K-pop pushing boundaries By Kim Jae-heunThe government’s decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) here has stoked concerns that it will take the steam out of the popularity of hallyu in China.The neighboring country is strongly opposing the deployment of the anti-missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula and is suspected of moving to take retaliatory action against K-pop idols and other hallyu stars.However, boy band BigBang’s local concert drew more than 65,000 fans, including Chinese and Japanese K-pop lovers in Seoul on Aug. 20. With such a huge local and international fan base, political conflict might not deal a major blow to K-pop after all.Many Koreans grow up listening to American pop songs, not completely understanding the lyrics. It is not unusual for music fans to love songs written in a language other than their mother tongue.In 2012, Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” sung in Korean, became a global sensation. Many accredit the success of the song to its humorous video and an explosive verse melody with an easy-to-follow horse-riding dance that getsSep 2, 2016
Simple Plan returns to Korea with new album Canadian pop punk band “Simple Plan” / Courtesy of Access ENTPop-punk band to hold concert in Seoul Thursday By Park Jin-hai French-Canadian pop-punk act Simple Plan, who graced the finale of the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival five years ago, return to Korea for their own concert, Thursday. “The last time we came to Korea was for a big festival with a bunch other bands,” said Chuck Comeau, the band’s drummer, during an email interview with The Korea Times. “It is really cool to come back and do our own headlining show, play in front of our fans, and playing the full show. A lot of fans in Asia are very supportive, but Korean fans really shocked and surprised us.”Formed 17 years ago as a five-member band with Comeau on drums, vocalist Pierre Bouvier, lead guitarist Jeff Stinco, rhythm guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre and bassist David Desrosiers, the band has released five albums, including “Taking One for the Team” released in February.Comeau says the band’s new album, “Taking One for the Team,&Aug 31, 2016
Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater opens A performance troupe rehearses on the stage of Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater ahead of the opening performance on Thursday. / Courtesy of Seoul Donhwamun Traditional TheaterBy Yun Suh-young A theater specially built to host traditional music performances opens Thursday in Jongno-gu, northern Seoul.Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater, across the street from Changdeok Palace, is the first traditional music concert hall to open in Seoul. Donhwamun is the name of Changdeok Palace’s front gate.The theater is built to maximize acoustics. The building mixes traditional and modern elements, in a traditional exterior structure and a modern interior setting. The exterior is built as traditional Korean hanok architecture and uses traditional elements inside the theater, such as changhoji, a traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, which was originally used for doors and windows.The performances are microphone and speaker-free, offering the most natural sound. The theater, in the basement of the building on the second and third floors below ground, has 140 seaAug 30, 2016
Hans Graf, Pascal Roge to perform with SPO on Sept. 1 Conductor Hans Graf, left, and pianist Pascal Roge / Courtesy of SPOBy Yun Suh-young Austrian conductor Hans Graf visits Seoul this week, teaming up with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) to perform works by Debussy and Rachmaninoff.Graf will be collaborating with French pianist Pascal Roge on Sept. 1 and 2. The performance is held at the Seoul Arts Center.Graf had performed with the SPO in 2012, rendering Saint-Saens' "Organ Symphony," and in 2014 with Mahler's Symphony No. 10 which was met with rave reviews. He had led the Houston Symphony from 2001 to 2013 and currently serves as conductor laureate for the orchestra.Roge visits Seoul for the third time, 20 years since his last visit. Roge served as music director of Salzburg's Mozarteum Orchestra 1984 to 1994, Canada's Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 1995 to 2003 and France's Bordeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra 1998 to 2004.The program introduces the earlier works of the two major composers of the 19th and 20th century _ Rachmaninoff and Debussy. The list includes Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1, Debussy's Symphony in bAug 29, 2016
Lim: 'These will be concerts of a life time' The Korean Symphony Orchestra and a chorus of 1,000 led by Conductor Lim Hun-jeong rehearse Wednesday, at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul, ahead of the "Symphony of a Thousand" concerts scheduled for Aug. 25 and 27. / YonhapBy Yun Suh-youngConductor Lim Hun-jeong who is a Mahler specialist and composer said the "Symphony of a Thousand" concerts which will be held today and Saturday will be his "concerts of a life time.""I've never seen a concert performed with a thousand people before. I heard it was the first time being performed in Korea and the world. This will be the one and only concert of our life time," he said during a rehearsal of the concert before the press Wednesday at the newly opened Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, eastern Seoul.On Aug. 25 and 27, Lim will lead the Korean Symphony Orchestra and a chorus of 1,000 to reenact Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8 also known as the "Symphony of a Thousand." The song was given the name because in the very first performance in 1910, 1,000 people performed the song.The concert will be a rare opportunity to see a performance of Aug 24, 2016
