Big Bang’s Taeyang says ‘no rivalry’ with G-Dragon

Taeyang (left), G-DragonTaeyang, a member of the K-pop group Big Bang, said Monday that there is no rivalry between him and fellow member G-Dragon. “Jiyong (G-Dragon) is amazing, but I don’t feel the way many people do about him as I am always by his side. I thought I wanted to produce an album that does not lag behind his, but there is no competition between us,” he said at a press conference in Seoul.  G-Dragon and Taeyang have been at the forefront in terms of solo activities among the group

June 3, 2014

Universal Ballet celebrates 30th anniversary with ‘Giselle’

One of the most dramatic and classic tales of passion, betrayal and heartbreak is returning to the stage as Korea’s Universal Ballet celebrates 30 years with its adapted rendition of “Giselle.” Regarded as one of the most well-known and widely performed ballet works of the Romantic era, “Giselle” is the tale of a young peasant girl. After learning that the man she loves has betrayed her, Giselle is hit with a sudden jolt of heart-wrenching grief and dies; yet instead of exacting revenge from the

PerformanceJune 2, 2014

[Herald Review] ‘No Tears for the Dead’ a sad story of a hitman

Hitmen make good subject matter for films, catching the eyes of moviegoers for years and spawning diverse characters.While foreign films have created a spate of famous assassins such as Leon, Nikita and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Korean films have their hitmen too. Actor Jung Woo-sung bossed an international gang while playing a hitman in 2013 film “Cold Eyes.” A group of four hitmen, two played by top stars Won Bin and Shin Ha-kyun, was comically portrayed in “Guns and Talks” directed by Jang Jin in 2

June 2, 2014

Forum to discuss women’s leadership

Women leaders in media, fashion and culture will talk about women’s leadership and style at the Beautiful Women Conference, scheduled for June 13-14 in Seoul. The conference, in its second year, will bring seven figures from media, fashion, makeup, interior design and classical music, who will give tips on enriching life as well as leadership among women. The conference will be held at Auditorium at Coex, Samseong-dong, Seoul. The invited speakers are Sohn Ji-ae, former president and CEO of Arir

CultureJune 2, 2014

Publishers, public meet at BookExpo America

NEW YORK (AP) ― Publishers and the public met last weekend at BookExpo America, the annual industry convention, and seemed to speak in different languages. If you were part of the book business, “Amazon” was a dirty word and “Hachette” an applause line as editors, booksellers, writers and agents pondered, fretted and largely refused to discuss the well-publicized and sharply-worded standoff in negotiations between the online retailer and Hachette Book Group. With terms for e-books sales reported

BooksJune 2, 2014

Charles Aznavour dazzles London at 90

LONDON (AFP) ― Legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour, who celebrated his 90th birthday on stage in Berlin last month, defied the years to charm 5,500 spectators at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall on Sunday.Taking the limelight to a standing ovation, the activist-singer promised the audience: “I’ll sing half in English, half in French ... tonight is about Entente cordiale.”Surrounded by seven musicians and two singers, the giant of French song began his set with “Les emigrants,

PerformanceJune 2, 2014

[Herald Review] Musical picnic on the green

Over the sunny weekend, thousands of people gathered at a riverside park along the Hangang River for an urban musical getaway.Under the theme of “a musical picnic in the spring, the happiest music festival,” this year’s Greenplugged Seoul took place at Seoul Nanji Hangang Park, featuring 97 local acts in various genres including acoustic, soft rock, alternative rock, heavy metal and hip-hop.Many festival attendees arrived via shuttle buses that circulated between Nanji and Hapjeong Station. Musi

PerformanceJune 2, 2014

Did Nichkhun and Tiffany go on a secret getaway to Malibu?

A picture supposedly of popular K-pop couple Nichkhun from 2PM and Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany in Malibu has gone viral on the Internet.An Internet user uploaded a photo titled, “Nichkhun-Tiffany’s secret trip to Malibu” on an online community based in South Korea on Sunday, attracting many users’ attention.In the photograph, a man in sunglasses, allegedly identified as Nichkhun, and a woman in sleeveless dress, allegedly Tiffany, order at a restaurant located in the vacation spot.The duo has be

June 2, 2014

2NE1’s Park Bom sheds tears in reality show ‘Roommate’

(SBS)Park Bom from K-pop girl group 2NE1 shed tears when talking about being lonely in the June 1 episode of SBS-TV reality show “Roommate.” In the fifth episode, the women on the show -- After School member Nana, actress Hong Su-hyun, model Lee So-ra, entertainer Song Ga-yeon and Park -- gathered in a room to have a deep conversation.Asked whether Park had any stars close to her, the vocalist said, “2NE1 members have no close celebrities. Nobody approached us. I don’t know what to do.“Our membe

June 2, 2014

Donghae’s first appearance on ‘God’s Quiz 4’

