When nine-member female pop group Girls’ Generation had their first solo concert in Korea in December 2009, the members on stage felt somewhat nervous and awkward with each other’s moves.A year and a half later, the group’s international fame has helped them learn how to manage a big stage through numerous concerts around the world and members of the group have reached a point where they enjoy the

Popularity of talent contests reflects people’s desire for fair competition, fameTV programs searching for talent among the public have always been around. A KBS program called “Jeonguk Norae Jarang” (Korea Local Music Show) has been on air for more than 30 years, giving prizes to the best singers every week. But these programs were never really popular enough to create a major buzz among the publ

“Great Mountains Music Festival & School”: The 8th Great Mountains Music Festival & School will take place from July 24 to Aug. 13 at the Alpensia resort in Gangwon Province, gathering renowned and rising artists for 55 programs and master classes. The focus this year will be showcasing final works of great composers when they were grappling with age or illness. Under the theme “Illumination,” the

Going to a beach during summer vacation is almost a must, but there are a lot of things to pack for a perfect day on the beach. You may need beach towels, cool drinks and fruits in an ice box, plus books, perhaps toys for children, and maybe even nail care kits. Lotte Hotel Jeju said it has opened a private beach lounge on Jungmun Saekdal Beach, a 10-minute walk from the hotel, consisting of a boo

Veteran film actor Namgung Won will make his television drama debut this weekend, starring in the SBS TV drama “Scent of a Woman.” The 77-year-old has starred in 302 Korean movies since 1959 and has won a number of film awards, including two Best Male Actor Awards at the Daejong Film Awards.Namgung Won in a scene from SBS drama “Scent of a Woman” (SBS)His latest role will be the first in 10 years since he starred in the 2001 movie “Saulabi.” The actor, whose real name is Hong Kyung-il, is the fa

Led by conductor Chung, orchestra to perform Edinburgh Festival debutThe Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director and chief conductor Chung Myung-whun, will hold its second Europe tour concerts from Aug. 19 to Aug. 27, just one month after releasing a debut album under the prestigious label Deutsche Grammophon.The SPO said it will hold a special concert on Aug. 9 at the Seoul Arts Cente

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ― The pirates were nervous. A rookie author ― a white man from Canada ― had unexpectedly arrived in their cliff-top Somali village to ask about the captured ship anchored offshore.Locals fearing a showdown quietly melted away into a small collection of shacks.The encounter with the deadly gang forms the final chapter of “The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World,” a fir

A South Korean team of scholars said they have found the world’s longest and deepest carnivorous dinosaur tooth-marks ever documented in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province.The tooth-marks found on a bone of a herbivorous dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period (left) and an enlarged image of part of the bone. (Pukyong National University)Led by Paik In-sung, professor of sedimentary geology at th

The Korea Tourism Organization said it was helping 103 U.S. fans of Korean pop visit the country to see a concert by girl group Girls’ Generation, attend two broadcasters’ K-pop TV shows and visit major tourist spots this week.The KTO said the 103 fans from a K-pop fan community in Los Angeles asked the KTO’s branch in L.A. to help them attend a concert by Girls’ Generation, also known as SNSD.Nin

KBS special documentary looks for ways to practice Buddhist teachings in daily livesHAPCHEON, South Gyeongsang Province ― Haein Temple, deep inside the folds of Mount Gaya in South Gyeongsang Province, is known for housing arguably the world’s most comprehensive and oldest intact Buddhist canon, the Tripitaka Koreana.Visitors have been prohibited from entering the Janggyeong Panjeon, the depositor

Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraDebussy, RavelUniversal MusicAfter reaching a long-term contract with Deutsche Grammophon in April, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s debut album with DG is finally on the shelves.The SPO’s performances of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea) and Ravel’s “Ma Mere L’oye” (Mother Goose) and “La Valse” under maestro Chung Myung-whun are featured in the album. Ravel’s programs wer

People usually associate Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province with the wild because it is far from the expressway and blocked by a high mountain. However, the county is much closer than people think. If you travel along National Road No. 7 via Yeongdong Express Way and Donghae Expressway, it takes less than four hours by car from Seoul. The first spot to check out for a beautiful summer vacation in

The Korean pop market is dominated by idol groups, including Girls’ Generation, 2NE1 and Wonder Girls. For new girl group A Pink, which debuted in April with the first album “Seven Springs of A Pink,” it will not be easy to survive in the competitive K-pop scene. However, it will differentiate itself from other girl groups by showing unique colors of the seven members, they said.“If we say other g