Ex-idol under investigation for sexual assault

The former idol star Kim Sang-hyuk was arrested Wednesday in Nonhyeon-dong around 11 p.m. and is being investigated for sexual assault, Gangnam Police Station said Thursday. The police said Kim allegedly grabbed the wrist of a female pedestrian, who then called the police. Kim was arrested on the spot, but he said he does not remember anything because he was too drunk.“We are currently investigating what exactly happened. We won’t know the full details until the investigation is completed,” the

May 30, 2013

Peonies in for the season

Florist Yu Seung-jae says she loves all kinds of flowers, but it seems she’s developed a special attachment to peonies. “Peonies are very special,” Yu says, after giving a flower arrangement class at Bicena, a stylish restaurant specializing in modern Korean cuisine in Hannam-dong, Seoul. “Not everyone likes flowers. I’ve in fact met people who don’t like them. But it is very hard to find people ― regardless of whether they like flowers or not ― who don’t find peonies beautiful.”It is a warm Wed

May 29, 2013

Between dreams and reality

Science-fiction and fantasy novels create unknown fantasy worlds for readers to visit and offer a brief escape from reality. While imagined scenes may linger in the memories of the readers, some imagined scenes are brought to reality by photographers who create surrealist scenes that are difficult to know whether they are real or an illusion. Three contemporary photo exhibitions in Seoul this month showcase photographs that blur the line between dream and reality. The “Utopia” exhibition at Oper

May 29, 2013

Universal Music’s Boys Republic to make official debut

New K-pop boy band Boys Republic is to make its official debut with the release of single “Party Rock” on June 6.Boys Republic is the first K-pop group that has been organized directly by Universal Music, which in the past focused on signing and recording musicians rather than forming a new act.  The five-member boy band, consisting of members Won-jun, Da-bin, Soo-wong, Sung-joon and Min-soo, has been training under Universal for two years. It was previously reported that the boys’ debut album w

May 29, 2013

CL’s ‘The Baddest Female’ tops real-time charts

2NE1 leader CL released her first solo debut single “The Baddest Female” on Tuesday and landed at the top of all the major local music charts. Three hours after the single was unveiled to the public, it reached the No. 1 spot on Melon, Mnet, Olleh, Bugs, Naver Music, Daum Music, Soribada and others, as well as entering the U.S. iTunes chart at No. 75. “The Baddest Female” is a slow-tempo hip-hop track with a heavy techno and dance interlude with the catchphrase, “Now do the unnie.” The song’s of

May 29, 2013

CL‘s ‘The Baddest Female’ enters top 50 iTunes hip-hop chart

K-pop singer CL’s debut single “The Baddest Female” reached No. 35 on the U.S. iTunes’ hip-hop/rap music chart as of Wednesday. CL is a member of the girl group 2NE1, who belongs to YG Entertainment. “The Baddest Female” is a slow but powerful hip-hop song which stresses the importance of women being strong by calling them “bad girls.” Its official music video accumulated some 1.3 million viewers on YouTube so far. “She might not be the second coming of PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style,’ but it sure is nice

May 29, 2013

Loen vows action over IU wedding rumors

K-pop singer-actor IU’s agency has asked the police to investigate rumors that she is to marry Super Junior idol star Eunhyuk.In a press statement issued Monday, Loen Entertainment said it would also seek legal action against people who spread what it said were false rumors. Wedding rumors have surfaced this week surrounding the two stars, with their names being the most searched keywords on local Internet search engines on Monday afternoon. The rumors began to spread on various online sites cl

May 28, 2013

Yuri Bashmet adds Korea to his birthday bash

Russian violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet is celebrating his 60th birthday in a big way: a world concert tour with the Moscow Soloists, the chamber orchestra he founded in 1986.The concert, “Yuri Bashmet and Moscow Soloists” on Wednesday at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, will feature Korean pianist Son Yeo-leum, second-place winner of the 2011 International Tchaikovsky competition, in a program that includes J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto BWV 1052, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata in A Minor, D. 82

May 28, 2013

Japanese collector’s Korean folk craft on exhibit in Seoul

A collection of Korean folk crafts put together by late Japanese collector Muneyoshi Yanagi (1889-1961) is on exhibit in Seoul, shedding light on how Korean aesthetics was viewed in imperial Japan.The exhibition, currently held at Deoksugung Palace Museum of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, showcases 139 works and documents collected by Yanagi, who was one of the first in his country to accept Western influence on art and literature during the early 1900s, and who is al

