Lee Jun-gi to return to small screen Actor Lee Jun-gi Actor Lee Jun-gi will return to the small screen with a role in a drama scheduled to be shown on Wednesdays and Thursdays on KBS in June.In the drama, tentatively titled “Joseon’s Gunman,” Lee will play the last swordsman of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) who goes on to become a hero after he embraces using a Western rifle.The 32-year-old’s most recent television drama was “2 Weeks” which wrapped up in October 2013 on MBC. Since then, he has toured Asian cities to meet with his overseas fans.The drama will air in June.Apr 7, 2014
American critic falls for indie K-films American film critic Darcy Paquet, who started the Wildflower Film Awards for independent films. / Courtesy of Darcy Paquet Darcy Paquet launches Wildflowser Film Awards Yeon Sang-ho’s animated film “The Fake” won the Best Director Award.By Park Jin-haiThe local film industry has been on a roll recently. The shooting for the Hollywood blockbuster "Avengers: The Age of Ultron" is still underway in Korea, suggesting that the country and its capital city is an attractive location for international moviemakers. A number of Seoul-based directors, including Bong Jun-ho and Lee Chang-dong, have risen to global recognition and fame, winning acclaimed international film awards. Bong’s “Snowpiercer” will be released in U.S. theaters this summer. Not as visible as the success of commercial films, Seoul also has seen its independent film industry booming over recent years. At its forefront is Darcy Paquet, 42, an American film critic, who has organized a special award designated for low-budget independent films. “It's weird for Apr 7, 2014By Park Jin-hai
SHINee wows Mexican fans SHINee performs during its first concert at the Mexico City Arena, Friday. Nearly 8,000 fans flocked to the venue. / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBy Park Si-sooK-pop boy band SHINee performed its first concert in Mexico last week, wowing nearly 8,000 fans there, according to its management agency on Sunday. The concert was held at the Mexico City Arena, a giant auditorium in the country’s capital on Friday, it said.The five-member band sang 25 songs, including its hit songs “Replay,” “Lucifer” and “Ring Ding Dong,” during the event. The venue was crowded with SHINee’s fans even three hours prior to the concert, according to SM Entertainment.“Hundreds of avid fans welcomed SHINee’s arrival at the airport, waving placards and chanting names of the band’s members,” a SM official said. “Its members had to move out of the airport through a hidden exit reserved for VIP travelers due to safety concerns.”Meanwhile, SHINee gave another concert in Chile on Sunday. Apr 6, 2014
Crayon Pop's new song going viral Crayon PopBy Park Si-sooK-pop girl band Crayon Pop’s new song “Uh-ee” is going viral on YouTube. The song’s music video has drawn two million hits in four days since it was released on April 1.In the 3-minute-54-second clip, the band’s four members, wearing red bandanas on their heads and white outfits made of ramie fabric, dance amusingly to their new fast-paced trot-styled electronic song.The music video appeared on the main page of U.S. Billboard chart’s website last week. It extolled the band’s choreography, describing it as a “mind-boggling, non-stop dance routine.”The website wrote, “Crayon Pop truly shines in the accompanying music video, performing a routine one could liken more to aerobics than a pop performance.”It said that their viral choreography resulted in them touring with Lady Gaga, introducing the characteristics of their song, choreography as well as dress code.The K-pop band will be the opening act of Gaga’s 13 concerts in the U.S. and Canada between June 26 and July 22.Apr 6, 2014
Korean stars grace Hollywood movies Ha Ji-won, from left, Lee Byung-hun and Soo Hyun. Including them, a growing number of Korean actors have been given the opportunity to play with global movie stars in Hollywood films this year. / Korea Time filesA record number of actors will play major roles in US blockbustersBy Park Si-sooAre Korean actors increasingly wanted in Hollywood, or is it a sheer coincidence that a record number of them will have the opportunity to feature in Hollywood films this year?So far five Korean actors — Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jung Ji-hoon, Bae Doo-na, Soo Hyun — are set to play in a Hollywood movie or are awaiting the release of their film.Lee Byung-hun is set to appear in Hollywood blockbuster “Terminator: Genesis,” in which he will perform with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke and Emilia Clarke among others. He will leave for the United States later this month to start shooting in early May, according to his management agency BH Entertainment. It’s unclear what role he will play, but rumor has it that it will be something of a “doozy.”The Apr 6, 2014
