Most Popular
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Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again
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What's next for the government's push in quota hike?
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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Woman falls to death from acquaintance's home after exhibiting ‘unexplained' behaviors
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‘Malice should not undermine the system, social order,’ says Hybe's Bang
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N. Korea slams planned S. Korea-US military drills, warns of 'catastrophic aftermath'
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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
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[Graphic News] How much do Korean adults read?
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N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology
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Korean firms target EV charging market in US
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Seoul Int’l Music Fair boasts impressive lineup
This year’s Seoul International Music Fair, or MU:CON, is set to see an impressive lineup of 51 artists, including alternative bands Hyukoh and Kiha & The Faces, K-pop groups B1A4 and GFriend and power vocal acts such as ALi and Mamamoo. Of the 51 teams set to appear onstage in next month’s event, 16 are rock or alternative rock bands, the organizer Korea Creative Contents Agency said in a press release. The bands include Hyukoh, a four-member act that has recently soared to stardom with its ind
Sept. 22, 2015
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Park Yoo-chun to work at Gangnam-gu Office
Singer-actor Park Yoo-chun of K-pop trio JYJ is set to work as a public service worker at Gangnam-gu Office starting Thursday, the Defense Ministry announced Tuesday. (C-jeS Entertainment)The 29-year-old began his four-week basic military training on Aug. 27 at an Army training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. He will serve for two years as a public service worker, a substitute for active mandatory military service, due to his asthma. By Ko Ji-seon (jiseonko@heraldcorp.com)
Sept. 22, 2015
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[Herald Review] ‘Quidam’ brings dreamy enchantment to Seoul
A scene from "Quidam" (Mast Entertainment)Nothing short of jaw dropping, Cirque du Soleil’s performance of “Quidam” is a shining example of how a live production can both defy gravity and Murphy’s Law by making the impossible possible.Returning to Korea for the first time in eight years, the Franco-Canadian circus extraordinaire introduced itself to the Korean masses for the first time in 2007 and set a new record for performances, ranking No. 1 in ticket sales for more than nine consecutive wee
Sept. 22, 2015
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Korean craft and design on show in Paris, London
Delicate curved lines of moon jars, glistening mother-of-pearl inlay, geometric aesthetics in Korean traditional costume hanbok and alphabet Hangeul -- representative aesthetics of Korean craft and design are on view in Paris and London.In Paris, “Korea Now,” which kicked off at the Decorative Arts Museum on Friday, presents a wide spectrum of Korean art from traditional craftworks to contemporary fashion until Jan. 3, 2016. Celebrating the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea
Sept. 21, 2015
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[Music Review] Striving for ‘iKON’ status
We watched them week after week in their relentless pursuit of stardom, and laying their hearts on the line on-camera for the whole world to see; and now, the seven members of iKON are ready to finally bask in the fruits of their arduous labor.Last week, the rookie group dropped its first official single, “My Type,” and not only nabbed the No. 1 spot on all of the country’s major online music charts, but also reigned the iTunes’ singles albums chart in seven regions, including Hong Kong, Thailan
Sept. 20, 2015
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Singer Lee Seung-hwan breaks record with six-hour concert
Singer Lee Seung-hwan performs a six hour-long concert on Saturday in Seoul’s Uniqlo Ax Hall. (Dream Factory)Iconic balladeer-rocker Lee Seung-hwan held a six hour and 21 minute-long concert for his 26th anniversary show on Saturday, Sept. 19, surpassing his own record set in 2012 for the longest single performance held in Korea and cementing his longtime reputation as the “god of live shows.” The spectacle-filled concert, titled “Bar Day -- 26 years” and held at Seoul’s Uniqlo Ax Hall, lasted f
Sept. 20, 2015
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[Album Review] Up10tion makes a splashy start with ‘Top Secret’
Up10tion"Top Secret"(Loen Entertainment)Ten-member boy band Up10tion is the latest addition to the K-pop scene, and their debut EP “Top Secret” shows they are determined to get attention with flashy music reflecting the latest trends. After an intense intro, the album heads straight into the lead track “So, Dangerous,” produced by the composer who wrote EXO’s megahit “Growl.” The pounding dance track is reminiscent of “Growl,” with a dramatic structure and lyrics about wanting to protect a girl
Sept. 20, 2015
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[Album Review] LYn demonstrates stylistic range on 9th album
LYn“9x9th”Loen EntertainmentLYn amplifies the emotional depth of her voice to express the wistfulness of a woman who longs for an absent love on her ninth studio album “9x9th.” With six tracks having lyrics written by LYn, the album also represents her growth as a singer-songwriter.The album steps away from her well-known R&B style to take on overarching blues and jazz themes. The lead single “Love Moves On” features a waltz rhythm that allows LYn’s voice to meander in a gypsy style, while “A Bi
Sept. 20, 2015
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[Album Review] Kangnam escapes hip-hop for solo EP
Kangnam“Chocolate”CJ E&MOn the first two tracks of “Chocolate,” hip-hop vocal Kangnam of M.I.B. teams up well with heavyweight rappers Microdot (on “Tell Me What”) and San E (on lead track “Chocolate”). The lead track is lighthearted and flirty, with a piano theme and San E’s naughty lyrics putting a mischievous turn on Kangnam’s seemingly innocent song.The album suddenly goes pop rock with “Stay,” where listeners can see what Kangnam is like as a standalone vocal, without his fellow M.I.B membe
Sept. 20, 2015
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A tribute to handwriting, solitude and silence
