Kim Soo-hyun to meet Japanese fans June 30 Actor Kim Soo-hyunActor Kim Soo-hyun, whose most recent film “Secretly Greatly” is fast gaining audience in the domestic box office, will have his first meeting with Japanese fan on June 30 in Shibuya, Tokyo.The meeting is to mark the launching of the 25-year-old actor’s fan club in Japan (kimsoohyun.jp). Kim’s drama and film appearances and how they are produced will be shown to the Japanese fans.Kim became known to fans with his appearance in the Korean drama “Dream High” that was followed by “Moon Embracing the Sun.”In 2012, he became the youngest actor to win the Best Drama Actor at the 2012 Baeksang Arts Awards for his role of a king in “Moon Embracing the Sun.” The drama is currently airing on NHK. Kim’s film stints include a small role in heist-film “ The Thieves”and he will make a stage appearance before the premier of the “The Thieves” on June 30 at Roppongi Hills.In his most recent&Jun 9, 2013
Chinese version of 'Get It Beauty' is on air Tips and know-how of Korean make-up in particular those of stars are available to Chinese audience, as “Get K-Beauty” began airing on Friday through one of China’s biggest video hosting websites.The Chinese version of local popular beauty talk show “Get it Beauty” will be uploaded by the Youku Inc. once a week for six weeks, CJ E&M’s channel Onstyle announced Saturday.CJ came up with the program motivated by the Chinese’s’ high demand for beauty tips, such as makeup, hair and fashion from Korea thanks to the hallyu or Korean wave.“The ‘Get it beauty’ had been a success to Koreans, by introducing easy-to-do makeup tips. I hope a similar effect will happen to the Chinese viewers,” said producer of the program.As part of the program, Chinese bloggers will visit big-name makeup artists, exchange their beauty secrets and apply them on site.The first episode of the program will feature “K-pop idols’ doll-like makeup,” while the second one will feature “five-minute speed makeup for career womJun 9, 2013By Park Jin-hai
US professor ups 'gugak' During an interview with The Korea Times at her office, Wednesday. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chulHilary Finchum Sung, a professor at Seoul National University, poses with her “haegeum.” By Park Jin-hai Many Koreans do not doubt that “gugak,” or traditional Korean music, is distinguishable from other types of music. Yet, just as many people question its popularity both at home and abroad. Hilary Finchum Sung, 42, a blue-eyed American professor teaching gugak at Seoul National University, has a lot to say about this. She said people often ask her why she came to Korea to study gugak. Recalling the night she first heard “sinawi” or improvisational ensemble performance during the master of art course at Indiana University in 1996, she said she was totally caught off guard. “l thought that Korean music would be similar to Chinese or Japanese music. But the timbre was so unique. It was very earthy and raw,” she said. According to Sung, if Chinese music is bright and flashy and Japanese is subdued and quiet, KoJun 7, 2013
'Gentleman' tops 400 mln YouTube views The video for South Korean rapper Psy's new single "Gentleman" has drawn more than 400 million views on YouTube, the global video-sharing website said Friday.The video recorded 402.1 million hits as of 11 a.m., jumping to 16th place on YouTube's all-time list of most-viewed videos.The milestone was reached 55 days after its release on April 13 and 29 days after the video broke the 300 million mark on May 9.The singer's previous hit "Gangnam Style" has attracted more than 1.6 billion YouTube views, but it took about 85 days to reach the 400 million mark on Oct. 8, last year.But the growth pace of views on "Gentleman" has recently slowed.Psy is scheduled to attend the annual Muz-TV music awards in Moscow on Friday and perform his new song.On Saturday, he will perform as a special guest in the final round of "Britain's Got Talent Season 7," the country's most popular TV audition program, according to his local management firm.Jun 7, 2013
INFINITE tops Oricon chart of Japan K-pop boy band INFINITEBy Park Si-soo K-pop boy band INFINITE is top of Japan’s Oricon chart in the category of best-selling albums, its management agency said Thursday. More than 40,000 copies of the band’s first album for Japan “Koini Ochiru Toki,” which means “When I fall in love”, were sold on the first day of its release, Woollim Entertainment said, reflecting the seven-member’s popularity in the neighboring country. The album consists of 12 tracks including “Man in Love,” “Welcome to Our Dream,” “She’s Back,” “Wings,” “BTD” (Before the Dawn), “Be Mine” and Tic Toc.”The act made its debut there in November 2011 with the single “BTD,” which sold nearly 30,000 copies in the first three days. It has since performed at various arenas in Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe and Fukuoka.It came only a week after two other K-pop musicians took the first and second positions on the chart. Actor and singer Jang Keun-suk released his second album “Nature BJun 6, 2013
