KOCCA holds hallyu symposium Korean and Japanese content producers will hold a symposium today to mark the 10th anniversary of the airing of “Winter Sonata” in Japan.The symposium, hosted by the Compact Disc Video Rental Commerce Trade Association of Japan (CDVJ) and SPO Entertainment, will be held at the KOCCA building in Sangam-dong, Seoul. It is being supported by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA)The CDVJ is an association of some 3,300 rental outlets in Japan including Tsutaya and Keio, and is a leading distributor in Japan.The participants will discuss the record and achievements of Korean pop culture in Japan in the past decade, and its future prospects. Also, events to mark the 10th anniversary of airing of the K-drama “Winter Sonata” to be held in Japan will be announced.The CDVJ is preparing to hold a “Korea Drama Award” in the second half of the year and an exchange event that will bring together some 30 Korean and Japanese producers of content.For more, visit www.kocca.kr.Apr 24, 2013
Amore supports migrant women The Amore Pacific Welfare Foundation has begun accepting applications for projects to support multicultural women’s communities.In a project begun in 2011 and titled “Wings of Hope,” the foundation works with the Korea Foundation for Women to enable such women to become active in communicating culturally and socially in Korea, and also encourage diversity in local communities.This year, the foundation aims to support the creation of cultural content, academies that will nurture producers, the “Wink Festival” that works with citizens and a liaison program with Amore-Pacific’s Aritaum shops.Applications are accepted from groups with at least 50 percent of their community comprised of women from non-Korean backgrounds, and with at least six months of consistent activity.Those who received support in 2011 and 2012 can reapply if they have new activities that qualify.Applications can be made via the websites of http://awf.amorepacific.co.kr and http://www.womenfund.or.kr. The deadline for applications is May 15. Apr 24, 2013
Chungbuk attracts Japanese tourists North Chungcheong Province is gearing up efforts to attract Japanese tourists. Tourism-related organizations within the province hosted a briefing session at a hotel in Tokyo on April 17, according to the province’s authorities, Wednesday. This is the first time the province has held such event in the capital city of Japan. The event drew some 120 people from tourist and air companies, where the Korean officials advertised Cheongnamdae, presidential vacation villa, the forthcoming Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo and the Jecheon International Music Festival . They also visited a number of Japanese travel agencies to engage in PR activities. They agreed with their Japanese counterparts to operate four charter flights in August and two in October for the route linking Haneda and Cheongju international airports. The province also plans to open a regular route connecting Tokyo and Cheongju next year. It will also be providing a tour program next month for Japanese tourist agencies, with plans to take visitors to key landmark destinations in the Apr 24, 2013
Korean studies riding on hallyu boom overseas Chang Won-suk, center, head of international support at the Academy of Korean Studies, poses with students. He said government support is important to promote Korean studies abroad. / Courtesy of the authorBy Chang Won-suk I had an opportunity to visit a Korean language class at the Royal University of Phnom Pehn, the most prestigious university in Cambodia in March. I was impressed by the fever and enthusiasm shown by Korean language teacher Jung Hye-min, placed by the Academy of Korean Studies Korean Studies Grant Program, and her Cambodian students. They seem to enjoy learning Korea language and become hilarious at things about Korea. I was able to witness the exemplificationApr 24, 2013
In search of 'Cinderella' shoes Kim Hee-ae Kim Hee-sun Ko Hyun-jung Noh Hyun-jungCelebs’ marriages with the rich not always lead to happy endingBy Park Si-sooWhere the rich are, there the beauties are.Don’t take it negatively. Well, as long as capitalism rules the globe, money is a proven mighty tool to pursue the state of well-being and comfort, an inherent universal human desire. In that sense, it seems quite natural for beauties to live up to this dictum by resorting to their competitive advantage in looks.Marriage for the most part has proven to be one of the most convenient means to achieving this desire of becoming the “Cinderella” of the 21st century.Many female celebrities in Korea have in that spirit chosen the option of marrying rich tycoons to achieve this goal.A case in point is Ko Hyun-jung. The 42-year-old actress surprised the public in 1995 with the so-called “wedding of the century” with Chung Yong-jin, incumbent vice chApr 24, 2013
