Rock band Monni to release 4th studio album

Korean modern rock band Monni has announced that it will release its fourth studio album “Follow My Voice” on March 18.Monni’s upcoming release is expected to showcase various emotions such as strength, tenderness, coldness, sweetness and yearning, according to the band’s management agency Modern Rock Record.The agency said the album was titled “Follow My Voice” in hopes that people will naturally be attracted to the music and “come over when hearing Monni’s sounds.” The title track “In the Mome

March 4, 2014

Lim Chang-jung to release 12th studio album

Veteran singer-actor Lim Chang-jung is scheduled to unveil his 12th studio album later this month, according to his management agency NH Media on Monday.The upcoming release will be Lim’s first studio album in five years. Though Lim released the EP “A Guy Like Me” last September, his most recent studio album, “Return To My World,” was released in 2009.Lim’s 12th album features songs he wrote himself as well as works by singer Wheesung and renowned ballad composers such as Baek Min-hyuk, Ahn Youn

March 4, 2014

With new album, So Chan-whee returns in neo-rockabilly fashion

Longtime veteran singer So Chan-whee, best known for her hit single “Tears,” has returned to the music scene, only this time around she has shed her dance-ballad image and is paying tribute to the legendary Elvis Presley and the tremendous influence he had on the rockabilly movement. “Although I did make my debut performing dance music, the truth is I have always had the desire to pursue rock music,” said So during a press conference held at Rolling Hall in Seogyo-dong, Seoul, on Monday. “I thou

March 4, 2014

Rain to debut in Chinese film

South Korean singer and actor Rain has been cast in a Chinese film for the first time, his management agency said Tuesday.Rain will play a talented young painter who falls in love with a woman in a melodrama directed by Gao Xixi, one of China’s most famous movie directors, Cube DC said.Rain is one of the most popular male celebrities in South Korea and a well-known star in other Asian countries, and has appeared in several TV series and films, including two American action flicks: “Speed Racer”

FilmMarch 4, 2014

‘Snow Queen’ syndrome grips Korea

This weekend, Disney’s animated film “Frozen” broke the 10-million viewer mark in local theaters, becoming the second film to reach the milestone this year after “The Attorney.” It is no exaggeration to say the country is almost obsessed with the film. Not only is “Frozen” the highest-grossing animated film ever in Korea but it is also one of only two foreign movies among the nation’s 10 highest grossing films of all time ― the other is James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Local costume players like to dre

FilmMarch 3, 2014

Remainder of Chun’s seized art trove to be auctioned next week

With about 90 percent of former President Chun Doo-hwan’s confiscated art collection sold, the remaining 97 artworks will come under the hammer at K Auction on March 12. K Auction is the second biggest art auction house in Korea and was commissioned by the government to sell the former leader’s seized artworks to collect his unpaid fines.  Some 600 artworks owned by Chun were confiscated by prosecutors last year as he had long refused to pay a fine imposed in 1997 for a number of crimes includin

PerformanceMarch 3, 2014

‘12 Years a Slave’ wins best picture at Oscars

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Perhaps atoning for past sins, Hollywood named the brutal, unshrinking historical drama “12 Years a Slave” best picture at the 86th annual Academy Awards. Steve McQueen’s slavery odyssey, based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir, has been hailed as a landmark corrective to the movie industry’s long omission of slavery stories, following years of whiter tales like 1940 best-picture winner “Gone With the Wind.” The British director dedicated the honor to those past sufferers of sl

FilmMarch 3, 2014

New girl group 1PS releases debut album

Four-member girl group 1PS, made up of leader Ye-na, Ji-eun, Sae-ha and Yoon-seo, has joined this year’s lineup of K-pop rookies with the ladies’ debut single album “The First Score” on Monday. The album includes the pop-ballad main track “Because I am a Woman” as well the single “Anticipating.” 1PS took to the stage last week on “M! Countdown” and performed the group’s lead track live for the first time. Despite the influx of girl groups pursuing the sexy and risque concept, 1PS ― an abbreviati