CL's 'Lifted' not as successful as expected A scene from CL’s American debut single music video “Lifted” / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Kim Jae-heunA promotional poster for CL’s new single “Lifted” released last Friday / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentCL of YG Entertainment’s girl group 2NE1 debuted in the United States last Friday with her much-anticipated single “Lifted.”It has been only a year since the singer, 25, topped global music streaming site Spotify with her promotional track “Hello Bitches,” written by YG Entertainment’s main producer, Teddy of 1TYM.This time, CL returned more prepared than ever and ready to hit the U.S. market. “Lifted” bases its tune on the legendary 1990s hip-hop group Wu Tang Clan’s “Method Man.”Teddy took overall control of CL’s debut single and American rapper Asher Roth co-produced the song while CL wrote the lyrics. Popular American director Dave Meyers filmed her new single’s music video and American talent manager Scooter Braun, who discovered Justin Bieber and helped Psy debutAug 24, 2016
Gagok summer concert to be held Tuesday Seo Hee-taeThe Millennium Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Seo Hee-tae will hold a Midnight Summer Concert at Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday.The concert will feature gagok written by Lee An-sam, one of Korea’s leading gagok composers. Gagok refers to a genre of vocal music using lyrics from a poem.Soprano Kang Hye-jung, tenor Na Seung-suh and baritone Kang Hyung-kyu will perform “Our Love” written by Lee as the closing number.Aug 22, 2016
BIGBANG stages biggest-ever concert K-pop band BigBang performs during their 10th anniversary concert “BIGBANG10 THE CONCERT: 0.TO.10” at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul, Saturday. / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentPsy pops in to celebrate group’s 10th anniversaryBy Kim Jae-heunOne day was enough for the five-member K-pop band BigBang to captivate their 65,000 fans gathered at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday, where their 10th anniversary concert was held.The hip-hop group presented the show “BIGBANG10 THE CONCERT: 0.TO.10” as part of their 10th anniversary celebrations, along with the documentary film “BIGBANG MADE” opening in late June and exhibition “A TO Z” in early August.YG Entertainment, the band’s agency, originally planned to invite 60,000, but fans requested 5,000 additional seats along sides despite the poor view. It recorded the biggest audience for a K-pop group’s solo concert in the country.The company did everything to satisfy the audience from a flying VTE Beam Trolley of KINESYS that provides various range views of the stage and Aug 21, 2016
Yeonjung of I.O.I joins Cosmic Girls Starship Entertainment’s Korean-Chinese girl group WJSN performs during a press showcase at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin, eastern Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap Yeonjung of WJSNBy Kim Jae-heunYeonjung, one of the singers picked for CJ E&M’s blockbuster project girl group I.O.I, returned to her original agency Starship Entertainment to join Korean-Chinese girl group WJSN, also known as Cosmic Girls, which released its second mini-album “The Secret,” at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin, eastern Seoul, Wednesday.Now the group consists of 13 members, three of which are Chinese. Riding on the popularity of Yeonjung, Starship seeks to successfully promote WJSN like MBK Entertainment did with singer Chaeyeon in its girl group DIA and Jellyfish Entertainment with Sejung in the recently debuted Gugudan.Yeonjung has been highly praised for her vocal skills during the 2016 reality show “Produce 101” on Mnet that auditioned 101 trainees from 46 entertainment companies. Yeonjung is one of the top 11 members who made it to debut as I.O.I, or Ideal of Aug 19, 2016
SAC to broadcast concert on Facebook Seoul Arts Center’s concert on Facebook Live / Courtesy of SACBy Yun Suh-youngThe Seoul Arts Center (SAC) is streaming a concert on Facebook Live for the first time.The arts center is scheduled to hold its 59th Saturday Concert on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m. which it decided to stream live on Facebook for those unable to attend the concert. The second half of the concert will be broadcast on facebook.com/SeoulArtsCenter.Korea starting at 12 p.m.Facebook Live is a video streaming service that allows real-time broadcasting. The upcoming Aug. 20 concert will be helmed by conductor Choi Hee-joon with KBS Symphony Orchestra. The concert will feature one of the most popular symphonies by composer Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No 10 in E minor, Op 93, and its first and second movements will stream live. Conductor Choi is known for his refined interpretations of Shostakovich.The Saturday Concert offered by SAC is part of the SAC Classic's Matinee series and is held at 11 a.m. every Saturday. The Aug. 20 concert also includes Weber's Clarinet Concerto No.1 in F minor op.73. Ticket prices arAug 16, 2016
