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
Millions made by Korean entertainers in Japan“The important thing about cultural products is that they do not stop there. When Korean culture gains popularity, a wide variety of Korean products other than culture sell, in some cases four times as much as usual,” said Noh Jun-suk who is in charge of future strategies at the Korea Creative Contents Agency.Cultural contents by themselves do not bring Korea an enormous amount of income but the effect they have on overall Korean exports is quite significant.This brings up suggestions that Korea needs to develop better strategies to take advantage of cultural impact Korean entertainers are having on the world, such as the recent popularity of “Gangnam Style” by rapper Psy which broke all kinds of records, including the 1 billion mark for viewing on YouTube.Even by themselves, Korean entertainers are making a huge amount of money. The popular boy group TVXQ, for instance, drew a total audience of 550,000 during their performances in Japan, leading to earnings of 90 billion won ($80 million)Jan 23, 2013
Pororo hits big screensPresident-elect Park Geun-hye, left, recieves flowers ahead of a screening of “Pororo: the Racing Adventure” at a movie theater in eastern Seoul last Wednesday. Shown in the center is Kim Il-ho, chief of OCON, a Seoul-based animation production company that created the Pororo series. / Yonhap “Pororo: the Racing Adventure” will open in theaters nationwide Thursday. / YonhapBy Do Je-haeA 3D film version of animated TV series “Pororo the Little Penguin” will open in theaters nationwide Thursday. Ahead of the official release of “Pororo: the Racing Adventure,” a press preview was held at a movie theater in eastern Seoul on Wednesday.The big screen debut of the inquisitive penguin, the main character of the popular animation series, coincides with the 10th anniversary of its creation. Pororo is a dominating presence in the lives of Korean children. It has become so popular herJan 20, 2013
