Director Hong Sang-soo’s latest film “Our Sunhi” has drawn 50,000 viewers in 19 days, a record for the filmmaker. According to the state-run Korean Film Council, Hong’s film, which belongs to the local diversity film chart ― a chart for indie and art house films released in fewer than 100 theaters nationwide ― topped 52,359 viewers as of Tuesday. In the local film industry, the 10,000-viewer mark for indie films is generally considered equivalent to the 1 million mark for a commercial film. “Our

FilmOct. 1, 2013

LONDON (AP) ― He’s done the Bible, felines, operatic phantoms and Argentine politics. So what is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest musical about? Sex ― as well as politics, spying, social revolution and the Cold War. “Stephen Ward” centers on a sensational real-life scandal, the 1963 revelation that Britain’s war secretary, John Profumo, was involved with model Christine Keeler, who was also sleeping with a Soviet naval attache. If, as poet Philip Larkin once said, sex began in 1963, the “Profumo aff

PerformanceOct. 1, 2013

The fall season has not only ushered in cooler weather, but a wide variety of concerts and performances by top K-pop artists. Many artists have been taking their act abroad, demonstrating the popularity of K-pop overseas. Rain chose to make his first public appearance after being discharged from the military not in Korea but on the final episode of a popular Chinese audition program called “Kuaile Nansheng.” The episode aired on Sept. 27, showing the performer decked out in sunglasses and singin

Oct. 1, 2013

Comedian Yoon Hyung-bin has announced that he will debut as a mixed martial arts fighter for Road FC, the biggest mixed martial arts organization in Asia. Yoon is the second celebrity to become a fighter for the organization, the first being fellow comedian Lee Seung-yoon. “From the outside it looks like we’re just giving and taking punches, but from practicing to going to matches, I learned a lot from other fighters,” Yoon said in a statement. “I think, as a man, this kind of challenge is worth

Oct. 1, 2013

Actor Baek Yoon-sik’s ex-girlfriend was taken to a hospital in an ambulance on Monday after overdosing on sleeping pills. Baek recently made headlines after admitting to a romantic relationship with a woman 30 years his junior, identified as a broadcast reporter.However, the woman made a number of allegations against Baek and his sons on Saturday, which apparently resulted in the couple breaking up. In an interview, the woman revealed that while she was in a relationship with the actor for more

Oct. 1, 2013

JYJ member Kim Jaejoong will release his first full-length album this month and go on a tour around Asia to commemorate the release. Starting at COEX Mall in Samseong-dong on Nov. 2, the singer will perform in several venues in Korea and then move on to entertain crowds in other Asian countries. His agency C-JeS stated, “This first album is going to include tracks from the rock genre, so the crowd at the concerts will be able to interact with Jaejoong. The tour is going to have the atmosphere of

Oct. 1, 2013

Actor Hyun Bin has been chosen by the Financial Services Commission to receive a prize for his thrifty lifestyle. On Tuesday FSC announced that it will be giving several awards to hallyu starts in a ceremony on Oct. 29 to commemorate the 50th annual Savings Day. Savings Day began in 1973 to promote frugality and savings to bolster Korea’s financial industry. The 31-year-old heartthrob Hyun Bin starred in many widely popular television series including “Secret Garden,” which aired in 2011 and can

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

Singapore Airlines invited 20 disabled and underprivileged children for a special outing at Incheon International Airport to view and experience the airport’s facilities last week, the company said.The children enjoyed activities at each of seven “booths” that the airline company set up within the airport. They were sent on missions to explore the airport railways, airfields and other facilities, as well as to participate in airport services like getting their passports issued, checking in and e

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

The Sunfull Movement, which campaigns to foster a culture of positive online comments, held a concert at the Raum Art Center in Seoul on Monday to memorialize Sichuan quake victims.The host of the event also delivered a book of condolences gathered on the movement’s website to the People’s Daily, which is the Chinese partner of the drive to send encouraging messages to the quake victims.The concert included Seoul Pops Orchestra conducted by Ha Sung-ho, Sunfull publicity envoy and singer Ali, ten

PeopleOct. 1, 2013

A group of civilian diplomats devoted to publicizing Korea in cyber space has launched a campaign to delete Japanese or any other names for the Korean islets of Dokdo from Apple iPhone’s map service. “Apple service refers to Dokdo as Takeshima too, which is the name it is called by Japan. We will carry out projects to erase Takeshima or any other names for the Korean islets from online services, not only by Apple but also by Google, Facebook and Microsoft,” said Park Gi-tae, founder of Voluntary

PeopleSept. 30, 2013

Classical music composer Park Myung-hoon was named the Grand Prize winner of the Isang Yun International Composition Prize 2013 for his latest piece, “puzzle house,” the Isang Yun Peace Foundation said Monday. Park, 33, is the first Korean to receive the biennial prize, which was established in 2007 to commemorate the internationally acclaimed Germany-based Korean composer Yun Isang who died in 1995. Park will receive $20,000 in prize money.The jury including Lee Geon-yong, Paul Mefano, Bright S

PeopleSept. 30, 2013

Korea’s biggest art fair opens on Thursday amid the high expectations of local galleries that hope to attract potential collectors and give exposure to their artists in a depressed art market.The Korea International Art Fair kicks off a five-day art market in which 180 local and international galleries will showcase works of their artists at Coex in Samseong-dong, Seoul. This year’s art fair drew 130 Korean galleries and 53 overseas galleries from China, Japan, the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, th

PerformanceSept. 30, 2013