Concert to celebrate 100th anniversary of late Yun I-sang By Yun Suh-youngYun I-sangMany concerts will be held in the coming months celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of late composer Yun I-sang (1917-1995).The 2017 Tongyeong International Music Festival will be held at the Tongyeong International Music Hall in the city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, under the theme "Remembering Isang Yun" from March 31 through April 9.Tongyeong annually holds the Tongyeong International Music Festival in honor of the late composer Yun.Yun is recognized in Europe for converging the West and the East's musical techniques and philosophy in his music. He was educated at the Paris Conservatoire and the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin. However, his music was barely played in Korea due to ideological conflicts with the Korean government. Yun was accused of being involved with spying in East Berlin in 1967 due to his previous involvement in the democracy movement and his visit to North Korea. He served two years in prison and was released with the help of the German government which later granted Yun citizenship.The Isang Yun Peace FoundaMar 14, 2017
K-pop rapper wages legal fight with 'masochist' girlfriend By Lee Han-sooIronKorean rapper Iron claims he is innocent after being indicted for assault. He admitted to "striking" his ex-girlfriend during sex with her, but added it was done at her request, arguing that she is a "masochist."Iron was indicted without detention on Tuesday, for allegedly assaulting the woman while having sexual intercourse in September.He also allegedly assaulted her again when she broke up with him a few days later, then allegedly stabbed himself in the thigh and threatened to accuse her falsely of stabbing him. However, during his interview with Sports Chosun, a Korean news outlet, he claimed he was being falsely accused.“My ex-girlfriend demanded that I hit her, while having sexual intercourse,” said Iron. “Her biggest problem was that she is a masochist and she asked me to assault her every time we met.”He said he was at first surprised by her behavior but she claimed that being assaulted was the only way she could be aroused.Iron said the alleged assault was in self-defense and that the claim that he stabbed himself never happeneMar 14, 2017
K-pop singer Kwanghee joins military Kwanghee of K-pop boy band ZE:A and operatic pop tenor Lim Hyung-joo enlisted in the Army to fulfill their military duty on Monday.Kwanghee, who is better known as one of the six emcees for popular variety show "Infinite Challenge," entered a basic training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, and Lim was sent to one in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday afternoon.After five weeks of basic training, Kwanghee will begin service in an Army band while Lim will join a regional Army unit.All able-bodied Korean men are required to complete 21 months of military service before the age of 35."I'll return safely. I hope all of you to be healthy, and please don't forget me," the 29-year-old K-pop singer said, saluting to his fans who gathered at the training camp to see him off.Kwanghee took part in filming the MBC shows "Infinite Challenge" and "Radio Star" up until he departed for the military.The popera singer was also seen off by his devoted fans."Don't cry. I'll return in good shape," he said when members of his fan club "Salley Garden" wiped tears from their eyes.Before enlisting,Mar 13, 2017
AOA's teary gratitude melts fans in Olympic Park concert AOA performs on a showcase stage for its fourth mini-album "Good Luck" at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, May 16, 2016. / Korea Times fileBy Ko Dong-hwanK-pop girl band AOA successfully displayed its first exclusive concert at Olympic Park in Seoul on Saturday, five years after their debut, its agency said.The major gig came after the band released their first full-length album “Angel’s Knock” in January.The seven-member band, officially known as “Ace of Angels,” performed 27 songs for 150 minutes, including the album’s title piece “Excuse Me,” “Like a Cat,” “Miniskirt,” “Good Luck” and “Heart Attack,” according to FNC Entertainment.The stars also performed individual feats, with Mina, a former member of girl band Wonder Girls, performing a cover dance of Sunmi’s “24 Hours” and Seolhyun dancing to the tune of a song by American pop diva Beyonce. The band’s leader and rapper Jimin introduced for the first time her brainchild "Hey."The band performed “WitMar 12, 2017
Lim Hyung-joo joins Grammys voting member Lim Hyung-jooPopera star Lim Hyung-joo has become a voting member of the Grammy Awards, the artist’s agency said Wednesday.He is the first Asian popera singer to receive the honor. The Recording Academy gave Lim a five-year voting membership, the highest of all membership grades, according to his agency DGNcom. The Recording Academy, a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals, has been hosting the Grammy Awards since 1959. To qualify for a voting member of the prestigious organization, applicants should meet a series of certain requirements it suggests. Some 10,000 to 20,000 people around the world have been given the highest grade membership. “Lim’s musical ability and artistic value, shown throughout his successful 20 year music career, winning many awards and establishing his firm status in the global musical arena, has been highly recognized,” said a DGNcom official. “I’m so happy and greatly honored, hearing the news ahead of my scheduled entry to the military,” said Lim throMar 8, 2017
