Hallyu content illegally usedBy Chung Ah-youngWhile more and more foreigners are enjoying Korean television shows, films, music and games, the content creators are failing miserably to protect their intellectual property, a government survey showed Friday.People in developing nations are frequently accessing Korean cultural products through illegal Internet downloads and pirated copies. In countries like Brazil, India and Malaysia, around half of consumers appear to access Korean cultural content through unlawful methods, according to a Korea Copyright Commission survey.The commissions report was based on a survey of about 1,000 people in countries where hallyu or the Korean Wave is newly gaining popularity.About 57.1 percent of those surveyed in India said they were accessing Korean content illegally, while 56.2 percent of respondents in Malaysia and 48.8 percent in Brazil replied the same.This is the largest survey done by the commission so far, which shows the consumption behavior of Korean cultural products in developing nations. We plan to expand these surveys, which we believe will help us develop more sopFeb 15, 2013
Top stars questioned over sedative Propofol abuseBy Jung Min-hoActress Park Si-yeonFollowing the conviction of singer-actress Amy for recreational abuse of Propofol — the drug that killed Michael Jackson — four other top celebrities are being questioned by prosecutors in Seoul as part of a widening investigation.Amy was given a two year suspended sentence for illegal use of the drug in November at Chuncheon District Court in Gangwon Province. She told reporters after the court ruling that the drug is commonly used among celebrities for beauty purposes.Questioned this week by Seoul Central District Court prosecutors was film actress Park Si-yeon, soon to make her Hollywood debut. She is under suspicion of using the drug recreationally. Propofol is a sedative that should only be administered in hospitals. It is informally referred to as “milk of amnesia” due to its cloudy appearance.“Non-medical use of the drug outside of a hospital is illegal here,” a Ministry of Health and Welfare official, who refused to be named, told The Korea Times.“Since the drug is a prescription only medication, raisFeb 14, 2013
Social media - accomplice in murderBy Jung Min-hoOnly in his death was singer Lim Yoon-taek able to silence the sadistic online rumors that described him as a shameless attention-seeker faking stomach cancer. But this doesn’t mean that the Internet haters are ready to let go of the 33-year-old vocalist, who is scheduled to be buried today.Granted, the majority of comments on Facebook and Twitter about Lim, who is leaving behind a wife and a three-month-old daughter, were expressions of mourning and admiration. Still, reactions of anger and hatred were easy to find.``Finally, he’s dead,’’ read one blog posting.Another online writer chimed in, saying, ``Of course, cancer patients are supposed to die. Who knows if he killed himself (to hide his lie)?’’The Internet has been dramatically changing the way people share ideas and shape opinions, a process that has been accelerated by the explosive use of mobile Internet devices such as smartphones, and an insatiable appetite for social media.However, with more conversations and communications taking place behind a computer monitor or small Feb 13, 2013
K-pop venue to be built in GoyangA rendering of the “K-pop Arena” to be built in Goyang by 2016. / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismA performance venue dedicated to K-pop will be built in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, northwest of Seoul.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Friday that it selected the city to host the long-desired project for the Korean pop industry.The venue, tentatively dubbed “K-pop Arena” is expected to be completed in late 2016. Once finished, it will have a main concert hall capable of holding 18,000 and a second venue with about 2,000 seats.The ministry and Gyeonggi Province are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding sometime in March.The decision was made after the concept was proposed by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute and reviewed by music and performing arts experts as well as academics regarding the size of the lot, accessibility, the environment and ecFeb 12, 2013