The job is simple – write pages of a novel on a piece of paper for an hour. Participants, one by one, walk into a small white room, sit down and pick up a pencil. They check at the page left open and begin to move their hand to transcribe it. This is an art project by artist Ahn Kyu-chul. At his solo exhibition currently at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, the 60-year-old artist invites the audience to engage in his creative process of completing conceptual installatio
Sept. 17, 2015
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Unstable emotions in dim landscapes
Award-winning artist Kong Sung-hun is presenting his new series in a solo exhibition at Arario Gallery in Seoul. Named artist of the year in 2013 by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Kong’s new painting series is in line with his previous works that won him the prestigious art prize.The “Dusky Landscape” consists of 16 large works that are as tall as 1.8 meters. The images in the series are familiar scenes: a white trail of an airplane in the sky, bare winter trees, stor
Sept. 15, 2015
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CNBLUE drops ‘2gether,’ defends status as rock band
CNBLUE lead vocalist Jung Yong-hwa and his bandmates perform at a showcase for their second album, “2gether,” at the AX-Korea stadium in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap News)Coming six years after their debut and 19 months since their previous release, CNBLUE finally dropped their second full-length album, “2gether,” on Monday. “We’ve been together for six years, but this is only our second full-length album,” said CNBLUE front man Jung Yong-hwa, during a news conference at the AX-Korea Stadium in Seou
Sept. 15, 2015
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Art project traces tobacco from seed to cigarette
When the Korean government announced the biggest-ever hike in cigarette prices last year, smoker and artist Kim So-cheol and his friends decided to take action: They decided to make cigarettes on their own. They planted seeds of the two most popular tobacco plants ― Virginia and Burley ― on the rooftop of Kim’s small house in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. In four months, the plants grew as tall as Kim. “It started as a response to the government’s decision to raise tobacco prices,” Kim told The Korea
Sept. 14, 2015
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Cigarette making becomes art project
When the Korean government announced the biggest-ever hike in cigarette prices last year, smoker and artist Kim So-cheol and his friends decided to take action: They decided to make cigarettes on their own. They planted seeds of the two most popular tobacco plants -- Virginia and Burley -- on the rooftop of Kim’s small house in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. In four months, the plants grew as tall as Kim. “It started as a response to the government’s decision to raise tobacco prices,” Kim told The Kore
Sept. 14, 2015
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K-pop rising as key Asian identity, but still unfamiliar to many
While K-pop is quickly rising as a key cultural symbol in Asia, it remains much on the sidelines of the U.S. and European music industries, international experts said at a forum discussing the prospects of K-pop abroad. “The success of K-pop in the world is somewhat different from how it is perceived in Korea,” said Rob Schwartz, the Tokyo bureau chief of American music magazine Billboard, at the Seoul Music Forum, held from Sept. 11-12. A handful of industry insiders were present to discuss the
Sept. 13, 2015
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[Album Review] Seventeen gets catchy with ‘Boys Be’
Seventeen “Boys Be” (Loen Entertainment) Seventeen, the 13-member rookie group that debuted this year after going through a grueling training process broadcast on the air, has come out with a catchy second EP called “Boys Be.” Despite its name, Seventeen has 13 members, split up into three units -- the hip-hop unit, the vocal unit and the performance unit. Like its first EP “17 Carat,” “Boys Be” features one track from each of the three units. The lead track “Mansae” and the track “Rock” have a
Sept. 11, 2015
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[Album Review] G.Soul does deep house right on ‘Dirty’
G.Soul “Dirty” (KT Music) “Dirty” could probably pass for a DJ set at a house music lounge. With DJ and composer Frants (who also worked on the Wonder Girls’ ‘Reboot’ album), JYP’s G.Soul toned down the emotion of his first EP “Coming Home” from January, and turned up the beat to create a quality album combining jazz and soul with house music.Although the EP is called “Dirty” and the word repeats itself countlessly in the songs, the album exudes a romantic vibe thanks to G.Soul’s tone and his
Sept. 11, 2015
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[HERALD INTERVIEW] Making art ‘accessible’ to everyone
The Affordable Art Fair arrived in Seoul for the first time, kicking off its three-day showcase of contemporary art on Friday. The Seoul fair offers a wide range of artworks such as paintings, sculptures, installations and media works that suit “every tasteful taste bud,” said Will Ramsay, founder of the art fair.“There is plenty of good-quality art in an affordable price range. We are the venue for finding it,” he said in an interview at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the fair venue, in Seoul on Thur
Sept. 11, 2015
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[Herald Interview] Family trio dropping a little opera to the club scene
Classical opera is getting a modern and chic revamp, leaving behind the fancy orchestra concert halls and heading out to the mecca of pop music culture and youth.After hitting it big in their native country of New Zealand with its 2013 self-titled debut album, up-and-coming opera crossover family trio Sol3 Mio will be performing its first concert in Korea in the most unlikely of venues -- Gangnam, Seoul nightclub Octagon. Contemporary classical opera trio Sol3 Mio (Universal Music)As part of the
Sept. 10, 2015
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Lin's ‘Rice’ pays visual homage to Asia’s staple grain
Bringing his visually breathtaking and poetically poignant contemporary dance piece “Rice” in front of Seoul audiences for the first time, renowned choreographer Lin Hwai-min will be introducing a whole new way for the audience to conceptualize the significance of even a simple grain of rice. Having been deemed by some critics as “Asia’s most important choreographer,” Lin is no stranger to intertwining the element of rice into his performances.Born and raised in Taiwan, Lin’s parents grew up in
Sept. 10, 2015