Moroccan officials learn e-government Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) plans to conduct a fellowship program on “e-government” for government officials from Morocco for 17 days starting June 9. This is part of the government’s grant aid and technical cooperation program for 2013. It is designed to review Korea’s e-government policies and projects and identify the current status of e-government and information, communication and technology development ministries and departments. The Moroccan officials will engage in e-government project implementation and group study on identifying problems and finding solutions. They will also visit related organizations like the National Information Society Agency, National Computing & Information Agency and Gangnam District Office. They will also visit industrial facilities like Hyundai Heavy Industries, and POSCO as well as cultural sites like Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and Haeundae in Busan.Jun 6, 2013
Premature return of troublemakers Tough competition motivates broadcasters to recycle ‘discarded’ starsBy Park Si-sooPeople are bound to make mistakes. Then they are given an opportunity to make an apology for a fresh start.The rule is no exception for celebrities. Numerous singers, performers and TV presenters here have faced forced or self-imposed exile after causing trouble, and some of them have found themselves reinstated, following a probation period, with just an apology.In the past, the “exile” lasted for at least years, during which affected stars kept a low profile and attempted a comeback in an extremely cautious manner. An apology was sincere and even tearful.Now, however, one year is considered long enough. Exiled entertainers jump back onto the stage following a casual, tearless apology and act as if nothing happened.What changed the situation and who are to blame?Perhaps the biggest problem is the absence of guidelines to lift bans on the use of such celebrities at broadcasters. Tough competition puts increasing pressure on TV stations to find a breakthrough and against this bacJun 6, 2013
Food cluster to lead innovative growth of Korea An artist's concept of the Korea National Food Cluster that will open in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, in 2015. More than 160 food companies and research centers are expected to invest in the industrial complex specializing in food products. / Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural AffairsLee Dong-philMinister of agriculture,food and rural affairsBy Lee Dong-phil Traditionally, the primary role of the food industry was perceived as supplying sufficient safe food to the people through the process of production and distribution. And before, merely supplying fine tasting food was good enough for the industry. However, nowadays, the food industry is emerging as a promising future one that generates added value and creates jobs. Moreover, the global food market is estimated to be $4 trillion (1.5 times bigger than the semiconductor industry) and competition among nations is intensifying. The world’s leading nations that already have acknowledged the pioneering value of the food industry are focusing on advancing it by endorsing their own country’s developmentJun 6, 2013
Korea still entangled in the thick of 'Hundred Year's War' “The Hundred Years’ War in Korea,” a documentary film made by the Institute for Research in Collaborationist ActivitiesProf. Lee Wan-bom of the Academy of Korean StudiesBy Lee Wan-bom Today we undergoing something similar to the “Hundred Years’ War.” Historically this was ongoing conflict between England and France. But the war I am referring to refers to one in Korea. And it isn't the war between the North and the South but within the Republic of Korea; it’s the ideological war between leftists and rightists. “The Hundred Years’ War,” is a documentary film that portrays the successes and failures of former Korean Presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee made by the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities in Korea. This film has been viewed by over 3 million people on YouTube. It is the most viewed Korean documentary. This is not only because people can gain access to the film for free but also that Korean people have a passion for history. The filmmaker interpreted Korean contemporary history as a Jun 5, 2013
Webtoon give inspiration to films “Secretly Greatly,” starring Kim Soo-hyunBased on the popular eponymous web cartoon, above, created by Hun in 2010. / Courtesy of Showbox/MediaplexBy Chung Ah-youngDigital comics or so-called “webtoons” have been making a jump to the big screen or stage since a digital comic strip, “Apartment” by Kang Full, the most popular web cartoonist, was adapted into a film version in 2006. Bringing the web cartoons to the big screen offers more opportunities to filmmakers by taking advantage of the original ideas along with their solid fan base and familiar storylines. The Korean movie industry recently suffering from dwindling popularity overshadowed by Hollywood blockbusters is now seeing the digital comics as crucial sources of ideas in their cinematic productions. A slew of Korean movies based on web comics are to be released or to be made, thus boosting the sagging local film industry. The industry expects a series of movies inspired by popular web cartoons would attract large audiences. “Secretly Greatly” is one of this year&rsquoJun 5, 2013
