NEW YORK (AP) ― Naomi Campbell and a perfume company have settled a sour dispute that started over a fragrance line and became part of the backdrop of former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s war crimes trial. Dueling lawsuits between the supermodel and an entity called Moodform Mission were closed Thursday, Manhattan court records show. Moodform Mission’s lawyer, Daniel R. Bright, said Friday his clients “are happy with the settlement,” but he wouldn’t disclose details. Campbell’s lawyer didn

The Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, consisting of 12 brass virtuosos, held a master class with a group of visually impaired students in Incheon on Sunday, as part of efforts to encourage disabled people through the power of music.“This was my first experience sharing musical inspiration with disabled children and it meant a lot to me. I realized once again that music is a communication tool that goes beyond language barriers,” said Sarah Willis, a French horn player in the ensemble.Willis an

The Korean alphabet, Hangeul, was in use about 3,000 years ago, long before being invented by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century, a South Korean scholar claimed Monday.Lee Chan-gu, who studies a Chinese classic book on divination, claimed in his new book titled “Money” that he found two Korean letters, including “don” meaning money in Korean, on stone inscriptions of a knife-shaped ancient Chinese metal money. Known as a “pointed tip knife,” the money circulated in China in th

New generation finds own ways to channel social messagesAn exhibition is putting young Chinese artists under the spotlight this month, offering insight into today’s Chinese art and society. The exhibition held at Hakgojae Gallery in Seoul hosts eight contemporary artworks by emerging Chinese young artists ― Lu Zhengyuan, Ma Quisha, Ye Linghan, Zang Kunkun, Tu Hongtao, Pan Jian, Hao Liang and Huang Jingyuan ― all in their late 20s to 30s. “The exhibition shows the current state of Chinese contemp

Five-member boy band SHINee has completed its first arena tour of Japan. The group performed 20 concerts, stopping off at Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Tokyo and Hiroshima, and attracting 200,000 people.SHINee, which debuted in Japan in June 2011 with “Replay (Kimi-wa Boku-no Everything),” has a large fanbase in the country. The tour began on April 25, and additional dates were scheduled in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka after tickets sold out for the initial concerts. In Nagoya, three additi

‘Pasta’ actor Lee Sun-gyun describes new role as ‘free-spirited’ hospital internThe medical drama is a tough genre to pull off successfully. The series needs to be real, but not too gory, humane, but not too sappy, and chock full of likeable characters. The plot has to have enough believability to keep viewers from having difficulty buying into it. It’s no cakewalk, which is why it is fascinating to see directors, scriptwriters and thespians tackle the genre over and over again.MBC’s latest stab

“The Amazing Spider-Man” topped the Korean box office with some 1.69 million tickets sold at the weekend.This puts it ahead of “The Avengers,” which sold 1.60 million tickets on its release in April. “The Amazing Spider-Man” made up 71.4 percent of ticket sales, showing at more than 1,100 theaters.“The Concubine,” which has sold 2.45 million tickets since June 6, was second. It recorded 122,703 tickets over the weekend.“Madagascar3: Europe’s Most Wanted” ranked third with 120,476 tickets, and “A

Over 100 works by up-and-coming and veteran artists on auctionArtday, a subsidiary of the Herald Media group, opened its fifth auction last week. It featured 110 paintings, photographs and prints by acclaimed Korean artists, ranging from up-and-comers such as Park Hyung-jin, Kim Jun and Lee Ho-ryon, to established figures Kim Jong-hak, Kim Chang-ryul and Jang Uk-jin. With its fifth auction, Artday has demonstrated that online auctions can present high-priced artworks by established artists. Prev

Filmmaker and theater director recounts making of his 1995 noir play ‘Heotang’For those familiar with filmmaker and theater director Jang Jin and his sense of humor, his 1995 play “Heotang,” currently on its third run in Seoul, could come as a surprise.The show, which Jang wrote at the age of 21 while serving his military duty, is anything but a comedy: filled with violence and surveillance, the disturbing play evokes the horrors of materialistic modern life. “I wrote the play more than 20 years

NEW YORK (AP) ― Alec Baldwin and his yoga instructor fiancee tied the knot Saturday in a New York City church, with a guest list that included family and famous Hollywood pals.Baldwin, 54, and Hilaria Thomas, 28, married at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in a Catholic ceremony performed by the Rev. George Deas. His “30 Rock” co-star Tina Fey, as well as director Woody Allen and Baldwin’s actor-brother, Stephen, were in attendance.Thomas wore a silk magnolia Amsale gown with cap sleeves and a keyhol

The first week of July will be a busy one for the music industry as major groups such as Super Junior, 2NE1, Wooyoung of 2PM and ZE:A release their latest work. Known to many as Asia’s “Emperor Gwanggaeto,” Super Junior released its sixth album on July 1 and will perform on “Mcountdown” for its comeback show on July 5.“It is a new performance with modern house-style music. It will be a ‘war of stars’ with all the major groups making comebacks, but we will do our best to comply with fans’ love an