The once hugely popular 1990s electropop duo Turbo has made its much-awaited return to the spotlight after 15 years -- only this time around, Turbo has returned as a trio.Kim Jung-nam and Kim Jong-kook, reuniting with past member Kim Jung-nam, have joined the ranks of g.o.d and Seo Taiji as ’90s music icons making a comeback to today’s K-pop scene, with the Turbo members dropping the 19-track comeback album “Again” on Monday. Members of the ’90s band Turbo pose during a press conference at the R

Performance Dec. 22, 2015

iKON (YG Entertainment)YG Entertainment’s latest boy band iKON is preparing its first studio album release, which will feature a track cowritten and composed by fellow labelmate artist G-Dragon, one of the biggest figures in K-pop. The boy band’s upcoming track “I Miss You So Bad” was written in collaboration with G-Dragon and iKON rappers B.I and Bobby, and composed by G-Dragon and Dee.P.The track marks the first time that K-pop veteran G-Dragon has written and composed a song for an artist out

Performance Dec. 20, 2015

Lee Na-young (left) and Won Bin. (Eden 9)Seven months after tying the knot at their quiet Gangwon Province wedding, celebrity couple Won Bin and Lee Na-young have welcomed their first child. Their baby boy was reportedly born Saturday at a hospital in Gangnam, Seoul. “Lee Na-young has given birth to a son, and the mother and child are both very healthy,” said a representative from Lee’s managing agency. Won and Lee married on May 30 in a low-key wedding, which many in the public eye referred to

Performance Dec. 20, 2015

Joo Young (Starship Entertainment)Representatives at K-pop management agency Starship Entertainment announced Saturday that its solo singer-songwriter Joo Young had enlisted in the military last month. “Joo Young enlisted on Nov. 26. After going through four weeks of basic training, he will be fulfilling his services as a public welfare solider for two years,” the agency said in a statement.  Joo Young, 24, first made his debut as a R&B soloist in 2010 with his EP “Same as You.” Although still r

Performance Dec. 20, 2015

Following this year’s Kumho Art Hall Rising Star series participant Christel Lee’s victory at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition earlier this month, the series’ musicians are continuing to snag international accolades. Supported by the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, the “Kumho musicians” dominated this year’s 9th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Novosibirsk, Russia, Tuesday, taking home first place for both violin and piano.  Violinist Kim Dong-hyun

Performance Dec. 16, 2015

Since publishing its first issue in 1888, National Geographic has captured the hearts of millions, making it one of today’s oldest continuous publications.With its dedication to showcasing the stories of the world, it has earned a reputation for having some of the most iconic and recognizable photographs that define the times. The National Geographic archive is in a league of its own, inspiring generations of photographers, both professional and amateur. A photograph of the Gomateshwara Bahubali

Performance Dec. 15, 2015

At a time when rhythm and blues music was virtually nonexistent in the Korean music scene, Solid, the now-defunct vocal trio of Korean-American singers, became one of the pioneering forces of Korean soul with its debut in 1993.  Former Solid members Kim Jo-han, Jeong Jae-Yoon and Lee Joon, whose debut album was aptly titled “Give Me a Chance,” are, to this day, still regaled as among the country’s most influential figures in introducing the R&B genre to Korean listeners. Solid was short-lived. T

Performance Dec. 11, 2015

Pianist Lang Lang (Lang Lang official site)In his first solo recital tour in Korea in five years, international piano superstar Lang Lang received cheers and applause fit for a classical icon Tuesday night.With a sizable international fan following unheard of for most classical musicians, the 33-year-old Chinese pianist is certainly no stranger to having the welcoming fanfare of a rock star. Some ticket-less spectators could be seen watching the virtuoso’s concert from a TV screen in the lobby o

Performance Dec. 9, 2015

Winners of this year‘s 8th Korea Opera Awards, including the orchestra prize-winning Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, founded by Herald Corp., pose at an awards ceremony held at the Press Center in central Seoul on Monday. (Korea Opera Awards)The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, founded by Herald Corp., was honored with an arts award for orchestras at this year’s 8th Korea Opera Awards, held at the Press Center in central Seoul on Monday.Still in its infancy having debuted last October, the Herald P

Performance Dec. 8, 2015

Singer-songwriter Lucid Fall (Antenna Music)As part of an unusual “A Night With Tangerines” music package deal, singer-songwriter Lucid Fall will be prereleasing 1,000 copies of his upcoming seventh studio album on a TV home shopping program, along with tangerines from his orchard on Jejudo Island.According to the singer’s management agency Antenna Music, Lucid Fall’s upcoming 15-track “For Somebody” album will go on sale at 2 a.m. on Friday on the CJ O Shopping TV home shopping network. The pre

Performance Dec. 8, 2015

A scene from the Korea National Opera‘s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s ”La Traviata“ (Korea National Opera)Following its staging of Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman,” the Korea National Opera is unveiling its latest production of one of Giuseppe Verdi’s best-known operatic tales -- “La Traviata.”The upcoming production will be staged from Dec. 9-12 at the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater, marking the KNO’s final performance of the year.The three-act Italian opera masterpiece is the quintessent

Performance Dec. 8, 2015

Famed local magician Choi Hyun-woo is presenting his latest stage production, “The Sherlock: Gravity 503,” a magic show with a live musical flair and a dash of unscripted comedy. Choi, 37, was the first Asian winner of the Originality Award at the International Federation of Magic Societies’ 2009 World Championship of Magic -- the world’s largest magic competition -- and was also selected as the youngest judge at the federation’s 2012 championships. Choi first launched his series of live magic p

Performance Dec. 7, 2015

Pianist Lang Lang (Mast Media)Following his concert in Busan on Sunday night, world-renowned pianist Lang Lang is gearing up for his Korea tour’s final performance with a solo recital at the Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday night. Lang Lang’s performances this month mark the pianist’s first solo concert in the country in five years. The pianist is slated to play Tchaikovsky’s “The Seasons,” Bach’s Italian concerto “BWV 971” and Chopin’s “4 Scherzos.” Lang Lang’s first taste of classical music stardo

Performance Dec. 6, 2015

Let others rise. To take our place. Until the Earth is free -- hear the words of one of the longest running productions in musical history, Les Miserables, which has found its way back onto the local stage.  The Korean-language production made its premiere in 2012 and sparked a craze that led to more than 40 million viewers flocking to the theater to experience the musical that won four awards at the 19th annual Korean Musical Awards in 2013. A scene from the Korean reproduction of the musical “

Performance Dec. 3, 2015

As the year comes to a close, many people may be scrambling to figure out how to spend their free time during the cold winter while getting a bit of artistic indulgence. For those looking to kick the winter blues, there’s nothing like a night at the theater to add a little enchantment to one’s evening.  A scene from the Universal Ballet Korea‘s production of “The Nutcracker,” which will be staged at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul from Dec. 18 to 31. (Universal Ballet Korea)Inarguably one of

Culture Dec. 1, 2015