BEVERLY HILLS ― Writer-filmmaker Woody Allen may be a private kind of a guy, but when it comes to deconstructing Woody, everybody’s eager to lend a hand.Documentary filmmaker Robert Weide managed to charm his way into Allen’s good graces and the result is the two-parter on PBS’ “American Masters,” “Woody Allen: a Documentary,” airing Nov. 20 and 21.“I’ve known him a little bit for a number of years because years ago I headed development for Rollins and Joffe, who were his producers’ managers,” S

LONDON (AFP) ― A landmark exhibition of paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci goes on show at London’s National Gallery on Wednesday, the first time so many of his masterpieces have been displayed together.Among the nine paintings are his two versions of the “Virgin of the Rocks,” which will hang face to face for the first time.Da Vinci is thought to have produced about 20 paintings during his lifetime, but just 15 have survived. Art fans will also be able to see “Salvator Mundi”, which was only recent

Director delves into psyche of his generationThis is the first of a series of articles on up-and-coming Korean filmmakers. ― Ed.Director Yoon Sung-hyun has been watching a lot of soccer games on TV lately. It’s always been his favorite sport, and he’s been an avid fan since he was a child. And though it’s only been two weeks since he won a prestigious film award, what pops in his head, when asked about recent days, is watching the sport, not winning his trophy.“I’ve been watching a lot of soccer

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) ― Decades after her provocative Oscar acceptance speech, Vanessa Redgrave will be honored at the film academy’s first European tribute to an actor.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says it will honor Redgrave on Sunday in London, where she is starring with James Earl Jones in the stage production of “Driving Miss Daisy.”Jones is to receive an honorary Oscar on Saturday at the academy’s Governors Awards, but the 80-year-old actor is skipping that cerem

Ulala Session, Busker Busker battle for ‘Superstar K3’ title on FridayLast Friday evening, a long line snaked up the steep hill leading to the Peace Hall of Kyunghee University as Korean youngsters waited to see which two of the top three contestants would reach the final round of Mnet’s reality talent show “Superstar K3.”As soon as the show started with the contestants appearing on stage at 11 p.m. sharp, the whole audience screamed in support of their teams.Busker Busker took to the stage firs

South Korea and Australia are celebrating the last stretch of their Year of Friendship, with this year marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, bringing more attention to the second annual Korean Film Festival in Australia.Organized by the Korean Cultural Office in Sydney, KOFFIA is a fledgling film festival that showcased 13 feature films and seven shorts this year. It hoped to show the diversity of Korean cinema today, as well as provide a true Korean cultural

Taiwanese violinist Yu Chien Tseng has topped the 2011 Isang Yun Competition, the Tongyeong International Music Festival Foundation said on Monday. In the final competition in the violin category this year held on Saturday, Tseng performed Brahms Violin Concerto with the TIMF Ensemble, led by Adriel Kim. Despite her young age, the 17-year-old’s academic but seasoned performance not only put him at the top of the competition, but won him the Isang Yun Special Prize, which is given to a musician w

Big Bang won Best Worldwide Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Sunday evening.It was the first time a Korean act has won at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), Big Bang’s agency YG Entertainment said.The Best Worldwide Act, a new award this year, is chosen through online fan voting on the MTV EMA’s official Website, with voters given the option of five acts representing five regions of the world.The five candidates were Restart from Latin America, Big Bang from As

LONDON (AP) ― The MTV Europe Music Awards turned into a celebration of Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Sunday night as the two picked up a number of top prizes, including best male and best female act.Gaga, striking in several outfits throughout the evening, also won for best song and best video for “Born This Way.” Bieber picked up best pop act as well.Their live performances captured the differences between the two ascendant mega-stars: the teenage Bieber, wholesome and almost impossibly cute; Gag

  Seoul Fashion Artist Association kicks off the three-day 2012 S/S Seoul Collection on Tuesday at Fluxus Building in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. Three up-and-coming designers ― Lee Jung-eun, Heo Hwan, Son Sung-keun ― will be presenting their collections along with eight established labels by SFAA designers ― Shin Jang-kyoung, Pak Dong-jun, BAKANGCHI, Rubina, Kim Dong-soon, P+ by Park Youn-soo, Sul Yun-hyoung and KUMANN OH Eun Hwan Designed by Yoo Hye-jin. “SFAA which has been spearheading Korea’s fa

MADRID (AP) ― Spain’s Prado museum is hosting a large exhibition of European art lent by Russia’s Hermitage, a rare opportunity to see such work outside the vast St. Petersburg museum.Two large paintings by Rembrandt, an imposing Caravaggio and a historic segment of early 20th-century art, an area in which the Hermitage’s collection excels, are among the close to 180 items. Works by Spanish artists Diego Velazquez, Pablo Picasso and Diego de Rivera temporarily return home, flanked by famous piec