Singer Im Chang-jung never tired of singing Singer Im Chang-jung released his 15th regular album "Never Ending" Sept. 6./ Courtesy of YES IMBy Jung Hae-myoungSinger Im Chang-jung released his latest album “Never Ending” last Friday. The 15 songs are about each month from January to December with the extra track “13th month,” and two instrumental versions.“I have arranged the songs thinking what kind of feeling would fit for each month. For “Never Ending” I intended to name it “13th month” in Korean to implicate unfulfilled love, because it is the month that does not exist,” Im said. Over the past 24 years since his 1995 debut as a singer, he has maintained a similar style. “I like songs that have a good melody,” Im said. “I don't think I need to change anything if a change will only make the melodies worse and listeners don't like it. I can always change the style through arrangements in music.”Yet he wanted to make some changes to this album. “I used to compose 80 percent of the songs, but this time I left it to the producer, and tried tSep 10, 2019
Lead vocalist of The 1975 under fire for stepping on South Korean flag Matthew Healy. Screen capture from YouTubeA member of the rock band The 1975 is getting flak on social media after posting a photo of himself stepping on the South Korean national flag.Matthew Healy, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the English group, used a mirror to take a photo of himself with his left foot on the Taegeukgi, the South Korean flag, and posted it on Instagram on Friday.The 1975 performed in Seoul earlier that day.Names of the band members and the words, "The 1975 Live in Seoul," were written on the flag.When his followers or other commenters raised issues with his posture, Healy wrote, "It's quite obviously my flag."Healy later took down the photo without an apology, but not before it had already been captured and shared on social media.Based in Manchester, The 1975 previously performed in South Korea in 2014 and 2016. (Yonhap)Sep 7, 2019
More women say opera legend Domingo harassed, pursued them In this Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 file photo, Placido Domingo and his wife, Marta, attend a rehearsal for the opening gala of the Gerard of Sagredo Youth Forum and Sports Center in Szeged, Hungary, a day prior to the event. Melinda McLain, who was the production coordinator at LA Opera for its inaugural season in 1986-87 and also worked at the Houston Grand Opera, said she and others would invite Marta to attend company parties “because if Marta was around, he behaves.” (Tibor Rosta/MTI via AP)The glittering production was a high point of the Washington Opera's 1999-2000 season: Jules Massenet's ``Le Cid,'' about a legendary Spanish conqueror, starring a tenor legendary in his own right ― Placido Domingo, then the company's artistic director. The opera, also being filmed for broadcast on public television, was unquestionably a career break for a 28-year-old singer named Angela Turner Wilson, who'd been cast as the second female lead and was singled out for praise in reviews. ``I knew this was the start of big things for me,'' she says now. But one evening before a performancSep 6, 2019
Rapper Nicki Minaj announces retirement This Nov. 6, 2017 file photo shows Nicki Minaj at the 14th Annual CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Gala in New York. The chart-topping rapper announced Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, on Twitter that she “decided to retire & have my family.” In the tweet, Minaj she took a jab at her critics and asked her fans to “keep reppin me, do it til da death of me.” In July, Minaj announced she was pulling out a show in Saudi Arabia to show support women's rights, gay rights and freedom of expression. She also canceled her appearance at the BET Experience Concert earlier this year. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)Rap queen Nicki Minaj on Thursday shocked fans by announcing her retirement from music, saying she was going to focus on family. The provocative 36-year-old known for hits like "Super Bass" is engaged to music executive Kenneth Petty, and she recently said a wedding is in the cards in the coming months. "I've decided to retire & have my family," tweeted the wildly successful rapper raised in the New York borough of Queens. "I know you guys are happy now," she Sep 6, 2019
Cho Seong-jin to perform at HK Phil's new season opening concert this week Cho Seong-jin will perform Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra during its new season opening concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall on Sept. 6 and 7. Courtesy of Harald HoffmannBy Anna J. ParkKorea's star pianist Cho Seong-jin, first prize winner of the 2015 Chopin International Competition, will present Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra during the orchestra's new 2019/2020 season opening concerts, Friday and Saturday, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Under the baton of the orchestra's music director maestro Jaap van Zweden, the Hong Kong Philharmonic's season-opening concert will also feature Wagner's “Prelude to Act 1 of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” as well as some selections from Prokofiev's ballet score “Romeo and Juliet.”The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will open its 2019/2020 season with concerts Sept. 6 and 7, featuring Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin. Courtesy of Eric HongThe HK Philharmonic's new season will focus on romantic works of tSep 2, 2019By Anna J. Park