KTO catering to Japanese tourists The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has introduced a "Premium Guide’’ program aimed at training tour guides to serve high-end Japanese travelers.The program includes training for a variety of VIP-level services, lectures on Korean history and culture, advanced language training and education on medical tourism options like plastic surgery and other health industry items.The KTO launched a similar program last year for tour guides speaking English and Chinese. Forty guides that trained on that program are currently working.The KTO will select 30 trainees for the five-week Japanese course. Graduates of the program will be allowed to guide VIP tourists and participants in international events involving the KTO. For more information, visit premiumguide.visitkorea.or.kr or call (02) 729-9422.Apr 23, 2013By Baek Byung-yeul
Magazines give hallyu boost The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Magazine Association announced the names of 34 magazines they will support with translation work, Monday.The drive to support Korean magazines overseas is intended to help small- and medium-sized but competitive publishers, who have long wanted to enter the overseas market but couldn’t due to the relatively small size of their businesses.A total of 27 magazines including “Auditorium,” a monthly music and performing arts magazine, “Science Boy,” a children’s science magazine and “Memories,” a parenting magazine will have their abstracts translated into both English and Chinese and made into brochures. Those brochures will be distributed at international literature expos.The other seven magazines which have concrete overseas marketing plans will receive from 12 to 15 million won a year. These include “Chulpan Journal,” “Ce Ci” and “IW.”The government set aside a total of 200 million won for the project this year. Apr 23, 2013By Park Jin-hai
Gang Dong-won closes contract with UAA Actor Gang Dong-won has signed with the United Artist Agency (UAA), which is also home to actress Song Hye-gyo.The UAA was established last year when United Pictures (UP), a film distributor, merged with The Firm, a law firm.UAA boasts global networks, heightening the possibility the model-turned-actor will venture into the international movie industry.The agency has partnerships with China’s ATN, founded in Beijing by famous movie producer Terence Chang, and Effigies, a Paris-based artist representation and image consulting agency.Gang recently finished filming short-movie director Kim Ji-woon’s “Hide & Seek” after the actor completed his mandatory military service.Apr 23, 2013By Park Jin-hai
Psy nominated for six Billboard music awards South Korean pop star Psy has been nominated to contend in six categories of the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.Psy, who became a world sensation for his "Gangnam Style" and "Gentleman" videos, is among the finalists in six categories of the awards, including "Top New Artist," "Top Streaming Artist," and "Top Rap Artist." The Billboard Music Awards which will be held in Las Vegas and air live in the United States on May 19, according to the Billboard.com website on Tuesday.Psy's megahit "Gangnam Style," YouTube's most popular song with over 1.5 billion hits, is competing in three of the six categories -- "Top Streaming Song (Video)," "Top Rap Song" and "Top Dance Song."Billboard said the finalists were chosen based on key fan interactions tracked over the last year involving music, including album and digital singles sales, radio airplay, touring, streaming and social media interactions on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other popular online destinations for music.Three global artists -- Taylor Swift, Fun and Maroon 5 -- lead the finalists, contending in a whopping 11 categories this yeaApr 23, 2013
K-pop stars due for Taiwan show Girl’s DayGirl's Day, TEEN TOP, Dalshabet, Davichi, K.will, TASTY, Baechigi, and Ailee have been confirmed to take part in the M Countdown Nihao-Taiwan concert on April 24.They will perform along with SHINee, Infinite, Sistar, T-ara and uBeat from U-Kiss at the Taipei Arena, Taipei.At the concert, weekly charts from the first quarter of 2013 selected by M Countdown will be combined. The groups that will headline the concert were ranked high on the weekly music charts.Relatively new groups TEEN TOP and Girl’s Day both released their first official albums that quarter.for their powerful and moving vocals and K.will recently topped Billboard's K-POP chart with "Love Blossom" from his third album.Apr 22, 2013