　Donghae, a member of the popular idol group Super Junior, has made an appearance on the OCN drama “God’s Quiz 4.”　Donghae was introduced in the third episode, which aired on June 1. He played the part of Han Si-woo, an elite graduate of Korea University’s medical school who joins the Korea University law office to solve mysteries with the main character Han Jin-woo. Super Junior member Donghae in "God`s Quiz4" (OCN)　Concerns had initially risen among viewers about Donghae joining the drama, due

June 2, 2014

Park Hae-jin poses in Dior by Kris Van Assche

Korean actor Park Hae-jin was handpicked by designer Kris Van Assche to pose for Dior. The actor posed as the cover model for the global fashion magazine “Dior Homme,” showing off his good looks in a variety of shirts and cardigans.By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo Credit: Dior)

June 2, 2014

Lace, see through fashion hit Korean celebrities

More female celebrities are picking lacy items or see-through dresses to appeal to their fans with various fashion styles. While lace is commonly considered a girly style, it can help stars express different fashion styles depending on how it is worn.  (OSEN)Actress and fashion icon Kim Min-hee allured fans with a long black dress in a film preview event. The dress itself was effective in giving her a sexy look but the lace of the dress also highlighted the sexiness. Her wavy hair also added a l

June 2, 2014

EXO charms Hong Kong fans at first concert abroad

Eleven EXO members held their first overseas concert in Hong Kong, "The Lost Planet In Hong Kong" on Sunday after the top boy band released its new EP “Overdose” last month.AsiaWorld–Arena, the largest indoor seated performance venue in Hong Kong, was filled with eager fans, proving EXO’s steadfast popularity despite recent controversy over 12th member Kris’ lawsuit against SM Entertainment. (SM Entertainment)The concert was so thoroughly staged that the absence of the embattled member could not

June 2, 2014

EXO-K, EXO-M to appear together in Seoul

(SM Entertainment)K-pop boy group EXO will put on a special performance for fans this week, with all 11 members going on stage together. EXO-K and EXO-M, the two subunits of the boy band, are expected to come together to perform their new song “Overdose,” a rare move for the groups, who have focused their activities in Korea and China, respectively. EXO is set to perform on MBC’s “Show! Music Core” on June 7, and on Mnet’s “M! Countdown” and SBS’ “Inkigayo” on June 8. The idol band is currently

June 2, 2014

Kim Ki-duk invited to Venice three years straight

Star filmmaker Kim Ki-duk has been invited to Venice International Film Festival this year, Korean film distributor FINECUT said. His movie “One on One” will be screening as the opening film of the Giornate degli Autori Venice Days, an independent, subsidiary film festival supported by Italian filmmakers and producers. A total of 12 films are invited annually. This is Kim’s third year in a row being invited to Venice.  "One on One"The 54-year-old won the Golden Lion Award for his film “Pieta” in

June 2, 2014

Ha Yeon-soo kisses Kim Jong-guk on ‘Running Man’

Singer-entertainer Kim Jong-guk and actress Ha Yeon-soo. (SBS)Actress Ha Yeon-soo kissed singer-entertainer Kim Jong-guk on SBS variety show “Running Man” on Sunday, trying to beat other teams in a pickled radish game. In the game, two people hold each ends of a thin strip of pickled radish in the mouths and keep eating it toward the center. The couple left with the shortest strip wins the game. “Please do not stop until I tell you to,” said Ha, 23, determined to beat the previous 4-millimeter r

June 2, 2014

2 billion YouTube views and counting for ‘Gangnam Style’

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― The wildly popular “Gangnam Style” music video cemented its place Saturday as one of the defining soundtracks of the digital age, smashing through the 2 billion barrier on YouTube.The infectious and satirical mega-hit by South Korean pop star Psy became a worldwide sensation, fueling a South Korean “K-pop” trend after it was first uploaded to the popular video sharing platform in July 2012.It continues to garner thousands of looks daily and already was hundreds of thousands

PerformanceJune 1, 2014

Confident Susan Boyle readies first U.S. tour

NEW YORK (AP) ― Five years after her musical breakthrough, Susan Boyle says she’s feeling confident and comfortable ― and ready to launch her first U.S. tour. The 53-year-old will hit the road in October on a 21-date trek. Boyle said she hadn’t been ready to take on the tour after her pop culture moment in 2009, but now she’s more relaxed and ready to perform. “I didn’t have the confidence. I didn’t have the right experience, but I feel more ready now, and I really can’t wait,” she said in a pho

PerformanceJune 1, 2014

Depth that comics can achieve

In the age of digital content available at your fingertips, comics have fallen as mere entertainment for killing time during commuting hours. But cartoonist Park Heung-yong’s works have been more than a flip-through. In fact, they have been highlighted with unconventional subjects and depth usually found in novels. Park has created works that are grounded in Korean sentiment and the lives of average people and the underprivileged. Instead of conforming to publishers’ tastes, he has set his own p

PerformanceJune 1, 2014