Nichkhun, Tiffany are dating Nichkhun of 2PMTiffany of Girls’ GenerationBy Chung Ah-youngNichkhun from K-pop band 2PM and Tiffany from Girls' Generation are dating, their agencies said Friday.JYP Entertainment, Thail and-born Nichkhun's agency, admitted that the two stars had been close friends in Korea since they first met in the United States and they recently started dating.SM Entertainment, Tiffany’s agency, also explained that the two singers are now in a close relationship. Their relationship has been kept secret for about four months.Their dating was spotted in Sinsadong on March 11 by a local media outlet.Previously, Yoona, another member of the girl group, was reported to be dating singer Lee Seung-gi. Also, Sooyoung, also of Girls’ Generation, is currently in a relationship with actor Jung Kyung-ho.Apr 4, 2014
BEAST ends Japan sold-out tour in Japan K-pop group BEAST ends its Japan tour on April 2 in Tokyo with sold-out performances in seven cities. / Korea Times fileBy Chung Ah-youngK-pop group BEAST has completed its Japan tour which saw sold-out performances in seven cities over two months. The successful tour reaffirmed K-pop popularity in Japan despite the diplomatic tension between Korea and Japan. A total of 12 performances drew more than 30,000 fans, including the last concert at the NHK Hall in Tokyo on April 3. The last concert was added in response to mounting calls from Japanese fans who couldn’t buy tickets. With some 3,600 fans attended, the Tokyo’s show was aired through 65 theaters in Japan.The group wowed the Japanese audience with its hit songs such as “Shock,” “Fiction” and “Shadow” along with powerful dances. The group members told the audience that it will soon release a new album in Korea and meet the Japanese fans with a new single in Japan in May, hyping their activity there. “As the group members have actively taken part in various festivals and Apr 4, 2014
Restraint, simplicity A pebble-shaped mother-of-pearl craftwork by Hwang Sam-yongKorean traditional craftworks to go on exhibit in MilanBy Chung Ah-youngKorean traditional craftworks are no more replicas of antiquities that remain in the past. Recently, Korean craft-artists are interacting with the present trends, producing contemporary creations, while keeping traditional aesthetics. The results of their endeavors have been displayed at major international art and design events, drawing lots of attention to Korean traditional craftworks.To gain the momentum to show its uniqueness mixing modernity and traditionalism globally, Korean craftworks will be presented at an exhibition titled “Constancy & Change in Korean Traditional Craft 2014” in La Triennale di Milano, a design museum in Milan, Italy, April 8-13. Organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF) and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Korean craft-artists will demonstrate a diverse array of their masterpieces using traditional materials of ceramic, metal, mother-of-pearl, Korean paper and textiles.Paper-Apr 4, 2014
'Captain America' in Seoul Actor Chris Evans waves to fans as he arrives at Incheon International Airport Thursday. He will be shooting scenes for “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” / YonhapBy Park Si-sooAmerican actor Chris Evans arrived in Seoul on Thursday to take part in the domestic shooting of Hollywood blockbuster “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” In the film, he plays “Captain America.”Evans arrived at Incheon International Airport at 5:30 p.m. and then moved to a hotel in Seoul whose location is unknown. His first shooting here is scheduled on Friday at the Sangam Digital Media City (DMC).The Walt Disney Company Korea that oversees all affairs with regard to the domestic filming refused to say anything about him, including how long he will stay and whether he has scenes with actress Soo Hyun, the only Korean in the film.Rumors mounted one day before his arrival that Evans would briefly meet with Korean journalists during his stay and some of his scenes will be open to the public. Yet Disney denied that. The company argues that any leak of scenes prior to the film&rsquApr 3, 2014
K-pop meets old popular music Rain, left, K-pop singer, performs with Tae Jin-ah, veteran trot singer, during an SBS music program in January. / Courtesy of SBSBy Park Jin-haiThe music genre “trot” seems hardly mainstream today.Although it is regarded as the “root” of K-pop, the oldest form of Korean popular music has had to live so far the life of an outcast, whilst its offspring enjoyed global stardom.Such tags as “boring” and “for the elderly only” always followed the music.That is likely to change thanks to series of efforts by younger musicians to revive the genre.K-pop singer Rain made a surprise performance with Tae Jin-ah, 60-year-old trot singer, in January. The seemingly unlikely collaboration, singing Rain’s “La Song,” proving that trot has a place in the idol-dominated music scene.Quirky quintet Crayon Pop’s new song “Uh-ee,” released in April, is a trot based electro house dance song. / Courtesy of Chrome Entertainment“Through the experience, I realized that older and younger generations can communicatApr 3, 2014
