)Zac Brown rightly names his new release after a famous, fictional schizophrenic, for few artists in this genre-focused era so openly embrace an eclectic muse. 　 Brown sets the tone immediately on “Jekyll + Hyde,” which opens with an aggressively rhythmic “Beautiful Drug,” the most electronic-driven track Brown has recorded. The variety doesn‘t stop there, as he br

May 8, 2015

Fondazione Prada venue opens with show of classics

MILAN ― Light pours through the glass walls of the exhibition space where the Fondazione Prada is hosting a special show, “Serial Classic,” to mark the unveiling of its new Milan venue. The statues from Greek and Roman antiquities ― the originals, often only surviving in fragments, and their imagined copies ― fill the airy space that is part of the acclaimed architect Rem Koolhaas’ design for the Fondazione Prada’s new home, a sprawling “campus” of more than 19,000 square meters.Koolhaas and his

May 7, 2015

Jo Kwon to star in musical ‘Chess’

Jo Kwon, a member of K-pop boy band 2AM, has been cast as the male lead role for the musical “Chess,” his agency JYP Entertainment said Wednesday. “Chess” is a stage musical, with music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and lyrics by the award-winning Tim Rice, who is behind the musicals “Jesus Christ Super Star,” “Evita” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The musical, which opened in London’s West End in 1986, centers on a Cold War-era chess championship b

May 6, 2015

Keersmaeker’s renowned choreography to hit Korean stage

Prominent Belgian contemporary dance choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker will be presenting two of her celebrated modern dance works ― “Rosas Danst Rosas” and “Drumming” ― at the LG Arts Center in Seoul this week. “Rosas Danst Rosas” made its world premiere in Brussels in 1983; and now, more than three decades later, Keersmaeker’s Bessie Award-winning masterpiece is still being performed around the world. The contemporary choreographic work has been critically acclaimed for its exploration

May 5, 2015

Big Bang: In it for the long haul

VIPs -- as Big Bang fans call themselves -- all over the world are rejoicing at the release of the group’s first single in three years and the single’s two tracks “Loser” and “Bae Bae” are kicking up a storm on the charts, with no signs of slowing. The two songs took the top slots in all of Korea’s major music charts, while "Loser" took the top spot on iTunes in 10 countries and rose to No. 37 on the U.S. iTunes chart. (YG Entertainment)According to the group, the new album was all about coming

May 4, 2015

Big Bang’s ‘Bae Bae’ M/V explained

G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Seungri, and Daesung raised eyebrows online with the release of their “Bae Bae” music video. It was unusual in many ways, and -- as American music magazine Billboard put it, represented Big Bang’s “sexual peak.” In a conversation with reporters at the Conrad Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on Monday, Big Bang talked about the creation of the buzz-creating video. (YG Entertainment)“We wanted to make something unusual, something that people would find fun, something that

May 4, 2015

[Herald Review] McCartney continues Beatles legacy in first Korean concert

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”― keeping the sounds of one of the most influential bands in history, the one and only Sir Paul McCartney finally graced the Korean audience with his first concert on the peninsula at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul on Saturday.The 72-year-old rock god is best known as one of the front-men for The Beatles, which as John Lennon once quipped was more popular than Jesus. And over the weekend the legendary musician proved that even now,

May 3, 2015

Paul McCartney concert delights fans in Seoul

Paul McCartney delighted his South Korean fans Saturday with a much-anticipated concert packed with his best-known songs. (Paul McCartney)The concert, the former Beatles member's first-ever in South Korea, took place at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium, where 45,000 fans moved to his music in the rain.The highlight came about two hours into the concert when the 72-year-old singer played the first chords of "Let It Be," causing the entire audience to stand up from their seats.The singer, apparently moved b

May 3, 2015

Paul McCartney to perform in Seoul on Saturday

Paul McCartney, a member of the legendary band the Beatles, will hold his much-anticipated first-ever concert in South Korea on Saturday.                                                                 Paul McCartney (AP)The concert will take place at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium at 8 p.m. as part of his "Out There" world tour that began in Brazil in 2013.The event has drawn much anticipation as the 72-year-old canceled his previous concert in Seoul due to health problems a year ago.Upon arriving at I

May 2, 2015

Images made in Korea

Before Korea became the leading exporter of semiconductors and cellphones, the top money magnet was wigs. Wigs, along with textiles, shoes and plywood, were the pillars of Korea’s exports in the 1960s and ’70s, until cheap-labor countries entered the market.The once-flourishing wig making process is reenacted by contemporary artist Lee Wan for his new exhibition in Seoul. In an 11-minute video, the artist cuts his long hair and asks a wig maker in Namdaemun to make a wig with it. A scene from th

April 30, 2015

‘Taming of the Shrew’ makes Asian ballet premiere

A lighthearted tale of love, cunning deceit and comedy, the ballet rendition of “The Taming of the Shrew” made its official Asian troupe debut Wednesday at the Seoul Arts Center. The Korea National Ballet, becoming the first Asian ballet company to stage the work choreographed by John Cranko, held a special premiere showing on Wednesday afternoon in front of nearly 1,000 middle school students. The family-friendly performance was intended to give children the opportunity to not only experience a

April 30, 2015

‘Sixteen’ compete for spot in JYP’s next girl group

Mnet and JYP Entertainment have teamed up to launch the new survival-style debut program “Sixteen.”The program’s name refers to the number of contestants who will vie for a spot in the new seven-member group to come from JYP. The new group would be named “Twice,” JYP Entertainment’s CEO Park Jin-young revealed at a press conference at the 63 Convention Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Wednesday.“We chose that name because the members will be wowing their fans once through their ears, and twice

April 29, 2015

Season of operas

This year’s sixth annual Korea Opera Festival is gearing up for its monthlong commitment to the operatic arts with five main-stage productions that are rare in the local scene.Kicking off on May 8 at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, the festival will feature productions from five major local opera companies: Muak Opera Company’s rendition of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro;” Sol Opera Company’s production of Puccini’s “Il Trittico;” Seoul Opera Ensemble’s production of Rossini’s “Mose;” Nuov

April 28, 2015

K-pop label chiefs advance into other industries

Local entertainment agencies are expanding their businesses to cosmetics, golf, gaming and tourism to take advantage of the growing popularity of K-pop culture in the Asian market.   Leading the trend is YG Entertainment, which recently became one of the top music agencies in the country.  YG, which manages the rapper Psy and K-pop groups Big Bang and 2NE1, has advanced into the booming cosmetics market to capitalize on the growing popularity of Korean beauty products in the Asian market.  Last

April 28, 2015