Robert Adams retrospective opens in Madrid

MADRID (AFP) ― A major retrospective of works by U.S. photographer Robert Adams, who has focused on the changing landscape of the American West, opened Wednesday in Madrid.The exhibition at the Reina Sofia museum features nearly 300 black and white photos taken between 1964 and 2008 that depict empty highways, solitary buildings, tree stumps, half-built suburban developments and telephone polls.“I believe this is the largest exhibition of his works ever held in Europe,” exhibition curator Joshua

Jan. 17, 2013

Cloth artworks to represent Korea at Venice Biennale

Internationally-renowned South Korean artist Kim Sooja will present a new “bottari” series at the Korean Pavilion of the Venice Biennale this year. Kim has been chosen as the sole artist to represent the Korean Pavilion for the 55th Venice Biennale. The world’s leading art event is scheduled to be held from June 1 to Nov. 24 at various venues in Venice. The bottari series is the artist’s representative artwork that features cloth bundles in various contexts. The artwork was shown at the biennale

Jan. 17, 2013

Super Junior, Psy win big at Golden Disk Awards

Some of K-pop’s brightest stars flocked to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend the 27th Golden Disk Awards where Super Junior and “Gangnam Style” sensation Psy took home the top prizes.The awards ceremony, which was held on Jan. 15 and 16, was split into two categories, with the first day featuring the nominees for the best full-length album award categories and the second day the nominees for the year’s best digitally released albums and/or singles. “Sexy, Free & Single,” which featured 10 of Sup

Jan. 17, 2013

Guarding Joseon’s capital, an emblem of the city

The Korea Herald is publishing “Korea’s Cultural Pride,” a 10-part series on the country’s cultural and natural heritage. A total of nine tangible and 14 intangible examples of heritage in Korea have already been designated UNESCO World Heritage items for international preservation. This year,15 cultural properties are on the tentative list, awaiting designation. This installment explores the Seoul City Wall, the Joseon-period city wall that guarded the capital and was also an intrinsic part of

Jan. 16, 2013

British music retailer HMV fights for survival

LONDON (AFP) ― Iconic British music retailer HMV was fighting for survival on Tuesday after slumping into administration, but its boss expressed hope the high-street giant would manage to secure its future.HMV had announced Monday that it had appointed administrators Deloitte in an attempt to help it remain operational, placing about 4,350 jobs at risk after the company had struggled throughout the critical Christmas holiday period. The group’s 239 outlets, including nine Fopp-branded branches,

Jan. 16, 2013

Psy may take on ‘Samba Style’ in Brazil

Psy appeared on a Brazilian television show on Jan 13, where he suggested that he may make an appearance during Brazil’s carnival season. Appearing on Brazil’s variety show “Fantastico,” Psy acknowledged that he was in talks with the organizers of the Carnival about the possibility of participating in the Salvador Carnival in Bahia. “There are many beautiful women at the samba carnival and if things go well at the carnival, I might do oppa samba style.”By Bae Soo-min (soomin623@heraldcorp.com)

Jan. 15, 2013

BoA returns to Japan with ‘Only One’

After waiting for more than a year, Japanese fans will be able to see more of BoA, but first through a QR code. BoA will release the Japanese version of “Only One” via QR code in February.The original Korean version of “Only One,” the title song from her seventh EP, was released last summer in Korea. As part of BoA’s Japanese single promotion, Only One Cocktail was launched in November last year, featuring a QR code that leads to an instrumental version of “Only One.”Five coffee shops in Tokyo a

Jan. 15, 2013

SNSD ranked top on Taiwan, Singapore weekly charts

Girls’ Generation is back with their 4th album and the title track “I Got a Boy” is topping charts in Taiwan and Singapore, S.M. Entertainment announced. SNSD’s latest album, “I Got a Boy,” topped various Taiwanese charts for album sales including FIVE MUSIC Korean/Japanese music chart for two consecutive weeks, G-MUSIC Asia Chart for a week and CCR Asia Music Chart for a week.The album also ranked first on Singapore’s Korean/Japanese album sales chart, HMV, for a full week from Jan. 7- Jan. 13.

