Court rules in favor of JYJ in a dispute with SM Entertainment

JYJ, a pop trio consisting of members from one of Asia’s favorite groups, “Dong Bang Shin Ki,” has won its legal battle to work independently from its management company.When three members of the quintet, namely Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun, and Kim Junsu (more commonly known as Hero, Micky and Xia), formed JYJ, SM Entertainment claimed the action was a breach of contract. JYJ members Kim Jun-su (le

Feb. 18, 2011

Rod Stewart becomes father for 8th time

LONDON (AP) _ Rocker Rod Stewart has become a father for the eighth time.The 66-year-old Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster, gave birth to a baby boy Wednesday. British singer Rod Stewart, right, and his wife Penny Lancaster (AP)A statement released Thursday on the couple's behalf said they were ``proud and thrilled.''Aiden is Stewart and Lancaster's second child. They have another son, Alastair, who

Feb. 18, 2011

Opera Gallery unveils limited editions

Rarely publicized artworks by world renowned artists are on display at the “Limited Edition” exhibition currently running at Opera Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. Opera Gallery is a leading gallery chain which first opened in Singapore in 1994. It has 11 branches all over the world, including its head office in Paris. The Seoul branch’s first exhibition of this year introduces ove

Feb. 17, 2011

Korean musicals need time for sophistication

Broadway expert lauds Korean talents as ‘exceptional’ on world stageA veteran U.S. musical director has said Seoul’s musical scene boasts a many more talented musical actors than Broadway but lacks the time necessary to perfect technical elements to make the product more sophisticated.Robert Johanson is in Seoul to direct the musical “Monte Cristo” for the second consecutive year. The show is to r

Feb. 15, 2011

Classical music stars enliven Busan this week

Pianist Sergei Babayan to lead rich list of musiciansInternational and Korea-based classical musicians will put the spotlight on Busan this week, as they gather in the southeastern port city of Korea to hold eight different concerts.The 6th Busan International Music Festival kicked off Sunday at the Paradise Hotel with a chamber concert. The week-long event runs through Feb. 20 at the Busan Cultur

Feb. 14, 2011

More fun, visually pleasing exhibitions to come: Kim

Kim Young-na, the newly appointed director-general of the National Museum of Korea, would like to launch exhibitions that are more “fun and visually pleasing.” “(The) museum is the place where you exhibit the visual image (of the relics and art pieces),” the director told reporters at a press meeting held in Seoul on Monday. “Of course our research (of the exhibiting items) is important. But how w

Feb. 14, 2011

China, U.S. museum resolve dispute over exhibit

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― A museum said Friday that its exhibit on the Silk Road, including a pair of ancient mummies, will go on after it resolved a dispute with the Chinese government that led to a pared-down event with fake mummies and life-sized photos of the artifacts.The exhibit will reopen Feb. 18 with a full complement of mummies and more ancient artifacts from the Tarim Basin in the autonomous

Feb. 13, 2011

Yale, Peru university sign deal on Incan artifacts

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) ― Yale University announced Friday that it will send back to Peru thousands of Incan artifacts removed from the famed Machu Picchu citadel nearly a century ago.The agreement allowing for the return of the ceramic pieces, animal and human bones, and metal and stone objects came after Yale and Peru officials announced in November that they had resolved a long-running disp

Feb. 13, 2011

Jagger, Dylan to join rising stars at Grammys

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand join rising stars and seasoned chart-toppers Sunday at the music industry’s annual Grammys awards bash.Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and teen sensation Justin Bieber are also on a star-studded roster of performers at the show in Los Angeles, where rapper Eminem hopes to seal a comeback year with a brace of awards.While showcasing new talent,

Feb. 13, 2011

Events

Exhibitions“Manga Realities: Exploring the Art of Japanese Comics Today”: Artsonje Center, a private art museum which usually presents contemporary conceptual art, has opened its space for a show on Japanese comics. The exhibition attempts a 3-D realization of the comics by adding whimsical props and installations that look like they just popped out of the comic books. It makes the case for why an

Feb. 11, 2011

‘Tears of Heaven’ KOs ‘The Mission’

Powerfully presented Broadway music dwarfs Morricone’s prerecorded oboeSince the start of the new year, Korea’s musical scene has been buzzing about two blockbuster musicals by overseas composers, directors and stage designers to premier in Seoul and later target the global audience.While “Tears of Heaven” has “Jekyll & Hyde” composer Frank Widlhorn, “Sweeny Todd” director Gabriel Barre and Tony A

Feb. 10, 2011

Prince kicks Kim Kardashian off stage for not dancing in New York concert

Hollywood celebrity Kim Kardashian got booted off the stage at Prince’s concert when she refused to dance.(AP)Kardashian and her boyfriend Kris Humphries were watching the concert at Madison Square Garden when the legendary musician picked her out of the crowd to come up and join him on stage. “OMG Prince just pulled me up on stage!! I’m shaking!!!” Kardashian tweeted from the concert on Monday ni

Feb. 10, 2011

Super Junior’s ‘Miinah’ tops Gaon Chart in 2010

 Boy band Super Junior’s latest album “Miinah (Bonamana)” ranked No. 1 among Korean pop albums sold last year, the Korea Music Content Association said Wednesday.Girl group miss A’s “Bad Girl Good Girl” topped the online chart and veteran singer Lee Seung-chul’s “Geu Saram (That Person),” the mobile chart, of the Gaon Chart, the Korean national record chart similar to U.S. Billboard charts.Culture

Feb. 10, 2011

Unveiling true art from under layers of clothes

Too much honesty often makes people uncomfortable. That is why photographers Photoshop their images, erasing pimples and adding extra sparkles to the eyes, and why artists beautify their subjects on the canvas. Artist Ahn Chang-hong, however, is not afraid of putting people at unease. In fact, he seems to enjoy revealing the ultimate truth by showing humans in their naked state, sometimes adding g

Feb. 9, 2011

ICOM execs stress importance of preserving traditions

Preserving intangible heritage is one of the most important ways of safeguarding the common culture of humanity, International Council of Museums executives said in Seoul on Tuesday.Hans-Martin Hinz, the president of the council, and Amareswar Galla, the vice president, visited Korea to attend the sixth annual editorial meeting for Korea’s international academic journal, International Journal of I

Feb. 9, 2011

Union problems resolved, National Theater to start afresh

Having recently resolved its labor-management problem, the National Theater of Korea plans to stage four new performances in 2011, the president of the state-run theater said.Mired in labor union problems, the theater failed to premier any shows last year.“We felt very sorry that we had to delay or cancel some performances a couple of times last year due to the labor union’s long-term strike. But

Feb. 8, 2011

Paris exhibit spotlights German master Cranach

PARIS (AP) ― Like an enterprising Andy Warhol of the 16th century, German Renaissance master Lucas Cranach the Elder produced multiple paintings of the same subject, churning out strikingly similar versions of his trademark soft-edged nudes and angel-faced Madonnas.This penchant for repetition did nothing for Cranach’s reputation, and for centuries he was overshadowed by another giant of German ar

Feb. 8, 2011