Shows & Dramas

Documentary to explain why people study math

By Noh Hyun-gi The Education Broadcasting System (EBS) will broadcast “Math in Civilization,” a five-episode documentary that follows the history of mathematics through six countries starting Dec. 19. Director Kim Hyun-jun said he wanted to show the essence of mathematics, which is logic, to tell the audience why we learn math, one of the most feared and disliked subjects, at a press conference at EBS Space Hall last week. In this hybrid of history and travel documentary, the viewers will follow stage actor Nam Myeol-ryeol through the enchanting history of math. The first episode will visit Ancient Egypt to show how the Pharaohs used math to rule their vast civilization. It will show how fractions were invented by the ancient Egyptian leaders to deal with situations where you have to allocate nine loaves of bread to 10 laborers. The second episode features the influence of “The Element,” an ancient Greek doctrine by Euclid on modern mathematics, and will air Dec. 20. In episode three on Dec. 21, the narrator will visit India to recount how the number zero came about

Superstar K3 winners ready for new path

By Noh Hyun-gi The winner of “Superstar K3” Ulala Session, and the third and fourth place winners, Christian Love Lee and the duo Two Month, looked tired but ready for their journey into professional music. But runner-up Busker Busker was absent at the interview held at Sangam-dong, Seoul, Monday. After winning one of the biggest audition programs in the country, the three will go on a six-month incubation system with CJ E&M and after which, a possible professional career. Ulala Session members didn't looke like they got much sleep. Leader Lim Yoon-taek, 32, who is in stage four stomach cancer, was absent. But the three other members _ Park Seung-il, 31, Kim Myung-hoon, 29, and Park Kwang-sun, 22 _ all quoted and referred to Lim in answering every question. Park Seung-il said “Lim persuaded us to audition for ‘Superstar K3.’ He wanted us to build a solid foundation to become singers when he can no longer perform with us.” Kim said the group will spend the prize money to create a stress-free and pleasant environment for Lim as they had planned when they had entered the competi

Ulala Session takes ’Superstar K3’

By Noh Hyun-gi The audience watched with trembling excitement and anticipation early Saturday — around 1 a.m. — as Ulala Session was announced the winner of Mnet’s “Superstar K3” in Jamsil Gymnasium, southern Seoul. After months of battling other talented artists, the four-member band earned 500 million won in cash and a chance to perform at the Mnet Asia Music Awards in Singapore on Nov. 29. The band will also release a single and a music video for “With You,” the song they performed on the final stage. Lim Yoon-taek, 32, Park Seung-il, 31, Kim Myung-hoon, 29, and Park Kwang-sun, 22, cried with joy and invited their parents onto the stage. Leader Lim, who is suffering from stomach cancer, thanked the band members in trusting him in this fierce journey. “We owe this to our parents and fans who believed in us. Someone once told me that a band is not made up of talented people but of people who can sacrifice everything else for their dreams,” Lim said, in an interview held shortly after the final round. Lim said that they have not slept much since the first

Queens of musical are coming

‘200-Pound Beauty,’ ‘Evita,’ ‘Elizabeth’ to go on stage By Kwon Mee-yoo Musical divas are preparing to dominate local theater scene this winter, portraying strong women from an Austrian Empress to an Argentine First Lady to a backup singer reborn after plastic surgery. "200-Pound Beauty," a Korean musical based on the 2007 movie of the same name, will raise its first on Dec. 6 at the Grand Theater of Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul. The musical premiered in 2008 and now returns with a revamped music number and set. Actor-turned-director Lim Chul-hyung will direct the show, adding more fun to the musical. It tells a story of an overweight backup singer whose life totally changes after a makeover through plastic surgery. She falls in love with music producer Sang-jun who recognizes her talent but does not see her as a woman. Singer Bada, also known as Choi Sung-hee, girl band Kara's Park Gyu-ri and musical actress Jeon Hye-sun will play the lead role of Han-byeol, who later becomes top singer Jenny. Choi successfully played the role in the 2008 premiere, holding

