[Herald Review] Mariah Carey fails to prove 'elusive chanteuse' title

One of the most respected names in R&B, Mariah Carey finally made her way back to Seoul for the diva’s first concert in Korea in 11 years. But rather than leaving her local fans shouting for more, many in the audience seemed to have one overwhelming feeling ― the show was not worth the money.The self-proclaimed “elusive chanteuse” serenaded thousands of local fans with an outdoor concert at the 88 Field at Seoul Olympic Park on Wednesday night. The singer opened the show to much anticipation wit

Oct. 9, 2014

Korean indie bands eye global stage

For some Korean musicians, the world is definitely shrinking. Following the K-pop explosion in Asia and the Psy sensation in the U.S., Korean indie bands are making their strides, trying to carve out their unique spots in the international music scene. MU:CON Seoul 2014, a music conference-cum-fair currently running in Itaewon, Seoul, highlighted three groups that are at the vanguard of what Korean officials hope will evolve into the “next big wave” of Korean music. Jambinai, one of the three gr

Oct. 7, 2014

K-pop works as a visual spectacle: Rodaidh McDonald

As a producer at the U.K.-based independent music label XL Recordings, Rodaidh McDonald has helped produce albums by a wide range of internationally renowned artists including Adele, The xx, The Horrors, Bobby Womack, Vampire Weekend, King Krule and many others.McDonald participated as one of the keynote speakers at the annual MU:CON Seoul music conference this week, discussing his experiences and his small indie label’s methods of creating internationally successful albums. In his first visit t

Oct. 7, 2014

‘Gangnam Style’ tops 2.1b YouTube views

Korean singer Psy’s music video “Gangnam Style.” (YG Entertainment)“Gangnam Style,” a megahit single by South Korean rapper Psy, has surpassed the 2.1 billion mark in YouTube views two years after it was released, his management agency said Tuesday.The video hit the 2.1 billion milestone on Monday and 2.1 billion views as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, YG Entertainment said.Uploaded on July 15, 2012, “Gangnam Style” topped 100 million views after 52 days and 1 billion views after 161 days. In May this year,

Oct. 7, 2014

Herald Philharmonic Orchestra to debut

Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, will launch the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra with a concert at Seoul Arts Center on Wednesday. The orchestra was established as part of the company’s efforts to give back to society. It aims to expand the reach of orchestral music in Korea and spread the spirit of harmony through music. It is directed and conducted by Kim Bong-mee and comprised of about 70 musicians who were educated at some of the finest music institutions in Korea and abroad. A

Oct. 6, 2014

Artists, artisans combined at Hermes

“Silence is Golden” by Oliver Beer (Fondation d’entreprise Hermes)Perfection may be what artisans seek in their craftsmanship, while uniqueness is what artists pursue in their artistic creations. At the world’s top workshops run by Hermes, artisans and artists have worked together to stimulate each other’s craftsmanship and creativity. Since 2010, their collaborative projects have played a link between the expertise of artisans and the motivation and inspiration of young artists. Hermes has invi

Oct. 6, 2014

Auction of ancient Egyptian relics averted

ST. LOUIS (AP) ― The renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York purchased a collection of 4,000-year-old Egyptian artifacts found a century ago by a British explorer, averting a plan to auction the antiquities that had drawn criticism from historians.The Treasure of Harageh collection consists of 37 items such as flasks, vases and jewelry inlaid with lapis lazuli, a rare mineral. Discovered by famed British archaeologist Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie, the relics date to roughly 1900 B

Oct. 6, 2014

Beyond K-pop

For three days starting Monday, Korea’s small but vibrant indie music scene will get some much-craved international exposure. Billed as the “springboard to global recognition,” MU:CON Seoul 2014 will be held in the city’s Itaewon neighborhood from Oct. 6-8, highlighting Korean music’s cutting-edge styles, diverse genres and unique voices. Over 100 local and international music industry executives are expected to attend, offering tips on global trends while they search for new talent here. “This

Oct. 5, 2014

Pretty Yende returns to Met for Mozart

NEW YORK (AP) _ When Pretty Yende walked on stage for her Metropolitan Opera debut 21 months ago, she immediately fell for the audience.　 But not nearly as hard as the audience fell for her.　 The South African soprano tripped on steps leading down from a wooden platform during a pantomime in the opening minutes of Rossini‘s “Le Comte Ory.’‘ She did more than quickly recover _ she went on to score a dazzling success in the difficult role of the Countess Adele, earning a standing ovation from a ch

