D-Unit projects bolder girl group image

This is part of a series featuring new hallyu stars. ― Ed.Leaving the mini-skirts and high heels at home, the three-member group D-Unit is not your stereotypical K-pop girl group. The members Jun Woo-ram (R.A.M), Jung Yoo-jin (Ujin) and Kwak Soo-jin (Z.I.N), through their hip-hop and electro-pop beats and bold dance moves, steer away from the cutesy, innocent image of most girl groups and try to portray a fiercer image of women. “We are not the typical image when you think about girl groups,” sa

Nov. 22, 2012

MAMA in Hong Kong to be a star-studded affair

The 2012 Mnet Asia Music Awards is just around the corner and it will be spotlighting some of the biggest names in the K-pop industry including Psy, Big Bang, 2NE1, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation and much more. This year’s award show will be held live in Hong Kong on Nov. 30 and is expected to draw in some of the biggest names in the Asian entertainment industry. K-pop’s Big Bang, SISTAR, Super Junior and Psy and Taiwanese-American singer-actor Wang Lee Hom have all confirmed their attendance.

Nov. 21, 2012

Parsons Dance Company returns to Seoul

American contemporary dance troupe Parsons Dance is back in Seoul this week, this time to perform two pieces of their signature repertoire ― “Remember Me” and “Caught.”Founded in 1985, the New York-based troupe tours internationally in addition to its annual season in New York. They had a highly successful Seoul performance in May of last year.“Caught” features more than 100 leaps in six minutes by a solo dancer who is repeatedly captured in mid-motion by the strobe lights, to create an illusion

Nov. 20, 2012

Elton John to return to Korea for one night only

Music icon Sir Elton John will return to Seoul for the first time in eight years with a live performance celebrating his 40-year career. John’s last visit electrified a crowd of 25,000 fans.“I first visited Korea in September 2004 for a concert at the fantastic Seoul Olympic Stadium,” he wrote in an email interview with The Korea Herald. “It was a privilege to play in this vibrant country and I am very much looking forward to revisiting.”The singer, songwriter, composer and pianist behind the cl

Nov. 20, 2012

National Medical Center opens Koo Ja-sung solo exhibition

The National Medical Center is hosting a solo exhibition by Korean painter Koo Ja-sung at the hospital gallery Scandia until Nov. 30. The exhibition, titled “Reflection on the eastern point of view of the world that voices inner thoughts,” features 30 paintings including Koo’s famous photo-realistic still paintings and nude paintings. Koo, 71, considered a pioneer of realism in Korea, has developed a signature style characterized by sharp depictions and stable composition. He adopted naturalism

Nov. 19, 2012

Ahn to star with Freeman in ‘Last Knights’

Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki is starring in a movie with Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman and English actor Clive Owen, according to Sovik Global Contents Investment Fund.Ahn is starring in a joint Korean-American production film “The Last Knights.” Popular actress Park Si-yeon, who recently starred in KBS’ TV drama series “The Innocent Man,” is also joining the cast. The script has been penned by Canadian screenwriter Michael Konyves, whose previous works include the Genie Award-nominated screenpla

Nov. 19, 2012

Love in times of war

The famous story of Nongae, the 16th-century “gisaeng,” or female entertainer, is still largely considered a patriotic tale, about a low-caste woman sacrificing her life to help her country in crisis.The gisaeng lived in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598), and is said to have purposely seduced Japanese general Keyamura Rokusuke. She led him to a cliff, embraced him and jumped ― killing the general as well as herself.The National Dance Company of K

Nov. 19, 2012

TVXQ sets off on ‘Catch Me’ world tour

The energetic duo TVXQ held their first solo concert in Korea in four years, marking the start of the “TVXQ! Tour World Tour Catch Me.” The group held two performances over the weekend at Olympic Park in Seoul, drawing in 25,000 fans, with tickets selling out in just three minutes. The members U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin performed a myriad of their hit tracks including “Rising Sun,” “Keep your head down,” “Mirotic” and “I’ll be there” and wowed the crowd with their group choreography and stage

