Ringopop Swing jives into social dancing

Ringopop Swing is launching dance lessons this week in Seoul. The name “Ringopop” is based on the bar where the classes will be held, said Omar Myers, the host and instructor of the dance classes.He started the club with Korean cofounder “TZ” to contribute to what he said was a diverse swing community in one of the biggest swing dance scenes in the world. “At the dance lessons, we give people the tools to have fun on the dance floor and through this we enable them to get in touch with a lot of l

Expat LivingFeb. 4, 2014

Looking into ‘Another Way’

For 15 years, poet-turned-photographer Park No-hae roamed alone around uncharted villages and remote settlements in Asia and the Middle East, carrying just a fountain pen and a rusty camera. Now he seeks to share his encounters and revelations with the modernized populace and redefine humanity’s true values.Titled, “Another Way,” Park’s new photo exhibit of 120 carefully selected pictures taken in six countries ― each photo accompanied by a short poem-like caption written by the poet-photographe

CultureFeb. 4, 2014

Movies bring princesses to life on silver screen

The world’s most beloved princesses are coming back to life on the silver screen, played by two Australian actresses who are in fact best friends in real-life: Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts.Nicole Kidman plays the legendary Grace Kelly (1929-1982) ― the glamorous American movie star who later became Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III ― while Naomi Watts stars as the iconic British princess Diana (1961-1997) who died in a tragic car crash in Paris. Both films, “Grace of Monaco”

FilmFeb. 4, 2014

Spanish theater a crumbling symbol of Tangiers’ rich past

TANGIERS, Morocco (AFP) ― A century after it was built, the Cervantes theater in Tangiers, once a symbol of the famed Moroccan city’s cultural vibrancy, is derelict and risks disappearing altogether, eclipsed by flashy new developments. The 1,400-seat playhouse, just a short distance from the old port, is a masterpiece of early 20th-century Spanish architecture in the once-international city that in its heyday hosted a wealth of colorful characters and communities. But today the blue and yellow

CultureFeb. 4, 2014

Scottish rockers Mogwai to light up Seoul this month

With nearly two decades in the rock music scene, the members of the Glasgow-based post-rock band Mogwai have made a return with their first album in three years and will be performing live in Seoul. The band recently released its eighth studio album, “Rave Tapes,” last month and in its first week, the 10-track album landed at No. 10 on the U.K. Album Charts and No. 2 on the Scottish Album Charts. To follow up their latest release, Mogwai has embarked on a worldwide tour that will bring them to K

PerformanceFeb. 4, 2014

Actor’s death spotlights heroin epidemic

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The shocking death of Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman from a suspected drug overdose has spotlighted a growing epidemic of heroin use across the United States, officials warn.Hoffman, a 46-year-old father of three who was considered one of the finest character actors of his generation, was found lying on his apartment bathroom floor with a needle still stuck in his arm.Empty and full bags of heroin were found in the apartment and while the autopsy will confirm the pre

FilmFeb. 4, 2014

Super Bowl sets record for TV viewers

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Seattle’s 43-8 blowout of Denver in Super Bowl 48 offered little in the way of suspense, but 111.5 million viewers made it the most-watched television event in U.S. history.Ratings released by the Fox network on Monday showed Sunday’s game also set a record for the most-streamed online sports event, while a whopping 25.3 million related tweets composed by 5.6 million authors were logged before, during and after the contest.The viewership for the Seahawks’ lopsided victory ecl

TelevisionFeb. 4, 2014

[Photo News] 60 years with UNESCO

PeopleFeb. 4, 2014

Substance abuse took toll on celebrities

Since the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, an American actor who most recently starred in the “Hunger Games” series, other stars who passed away due to drug or alcohol abuse have attracted the media spotlight once more. From left: Cory Monteith, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger (Wikimedia)1. Cory Monteith, 31, (May 11, 1982 - July 13, 2013)Monteith, a Canadian actor who starred in TV series “Glee,” was found dead in a Toronto hotel room after a heart attack caused by

EntertainmentFeb. 4, 2014

Exposure to third-hand smoke can be deadly: study

Second-hand smoke has long been known to cause health problems, but the third-hand smoke is also deadly, a new study has suggested. (123RF)Third-hand smoke is defined as the second-hand smoke that is soaked into the surfaces, objects and other things around people.A research team from the University of California, Riverside, studied the effects of third-hand smoke on several organ systems in mice.The study found that third-hand smoke led to significant damage to the liver and lungs in mice, as w

Life&CultureFeb. 4, 2014

EXO to host fan meeting in Japan

K-pop sensation EXO is planning to hold a special two-day event for Japanese fans from April 12-13 in Tokyo, Japan. The fan meeting is EXO ’s first official event for Japanese fans, who sent a flood of requests for EXO to visit Japan. Durign the fan meeting, EXO will meet some 70,000 fans and perform four times. Japanese daily Nikkan Sports also extensively covered the news of EXO’s upcoming event, echoing Japanese fans’ growing interest in EXO even before the rookie idol band’s official Japanes

EntertainmentFeb. 4, 2014

Old but fresh

A handful of early music specialists are coming here this spring, offering the Korean audience chances to explore the world of 17th- and 18th-century music. Setting the tone in this Baroque-music concert lineup is flutist Emmanuel Pahud and Berliner Barock Solisten, who will perform the works of Bach and Telemann, two of the most appreciated composers of the era, at Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 22.Pahud, who was named principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 22 some 20 y

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

‘I am Homeland’ showcases Korean-American poets

A collection of poems written by first-generation Korean-Americans has been published in the U.S. It consists of 120 poems delving into their migration experiences, sense of displacement and their daily lives as immigrants in the country they chose as their second home. Titled “I am Homeland,” the collection is edited by Choi Yearn-hong, a scholar who also serves as the founding president of the Korean-American Poets Group. In his introduction, Choi explains why the collection is unique compared

BooksFeb. 3, 2014

Film explores ‘Kids for Cash’ scandal in U.S.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― Charlie Balasavage, a baby-faced boy of 14, landed in juvenile detention after his parents bought him a stolen scooter. Hillary Transue was sent away over a MySpace parody of her vice principal. Justin Bodnar was locked up for mouthing off to a woman at his school bus stop. They are just three among thousands of youths whose lives were derailed by a corrupt Pennsylvania judge, a post-Columbine fervor for zero-tolerance policies and a secretive juvenile court system, a story d

FilmFeb. 3, 2014

Kim Hyung-jun plans anniversary concert

Kim Hyung-jun of the formerly popular five-member boy band SS501 will be holding a special solo concert this week in celebration of his third anniversary since he debuted as a solo artist with his EP album “My Girl” in 2011. SS501 debuted in 2005 and released their last group album in 2010. Although its members moved on to pursue individual careers before their agency contracts expired, the group still maintains that SS501 has not disbanded. According to a representative of Kim’s agency S-Plus E

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014

Superstar K4’s Yoo Seung-woo looks to make mature return

Young singer Yoo Seung-woo ― the “naturally gifted” musician who first garnered widespread attention on the singing audition program Superstar K4 as a 16-year-old high school student ― will return with his second EP album “Early 19.” Yoo’s upcoming album is scheduled to be released on Monday, with the singer looking to show listeners a new, more mature side as he enters adulthood, turning 19 this year. “This album will be drastically different from Yoo Seung-woo’s previous releases because it wi

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2014