Oct. 5, 2014

[Herald Review] Global Gathering Korea electrifies EDM lovers

Thousands of local electronic dance music fans flocked to Jamsil Olympic Stadium on Saturday night for the annual worldwide Global Gathering music festival in Seoul.More than 30 acts performed across the stadium’s three stages ― Main, Sub and Bunker Stage ― including Axwell & Ingrosso and Krewella, who took the spotlight on the main stage.Although the lineup initially had Australian duo Knife Party as the following act to Krewella, it was announced that the group was unable to make the show. Ins

Oct. 5, 2014

Artist Lee Bul returns with colossal works

Artist Lee Bul is presenting two gigantic installations in her new exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. One, titled “Civitas Solis (The City of the Sun),” occupies the largest exhibition hall of the museum. Mirror fragments cover all sides of the room and form corridors to create a labyrinth of mirrors. Viewers experience infinite expansion of space with no edges or borders. Yellow light bulbs spell out “Civitas Solis,” producing reflections and curves in th

Oct. 1, 2014

Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko to release solo album

Gaeko of Dynamic Duo. (Amoeba Culture)Rap star Gaeko of Dynamic Duo is gearing up to break out of his shell with the release of his first full-length solo album this month, according to a press release from the group’s agency, Amoeba Culture, on Wednesday. The rapper is slated to unveil “Redingray” sometime in mid-October, making this his first official solo release in nearly two years since his single “Rhythm is Life.” “With this album, Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko will be on his own, showcasing his per

Oct. 1, 2014

[Herald Interview] Conductor preaches beauty of orchestral music

As many as a hundred people gather ― each with their own musical instrument and own musical world ― to create harmony. There will mostly likely be some drama.It’s the conductor who must put aside whatever discord that members may have, make them work like organs of the human body, and in the end present harmonious music. Conductor Kim Bong-mee says the beauty of orchestral music is right there in that moment. “So many different people with different musical instruments and colors come together f

Sept. 30, 2014

Herald Philharmonic Orchestra to debut

An ensemble with the mission to spread the joy of music will launch next week with a debut concert at Seoul Arts Center. The orchestra ― the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra ― was established by media group Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, as part of its efforts to give back to society. Directed and conducted by Kim Bong-mee, it is comprised of about 70 mostly young musicians who were educated at some of the finest music institutions in Korea and abroad. It aims to expand the reache

Sept. 30, 2014

Prolific Prince goes funk, rock, sci-fi with two albums

NEW YORK (AFP) ― As the funky bass quiets down near the start of one of Prince’s two new albums, a soothing female voice informs that medication has put him in “suspended animation” for 45 years.Is the 56-year-old megastar speaking of his own career, or does the song imagine his body being frozen? No matter ― the voice explains that he is now “in a place that does not require time.”The themes of science fiction and timelessness ― as well as plenty of sex ― run throughout the album “Art Official

Sept. 29, 2014

[Herald Interview] Soprano bridges two ends of music spectrum

To say that Suh Yeree has a versatile voice is an understatement. In one stage, the soprano was the living messenger of Handel, dressed like women found in 17th-century European paintings and singing church music with a crystal clear voice and all the right spirituality. Then in another, she was a whip-wielding cop in a leather outfit, the embodiment of the satirical wit in the music of 21st-century composer Gorge Ligeti. Not only does she cross back and forth between two very different territor

Sept. 28, 2014

Eyelike: alt-J returns with beautiful, baffling LP

alt-J returns with beautiful, baffling LPalt-J“This Is All Yours” (Atlantic)The new album from alt-J isn’t supposed to exist. Nobody, we’re told, wants to hear this kind of stuff anymore. The album ― and especially this artsy kind of album ― is dead.Yet here is “This Is All Yours”: weird, complex, goofy, sublime, baffling and completely unlike anything else out so far this year. You might say the album has arrived just in time, spicing up a bland year with something of a puzzle for listeners who

Sept. 26, 2014

As album sales fall, veteran artists rise

More than 50 years into her recording career, Barbra Streisand has broken her own record. At 72, the superstar is the first artist to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s chart of best-selling albums in six consecutive decades. “Partners,” a collection of duets pairing her with noted male singers, sold 196,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan ― also giving Streisand the best sales week of any female artist this year. In addition to being the latest in the icon’s long string of acco

Sept. 26, 2014