YouTube to Stream K-Pop Concert LiveHan Sang-hee Staff Reporter YouTube is continuing its live video streaming coverage of Asia with a concert in Korea, which will be aired in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Local K-pop stars are holding a concert titled ``YouTube Music Day'' for fans and aspiring artists this month. It is the first time for Korea to host such an event. ``We hope YouTube can work as a window to introduce local singers to the world,'' said Lee Won-jin, the managing director of Google Korea. Hosted by drummer and composer Namgung Yeon, top groups and singers, including 2AM, Clazziquai, Epik High and Leessang, will perform. The first live streaming event in Asia was the "YouTube Tokyo Live" event on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, 2008. Two concerts took place in Tokyo and San Francisco, and fans could witness both simultaneously through video streaming. One of the most popular events streamed live was U2's concert, which was held Oct. 25 last year and shown in 16 countries. Its enormity shows just how far Asia has to go, but streaming in three countries should lay a solid foundation for the Mar 16, 2010
TV Documentary Focuses on Korean-AmericansBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Arirang TV is airing the documentary series ``Dream It! - You Are the Next Generation'' every Friday to offer a peek into the lives of successful Americans of Korean descent. There are currently more than 2.4 million Korean-Americans living in the United States, and they have not only changed their own lives but also the way people see them. The start of Koreans building their lives in the United States may have been rough, but now many of their descendents, as well as many newer immigrants, have managed to work their way up in various fields. The documentary is comprised of 13 episodes, each focused on young and passionate Korean-Americans who are living their dreams and inspiring others along the way. The first and second episodes delved into the lives of actor James Kyson Lee and designers Victoria Hong and Nancy Kang. Lee, who appeared in NBC's hit drama ``Heroes'' as Ando Masahashi, didn't taste success early as an actor. He first started the show in a small supporting role, but managed to turn his character into one of the mMar 15, 2010
Korean Music Awards to Honor QualityBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Korean Music Awards (KMA) will be held March 30 this year, and the organizers have promised another year of fairness and diversity. ``The Korean Music Awards has gone through a rough time for the past couple of years after the government decided to stop supporting it. But thanks to fans and firms that noticed the importance of such an event, the KMA is now back on track,'' Kim Chang-nam, the KMA committee head and head of the jury, said during a press conference at cultural space Platoon Kunstehalle, southern Seoul, Tuesday. The event has 25 categories, including the Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Netizens' favorites and a Life Achievement Award. Singer Lee So-ra was nominated in five categories― the Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Musician of the Year, Best Pop Album and Best Pop Song ― the most among fellow singers. This year's Life Achievement Award will be given to folk singer and composer Jo Dong-jin. A total of 60 music experts, radio show producers, critics and journalists participated as judges this year, Mar 9, 2010
Jang, No Call It QuitsBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Popular singer Jang Yoon-jung and entertainer No Hong-chul have ended their relationship. Representatives from Jang and No's agencies have confirmed the two have decided to break up, but will remain as friends. The reason for the split was apparently the two stars' busy schedules that prevented them from seeing each other often. No is busy with the popular show ``Infinity Challenge,'' as well as cable show ``Trend Report Feel.'' Jang, who is known for her fun take on Korean trot music, is currently working on her next album. The couple met in late 2008 when they appeared on the popular matchmaking program ``The Gold Misses Are Coming.'' No had publicly stated that his ideal girlfriend was Jang, wooing her for two years before they officially became a couple in June. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 장윤정, 노홍철 결별 연예계 대표 연인인 가수 장윤정과 방송인 노홍철이 최근 결별한 것으로 확인됐다. 두 사람의 소속사 관계자들은 장윤정과 노홍철이 헤어지기로 결정했다면서 두 사람은 친구로 남을 것이라고 전했다. 결별 이유는 두 사람의 바쁜 스케줄 때문인 것으로 알려졌다. 노홍철은 최근 `무한도전' 및 케이블 프로그램에 출연하는 등 바쁜 스케줄을 소화하고 있다. 트롯계의 신데렐라인 장윤정은 현재Mar 9, 2010
Fact vs. Fiction in Slave HuntersBy Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter KBS’s drama “The Slave Hunters (Chuno)” is enjoying huge popularity for its heart-pumping action sequences and its focus on those who are often overlooked by history books and dramas. Set in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), the drama depicts the world of slave hunters and fugitive slaves. Some were born into forced servitude and for others it was a form of legal punishment. In the drama, a slave hunter named Dae-gil (Jang Hyuk) seeks to track down the escaped Song Tae-ha (Oh Ji-ho). Tae-ha became a slave after being falsely framed for a crime. Dae-gil is also looking for Eon-nyeon (Lee Dae-hae), a female slave he loves. As the 24-episode drama, which began on Jan. 6, draws to a close, many are wondering what is fact and what is fiction concerning slavery during the era. The Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) offers a Web-based service to address such questions regarding the drama by providing relevant historical facts analysis. Did Slave Hunters Really Exist? In the 18th century, the number of fugitive slaves sharply rose, althMar 9, 2010