March 3, 2014

Girls’ Generation’s ‘Mr. Mr.’ racks up 4.3 million views

Girls’ Generation made a much-anticipated return to the music scene last month with the new EP “Mr. Mr.,” topping major music charts in South Korea.The nine girls are reaffirming their global popularity with the release of the new music video for “Mr. Mr.,” which has received more than 4.3 million views and comments on YouTube as of Monday, just days after the video was released on Feb. 28. In the video, the girls portray glamorous nurses dressed in pink, as they play doctor in a colorful operat

March 3, 2014

2NE1 releases videos for ‘Come Back Home,’ ‘Happy’

Top K-pop girl group 2NE1 released music videos for their popular title tracks “Come Back Home” and “Happy” on its official YouTube channel and YG’s blog on Monday, receiving thousands of hits, likes and comments within minutes.The music video for “Come Back Home” is set in an undefined future, where people escape to a world of virtual reality. Once “plugged in,” they experience psychedelic effects as euphoric colors and odd images warp into an endless cosmos. The four girls eventually set fire

March 3, 2014

JW Marriott Seoul names new general manager

JW Marriott Seoul has named veteran hotelier Matthew Cooper as its new general manager, the hotel said on Monday. Starting as a banquet waiter in Australia, Cooper has built a professional career in hospitality of 16 years with Marriott International. He previously served as the general manager in India at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield and at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. He has been involved in the preopening stages of several hotels and was awarded the Marriott International “Prestigio

TravelMarch 3, 2014

Medicinal effects of curry come into the spotlight

“Secret of Curry,” an online post, has gone viral in Internet communities. 　The post explains that curry is good for the health due to the medicinal effects of its powdered spices.  　Most curries contain turmeric, cumin, allspice, cardamom, ginger, garlic and capsicum -- spices with strong anti-bacterial properties. 　According to recent studies, curries are known to improve memory, appetite and immunity. They also help stave off Alzheimer’s, cancer and obesity. 　Curry, which originated from Indi

FoodMarch 3, 2014

'12 Years a Slave': violent, raw historical drama

Harrowing historical drama "12 Years a Slave" was crowned best picture Oscar on Sunday, while 3D space thriller "Gravity" was the top prize winner at the 86th Academy Awards with seven.True-life AIDS activist drama "Dallas Buyers Club" won three Oscars including best actor for Matthew McConaughey, while Australia's Cate Blanchett won best actress for Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine."But 1970s crime caper "American Hustle" and Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" went home empty-handed from th

FilmMarch 3, 2014

Korean National Ballet opens season with ‘La Bayadere’

The Korean National Ballet, which welcomed new artistic director famed ballerina Kang Sue-jin in February, is opening its 2014 season with Marius Petipa’s “La Bayadere.” It is the first ballet Kang is staging since her appointment earlier this year.The ballet company premiered Petipa’s 1877 piece last year, showcasing its own, slightly altered version specially created for the troupe by Russian choreographer Yury Grigorovich. The first run of the ballet, featuring the tragic love story of a Hind

PerformanceMarch 2, 2014

Gaultier takes Rihanna into space

PARIS (AP) ― The host of an eccentric Jean Paul Gaultier show promised guests a trip into outer space with catwalk attendee Rihanna at Paris Fashion Week. Though guests’ hopes were eventually dashed when the superstar left on foot through the emergency exit, this was surely the highlight of Saturday’s ready-to-wear shows. But Vivienne Westwood, who hosted hers in an incense-filled church, and showed exposed breasts while branding the altar with a dazzling “W,” came a close second.Here are detail

Arts & DesignMarch 2, 2014

[Band Uprising] The undone story of 3rd Line Butterfly

As the Korean music market is beginning to receive more international recognition, the local band scene is looking to rise up and represent the next generation of Korean music. This is the first installment of a series of interviews with Korean rock, acoustic and alternative bands. ― Ed.There is nothing garish about the members of 3rd Line Butterfly. No frantic gallivanting across the stage, no smashing guitars, no outlandish stage outfits; just their music coupled with a very mystical voice. Na

PerformanceMarch 2, 2014