The Korea Herald

Tripitaka Koreana gets last public display

TheaterNov 24, 2011

National museum marks millennial anniversary of ancient Buddhist printing blocksFor those who have yet to see the wooden printing blocks of the Tripitaka Koreana, the world’s most comprehensive and oldest intact Buddhist canon, the time is now or never.The National Palace Museum of Korea is holding a special exhibition celebrating the millennial anniversary of the ancient Korean relic, showcasing the Haein Temple’s wooden printing blocks of the Buddhist scripture to the public for the last time.
Clooney on witness list for Berlusconi trial

FilmNov 24, 2011

MILAN (AP) — George Clooney and his ex-girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis are among more than 200 witnesses accepted Wednesday by a Milan court in the trial of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly paying for sex with an underage prostitute.Clooney has said he was approached by Berlusconi'
Grammy noms special to honor Ashford, Leiber

MusicNov 23, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Three months after losing musical and life partner Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson acknowledges that she still has a hard time performing any of the classic songs they created together.“I get a big lump in my throat when I try to sing one of our songs right now,” she said.She will get a little help next week as Usher is set to sing from the Ashford & Simpson catalog for what promises to be a poignant moment in the usually upbeat Grammy nominations prime-time special. It will be par
Jazz drummer-composer Paul Motian dies aged 80

MusicNov 23, 2011

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The influential U.S. jazz drummer and composer, Paul Motian, died Tuesday at the age of 80 in New York, a close friend said.“Paul did pass away early this morning,” Carole d’Inverno, a painter, told AFP. Jazz producer Hans Wendl said Motian had died from complications from Myelodisplastic Syndrome, a bone disorder.In the latter half of his career Motian became a band leader, playing with saxophonist Joe Lovano, guitarist Bill Frisell and pianist Masabumi Kikuchi among others, an
Queen reigns 20 years after Mercury

MusicNov 23, 2011

LONDON (AFP) ― Freddie Mercury died 20 years ago on Thursday but his star has only burned brighter in the two decades since, with Queen and their larger-than-life frontman as popular as ever.The British rockers, marking their 40th anniversary this year, are among the world’s biggest-selling artists ever ― with most of their sales coming in the 20 years since Mercury died.Queen’s guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor are busier than ever and Mercury’s songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and
An ode to silents, the mute ‘Artist’ sings

FilmNov 23, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― The best validation for the nostalgia of “The Artist” is the film itself.A silent movie in tribute to silent movies, “The Artist” puts its money where its mouth is, so to speak. Or not to, rather.Michel Hazanavicius’ black-and-white, near-wordless film is a loving, irresistibly charming ode to a long-ago movie era that not only summons the dormant conventions of silent moviemaking, but makes them dance again.The film opens with old-style titles and the first bursts of Ludovic Bou
Honorary BIFF chief awaits his film debut

FilmNov 23, 2011

Kim Dong-ho shares founding of BIFFHe is soft-spoken, extremely polite and remembers your name only after a quick phone call.Meet Kim Dong-ho, the founding director of Busan International Film Festival and one of the pioneer figures in the Korean film industry.On a bright Monday afternoon, Kim, who now serves as the festival’s honorary chief, sits in the cafe located in the Plaza Hotel, central Seoul. Dressed in a suit and his hair tidily gelled down, the 74-year-old greets all with a warm hands
Fans strip off in support of Ai Weiwei

TheaterNov 22, 2011

BEIJING (AFP) ― Ai Weiwei fans have again rallied behind the outspoken Chinese artist after he revealed he is being investigated on pornography charges ― by posting naked pictures of themselves online.Supporters of Ai ― who disappeared into custody for 81 days earlier this year ― raised money when he was saddled with a 15-million-yuan ($2.4 million) bill in alleged back taxes, a move he called politically motivated.Their online drive to send him money totaled nearly nine million yuan, enabling A
Enthused by 3-D, Scorsese sees film in a new dimension

FilmNov 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Thelma Schoonmaker, Martin Scorsese’s longtime editor, warmly greets a reporter outside their Manhattan offices ahead of a screening of Scorsese’s new 3-D fairy tale, “Hugo.”Around the corner is Schoonmaker’s editing bay, where she and Scorsese keep Turner Classic Movies running silently on a nearby screen while they work. Inside is a screening room where Scorsese often runs old films, familiar classics and newfound gems. At one time, they gathered with Elia Kazan every Saturday
U.S. returns stolen painting to Germany

TheaterNov 22, 2011

BERLIN (AP) ― An American university returned a 15th century painting to a Berlin museum on Monday, more than six decades after the valuable piece was stolen in the chaotic aftermath of World War II.The Flagellation of Christ was one of more than a dozen paintings that disappeared from Berlin’s Jagdschloss Grunewald museum during the summer of 1945, looted by British and Russian soldiers.The painting, which originally formed a wing of an altarpiece, was later sold and ended up in the Indiana Uni
Japanese director takes Shakespearean spirit to Seoul

TheaterNov 22, 2011

Japanese director’s visually rich production does not need much explanationFrom “Romeo and Juliet” to “Hamlet,” any Shakespearean play turns into a beautiful, visually stimulating production with much exotic touch once touched by the magic of this Japanese man. Yukio Ninagawa, Japanese theater director best known for his Japanese adaptations of Shakespeare plays and Greek tragedies, is presenting his show for the first time in Korea this month. What he brings to Seoul, after seven years of negot
Stallone, Klitschko brothers present ‘Rocky’ musical

TheaterNov 22, 2011

BERLIN (AFP) ― U.S. superstar Sylvester Stallone has teamed up with heavyweight boxing legends Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko for what is billed as the world’s first musical version of “Rocky,” producers said Monday.Stallone said he had always envisaged creating a musical version of the 1976 Oscar-winning rags-to-riches story of Rocky Balboa, a down-at-heel amateur boxer who bravely fights the world champion in a bruising and bloody bout.“I always had the idea of Rocky as a musical. At the end of
Britain wins 5 International Emmys

TelevisionNov 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Christopher Eccleston and Julie Walters garnered the main acting awards as British TV productions won five International Emmys on Monday, including two for the BBC crime anthology “Accused.”“Accused,” written and created by Jimmy McGovern, received the Emmy for best drama series at the 39th Annual International Emmy Awards ceremony at the Hilton New York Hotel. The anthology tells the stories of people accused of crimes as they sit in holding cells beneath the courtroom awaiting
KBS considers action against lawmaker’s lawsuit

TelevisionNov 22, 2011

Korea’s largest broadcaster KBS is considering whether to take legal action against a lawmaker’s controversial lawsuit against one of its entertainers. Rep. Kang Yong-seok, who was expelled from the ruling party last year for making sexist remarks to female college students, sued comedian Choi Hyo-jong last week, claiming the KBS entertainer insulted legislators during his weekend TV gig. On the Nov. 2 episode of “The Wart’s Kindergarten” segment of the popular “Gag Concert,” a comedy show, Choi
Korea’s ‘Vagina Monologues’ celebrates 10 years

TheaterNov 22, 2011

An actress fainted five minutes into its first show, and people tore down its posters and called it “absolutely crazy.” The Korean adaptation of American playwright Eve Ensler’s feminist play, “The Vagina Monologues,” celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year. An episodic play featuring explicit explorations of women’s sexuality, its Korean adaptation had a rocky beginning in 2001.“The first line of our show was, ‘Vagina!’ and our actress Kim Ji-sook was shocked by the cold response from th