Theater buffs can benefit from major discounts for musicals and playsEveryone loves a good deal Sejong Belt ―a gathering of 47 theaters, museums and cultural organizations around Gwanghwamun Square ― provides just that; a great bargain, well, actually, 32 of them to be exact.Combo packages offering up to 60 percent off events are, without a doubt, the main attraction of this cultural hub spearhead

“2PM Hands Up Asia Tour”: Six-member idol group 2PM will hold its 2011 Asia Tour, starting from a Seoul concert in September. The upcoming concert in Seoul will be the act’s second solo concert in Korea and it will take place at the Jamsil Gymnasium on Sept. 2-3. The group’s Asia tour will continue through November. Making a comeback with the song “Hands Up,” the group topped online and offline ch

“Great Mountains Music Festival & School”: The 8th Great Mountains Music Festival & School will take place from July 24 to Aug. 13 at the Alpensia resort in Gangwon Province, gathering renowned and rising artists for 55 programs and master classes. The focus this year will be showcasing final works of great composers when they were grappling with age or illness. Under the theme “Illumination,” the

“Ik-joong Kang: A Retrospective (1996-2011)”: South Korean artist Kang Ik-joong’s mini retrospective exhibition is underway at Posco art museum at the POSCO building in Daechi-dong, southern Seoul. Kang is one of most globally well-known Korean artists and represented the country at the 1997 Venice Biennale. At the exhibition, 23 of his paintings, installations and sculptures featuring the artist’

“The Great Battle of Hansan Festival 2011”: The Great Battle of Hansan (1592) is one of the four most famous sea battles in the history of Korea. Visitors to the festival, which celebrates the anniversary of the great event, will learn all about the battle while enjoying the beautiful natural scenery of Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province. This year, the festival will take place from Aug. 10 to

“The Three Musketeers”: The musical “The Three Musketeers,” for which the tickets were completely sold out in last year’s run, is back this year for only nine days. Based on Alexandre Dumas’ novel, the musical, set in 17th century France, tells stories about the adventures of D’Artagnan and the three musketeers ― Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Actors of the Korea premiere in 2009, including Yoo Jun-s

“Suspicious Paradise”: The dance show is inspired by the Demilitarized Zone, which looks like a paradise with untouched nature but is also a place deeply scarred by the Korean War. Organized by Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, it aims to offer a fresh experience to the younger generation who not know much about the war. It will run from Aug. 5 to 7 at Seoul Arts Center’s Towol Center in

South and North Korea agreed to make joint efforts to resume the stalled six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear program "as soon as possible," Pyongyang's chief nuclear negotiator said FridaySouth Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac (left) and his North Korean counter Ri Yong-ho enter a hotel room for bilateral talks in Bali, Indonesia, on Friday. (Yonhap News)　The agreement came a

T-Square“Nine Stories”Sony MusicIn any field, being the best is obviously meaningful but being the oldest is also a difficult goal to achieve. In jazz, it is all the more difficult because jazz musicians tend to enjoy improvisations with new artists rather than staying part of the same act. T-Square, one of the oldest fusion jazz bands in Japan, has released its 37th studio album “Nine Stories.” T

Blake Shelton “Red River Blue”Warner Bros.Ten years in, Blake Shelton’s up-and-down career is now skyrocketing, with no dips in sight.His current hit, “Honey Bee,” is his fourth consecutive No. 1, setting records for a male country singer in how fast it reached gold in digital sales. He is the current CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, and he starred as a coach in the popular NBC talent show, “The Voi

Ashton Shepherd “Where Country Grows”MCAWith her 2008 debut, “Sounds So Good,” Ashton Shepherd offered a down-home contrast to contemporary country music. Like a Loretta Lynn for modern times, she flashed a feisty attitude and an unfiltered country twang that made Miranda Lambert sound uptown. The album drew critical praise, but little radio attention and disappointing sales.With her second album,

BOX OFFICEBlind (Korea)Opening August 11Thriller. Directed by Ahn Sang-hoon. A female university student goes missing one day and later gets discovered as a victim of a hit-and-run car accident. Assuming the kidnapper and the driver are the same person, the police begin their investigation but fail to get a hold of the criminal. They then find there were two witnesses at the scene: Soo-ah (Kim Ha-

Mila Kunis feels the need to set the record straight.Yes, she was sharing a steamy love scene with Justin Timberlake in their sex comedy “Friends with Benefits.” Yes, she knew Timberlake’s reputation as a lady-killer, from Britney to Fergie, Alyssa Milano, Cameron Diaz, Jessica Biel and maybe Olivia Wilde.And, yes, she dozed off in the middle of said sexy scene. But she can explain.“What happened,