E returns to screen

Disney’s characters come into life by a university student

By Yoon Ye-seul Heroines of Disney animation have now been catching the attention of their fans again, not in a fairy tale sense but in an actual one. The female characters have been brought to life by Jirka Vaatainen, a graphic design student at the Arts University College at Bournemouth, Britain. The student said his interpretations of eight Disney princesses and one villain were created by combining elements from different photos of women who resemble the characters. He then created composite images through digital painting and then put them together using Photoshop. “I've always been interested in the way people look and what makes them unique in their appearances,” said Vaatainen. “This was a personal challenge for me to see if I could recreate characters that we all know and love, and try to maintain their unique features.” The results are so stunning and entertaining that adults as well as children have been filled with admiration by the real inspection. What attracts them most is their beauty and glamorous bodies which cannot be seen in animated films. “Th

Paul McCartney to wed for 3rd time

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is expected to marry for a third time later by tying the knot with Nancy Shevell at a London register office, BBC reported Saturday. New Yorker Ms Shevell, 51, is an heiress to a trucking fortune. The wedding is expected to take place at Old Marylebone Town Hall on Sunday. The town hall is where Sir Paul married first wife Linda Eastman - also an American - in 1969. She died in 1998 and Sir Paul, 69, split from second wife Heather Mills during an acrimonious divorce in 2008. "Given his last marriage to Heather Mills obviously was a fairly lavish, spectacular do and look how that ended... I think this time round it's going to be a far quieter, more civilized affair," Mirror showbiz journalist Clemmie Moodie said. "It's just close family, a few friends - we believe about 30 people, including his five children - so far more intimate." Earlier this month, Ms Shevell moved in with Sir Paul at his home in St John's Wood, London, where it is believed a reception will take place. Ms Shevell, who was married for 20 years to American lawy

G-Dragon member avoids marijuana smoking charges

A member of the popular boy band Big Bang has been found to have illegally smoked marijuana but was released without an indictment because he smoked only a tiny amount, prosecutors said Wednesday. G-Dragon, 23, the leader of the five-member boy band had his indictment suspended by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office after being questioned by prosecutors on charges of smoking marijuana. During a recent interrogation, the singer whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong admitted to having smoked marijuana at a club in Japan in May while he was on a performance trip, according to the prosecutors. The prosecution's test of Kwon's hair in July verified his use of the banned drug, the prosecutors added. "I smoked a cigarette, which a random Japanese guy gave to me in a Japanese club. I suspected it to be marijuana since it smelled different, but I smoked it anyway," G-Dragon was quoted by the prosecutors as saying during the interrogation. Given that the singer inhaled just a small amount and prosecutors detected only a meager level of marijuana components in the singer

SBS, MTV create joint venture

By Kwon Mee-yoo MTV Korea will be reborn as SBS-MTV as SBS Media Holdings and Viacom International Media Networks formed a joint venture here, Thursday. From December, MTV Korea will be relaunched as SBS-MTV and Nickelodeon will maintain its channel name. SBS-MTV will feature international MTV programming as well as local music and youth-oriented productions. The joint venture is to be owned 51 percent by SBS Media Holdings and 49 percent by Viacom International Media Networks. SBS will manage sales, while Viacom will take care of programming. “Viacom’s long history in international media markets has taught us that a local partner can be key to our success,” said Robert Bakish, president and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks. He said SBS Media Holdings is an ideal Korean partner for them as SBS is the only private terrestrial broadcaster here, with commercial, entrepreneur-sensitive and understanding relationships with international brands like CNBC and ESPN. “Together, we are well positioned to take our businesses to the next level and further our foothold in As

’Superstar K3’ under fire for distorting truth

By Lee Hyo-won Mnet’s “Superstar K3,” under fire for questionable editing methods, apologized to viewers Tuesday. “We thank you for the interest and advice that you have shown for ‘Superstar K3,’” the producers of the popular audition program said on its website. “We apologize once again to the audience for the recent episode concerning Yeri Band.” Unlike other talent shows that focus on celebrity judges, “Superstar K3” has concentrated on depicting contestants’ offstage personas and events. As entrants have increasingly complained that the cable program grossly distorted the truth, makers went on to reveal unedited clips. Han Seung-ho, the leader of Yeri Band, one of the final 10 contestants, said Sunday through social networking tools that revealing the original footage will do little to change how his band was portrayed as having disputed with a rival team, or how he has been branded a villain. He went on to say that the cable show is manipulating the truth through “devious editing tactics” and admitted through Twitter and online communities that he broke the rules by