Arirang TV to Split ProgrammingBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Korea's English-only channel Arirang TV will have a facelift starting next year. The network announced that it is increasing the number of news programs and also developing new shows to promote the nation's image around the world. ``We have decided to specialize our channel (depending on region) ― the channel aired in Korea through cable, satellite and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) will carry various programs that highlight multicultural families; while the channel that is aired overseas will feature programs that focus on introducing and featuring Korea,'' said Lee Sung-wan, the vice president of Arirang TV, during a press conference at the Press Center, central Seoul, Tuesday morning. Various networks around the world have started to realize the need for English channels, and although Arirang TV has been in the forefront with 13 years of experience, it has confronted a competitive race among top networks like CCTV from China, NHK from Japan and even Al Jazeera from Qatar. The network will add three more news programs every day, plusDec 22, 2009
Lucid Fall Returns as Full-Time SingerBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter There was a time when selling more than 10,000 albums was not a big deal. But nowadays, it is considered a great achievement ― one that singer-songwriter Lucid Fall managed to pull off in only three days with his recently-released fourth album, ``Les Miserables.'' The 34-year-old singer made headlines when his thesis on nanotechnology was published in internationally renowned science journals, and again when he decided to drop his life in Switzerland to move back to Korea to pursue his life as a singer. ``I was in the airport and was given a document on which I had to write my profession. I usually wrote 'student' or 'researcher,' but then it hit me. I was a singer,'' he told The Korea Times over coffee at a cafe in southern Seoul, Monday. When asked if this was the end of his seven years of research, he nodded and said it was over. The singer admitted that many had tried to persuade him to reconsider, but he was set on not returning to his academic work. ``Now music is my one and only means of living. But I have no regrets. MDec 22, 2009
Live H to Bring Korean Music Up Close and PersonalBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Local network OBS and English broadcaster Arirang TV are preparing to present local music to the world through their live concert show ``Live H.'' Unlike other music programs where there is a set host, ``Live H'' will invite only the singer or band, giving them more freedom in performing and also hosting the show based on their own styles. ``Having a host can sometimes be too choreographed and boring. The show will be more like a short documentary, or even a film, where the singers come out on the stage, perform and talk about themselves, their music and interesting incidents they would like to share with viewers,'' Kong Tae-hee, the producer, told The Korea Times. The 60-minute show will place local singers under the microscope, just like a DVD from their concert. To add diversity and a party-like atmosphere, the show will be recorded at some of the most popular clubs around Hongdae, or the Hongik University area. ``We will have five to six cameras moving in and out of their performance. Viewers will get to experience a concert rigDec 16, 2009
Music Videos Attract Fans but Need DiversityBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter They may only be four to five minutes long, but music videos are one of the easiest ways for singers to make a statement and express their individuality. These videos are back in high demand, fueled by the popularity of the Korean Wave, or ``hallyu," idol groups and YouTube. However, without a measure of experimentation, these videos will only remain as short commercials, rather than pieces of visual art. ``It's great that more people are realizing that music videos can bring out the color of the singers and their songs, but it's also worrisome that there is only one genre these days: idol pop,'' said Jang Jae-hyuk, the director who created the videos for the Wonder Girls' ``Nobody,'' 2PM's ``Again and Again'' and Park Jin-young's new track, ``No Love No More." ``It was during the late 1990s when the music video boom really hit the music industry. It's safe to say that Jo Sung-mo's video, in which top stars such as Lee Byung-hun appeared, initiated the buzz and from there, music video productions skyrocketed, both in demand and cost,''Dec 15, 2009
Susan Boyle Is Living the DreamBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Susan Boyle still thinks of herself as the ``wee wifey with the mop and cat next door,'' but for the rest of the world, she is a star with an angelic voice. Her debut album ``I Dreamed a Dream'' topped the charts in 15 countries, including Korea, when it was released in November. In the United States, it reached no. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling 701,000 copies in its first week. Boyle's story is the stuff of Hollywood movies: a frumpy spinster from a small town in Scotland goes to audition at a popular British TV talent show, dazzles everyone with her talent, and goes on to become a global phenomenon. Her stirring rendition of ``I Dreamed a Dream'' during an audition for ``Britain's Got Talent'' thoroughly impressed the panel of judges, including Simon Cowell, and even garnered a standing ovation from the audience. Boyle may have ended up in second place in the TV contest, but she scored a lucrative record deal. ``I went from being an unknown, nobody bothering me on the streets to all these headlines with things like 'Dec 8, 2009
