The Korea Herald

Swedish museum to open Korean wing in Stockholm

TheaterFeb 8, 2012

Sweden’s Museum of East Asia will open a special exhibition wing for Korean antiquities this weekend, a South Korean government agency in charge of supporting exchanges with foreign countries said Wednesday.The Korean room, built with financial support from the Korea Foundation affiliated with the Foreign Ministry, is scheduled to open on Saturday, the agency said.About 160 of some 350 Korean artifacts owned by the museum, chiefly ceramics, will be displayed in the 100 square meters of space on
‘Amazing Spider-Man’ teaser released for fans

FilmFeb 7, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “The Amazing Spider-Man’’ dropped in on hundreds of fans Monday.Sony Pictures teased the latest incarnation of the web-slinging superhero, which doesn’t arrive in U.S. theaters until July 3, at preview events held Monday at movie theaters in 13 cities spanning the globe, including Mexico City, Berlin, Rome, Paris and Moscow, with the cast and filmmakers appearing in Los Angeles, New York, Rio de Janeiro and London.The event began with the debut of the 3-D full-length “Amazing
Spanish artist Antoni Tapies dies aged 88

TheaterFeb 7, 2012

MADRID (AFP) ― Avant-garde Spanish painter and sculptor Antoni Tapies has died in Barcelona at age 88, local media reported Monday.Tapies was hailed as one of the biggest names in European contemporary art for his striking abstract canvases and compositions in which he sometimes used waste material.He won many awards and was associated early on in his career with other major names in 20th-century art, including fellow Catalan Joan Miro.He had a prominent art foundation named after him in the cit
Auction houses outfox Chinese antiquity fakers

TheaterFeb 7, 2012

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Nicolas Chow places a magnifying glass against a Ming Dynasty vase to inspect the potter’s 600-year old workmanship.Chow, the international head of Chinese ceramics and works of art at auction giant Sotheby’s, points out layers of uneven bubbles invisible to the naked eye along the early 15th century blue and white porcelain.The distinctive markings are just one tell-tale sign that experts rely on to determine if a piece is a multi-million dollar original or worthless fake.“Tha
U.S. judge: Baroque artwork to return to man’s heirs

TheaterFeb 7, 2012

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) ― A federal judge has ordered the return of a 16th Century Baroque painting depicting Christ carrying the cross to the heirs of a Jewish man who died shortly before the German occupation of France in World War II.U.S. Judge Robert Hinkle filed the order Monday to return the work ― “Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue’’ ― to the descendants of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe. U.S. authorities seized the Italian painting last November from a Florida museum that was
KOFIC to support 33 Korean-foreign joint productions in 2012

FilmFeb 7, 2012

Film council will back small-scale production houses and distributors;office slated to move to Busan in 2013The Korean Film Council will be supporting 33 Korean-foreign joint production films this year, as well as small-sale production houses and distributors, its officials announced in a press meeting in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Tuesday.The council kicked off the 2 billion won project for the 33 joint productions on Tuesday by announcing its official call for submissions. Fifteen applications will b
Scholar dreams of taking pansori to the world

MusicFeb 7, 2012

Korean literature professor leads English translation of all pansori lyricsPansori, a traditional form of narrative music performed by a solo singer, was added to UNESCO’s world heritage list nearly 10 years ago. But promoting pansori overseas has not been easy ― partly because there was no way for the foreign audience to understand the words during the performance.To facilitate better appreciation of pansori performances, Choe Tong-hyon, Korean Language and Literature professor at Kunsan Nation
Chris Brown to perform at the Grammy Awards

MusicFeb 7, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― Chris Brown will perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, the event where his career almost ended three years ago.Brown admitted to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna at a pre-Grammy party in 2009 and is serving five years of probation for the felony attack. A source told The Associated Press on Monday that Brown will hit the stage at Sunday’s show. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because Brown’s performance has not been officially announced.After the attack, Brown’s repu
Clooney, Pitt, pals meet for Oscars lunch

FilmFeb 7, 2012

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) ― George Clooney says the best thing about Academy Awards nominations is not necessarily the prizes. It’s hanging with old and new friends.At the annual Oscar nominee luncheon Monday, Clooney said he’s made new pals on the awards circuit this season and has been happy to catch up with longtime friends such as Viola Davis and Brad Pitt, his co-star in the “Ocean’s Eleven’’ movies.“A lot of people at home think we all hang out together. I think they think we’re alway
Hallyu star Kim Jae-joong meets Turkey fans

Feb 7, 2012

JYJ member Kim Jae-joong made his first appearance in Turkey for a fan meeting Monday. About 600 fans attended the meeting at Ankara University. “As much as to see my fans, I’m here at the invitation by the Korean Culture Service, so I will do my utmost to promote our culture,” the popular singer told his excited fans.His fans sang along to his songs in Korean before surprising him with a belated birthday party. The tickets sold out within 30 minutes on the Korean Culture Service website, reflec
N. Korean accordion players are a YouTube hit

MusicFeb 6, 2012

SEOUL (AFP) ― A group of North Korean accordion players is proving to be an unlikely hit on YouTube, attracting nearly 320,000 viewings in five days with their spirited version of a 1980s pop song.Five students of Pyongyang’s Kum Song School of Music are seen performing the mid-80s hit “Take on Me” by Norwegian group a-ha, a rare performance of popular Western music in the reclusive communist state.The performance last December was filmed by visiting Norwegian artist Morten Traavik, who posted t
M.I.A. makes rude gesture in Super Bowl show

MusicFeb 6, 2012

For all the pomp and excess of Madonna’s Super Bowl halftime extravaganza a single rude gesture by guest singer M.I.A. is likely to be the most remembered piece of the show.The gesture, accompanied by a barely disguised expletive, came during a performance of Madonna’s new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin.’’’ At the end of her lines, British singer M.I.A. appeared to sing “I don’t give a (expletive),’’ although it was hard to hear clearly. The incident was reminiscent of Janet Jackson’s infamous
Jolie, Streep join Arab Spring at Berlin fest

FilmFeb 6, 2012

BERLIN (AFP) ― The Arab Spring uprisings and political turmoil in the West will dominate the 62nd Berlin film festival starting Thursday, as Hollywood royalty sprinkles stardust in the frigid German capital.Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Uma Thurman, Robert Pattinson, Antonio Banderas and Christian Bale are due in town to present new films at the first major European festival of the year, and arguably its most topical.“Farewell My Queen,” a drama starring Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette on the e
Madonna headlines Super Bowl halftime show

MusicFeb 6, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Madonna positioned herself as the queen of a new generation of pop stars at the Super Bowl halftime show -- complete with throne -- but didn‘t have complete control of Sunday night’s show.Guest singer M.I.A. flipped the middle finger to the audience after uttering a barely disguised expletive during a performance of Madonna‘s new single.M.I.A. was one of two guests who contributed vocals to the bubblegum pop song, ``Give Me All Your Luvin’,‘’ along with Nicki Minaj. Dance ro
MusicFeb 6, 2012