A music hall in Seoul is screening the 2013 season of the Metropolitan Opera, bringing the popular, award-winning Live in HD series to local opera lovers. Directed by Bartlett Sher and starring Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani, Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” will be screened on Jan. 20 and Jan. 27. For the 2013 season, the Met is presenting a total of seven new productions and five revivals, and “Met Opera @ Bear Hall” will hold three screenings of each production every month. This year will

Seven-member rookie hip-hop group Block B has filed a lawsuit against their talent agency for failure to pay the members in accordance with their contract. The suit, filed with the Seoul District Court, requests that their exclusive contract with Stardom Agency be nullified. The lawsuit states that the group’s initial contract promised that on top of the agency providing training and facilities, the singers be paid on the 25th of every month. Block B claims that the members did not receive any s

This is the ninth in a series on foreigners working in the Korean entertainment industry. ― Ed.Korean-American Bryan Park, also known by his stage name NoName, came to Korea to pursue a music career in 2008, and though it has been hard going, his efforts are starting to bear fruit.The hip-hop artist left his label over the summer and opened up his company, AMP Media, in August 2012, and currently has about 15 to 20 people working there, including two artists and a group of trainees for an idol g

The former husband of late actress Choi Jin-sil was found dead at his home in Seoul Sunday in an apparent suicide, police said.The body of Cho Sung-min, 39, a former top baseball player who was married to Choi from 2000 to 2004, was found in the bathroom of his apartment in the southern Seoul neighborhood of Dogok-dong, police said.A friend discovered the body and told police, saying Cho appeared to have strangled himself with a belt.The late actress committed suicide in 2008 after struggling wi

Dance“Romeo and Juliet”: The Korea National Ballet is opening this year’s season with Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The troupe is presenting a version created by legendary French choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot of Monte Carlo Ballet Theater. Unlike the Kenneth MacMillan version showcased by Universal Ballet Company last year, the upcoming show presents simple and modern costumes and choreography. Its stage setting, created by French designer Ernest Pignon-Ernest, is also noted for

Elle Goulding’s ‘Halcyon’ is hauntingly beautifulEllie Goulding“Halcyon”(Polydor Records)In an age of auto tuned homogeneity, Ellie Goulding’s voice is really something. She imprints on everything she sings with unique character. Goulding’s tremulous vibrato and hoarse timbre have the feel of something primal and folky, her birdlike high notes are childlike, while darker tones imply ancient depths of sorrow. Ellie Goulding has always dealt with unfairly high expectations. Best known in the U.S.

Musical ‘chameleons’ write their own fusion of styles

U.S. pop star Britney Spears said via Twitter she is working on her eighth album, her first since 2011‘s “Femme Fatale.”The Grammy Award-winning singer tweeted during the weekend she is “working hard” on the new CD and “collaborating with some new inspiring producers.”She did not disclose the names of the producers, or a possible title or release date for the album.Asked by a fan online if she will return for a second season as a judge on TV’s “The X Factor,” she tweeted, “Really focused on my m

K-pop star Rain will face disciplinary action for dating a top TV actress while on official military duty, the defense ministry said Thursday, in the wake of an outpouring of criticism over the special treatment of celebrities while they fulfill their mandatory military service. The latest move comes after local media reported the 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, went on dates with actress Kim Tae-hee on several occasions while he was on leave last month.The top singer well-k

The announcement of Sistar19’s comeback in January has sparked news of other spin-off groups who wish to make a name for themselves this year. Girl group 4minute and the new boys of Infinite have both confirmed that they will be launching sub-groups of their own.Early last year, one of the leading girl groups in the K-pop world, Girls’ Generation, found success with their own spin-off group, Girls’ Generation-TTS, also known as TaeTiSeo, with members Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. Now, with the a