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Macy Gray tackles Wonder‘s ’Talking Book‘Macy Gray“Talking Book”(SLG)A mere seven months after the release of her “Covered” album, which included songs by Radiohead, My Chemical Romance and others, Macy Gray has taken on what some may consider an unthinkable task: revisiting one of Stevie Wonder’s most iconic records, 1972’s¡¡“Talking Book.” It’s a gutsy decision, and one that may raise a few eyebrows (as it should).But Gray mostly delivers the collection with a twist, making over hits such as “

Nov. 2, 2012

ULTRA dance fest to return in December

Ultra Music Festival KOREA, a dance music festival which attracted more than 60,000 party lovers last summer, will return to Korea on Dec. 8 with an all new lineup. After a mega success in Seoul, the ULTRA headquarters in Miami decided to return to Jamsil Indoor Stadium with top class DJs under the banner, “ROAD TO ULTRA KOREA.” “Korea’s ‘hallyu’ wave is sweeping across the globe and the capital city of Seoul is one of the cultural centers of Asia, which is why ULTRA headquarters decided to host

Nov. 2, 2012

Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ 2nd most-viewed video on YouTube

The music video of “Gangnam Style” by South Korean rapper-singer Psy ranked second on YouTube’s all-time list of most-viewed videos, updated Thursday night (on Korean time) on the service’s Web site.The viral video beat out “On the Floor” by Jennifer Lopez, drawing 615 million hits as of 9 a.m. Friday, while Justin Bieber’s “Baby” remained at No. 1 with 794 million views.Experts expect “Gangnam Style” will top the list sooner or later as the number of views is rising quickly. Boosted by the popu

Nov. 2, 2012

Vatican says may limit visitors to Sistine Chapel

VATICAN CITY (AFP) ― As the Sistine Chapel celebrates its 500th anniversary, the Vatican said Wednesday it may have to limit the huge numbers of visitors because pollution is damaging Michelangelo’s frescoes, one of the artistic wonders of the world.The scenes, including the moment in which God reaches out and gives life to Adam with the touch of his finger, are being damaged by the breath, sweat and heat of the 10,000 to 30,000 tourists who walk through the chapel every day.The Vatican had an a

Nov. 1, 2012

‘The Voice’ star Dia Frampton to perform live in Hongdae

Dia Frampton, the singer with the sweetly soulful rustic voice who was the season one runner-up of singing audition program “The Voice” in the U.S., is in Seoul to hold her first show in Korea at “Freebird” in Hongdae Saturday night.This is the first time in nearly 20 years the young Korean American vocalist has been to Seoul and she is hoping to break into the Korean music industry with her folk-inspired songs. “Honestly, I didn’t before, but I think that the older I get, the more passionate I

Nov. 1, 2012

Sleepless nights of the ‘club-a-HOLICs’

Following is part of a series on Seoul’s hottest bars and clubs. ― Ed.Not many people new to Korea are aware of the phrase “after club” used among Koreans. The term refers to after-hours nightclubs open past the designated hours to serve alcohol. Of course, places like Korea do not need after-hours clubs as there is no law restricting the hours when alcohol can be sold. So don’t get confused between the “after-hours club” in Europe and North America and “after clubs” in Korea, which are two enti

Oct. 31, 2012

Kang MJ brings out inner beauty in still life objects

Daegu-based painter Kang Min-jeong chooses damaged fruits and vegetables that don’t meet market standards as subjects of her still life paintings, looking to bring out the hidden beauty and quality of the produce neglected by others. The mid-career artist, who studied western painting at Daegu’s Keimyung University, showcases her new paintings at the Daegu Art Festival, which kicked off Wednesday and runs through Nov. 5.Finding inspiration in natural materials, she has devoted over two decades o

Oct. 31, 2012

McKnight to return to Seoul for encore show

The contemporary R&B artist Brian McKnight, famed for his hit song “Back at One,” will be back in Seoul to serenade his local fans once again with his silky vocals in an acoustic performance. After holding concerts in Korea both last year and the year before, McKnight is returning for another night of music and soul at the AX-Korea Hall on Nov. 30. This multi-talented entertainer is not only a singer, songwriter and producer, but a well-rounded musician playing nine instruments: piano, guitar, b

