ReviewsChicago `Chicago' SonyBMG This two CD set features the original music score the all-time hit musical, ``Chicago,'' which is about to see a Korean production in Seoul on Sept. 18. The set also includes a bonus DVD. The original score by the Broadway cast members was remastered. The albums offer pieces such as ``All That Jazz," ``Funny Honey/Me And My Baby/Nowadays,'' ``When You're Good to Mama,'' ``All I Care About'' and ``Roxie'' that are all sung by the stars who performed the musical over the last 10 years. Also the DVD contains scenes from performances done while the show toured the world and exclusive interviews with directors and performers. The package also includes a 68-page photo book. -Chung Ah-young Sep 11, 2007
Yonsamas Drama Hits TV ScreensBy Sa Eun-young Staff Reporter The long awaited drama, ``Taewangsasingi'' (The Four Guardian Gods of the King), starring hallyu icon Bae Yong-joon, finally met its audience on television Monday. A ``Taewangsasingi Special'' was aired with a sneak peek of highlights from the drama and behind-the-scenes interviews with the director and actors. The special, aimed to give watchers a better understanding of the complicated storyline, sketched out an overall introduction to the drama and gave watchers a taste of the extravagant sets on Jeju Island and the vast planes of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the spectacular computer graphics that add a fantastical touch. Scenes from the preview showed a striking resemblance to the highly credited graphics of the ``Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)," and the recent box office hit ``D-War," thanks to the drama's massive budget of 43 billion won. Taking off from the mythical period, the special provided a detailed explanation of the king and the four guardian gods, including how the story unfolds into a love story between the Sep 11, 2007
Beyonce to Perform in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter R&B superstar Beyonce will perform in Seoul for the first time in November. Beyonce is scheduled to perform at the Gymnastics Stadium, Olympic Park on Nov. 9 and 10, as part of her ``B'Day World Tour.'' This is not Beyonce's first time in Seoul. She accompanied her boyfriend, hip-hop superstar Jay-Z when he did a show last October. Beyonce is one of most popular R&B singers around the world today. She started her career as a lead singer for the all-girl R&B group Destiny's Child. Destiny's Child released three albums, a self-titled debut album, ``Survivor,'' and ``Destiny Fulfilled.'' Their hit songs include ``Say My Name,'' ``Bootylicious,'' ``Survivor,'' ``Independent Women Part 1,'' and ``Lose My Breath.'' During a hiatus from Destiny's Child, Beyonce released her first album ``Dangerously in Love'' which debuted on the top spot of the Billboard album charts. She scored hits such as ``Crazy in Love,'' a collaboration with Jay-Z, ``Baby Boy,'' ``Me, Myself and I'' and ``Naughty Girl.'' In 2005, Destiny's Child announced thSep 11, 2007
Makers of Ivy’s Plagiarized Music Video IndictedBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The makers of pop singer Ivy’s music video ``Seduction Sonata’’ have been prosecuted for illegally distributing the video, accused of plagiarizing the Japanese video game ``Final Fantasy 7.’’ Prosecutors have indicted without physical detention Lee, director of Ivy’s agency Fantom Entertainment, and Hwang, the producer of the music video. The music video for ``Seduction Sonata’’ features Ivy as a warrior, fighting against evil to protect a child. The problem arises from the fact that the video’s plotline and outfits worn by the 24-year-old are similar to those of ``Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children.’’ Also, the video clip was distributed on the Internet without consent from the Japanese franchise. Square Enix said that all parts of the video, except for the dance routine scenes, are identical to the video game. The company filed a request to stop the distribution of the video in March, and prosecutors ruled the video a plagiarization of ``Final Fantasy 7’’ in April. hyowlee@koreatimes.co.krSep 4, 2007
BBC Worldwide Seeks Korean Co-ProductionBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Amid the recent rise in popularity of foreign television shows here, British dramas like ``Dr. Who'' and ``Prime Evil'' are topping ratings of longtime American favorites like ``CSI,'' according to Linfield Ng, senior TV sales manager at British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Worldwide Asia, the commercial arm of BBC that distributes such programs in Asia. Ng and Oliver Rawlins, senior press officer of BBC Worldwide, discussed the changing frontier of TV entertainment in a private press interview Wednesday, during their participation in the Seventh Broadcast Worldwide Exhibition & Conference, held Aug. 29-31 at COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul. Broadcasting content buyers and exhibition participants -- some 250 companies from 30 countries -- gathered to join the Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2008, Asia's largest comprehensive content distribution market, with broadcasting programs, new media content, animation and telenovelas. ``BBC Worldwide is Europe's number one exporter of TV programs, and TV sales increased by 21 percent in AsiaSep 2, 2007