Are Entertainment Programs in Trouble?By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Entertainment programs dominate the small screen every day, but despite the interest and popularity, some shows are going through hard times. Does their sheer abundance mean it's OK to make mistakes, or do the producers need to concentrate on not only following recent trends, but also consider fairness and the public good? Reality or Fake When comedian Jung Jun-ha refused to cooperate with a chef during a cooking session on the popular television show ``Infinity Challenge'' (MBC), the viewers had enough. They posted their opinions on the program's Web site, some saying that they felt uncomfortable watching him argue with the professional who was there to help him, while others said it was the producer's fault to air the show without properly editing the scenes that may come across as discomforting. Jung later expressed his apologies through the program, saying that he was sorry and he simply wanted to make the show more interesting. ``The personalities viewers see show just one side of the many characteristics the members haDec 8, 2009
New Drama to Bring Warmth This ChristmasBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Christmas period has many seasonal expectations, one of them being snow. Following the anticipation, both for the television screen and winter, SBS will start airing its new drama ``Will It Snow for Christmas?'' Dec. 2. The storyline of the new soap is the usual boy-meets-girl scenario, but boasts a lovely couple and some of the best makers of dramas in the business. The handsome Cha Kang-jin, played by actor Ko Soo, leads a tough life, knowing that the only way for him to escape the dark shadows of his childhood is to become the best at everything he does, from fighting to studying. The quiet Kang-jin meets Han Ji-wan, played by Han Ye-seul, and discovers that the world is actually a warm, caring place. When Ji-wan leaves her hometown and Kang-jin after her brother's death from an accident, the heartbroken Kang-jin realizes how much he loved her and embarks on a lonely journey to win her back. A few years pass, and the two characters meet by chance, only to find themselves already leading new lives without each other. Ko has madeDec 1, 2009
AGB Neilson to Implement Combined TV Ratings SystemBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Korea will be the first nation to produce a new combined program ratings system from various media such as DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting), cable television and even VOD (Video on Demand). Program ratings institute AGB Neilson Media Research announced that they were implementing a new system where program makers could identify a show's real popularity based on ratings from various media. ``Program ratings have to change in such an environment where there are so many different media. They have to be measured by various means, just like music programs where they come up with ratings based on radio runs, album sales and music source sales on the Internet,'' AGB Neilson's director Ha Sun-cheol said at a press conference in central Seoul last week. Many Korean viewers don't watch television programs through normal televisions anymore. Many watch them through their DMB phones while commuting, while others download programs from Internet Web sites. These new habits have made it difficult to come up with real ratings, but now, thanks to Nov 30, 2009
Bae’s Food Chain in JapanBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Hallyu superstar Bae Yong-joon, who has been actively promoting Korean food and culture recently, will open the third outlet of his Korean food chain in Japan, Friday. The ``Winter Sonata'' hero will launch Goshire Gun in the basement of Seibu Department Store in Tokyo. The store will sell Korean dishes including salads, ``ssambab'' (lettuce wraps) and ``juk'' (porridge), among others. In 2006 the actor, affectionately called ``Yonsama'' by Japanese fans, opened Goshire, a traditional Korean restaurant, in Shirogane, Tokyo. Last year he launched a traditional Korean bar, Goshire Hwa, in Nagoya. Bae also has Korean lunchboxes, called Goshire Bento, being sold in major Japanese convenience stores. Featuring 16 dishes from Korea's ancient Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) such as ``bulgogi'' and kimchi, the lunch sets sell at 2,500 yen (about $26), the highest that any lunchbox has been priced in Japan. He also has a successful restaurant business in Korea. Gorilla in the Kitchen, located near Dosan Park, Sinsa-dong, is popular among yNov 25, 2009
Choose Concert to Warm Up DecemberBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Music fans will have a tough time deciding which concerts to attend this December, as some of Korea's best singers will present their songs at separate events. Ballads Galore Shin Seung-hun, who recently released his second mini-album, ``Love O'clock,'' will dazzle his fans at his concert titled ``The Shin Seung-hun Show.'' The performance has become famous both in Korea and Japan, featuring great music and special stages for his fans. Tickets cost from 66,000 to 132,000 won and will be held at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, Dec. 18-20. Park Hyo-shin, who held his 10th anniversary concert in October, is offering his ``2009 Gift Live Tour +'' on Dec. 30 and 31. More than 200 staff members, including 120 dancers and chorus singers, will help Park prepare a show with various events. Tickets cost from 44,000 to 121,000 won and will be held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium. Boy-next-door singer Lee Seung-gi, having recovered from the H1N1 virus, will show his versatility and engage in a special dance act with fellow dancers. Lee's concert will be Nov 24, 2009