May 28, 2013

A rare collaboration

We’ve seen her dance “Swan Lake” and “Giselle,” pulling off her strict, purest ballet techniques. But this Friday, Kim Ji-young, the long-time famed principal dancer of Korean National Ballet, will groove to techno music onstage, clad in white pants and sporting oversized sunglasses.“I hear my choreographer wants me to look like a robot of some sort onstage,” the 34-year-old dancer tells The Korea Herald at Arko Arts Theater in Seoul, Monday. She just got back from Mokpo, South Jeolla Province,

May 28, 2013

CL unveils debut single ‘The Baddest Female’

K-pop girl group 2NE1 leader CL put out her first single “The Baddest Female” on Tuesday, along with its music video. “The Baddest Female” is a slow but powerful hip-hop song which stresses the importance of women being strong by calling them “bad girls.” The 22-year-old singer appeared on 15 sets, each in different outfits ranging from a masculine leather jacket and shorts to funky hip-hop trousers. “I would like to praise CL’s recently released music video for fine teamwork between the singer

May 28, 2013

Cho Yong-pil to hold concert with indie rock bands

  Cho Yong-pil, one of South Korea’s top singers, will showcase his 19th album, “Hello,” as well as many of his previous hits on a monthlong tour. Cho, widely regarded as the representative figure of Korean pop music, will kick off his tour at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium on May 31 amid heightened attention to his music following the successful launch of his much-anticipated “Hello” album. The 63-year-old singer will tour Daejeon, Uijeongbu, Jinju and Daegu for a full month.“I started

May 28, 2013

Artists seek global audience at Hong Kong’s Art Basel

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Having taken five Volkswagen Beetles and compressed them into spheres, artist Ichwan Noor was always going to grab attention at the inaugural Hong Kong Art Basel.Noor is known in his native Indonesia but is hoping the glittering, champagne-soaked art fair will give him further recognition beyond his home borders.Such are the opportunities that await emerging and lesser-known artists at the fair, which aims to highlight Hong Kong’s growing role as a global arts hub.Soon after th

May 26, 2013

KBS bans Lee Hyori’s ‘bad girl’ antics

State-run broadcaster KBS announced on Friday its decision to add Lee Hyori’s recently released “Bad Girl” music video to its list of banned content. Much like Psy’s “Gentleman” music video ― also banned by the station ― where the rapper was intentionally acting as a menace in keeping with the song’s “bad guy” concept, Lee’s video similarly showed the singer committing mischievous acts in portrayal of the single’s intended “bad girl” image. The K-pop singer’s original music video included scenes

May 26, 2013

Psy to join Korea-Indonesia friendship concert

Rap star Psy is slated to go to Jakarta, Indonesia for the first time since he rose as a global entertainer with his megahit “Gangnam Style.” The singer has been invited to participate in a concert performance celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and Indonesia.In October last year, Indonesian Psy fans were disappointed to learn that a press release distributed by a local promoter that said Psy would hold a solo concert later that year was false. However, it has been confirm

May 26, 2013

CL of 2NE1 to make solo debut

CL, the leader of K-pop girl group 2NE1, will be releasing her debut solo single “The Baddest Female” on Tuesday, according to her agency YG Entertainment. “After the local promotions of CL’s upcoming music video are complete, we plan to introduce her overseas as part of our new project,” her agency representative stated in a press release. Often referring to herself as the “baddest female Seoul has ever had,” CL has performed as part of the dynamic girl group 2NE1 for the past four years and th

May 26, 2013

Eyelike:

Patty Griffin scores with ‘American Kid’Patty Griffin“American Kid”(New West)Patty Griffin bookends her seventh album “American Kid” with two songs about the death of her father, opening with the wistful, spiritually open-hearted :Go Wherever You Wanna Go.” The song features a series of poetic images conveying to a loved one that it’s OK to let go and pass to the other side. She closes with the sweetly mournful “Gonna Miss You When You’re Gone,” which blends old jazz chords set against a backgro

May 24, 2013

YG signs Akdong Musician

YG Entertainment, one of the country’s largest talent agencies, on Friday said that Akdong Musician, this year’s winner of SBS TV’s audition program “K Pop Star 2,” will be joining the clan after nearly two months of contemplation. “We have met the musicians and their parents several times and finally reached an agreement. Despite their young age, the duo showed huge potential with their self-composed songs on ‘K Pop Star 2,’” the agency said in a press release.  Akdong Musician, composed of lyr

May 24, 2013