Nov. 19, 2012

Psy receives AMA New Media award

The global star Psy received the “New Media” trophy for his worldwide viral smash hit “Gangnam Style” at the 40th American Music Awards held Sunday in Los Angeles.Psy was awarded with the trophy at the red carpet preshow at the Nokia Center in Los Angeles. He uploaded a comment on his Twitter page where he expressed his excitement about receiving the trophy from the former ‘N Sync pop star Lance Bass, who was one of the hosts of the AMA red carpet preshow event.Some of the big-name winners at th

Nov. 19, 2012

Elton John's performance in S. Korea due next week

The British pop star Elton John will perform in South Korea next month as part of his global tour to mark the 40th anniversary of his hit single "Rocket Man," according to a local promoter of the event.It will be the first time in eight years for the rock singer-songwriter and composer to visit South Korea on a concert tour.The 65-year-old musician will perform at Seoul's Olympic Park Gymnastics Arena on Nov. 27 and at Busan's BEXCO convention center on Nov. 29, according to the Seoul promoter,

Nov. 19, 2012

2PM releases new album via clothing line

A unique method of purchasing music has been unveiled: In collaboration with the global fashion brand, the United Colors of Benetton, the K-pop idol group 2PM recently released their new cutting-edge album, “2PM Clothes Album,” which allows fans to access the album’s music files through a scan code imprinted on special clothing items.The clothes album features a bar code that fans can scan using their smartphones, which will take them to a phone application that will grant them access the album’

Nov. 18, 2012

Reliving royalty in pictures

King Gojong of the Korean Empire enjoyed having his picture taken. He gladly allowed Percival Lowell, who visited Korea as a foreign secretary and counselor for a special Korean diplomatic mission to the U.S. in 1883, to take his photo for the first time. He later included the photo in his travel story book “Joseon: The Land of the Morning Calm.” Gojong was frequently photographed by Western visitors to his country, who published the pictures in foreign publications. Experts later saw it as Gojo

Nov. 18, 2012

Calendar

Pop Music“Kaas chante Piaf”: The French singer and actress Patricia Kaas will hold two performances in Seoul in promotion of her newest live show “Kaas sings Piaf.” The concert tour is in commemoration of renowned French musician Edith Piaf who passed away 50 years ago this year. Piaf was widely regarded as France’s national pop singer and become an icon in the country during World War II. Kaas is considered as one of the most internationally successful French singers and is set to perform this

Nov. 16, 2012

Eyelike

Aguilera‘s ’Lotus‘ is good, but not greatChristina Aguilera"Lotus"(RCA Records)Christina Aguilera is easily one of contemporary music’s best voices. She‘s got pipes that music-lovers need to hear at a time when Top 40 radio features studio-enhanced vocals and award shows are full of lip syncing. That’s why her fifth album, "Lotus," is somewhat disappointing -- not because it isn‘t good, but because it isn’t great.Sure, it‘s an improvement from 2010’s "Bionic," a chaotic album that is Aguilera‘s

Nov. 16, 2012

Maroon 5‘s ’One More Night‘ still No. 1 on U.S. record chart

  Maroon 5‘s “One More Night” is No. 1 on the U.S. record chart for a ninth week, Billboard.com reported Thursday.Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 is Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” followed by Ke$ha‘s “Die Young” at No. 3, fun.’s “Some Nights” at No. 4 and PSY‘s “Gangnam Style” at No. 5.Rounding out the top tier are Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” at No. 6, Taylor Swift‘s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” at No. 7, Ne-Yo’s “Let Me Love You [Until You Learn to Love Yourself]” at No.

Nov. 16, 2012

‘The Bat’ transported to Art Deco era

The Korea National Opera’s operetta, “Die Fledermaus,” or “The Bat,” to be staged from Nov. 28 through Dec. 1 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House, is an apt choice for the company’s year-end and 50th anniversary performance. Set in the flamboyant city of Vienna, the light-hearted operetta written by Johann Strauss II follows a chain of risky pranks between a mischievous playboy and a petty-minded doctor that snowballs until the playboy ends up in jail. But it all wraps up with an all-is-well ha

Nov. 15, 2012