Jan. 15, 2013

YG unveils new girl group member

YG Entertainment revealed its newest girl group member on Tuesday.The company posted a picture of 19-year-old trainee Kim Ji-soo on its official blog “YG Life.” Kim’s birth year was the only information given to the public. Kim’s picture had been previously posted on YG’s blog under the title of “Who’s that girl?” last May.YG was expected to launch a new girl group last summer but it postponed the group’s debut to this year. Along with Kim Ji-soo, Kim Eun-bi and Euna Kim from reality TV competit

Jan. 15, 2013

Grounded singer Rain submitted book reviews as punishment assignment

Conscripted K-pop star Rain has read two books and submitted their reviews to his boss while being grounded in his unit for a week, a punishment for dating a top TV actress while on official duty, military officials said Tuesday.The 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, was ordered not to leave his unit for one week, the lightest form of discipline, after he was spotted dating actress Kim Tae-hee while on work-related leave last month.Under military regulations, Jung, an Army corp

Jan. 15, 2013

Contemporary interpretation of Korean ink-and-wash paintings

Young artists who majored in Korean painting are seeking various ways to add a contemporary touch to traditional ink-and-wash paintings. Sul Park, 29, has come up with a unique variation on traditional Korean paintings by using collage. In her ink-and-wash landscape paintings, cut and torn pieces of rice paper in different shades of black form a landscape. She creates perspective in her paintings using different shades of paper colored with “meok” ink stone. Her works attracted international att

Jan. 14, 2013

2PM and 2AM active in Japan this year

The members of 2PM will be releasing their second full Japanese album, “Legend of 2PM,” on Feb. 13. According to representatives at JYP Entertainment, 2PM is also planning to release its third full-length Korean album later this year, which would make it the first Korean release since July 2011.The boys of 2PM kicked off their 2013 Japan arena tour with opening concerts at the Fukuoka Marine Messe on Friday and Saturday evening. This tour will include 13 concerts throughout Japan, including in N

Jan. 14, 2013

‘Infinite Challenge’ music album in dispute

The songs from MBC’s Saturday show “Infinite Challenge” have dominated the K-pop sound chart again, but the album faced some criticism over the popularity-driven sales, local media reported on Monday. “Infinite Challenge” released its seventh album, “Park Myung-soo What to Do,” on Jan. 5. Amid the popular singers’ comeback, the songs jumped to the top 10 in major K-pop rankings as soon as the album created by mostly comedians was released.“Gangbuk Dandy” by Jeong Hyung-don, a member of the show,

Jan. 14, 2013

Performing arts scene welcomes two highly anticipated shows

Following “Phantom of the Opera” and “Aida” of last year, the performing arts scene is seeing the arrival of heavyweight openers for the 2013 season.Among them is major musical company EMK’s much-anticipated imported musical “Rebecca,” which opened at LG Arts Center on Friday. Following “Rebecca,” one of the most anticipated homegrown musicals, “The Goddess is Watching,” is opening at Chungmu Art Hall on Tuesday in Seoul.“Rebecca” is based on Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel of the same title. The

Jan. 13, 2013

Calendar

Dance“Romeo and Juliet”: The Korea National Ballet is opening this year’s season with Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The troupe is presenting a version created by legendary French choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot of Monte Carlo Ballet Theater. Unlike the Kenneth MacMillan version showcased by Universal Ballet Company last year, the upcoming show presents simple and modern costumes and choreography. Its stage setting, created by French designer Ernest Pignon-Ernest, is also noted for

Jan. 11, 2013

Eyelike:

JeA’s first solo album a good startJeA (Brown Eyed Girls)“Just JeA”(Loen Entertainment)JeA from sexy girl group Brown Eyed Girls has come out with her first solo album titled “Just JeA.” The leader took a risk venturing into the world of group member-turned-soloists, but in this case, it paid off. What better way to begin an album than with the help of American R&B artist Eric Benet. The album’s first track, “Days & Nights,” is a mid-tempo R&B song with a Latin-style harmony. JeA vocals give off

Jan. 11, 2013