Drama Offers Hot Trends, Aromatic TaleBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Pretty boys, cross-dressing and clandestine romances consistently had viewers _ especially young women in their 20s and 30s _ craving for more servings of the MBC TV series ``Coffee Prince.'' The 17-episode drama came to a close Monday, and a special behind-the-scenes feature was aired Tuesday. Tracing the unlikely romance between a tomboy (Yun Eun-hye) and a modern-day prince charming (Gong Yoo), ``Coffee Prince'' has all the typical ingredients of a Korean drama. Yet, delightfully reminiscent of Shakespeare's ``Twelfth Night'' and provoking sensitivity like ``sunjeong manhwa,'' or girl's comics, ``Coffee Prince'' has all the right formulae for addiction _ including coffee. Never Never Land The world of ``Coffee Prince'' is far from real, and its fantastic, cartoon-like quality is undoubtedly its biggest selling point. Colorful characters in comic circumstances keep things light: Adorable Little Prince and Peter Pan types reign here, and even the adult characters refuse to grow up. Tasteful incorporation of after effects, or computer graphiAug 29, 2007
TVXQ, Kuraki Mai to Join Asia Song FestivalBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Popular Korean boy band TVXQ and Japanese singer Kuraki Mai will be joining the already star-studded line-up of the Asia Song Festival on Sept. 22 at the World Cup Stadium, Seoul. This will be the fourth time in a row that TVXQ will perform during the Asia Song Festival, which started in 2004. Since making their debut in 2004, TVXQ has emerged as the hottest boy band in Korea. Their popularity now extends to Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other Asian countries. Kuraki is one of J-pop's top singers, having released seven albums, 26 singles and several DVDs in the past eight years. Five of her albums have reached number one in Japan's Oricon charts. She has also released an English-language album under the stage name Mai K in the United States. However, the message boards at the Web site of organizer Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE) are still filled with messages from J-pop fans requesting their favorite J-pop idols, such as Arashi, NEWS, Kat-tun and Nakashima Mika to appear at the event. JapaAug 28, 2007
More Foreign Faces in Korean DramasBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Perhaps a reflection of the growing awareness of an increasingly multiracial Korea, a growing number of foreign faces are appearing on Korean television. More and more Korean dramas are casting foreign-born actors and actresses, although in supporting roles. In recent years, hunky actors like Daniel Henney and Dennis Oh, who are partly Korean, have won the hearts of fans, even though they can barely speak Korean. Now, it's the turn of good-looking and fluent Korean speakers like exotic British-Japanese Eva Popiel and blonde Belgian Julian Quintart to make a splash on the entertainment scene. Foreign Beauties Eva Popiel, a young Japanese-British woman who attracted attention after appearing in the hit KBS talk show ``Beauties Chatterbox,'' is now parlaying her popularity into an acting career. At the press conference for the KBS1 daily series ``I Hate You, But It's Fine,'' Popiel attracted media attention because this is her first acting role, though she may have even overshadowed the drama's lead stars Han Ji-hye, Kim JiAug 28, 2007
Korean Film Sold to JapanThe release rights for ``Destiny,'' an upcoming film starring hallyu stars Kwon Sang-woo and Song Seung-heon, has been sold in advance to a Japanese firm Formula Entertainment for $2 million. ``Destiny'' is an action-thriller directed by Kim Hae-gon and produced by MKDK Productions. There are high expectations for the film, especially since Kwon and Song are two of the most popular Korean stars among Japanese audiences. The two actors have gained popularity in Japan because of hit dramas such as ``Autumn in My Heart'' and ``Stairway to Heaven.'' Around 50 percent of filming has been completed. The movie is expected to be released before the end of the year. cathy@koreatimes.co.krAug 21, 2007
World Class DJs Come to SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Clubbers are get ready to party this coming fall because some of the world's top DJs are coming to Seoul. Armin van Buuren, a trance music DJ, ranked number 2 in the world, will play at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill's Kayagum Hall Oct. 6. DJ Remy will be a special guest at the event, which is part of van Buuren's ``A State of Trance'' world tour. Van Buuren started his DJ career at club Nexus in Leiden, Netherlands, as a high school student. He continued to work as a DJ even while he was studying in law school. After completing his studies, he opted to pursue a career in music, instead of law. The 30-year old Dutchman is one of the most sought after DJs in the world party scene. While his music has been described as progressive, techno, trance and tribal, van Buuren has been quoted as saying that he refuses to limit himself to one style. The club event starts at 11 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m. Tickets are available online at www.ticketpark.com or www.partyluv.com. The earlier you buy your tickets, the better. Tickets are 38,000 wAug 21, 2007