INTERVIEW GFriend returns to show more mature side GFriend / Courtesy of Source MusicBy Kim Jae-heunPopular K-pop girl group GFriend are showing a more mature side on their fourth mini-album, “The Awakening, released Monday.The group, previously known for their wholesome image, enjoyed wide popularity the last two years with hit songs like “Rough,” “Me Gustas Tu” and “Glass Bead.” However, it was mainly the band member Yuju who bought GFriend into the spotlight, when she fell eight times on a slippery stage last September but got right up to continue performing. The footage of her show went viral online and Time magazine reported on the incident.Their attempt to adopt a new concept came as a surprise as GFriend had built their empire on their innocent good looks and powerful choreography.“We wanted to prove GFriend can fit into various concepts,” said Yerin during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. “We’ve all become adults, legally, this year and we wanted to show our feminine side rather than being just cute scMar 8, 2017
SPO's new principal guest conductor ready to enrich the orchestra By Yun Suh-youngThierry Fischer, newly appointed principal guest conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra/ Courtesy of SPO"I believe that developing a symphony orchestra is a possibility to make others create harmony," said Thierry Fischer, the newly appointed principal guest conductor (PGC) of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), introducing himself for the first time to the press, Monday.Fischer is scheduled to hold his first concert in Seoul as the principal guest conductor of the SPO today and Friday. The concert will be held at the Lotte Concert Hall today and at the Seoul Arts Center on Friday. The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra had not had an artistic director since maestro Chung Myung-whun who had led the orchestra for 10 years abruptly resigned from the position in 2015 due to a conflict with its former CEO. Ever since, the orchestra has been stumbling to regain stability and decided to adopt the principal guest conductor system."To fill the artistic director vacancy, we adopted the principal guest conductor system and have recruited two conductors _ Thierry Mar 8, 2017
INTERVIEW Galaxy Express prepares to rock Trump's America Members of the rock band Galaxy Express pose in this photograph. They are from left Park Jong-hyun, Lee Ju-hyun and Kim Hee-kwon. / Courtesy of LoverockGalaxy Express to represent K-rock at South by SouthswestBy Kim Jae-heunEleven Korean music groups are heading to the U.S. this weekend for South by Southwest (SXSW), one of America's biggest music festivals set to begin this Friday. These acts include K-pop girl group Red Velvet and popular rappers Tiger JK and Yoonmirae, but also singer-songwriter Big Phony, punk band No Brain and garage rockers Galaxy Express.For Galaxy Express, it is their fourth time traveling to Austin, Texas, performing unrelenting psychedelic rock ‘n' roll music in front of American audiences.The group features three members ― Lee Ju-hyun playing bass, Kim Hee-kwon on drums and Park Jong-hyun on guitar. The rockers are all in their late 30s, but they are confident to say they are the most energetic Korean musicians out there."We play music like three veteran soldiers," said Park Jong-hyun during an interview with The Korea Times at the CKL Stage buildingMar 6, 2017
Korea Times spring concert due Thursday Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra By Yun Suh-young Conductor Park Sang-hyunSinger Park Ki-youngThe 12th annual Spring Music Festival hosted by The Korea Times will be held Thursday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.Celebrating the 67th anniversary of the paper's establishment, the concert invites its readers as a token of gratitude for their loyalty and readership.The Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Park Sang-hyun will once again lead the Korea Times annual spring concert. This year's performers include chanson singer Monsieur Ko, singer Park Ki-young, musical singer Park So-yeon, sopranos Kim Soo-yeon, Lee Min-ji and Lee Young-in, and tenor Ryu Jung-phil.The concert will begin with the Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra’s Carmen Overture by Georges Bizet. Following the performance, soprano Kim Soo-yeon will sing Johann Strauss' “Voices of Spring” to refreshingly begin the spring concert. Tenor Ryu Jung-phil will sing Carlos Gardel's “Por Una Cabeza” with dancer Kim Nang-hee performing in the background. Soprano Lee Min-ji wiMar 5, 2017
Korea-China conflict over THAAD takes toll on K-pop stars The management agency for Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Beom and Kim Ji-won, Korean stars who are all popular in China, experienced a huge drop in sales in the second half of last year.That was because their profits from the Chinese entertainment and advertising markets have effectively vanished since October when Beijing restricted Korean entertainers from working in the country in protest against Seoul's decision to deploy a high-tech U.S. anti-missile battery on its soil."The company has earned not a penny from China due to the political row over THAAD," Lee Jin-seong, chief of King Kong by Starship, told Yonhap News Agency on Sunday. "We did occasionally receive inquiries for advertisements until the end of last year but no contract was actually signed." China has been one of the top consumers of Korean pop culture. But it has denied permission for Korean entertainers to perform or appear on television shows in China since October, three months after Seoul agreed to host a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) to better defend itself against North Korea's constant militaryMar 5, 2017
