Denzel Washington in “Fences.” (MMXVI Paramount Pictures Corporation)LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Denzel Washington is feeling pretty good at the moment. It‘s mid-December in Los Angeles, Washington is a few weeks shy of his 62nd birthday, and the Screen Actors Guild has just recognized his adaptation of the August Wilson play “Fences” for its ensemble cast. He’s also finally getting feedback from audiences as the film trickles out to theaters before opening wide on Christmas Day. 　  The ease around it i

Entertainment Dec. 23, 2016

Indie duo Bolbbalgan4 (Shofar Music)Indie duo Bolbbalgan4 has taken over the top of the charts once again with its new single “Say You Like Me,” knocking K-pop powerhouses Big Bang and EXO from the top spots.　A hidden track off the female duo’s first studio album, “Red Planet” was released on Thursday and has claimed the No. 1 spot on seven of the biggest local music charts including MelOn, Genie and Olleh. 　Bolbbalgan4 is considered to be unique in the local music industry, which is largely dom

Performance Dec. 22, 2016

A promotional image for the TV drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.” (KBS2)The new TV drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth” is gearing up to hit the musical stage, according to Asia Bridge Contents on Wednesday. 　The period drama’s first of 20 episodes aired Monday, but there are already talks of turning the KBS2 TV series into a live musical. 　A statement by Asia Bridge Contents confirmed that the company, along with Oh Boy Project, already have plans to produce a musical spin-off of “Hwar

Performance Dec. 22, 2016

Based on the eponymous 1992 American blockbuster film “The Bodyguard,” the iconic movie-turned-musical has made its Asian premiere in Seoul.　A cult classic starring Kevin Costner as Frank Farmer and the late Whitney Houston as Rachel Marron, the film’s soundtrack went certified 17 times platinum and snagged a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, propelling the already popular rhythm and blues diva to superstardom. Having sold more than 45 million copies worldwide, “The Bodyguard” officially becom

Performance Dec. 21, 2016

AOA (FNC Entertainment)K-pop girl group AOA is hitting the spotlight next month, dropping the group’s first full-length album since debuting in 2012. 　According to an announcement by FNC Entertainment on Tuesday, the girl group will unveil their upcoming album on Jan. 2. The soon-to-be-released new album will also mark AOA’s first promotional activities following the departure of drummer Youkyung.　In October, FNC Entertainment announced that the K-pop starlet had decided to leave the agency afte

Performance Dec. 21, 2016

For many theater lovers, there is no greater holiday tradition than to spend an evening listening to the sounds of Tchaikovsky and watching battling toy soldiers.　“The Nutcracker” season is upon us and kicking off the Christmas festivities is the Universal Ballet which is staging the all-time holiday classic ballet Dec. 16-31. The company is also celebrating the 30-year anniversary of its first performance of the more than a century-old repertoire in 1986. 　Joining the Universal’s annual perform

Performance Dec. 20, 2016

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra will take to the stage alongside ballad singer Shin Jae, soprano Shin Della, pansori singer Ahn So-eun and tenor Ryu Jung-pil in the upcoming “Nalrari Concert” series in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.　The orchestra’s upcoming New Year’s concert is being held Friday in the Sejong Gugak Center at 7:30 p.m.Ballad singer Shin Jae (Star & Tree Entertainment)　The “Nalrari Concert” series is aimed at providing rural audiences with an affordable opportunity to enjoy classica

Performance Dec. 20, 2016

Lost for more than a century, Igor Stravinsky’s “Funeral Song” is being revived and getting set for its Asian premiere in Seoul next month. 　The Seoul Philharmonic orchestra will perform Stravinsky‘s long-lost “Funeral Song” during its two-day concert series on Jan. 20 and 21 at the Lotte Concert Hall, marking only the third time the repertoire has ever been performed. 　The recently rediscovered 12-minute piece was composed by Stravinsky in 1908. It was first performed on Jan. 17, 1909, during a

Performance Dec. 18, 2016

With Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, festive cheer is in the air. 　Despite the weather quickly taking a turn toward bone-chilling temperatures, there is a long list of live concerts and performances where people can celebrate the holiday season out of the winter cold. 　For those looking to escape the winter blues, there’s nothing like a bit of cultural indulgence to add a little musical enchantment to an evening.  　Steve Barakatt’s “Christmas Dream”　Canadian pianist and composer

Performance Dec. 15, 2016

PARIS (AP) -- Days after the Islamic State group seized back control of the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra, a prescient exhibit was inaugurated in Paris on Tuesday that aims to educate the public on the wounded wonder that Syrians affectionately call the ``Bride of the Desert.‘’ 　Its organizers said the display opening Wednesday is designed to be an ``emotional‘’ experience that takes visitors to Palmyra and other endangered world heritage sites in the Middle East. It‘s also meant to show how mu

Culture Dec. 14, 2016

NEW YORK (AFP) - Rap superstar Kanye West on Tuesday delivered a surprise even in this most unusual of political years -- he met President-elect Donald Trump, marking the artist’s first appearance since a reported mental breakdown.　West, a rare artist and even rarer African American celebrity to voice support for Trump, said he went to discuss issues of concern to minorities with the populist leader.　Trailed by an entourage including his own cameraman, West silently walked into Trump Tower and r

Performance Dec. 14, 2016

Promotional image for the musical “Death Note,” starring Kim Jun-su (C-JeS Entertainment)Kim Jun-su, often referred to here as the “ticket power king,” has not lost his touch: Tickets for a showcase of the upcoming musical “Death Note” sold out in less than a minute.  　On Monday, tickets for the musical preopening day showcase went up for sale on Interpark at 3 p.m. and all 1,000 seats were booked in under a minute.  　The K-pop star recently wrapped up the musical “Dorian Gray,” which is a Korea

Performance Dec. 13, 2016

K-pop star Rain (Rain Company)　Singer-actor Rain is gearing for a January return with his first album in nearly three years, according to his agency Rain Company. 　The upcoming album will be Rain’s first music release since his “Rain Effect” album in January 2014, which marked his return since completing his mandatory military service.  　The singer was initially slated to return to the stage in the latter half of this year, but his agency said that the album was not ready yet and decided to push

Performance Dec. 13, 2016

The Corea Image Communication Institute will honor South Korean golfer Pak Se-ri, AlphaGo artificial intelligence and KwangJuYo Chairman Cho Tae-Kwon at its upcoming 13th annual awards ceremony CICI Korea Image Awards 2017. 　The Korea Image Awards are given by CICI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a positive image of Korea. It recognizes people and entities that best represent the country and its culture. South Korean golfer Pak Se-ri (CICI)　Former professional golfer Pak, who an

Culture Dec. 13, 2016