The Korea Herald

Spanish flamenco’s coming home ... to India

TheaterMay 23, 2013

MADRID (AFP) ― Spain’s oldest flamenco festival will visit India in 2014, retracing the origins of the classic Spanish musical form, organisers said Wednesday.The Cante de las Minas festival plans its first overseas event in March in Jodhpur, in Rajasthan state ― considered the home of the migrant gypsies from whom southern Spain’s flamenco culture sprang.“We were inspired by the search for the common origins of flamenco and the music of Rajasthan,” said Francisco Bernabe, director of the festiv
Bayreuth pays homage to Wagner on 200th birthday

MusicMay 23, 2013

BAYREUTH, Germany (AFP) ― Bayreuth paid tribute to composer Richard Wagner on what would have been his 200th birthday here Wednesday with a rare concert in the town’s legendary Festpielhaus theater.While a small crowd of onlookers braved blustery showers and chilly winds outside the theater that sits atop Bayreuth’s fabled Green Hill, Wagnerians from all over the world rubbed shoulders inside with Bavaria’s political and social elite for one of the main highlights in the Wagner bicentenary.“We a
MYK finds rebirth in rock as Saltnpaper

MusicMay 23, 2013

Hip-hop artist lends his voice to a new sound
Redford steals Cannes show with comeback film

FilmMay 23, 2013

CANNES (AFP) ― He has almost no dialogue and the character he plays is never named, but Robert Redford delighted Cannes on Wednesday in his first meaty starring role in years, a solo performance as a lost-at-sea yachtsman fighting for his life.Now a hardy 76, the leading man of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting” and “Out of Africa” carries “All Is Lost” by J.C. Chandor single-handedly, with just a few scripted lines.He plays a retired man on an Indian Ocean voyage whose vintage sa
T-ara’s subunit to meet fans at U.S. concert

May 23, 2013

T-ara’s subunit to meet fans at U.S. concertT-ara N4, the first subunit of the popular K-pop girl group, left for the United States to meet with their fans at star Chris Brown’s solo concert scheduled to be held in Las Vegas on May 26.The N4 unit members -- Eun-jung, Hyo-min, Ji-yeon, A-reum -- already made their first visit to the U.S last week where they met Chris Brown and other major musicians and artists including T.I.Of the seven-member T-ara, Bo-ram, So-yeon and Q-ri organized a second s
Chapman brothers show diabolical art in Hong Kong

TheaterMay 22, 2013

HONG KONG (AFP) ― The Chapman brothers presented their latest epic installation featuring thousands of little figures in violent conflict Tuesday at the sidelines of Art Basel in Hong Kong, but dismissed the renowned fair as a “shop.”“The Sum of all Evil” by Jake and Dinos Chapman builds on previous works “Hell” (1999), and “Fucking Hell” (2008), which showcased innumerous miniature Nazis soldiers in various states of diabolical torment.Their ambitions to use themes of war, genocide, the apocaly
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei releases ‘Dumbass’

MusicMay 22, 2013

BEIJING (AFP) ― Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei released a foul-mouthed heavy rock song titled “Dumbass” on Wednesday, with a video parodying his months in police detention.The video accompanying the song, posted online, shows Ai under interrogation, marking a document with a red thumbprint, and wearing a black hood labelled “Criminal,” before being scrutinized by guards in a prison shower.Ai said he had created the five-minute video, which is peppered with foul language and also shows guards
Lee Hyori’s ‘Monochrome’ sweeps charts

MusicMay 22, 2013

K-pop singer Lee Hyori’s much-awaited comeback album “Monochrome” has swept the local music charts, proving her to be a force to be reckoned with despite her three-year hiatus from the music scene. The lead track, “Bad Girls,” from Lee’s fifth studio album topped the charts on Melon, Naver, Olleh and Bugs immediately upon its release on Tuesday while eight of the album’s 16 tracks were ranked in the top 10 on Bugs and Olleh. Seven tracks listed in the top 10 chart on Naver Music. “Bad Girls” was
Hollywood to remake ‘Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance’

FilmMay 22, 2013

Famed director Park Chan-wook’s 2002 film “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” will get a Hollywood makeover, according to CJ Entertainment.The film is the first part of Park’s “Vengeance Trilogy,” which also includes “Oldboy” (2003) and “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance” (2005). Hollywood remakes are already planned for the other two films in the series. According to CJ Entertainment, it has signed a deal with Silver Reel and Lotus Entertainment and Lorenzo di Bonaventura’s di Bonaventura Pictures to create
Kim Nam-gil back to being bad

TelevisionMay 22, 2013

‘The Great Queen Seondeok’ actor hopes to surpass last role
Psy unable to stem ‘American Idol’ ratings plunge

May 21, 2013

Korean rap star Psy graced the stage of “American Idol” last week for its season 12 finale show where he performed his “Gangnam Style” follow-up single “Gentleman.” However, promises of pelvic thrusting and hip-swaying proved insufficient to salvage the show’s plunging ratings. The season concluded with its lowest finale rating in its 13-year history. The once must-watch audition program that revolutionized the U.S. TV and music industry was desperate in its attempts to revitalize its viewership
‘Tough guy’ Choi Min-soo turns to rock music

May 21, 2013

Iconic tough guy Choi Min-soo held a showcase titled “Let’s play Min-soo” as a member of rock band 36.5 degrees at Rolling Hall in Hongdae on Monday. As vocalist of the band, he performed a number of songs, including originals “Smoky Mountain” and “Rusty Bike Saddle” in his unique and captivating voice. “There is no formality at a play ground. Positions are meaningless when you are having fun. When you’re in the mood, you party together,” Choi said at the event. He added, “Formats are only there
Kim Hyun-joong donates 100 million won to China earthquake victims

May 21, 2013

Kim Hyun-joong, a former member of K-pop idol group SS501, has donated 100 million won for the victims of the Ya’an earthquake in China. The 2013 Lushsan earthquake left approximately 200 dead or missing and at least 13,000 injured. The One Foundation, a private charity organization in China established by Chinese actor Jet Li, disclosed Kim’s donation and conveyed his good wishes to Ya’an citizens via Chinese social platform Weibo on Friday. In return, the charity promised to use the money wise
TV’s great outdoors

May 21, 2013

Korean survival shows hitting global circuit
Wax and mirrors: Anish Kapoor opens exhibition in Berlin

TheaterMay 21, 2013

BERLIN (AP) ― Conveyor belts hum quietly, towering over piles of dark red wax. A giant mauve object that looks like a deflating balloon sprawls and sags its way across three rooms. A dark pigment circle creates the illusion of a black hole opening up in the floor. And there are lots of mirrors: convex, concave, twisting and a painted “blood mirror.’’British-based artist Anish Kapoor on Friday presented his world of impressions, illusions and color in Berlin, where he has created a show for the c