‘Gangnam Style’ offers social commentarySouth Korean rapper PSY's ``Gangnam Style'' video has more than 200 million YouTube views and counting, and it's easy to see why. No Korean language skills are needed to enjoy the chubby, massively entertaining performer's crazy horse-riding dance, the song's addictive chorus and the video's exquisitely odd series of misadventures. Beneath the antic, funny

Korean rapper-singer Psy is enjoying great popularity in the U.S., taking the No. 1 spot on the U.S. iTunes Chart with “Gangnam Style” on Saturday and making appearances at NBC’s “Today Show” and “Saturday Night Live.” “It’s surprising to see a Korean artist reach No. 1 on the iTunes chart, which accounts for about 80 percent of the U.S. online music charts,” his agency YG Entertainment said. “Gangnam Style” entered at No. 52 on iTunes on Aug. 27, and then broke the top 10 on Thursday. Psy debut

Korea’s traditional dance troupe re-stages its 1984 original repertoire ‘Madam Domi’There have been a lot of efforts by local ballet troupes to create and promote original performances, mostly based on Korea’s traditional folktales. The Korean National Ballet’s “The Love of Chunhyang” and Universal Ballet Company’s “Shimchung” are some of the successful examples, blending ballet movements and Korea’s traditional sentiments.Outside the ballet scene, however, developing original repertoire has bee

Actor Park Si-hoo will be shooting a 2 billion won ($1.8 million) music drama.Park will take on the leading role as a singer in music drama “Boy,” said Park’s management agency EGYAGI Entertainment.An hour-and-a-half video, including the making of the drama, will be made into a DVD and released throughout Asia. Park, 34, left Seoul on Saturday for Thailand where the drama will be shot.Renowned Korean artists including Big Mama, Jang Woo-hyuk, Naul, MC Mong, Clazziquai, Gumi and SG Wannabe are pa

Rapper Tiger JK and singer T (Yoon Mi-rae) began a project to prevent violence and harassment in schools, their management agency Jungle Entertainment said on Friday. The two will work with visual artists Lumpens as a team called “The Wanderers.”The Wanderers is a part of portal website Naver’s “Fashion Icon Collabo(ration)” event, in which the website will sell T-shirts designed by the three artists. The profit will be donated to Naver’s Happy Bean campaign and distributed to organizations that

 (Yonhap) -- South Korean rapper-singer Psy on Saturday topped the iTunes Chart with his single "Gangnam Style," making him the first Korean artist to reach No. 1 on the U.S. online chart.   YG Entertainment, Psy's agency in Seoul, said the chart-topping feat appears to have been aided by the singer's live performance in New York for NBC's "Today Show" on Friday.   "It's surprising to see a Korean

Exhibitions“The 2012 Korea International Art Fair”: The 11th art fair highlights Latin American art featuring a total of 84 artists from 14 galleries, offering a glimpse into the Latin American art scene. It also presents a diverse selection of artworks from major art galleries in Korea and overseas. Lectures on Latin American art and Korean contemporary art are open to visitors on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. VIP lectures on art collaboration, art investment and trends are planned as well

Bob Dylan’s ‘Tempest’ one of year’s bestBob Dylan“Tempest” (Columbia)“Tempest” is no doubt the best album you’ll ever hear from a 71-year-old.If that sounds like damning Bob Dylan with faint praise, rest assured this is one of the best discs you’ll hear by anyone this year, at any age. Rather, the point is made to marvel at the vitality of a man who’s been making albums for 50 years and still manages to be relevant.　 Bob Dylan has led his fans, and the entire music community, on many journeys ov

Masquerade (Korea)Opened Sept. 13Drama. Directed by Choo Chang-min. In the midst of a gruesome fight over kingship in the Joseon period, fear and wrath drives King Gwanghae (Lee Byung-hun) into a frenzy. He orders his councilor, Heo Gyun (Ryoo Seung-ryong), to find him a double to avoid the constant threat of assassination. Heo Gyun finds Ha-sun (Lee Byung-hun) in a crowd of drunkards at a street market. With the appearance and mind-blowing eloquence of a king, he mimics the gestures of the king

Susan Sarandon has always made it look so easy.Generations of actresses launch careers and then flame out. Sarandon, 65, “transitioned” ― from ingenue to leading lady to strong female lead to “cougar” to stellar turns as moms. As others come and go, Sarandon reinvents herself and endures.“It’s just managing to get the part you need when you need it,” she says. “I just survived. I don’t understand how I’ve stuck around, and I have no idea what to say when people ask me how. I’ve made plenty of mi

British singer-songwriter Elton John is coming to Korea in November to hold concerts in Seoul and Busan, promoters in Seoul said Friday.The pop legend will perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul on Nov. 27 and at BEXCO in Busan on Nov. 29. The two concerts are a part of his world tour titled “40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man Tour,” Access Entertainment said in a press release. Before coming to Korea, he will perform in Australia, China and Hong Kong. This is his first concert in Seou

Director Kim Ki-duk’s Venice International Film Festival prize-winning “Pieta” has been selected as Korea’s entry to the 85th Academy Award’s foreign film section, the Korean Film Council announced on Thursday.A total of five films, including “Taste of Money” by director Im Sang-soo, “In Another Country” by director Hong Sang-soo, “Nameless Gangster” by Yun Jong-bin and “Masquerade” by Choo Chang-min applied to the film council to be considered as Korea’s entry to the Academy Awards. “Pieta” was

A South Korean TV channel on Thursday said it had pulled the plug on a newly-launched talk show aimed at the transgender community, following strong objections from viewers.KBS Joy, an entertainment subsidiary of the national KBS TV, said on its website that it had reached the decision after “taking viewers‘ opinions into account.”The midnight programme, titled “XY That Girl”, was only launched last week, but the first airing sparked uproar from conservative groups, who staged protests outside t