Oct. 31, 2012

Nick Cannon to perform at Boombar

The American rapper, comedian and TV personality Nick Cannon will DJ live at the electro lounge Boombar in Itaewon on Saturday.The multi-entertainer is best known as a former Nickelodeon star, the host of the hit TV audition program “America’s Got Talent” and the husband of R&B icon Mariah Carey. He first gained fame in the entertainment industry as a teen for his role on the show “All That” and as the host of “The Nick Cannon Show” and “Wild ‘N Out” on Nickelodeon, a top entertainment channel f

Oct. 30, 2012

K-pop and the world

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Asian music market will be presented at the 2012 global music conference and showcase Mu:Con, which will be held in Seoul from Thursday to Saturday. Mu:Con is a gathering of key players in the world music industry who come together to discuss various topics on creative global cooperation and communication, including the planning, production and distribution of the Asian music market. The three-day event, which is co-chaired by the legendary Korean pop

Oct. 30, 2012

SBS to host K-pop festival in U.S.

A joint concert of several K-pop artists will be held in the United States early next month, a South Korean television station hosting the event said Tuesday.The “2012 SBS K-pop Super Concert in America” will take place at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, a 15,000-seat outdoor theater, in Irvine, California, on Nov. 10, SBS said.Some of South Korea‘s leading K-pop bands, including Girls’ Generation, 2NE1, KARA, BEAST and Sistar as well as American YouTube star Karmin, will perform, it said. (Y

Oct. 30, 2012

Korean artists showcase ‘Woo:ri’ project at art festival in Prague

An art project by Korean artists is on exhibit at the TINA B. Contemporary Art Festival in Prague, giving fresh perspectives on Korean art to the global audience. The project titled “Woo:ri,” the Korean word for “us” or “we,” showcases installations and media art at various places throughout the historic city of Prague during the art festival, which ends on Wednesday.The annual TINA B. festival, which stands for “This Is Not Another Biennale,” aims to bring contemporary art closer to general peo

Oct. 29, 2012

Two Asian pianists to interpret Beethoven

Two noted Asian pianists presenting Beethoven piano sonatas here within two weeks of each other are the talk of the town among classical music lovers. China’s Yundi Li and Korea’s Kim Sun-wook will be portraying different aspects of the genius composer. And of course they will be adding their special touch to each piece. Beethoven’s piano sonatas are known for demanding extraordinary devotion and skills from the players. “It’s not just about the virtuoso. Beethoven didn’t flaunt melody line or p

Oct. 29, 2012

K-pop World Festival knows no barriers

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province ― Forty-three international participants on 15 teams from 15 countries sang and danced to their favorite K-pop songs to compete in the 2012 K-pop World Festival held in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sunday.Each group or soloist battled it out onstage to vie for the title of best K-pop act of the night. The contestants were split into two categories: vocal and performance. The contest’s panel of judges evaluating each act included K-pop celebrity G.O.

Oct. 29, 2012

‘Gangnam Style’ follow up single to be mix of English and Korean

Psy fans can expect new moves following the comical horse dance with Psy’s soon-to-be released bilingual track. In a recent interview with CNN, the “international singer” announced that his next single will be half in Korean and half in English. There had been a lot of debate about whether or not Psy’s next song would in Korean or in English. It was reported that his agency, YG Entertainment, suggested he keep his songs in Korean, but Psy later announced that he was planning to produce a song in

Oct. 28, 2012

Choi Jae-eun contemplates relationship between human beings and sky

Choi Jae-eun, a Korean artist based in Japan and Germany, is holding an exhibition that offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between human beings and the sky. The 56-year-old artist is well-known for her philosophical reflection on nature and experimental approach to contemporary art. Choi explores themes of the finite and infinite and the flow of time at the new exhibition being held at Kukje Gallery in Seoul, representing the ideas through diverse works such as photography, film and

Oct. 28, 2012