Kim Hye-soo Mum on Yu Hae-jinBy Cho Jae-hyon Staff Reporter Top actress Kim Hye-soo, who admitted to dating fellow actor Yu Hae-jin two months ago, declined to answer reporters' questions about their relationship during an event to promote a cookware brand, Friday. It is the second time that she has stayed silent on their relationship at a public event. In an autograph session on Jan. 8, she also kept her mouth closed to reporters' questions. The actress took part in a promotional event to launch kitchenware maker Fissler Korea at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul Friday morning. She skipped a question and answer session with reporters, which was originally scheduled by the organizer. Reporters were blocked from getting close to her by bodyguards. ``I think she did not make comments on the relationship as the event was not a personal one,'' an official with her agency told reporters. Yu has also made no comments on their relationship. Kim's agency made the announcement of their romantic relationship through a press release on Jan. 4, days after a sports daily reported that they have beenMar 5, 2010
Iris Season 2 Cast RevealedBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The lineup for the spin-off series of the hit drama ``IRIS'' has been revealed. Titled ``ATHENA,'' the highly anticipated drama will feature some of Korea's top stars and another thrilling tale of terrorism, spies and secret agents, similar to the original but with a twist. Jung Woo-sung, 36, who is returning to the small screen after 15 years, will appear as Lee Jeong-woo, a secret agent who gets tangled up in a conspiracy that threatens the safety of the Korean Peninsula. Taewon Entertainment, the production company, explained that the character holds all the characteristics and abilities that are found in Lee Hyun-jun, the protagonist of ``IRIS,'' with the charm and charisma of James Bond. Lee's nemesis, Son Hyeok, the ruthless leader of the terrorist group ATHENA, will be played by model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won. The merciless role will hopefully bring out the charisma and brutality hidden beneath the 39-year-old Cha's comical and likable character he is famous for, according to Taewon Entertainment. The two main actors have bMar 3, 2010
Two Heroes to Captivate Drama FansBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Winter Olympic Games are over, but that doesn't mean the excitement of television is over as well. MBC and KBS are preparing big budget dramas featuring heroes for this weekend, ushering viewers to another competitive race between top stars and strong scripts. Hero 1: Tough and God-Like MBC is airing ``The Man Called God'' (working title), starring Song Il-gook as fearless spy Choi Kang-ta who seeks revenge on his parents' killers. Based on the popular namesake comic by the late cartoonist Park Bong-seong, ``The Man Called God'' aims to bring some real action to the small screen, with a budget of 10 billion won. Local viewers have seen a lot of cartoon-remakes, but none match this one, both in scale and expectations. Because the original comic book was for readers aged 18 and over, the director Lee Hyeong-seon had to turn the content down a notch to widen the potential pool of audience. ``I couldn't make a television drama with the original storyline, so we turned toward fantasy. We worked on making a cool and fresh draMar 2, 2010
OnMedia to Nurture Animation BusinessBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Cable network OnMedia is joining hands with professionals to create the next Dooly, the main character from the popular animation ``Dooly, the Baby Dinosaur.'' Korea has been struggling to revive the local animation industry. Ever since the popular character Dooly, which first aired in 1987 on KBS, artists, institutes and networks have strived to bring more interesting and creative characters to the table, but failed to attract anime-lovers compared to the flourishing Japanese market. According to a paper released by the National Assembly Research Service early this month, Korea's animation industry stands at a crossroads. Producers and firms may understand that the influence of animation is greater than other products because young children are the major audience and their exposure at early ages affect their future content choices. But because it takes time to create and finally air such series and manufacture related products, it is hard for producers to attract investment despite promising works. So in order to establish a moreFeb 24, 2010
Korea Launches First Official Music Charts GaonBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Popular K-pop songs will now be listed on a local music chart resembling the United States' Billboard Charts, enabling both fans and artists to further enjoy, protect and spread K-pop music. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Music Content Industry Association launched the ``Gaon'' Charts at a hotel in Seoul, Tuesday, with hopes that it will create a more systemized and reliable music industry. The word ``gaon'' means ``middle'' or ``center'' in Korean, and it was chosen to represent fairness and reliability. Compared to U.S.'s Billboard Charts, which was launched in 1940, and Japan's 42-year Oricon, the local chart may be a bit late on the international music scene, but experts are expecting it will work as a well-balanced and an upgraded version of music charts. The Gaon Chart is based on both online and offline data of album and music sales. It has ruled out radio airings, which play an important part in the Billboard Charts, and decided to focus on the transaction between music and buyers. ``It was onFeb 23, 2010