Japan finds Tang Dynasty copy of Wang Xizhi work

TOKYO (AFP) ― An extremely rare copy of a work by fourth century Chinese calligraphy legend Wang Xizhi has been unearthed in Japan, the first such discovery in four decades, Tokyo National Museum said Tuesday.No original works survive, despite their having been treasured by Chinese emperors throughout history for their contribution to the development of the delicate art form.However, Wang’s innovative style was so influential that Chinese courts created precise replicas of his writings more than

Jan. 10, 2013

Staged photographs spark curiosity

Natural settings have been popular photography subjects ― awe-inspiring landscapes, and news photos capturing historical moments have inspired many audiences and they still do. But staged photography, which has become popular since the 1980s through the works of artists Cindy Sherman and Jeff Wall, has become a standard art practice. And photography is able to create any image, no matter how unrealistic it is. Arario Gallery Cheongdam presents a photography and video exhibition as its first show

Jan. 10, 2013

Ladies of Spica strive to live up to group name

The colorfully diverse girl group Spica hasn’t been around for a long time, but its members are certainly no strangers to the music scene. Leader Kim Bo-a was a former vocal trainer for the K-pop idol boys of Infinite, and her distinctive deep and husky voice has been featured in songs of numerous idol groups including popular girl group Kara. Yang Ji-won was a member of the former K-pop girl group Five Girls, which included stars G.NA, Yubin of Wonder Girls, Uee from After School and Hyosung of

Jan. 10, 2013

[Newsmaker] Poet’s bashing of liberals raises eyebrows

Poet Kim Ji-ha, a well-known dissident figure during former President Park Chung-hee’s authoritarian regime in the 1960s and ’70s, has been stirring up controversy since he abruptly announced his support for Park’s daughter, president-elect Park Geun-hye.On Tuesday, the 72-year-old poet shocked the public further when he bashed Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo during an interview with a local radio station. Not mincing his words, Kim said Moon’s performance as a presidential candidate was “dreadful

Jan. 9, 2013

Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae to rock the stage in Cannes

The reigning hip-hop power couple Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae will be performing at one of the largest music conferences in the world: the “Midem: Marche International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale” in Cannes, France. The husband-and-wife team will perform on the mainstage of the Midem Festival on Jan. 27, along with other K-pop artists including rapper Bizzy, hip-hop group Block B and the rookie singer-songwriter Juniel. Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae, who married in 2007, are both veterans in the hi

Jan. 9, 2013

Kara first Korean girl group to hold concert at Tokyo Dome

Five-member girl group Kara became the first Korean all-female group to hold a concert at the Tokyo Dome with their “Karaisa 2013 Happy New Year in Tokyo Dome” performance on Sunday.The concert, which attracted 45,000 fans, was part of Kara’s Japan tour which had the girls performing 12 shows in front of more than 100,000 fans across the country including in Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. Previous to the girls’ concert, the only other girl groups that had performed at the Tokyo Dome recent

Jan. 9, 2013

Jaejoong of JYJ sells out first solo concert

Jaejoong of the idol trio JYJ sold out a 16,000-seat concert venue for his first-ever solo concert in Korea. Tickets to the two-day concert event to be held on Jan. 26 and 27 sold out immediately after tickets went on sale, causing the ticket retailers’ servers to crash. With so many fans bombarding the site trying to purchase seats, the event set a record for the having the server shut down for the longest period of time, according to representatives of C-JeS Entertainment.Jaejoong released the

Jan. 9, 2013

From stilettos to sneakers: SNSD adores new group image

The K-pop girl group leaders of Girls’ Generation have made their long awaited comeback with the release of their fourth full album, “I Got a Boy.” The nine beauties have not only transformed the group’s image from cute and innocent to raw and edgy: they have a new sound to match.“I personally think that Girls’ Generation’s strength, and from this album on, is versatility,” said Tiffany during an interview Monday. “Just by listening to the album itself you can get hip-hop to sweet songs, to toug

Jan. 9, 2013

Theater performance to help Koreans living overseas

A theatrical play is being performed in Seoul’s Daehangno district to support overseas Koreans, according to Peace Asia, a group that supports ethnic Koreans living in foreign countries. The play, “A Performance with a Long Title,” tells the story of four individuals who discover hope by revisiting their childhood dreams. Instead of purchasing tickets in advance, viewers can pay after the performance. There is no fixed price; one can pay as much as they like.  The play’s producer and local theat

Jan. 8, 2013

Stolen Matisse turns up in Britain 25 years later

LONDON (AFP) ― A Matisse painting stolen 25 years ago from the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm has turned up in Britain, where a dealer had hoped to sell it on behalf of an elderly Polish client, it emerged on Monday.Henri Matisse’s “Le Jardin,” an oil on canvas from 1920 which is now worth about $1 million (760,000 euros), was found when art dealer Charles Roberts ran it through a global database of stolen art ― standard practice before a sale. The team at the Art Loss Register quickly identi

Jan. 8, 2013

Music hall to screen the Met’s 2013 season

A music hall in Seoul is screening the 2013 season of the Metropolitan Opera, bringing the popular, award-winning Live in HD series to local opera lovers. Directed by Bartlett Sher and starring Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani, Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” will be screened on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27. For the 2013 season, the Met is presenting a total of seven new productions and five revivals, and “Met Opera @ Bear Hall” will hold three screenings of each production every month. This year will

Jan. 8, 2013

Nureyev’s legacy in spotlight, 20 years on

PARIS (AFP) ― Twenty years after his death, Rudolf Nureyev’s legacy still lights up the world of ballet as brilliantly as the flamboyant performances which once illuminated the greatest stages.“As long as they are putting on my ballets, I will live on,” Brigitte Lefevre, dance director of the Paris Opera, recalls Nureyev saying in the years before the ravages of AIDS finally claimed him, aged 54, on Jan. 6, 1993.A fitting epitaph for a performer who went from being the outstanding male dancer of

Jan. 7, 2013

Block B sues agency for lack of payment

Seven-member rookie hip-hop group Block B has filed a lawsuit against their talent agency for failure to pay the members in accordance with their contract. The suit, filed with the Seoul District Court, requests that their exclusive contract with Stardom Agency be nullified. The lawsuit states that the group’s initial contract promised that on top of the agency providing training and facilities, the singers be paid on the 25th of every month. Block B claims that the members did not receive any s

Jan. 7, 2013

Joseon’s erotic paintings to go on display

Erotic paintings by two great masters of Korean painting will go on display at an exhibition that sheds light on the daily lives of people in the Joseon era. The exhibition at Gallery Hyundai features two complete collections of erotic paintings made by prominent painters in Korean history Shin Yun-bok and Kim Hong-do, as well as genre paintings that are being shown to the public for the first time. The original Joseon erotic paintings, called “chunhwa” (literally means spring paintings), weren’

Jan. 6, 2013