'Korea communicator' on moveRapper and singer Psy, left, and Choi Jung-wha, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute(CICI), hold up the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award in a pre-recorded meeting that was shown at a ceremony atthe Grand Intercontinental Hotel in Seoul, Jan. 15. / Courtesy of CICI Choi Jung-wha sees more work ahead on spreading culture Choi Jung-wha, president of Corea Image CommunicationInstitute.By Kim Ji-sooFor nearly three decades, Choi Jung-wha has worked in the intense world of simultaneous interpretation in which a split second mistake can become the root of a long-lasting problem between people or even nations. She knows what gets lost in translation and how to save it.Since 2003, she has focused this know-how on promoting Korea to the world via the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) and the Korea Image Award.The year 2012 was gratifying with a coming-of-age for CICI, Korea and Korean entertainment, including “hallyu” or the Korean wave. CICI chose Psy and his song “Gangnam Style” foFeb 12, 2013
Lim Yoon-taek: 1980-2013By Kim Young-jinLim Yoon-taek, front man for pop band Ulala Session, who inspired the nation with his battle against cancer, passed away Monday from complications from the disease. He was 32.Lim, who captured people’s hearts after announcing his illness during his band’s victorious 2011 run on “Superstar K3,” passed away at Yonsei University Severance Hospital at 8:42 p.m., the band said in a statement.“He had been surrounded by his loving family and (band) members. We are sorry that he did not leave behind a will,” the statement said.Lim entered the hospital earlier in the week before his condition deteriorated Friday.His story riveted the nation as the band, known for high-energy live performances, persisted through the show despite the disease taking a toll on the slight singer. Their song “Western Sky” shot to the top of the local charts on the back of the story. His funeral will be held at Yonsei Severance Hospital on Thursday.Concerns over the singer arose last week when an image from a photo shoot in January featuring his bFeb 12, 2013
Discomfort about kids on televisionMBC TV’s “Dad, Where Are We Going?”Mnet’s “Voice Korea Kids” / Korea Times fileBy Kwon Mee-yooMore and more television programs have been using children as their main stars and getting higher viewer ratings in return, proving that fun, cute and whimsical are the smart ways to go in family entertainment.However, experts question whether the networks are overusing or even exploiting children for viewership and raise concerns about the level of stress the young stars are exposed to.MBC’s "Dad, Where Are We Going?,’’ which groups a number of male celebrities and their children on humorous camping missions, and Mnet’s "Voice Korea Kids,’’ a reality singing contest for children between the ages of six and 14, are two of the most-watched shows on television now. And it seems they equally discomfort critics.The producers of ``Dad’’ rely on capturing the reactions of children after putting them in unfamiliaFeb 12, 2013By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Hallyu' in Japan at a forkThe Korean melodrama “Winter Sonata” sparked a frenzy for Korean cultural products after first airing on Japanese television in 2003. / Korea Times fileBy Yun Suh-youngIt was a decade ago when the Korean melodrama ``Winter Sonata’’ first reached a Japanese audience through NHK television and triggered a massive frenzy for Korean cultural products that soon exploded across Asia and beyond.Hallyu, or the Korean wave, proved to be more than just about soap operas as international demand for Korean films and pop music, or K-pop, has risen sharply in recent years.Fast forward to 2013 and the picture surrounding the Korean cultural boom is entirely different. There’s anFeb 12, 2013
Why so serious?Producers of Gag Concert, a popular sketch-comedy on KBS television, received a warning from the country’s censorship authorities after Chung Tae-ho, right, one of its most popular performers, commented on the show that President-elect Park Geun-hye should stay out of “comedy.” / Korea Times fileComedians receive warning for lampooning President-electBy Kim Tong-hyung Park Geun-hyeKoreans could use some humor. That is at least what some might say about the nation that leads the world in suicide rates.Interestingly, they couldn’t be pickier about the kind of jokes they want to hear. Performers of the popular KBS sketch-comedy show “Gag Concert” learned iFeb 4, 2013
Kang Byung-kyu gets jail term for fraudProfessional baseball player-turned-entertainer Kang Byung-kyu was put behind bars Friday after a Seoul court sentenced him to 18 months in prison for fraud.Kang Byung-kyuThe 40-year-old was charged with not paying back 300 million won he borrowed from acquaintances on false pretenses, the Seoul Central District Court said in a ruling.On a separate charge, the court also sentenced the former OB Bears pitcher to an additional one-year jail term, suspended for three years, for threatening actor Lee Byung-hun, stealing three luxury watches and assaulting staff at a TV drama location where Lee was filming scenes.Kang was indicted in March 2010 for attempting to blackmail Lee about aspects of his private life. Kang said he will appeal the sentence.The legal dispute between Kang and Lee drew keen attention from the public here.Feb 1, 2013