Singer ends 27-year marriage to entertainment CEO Jang Hye-jin. Korea Times fileBy Ko Dong-hwanSinger Jang Hye-jin has divorced her entertainment CEO husband after 27 years of marriage, the musician's agency said Monday.The renowned vocalist, 54, agreed with CAN Entertainment president Kang Seung-ho on the terms of the split and submitted all legal documents early in August, according to Jellyfish Entertainment. Jang Hye-jin, left, and Kang Seung-ho. Provided to Hankook IlboThe couple had chosen separate paths, but agreed to remain good friends, the agency added. They have one daughter.The pair met each other while working in the music industry in the late 1980s. Kang told reporters he had fallen in love with Jang at first sight when he was a manger for idol boy band Sobangcha and Jang joined their concert as a chorus singer. She also had been in a choir for state TV broadcaster MBC. The couple married in 1992 after Kang had wooed her for three years. A member of the Korea Entertainment Producers' Association board of directors, Kang was behind the success of such artists as Kim Wan-seon, Park Sang-min, Yoon Sang and Jang.Jang startSep 2, 2019By Ko Dong-hwan
INTERVIEW Tchaikovsky competition-winning violinist Kim Dong-hyun rises as classic music star of next generation Violinist Kim Dong-hyun, 19, is one of rising classical music stars of Korea. Courtesy of Korean Symphony OrchestraBy Anna J. ParkViolinist Kim Dong-hyun is one of the rising classical music stars of the next generation. Born in 1999, he is now only 19 years old, yet his colorful, subtle and dramatic violin-playing has grabbed the ears of fastidious music critics. Earlier this year, Kim won 3rd place at the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Competition in Russia. This achievement is one of many prizes Kim has earned, including the 2nd prize at George Enescu International Violin Competition in 2016 and the 1st prize at the Seoul International Music Competition in 2018. He was also the first Korean performer who won first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in 2015. During a recent interview with The Korea Times, Kim talked about his next concert with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, his love and devotion for the violin and his hopes for the future. “Currently, I am preparing for an upcoming concert with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, where I Sep 1, 2019By Anna J. Park
Tokyo Olympics undecided on Placido Domingo appearance In this Aug. 28, 2019, file photo, opera star Placido Domingo performs during a concert in Szeged, Hungary. The Tokyo Olympics organizing committee has not decided what it plans to do about the appearance of Placido Domingo at a 2020 Games event and is looking into reports of sexual harassment by the opera star. (AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh, File)The Tokyo Olympics organizing committee has not decided what it plans to do about the appearance of Placido Domingo at a 2020 Games event and is looking into allegations the opera star sexually harassed several women.The Associated Press reported earlier this month on extensive allegations against Domingo, spanning decades. Women accused Domingo of using his power to pressure them into sexual relationships, including at the Los Angeles Opera, where he is the longtime general director.Domingo called the allegations “deeply troubling, and as presented, inaccurate,” adding that he believed “all of my interactions and relationships were always welcomed and consensual.”The organizing committee said Friday in a statement: &ldquoSep 1, 2019
VIDEO Top African singer DJ Arafat laid to rest; fans open coffin to pay tribute Ivory Coast's police officers stand guard during the funerals of late Ivorian singer DJ Arafat at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on August 30, 2019. (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP) Fans of Ivorian singer DJ Arafat opened his coffin Saturday to take photos of the corpse, prompting police to fire teargas after an overnight funeral concert where tens of thousands paid tribute to the one of West Africa's most popular stars.Following hours of musical homage, tears, and solemn reminiscence at Abijan's main stadium, events took a dark turn as fans battled police preventing them from entering the cemetery where the singer's family gave him a private burial.But several did make into the Williamsville cemetery in Abidjan's working-class Adjame district, forced open the fresh grave and coffin, and took photos and videos that they shared on social media. Police fired teargas to disperse the grave profaners, and several people were injured, witnesses told AFP."We wanted to see the body of our idol before the tomb was sealed," said one fan, who did not give a name. IvoriSep 1, 2019
Bolbbalgan4 back with mini-album K-pop duo Bolbbalgan4. The stars are going for a different concept. Capture from Instagram @official_bol4By Lee Han-naK-pop duo Bolbbalgan4 will release a mini-album “Two Five” on Sept. 10. The duo will present a different concept in the upcoming album ― charismatic black instead of the usual lovely and vibrant images.On Wednesday, Bolbbalgan4 uploaded a teaser image on its social media wearing black and white themed clothes. Many fans expressed excitement about the concept change.The duo ― Anh Ji-young and Woo Ji-youn ― debuted in 2016 with the EP album “Red Ickle.” The two first appeared on tvN's audition program “Superstar K” season 6 in 2014. Anh, the main vocalist, is well-known for her unique and charming voice, as well as her own style of singing lyrics. The duo's hits include “Hard to Love,” “Tell Me You Like Me,” “To My Youth,” and “Bom.” Aug 30, 2019
