Led by conductor Chung, orchestra to perform Edinburgh Festival debutThe Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director and chief conductor Chung Myung-whun, will hold its second Europe tour concerts from Aug. 19 to Aug. 27, just one month after releasing a debut album under the prestigious label Deutsche Grammophon.The SPO said it will hold a special concert on Aug. 9 at the Seoul Arts Cente

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ― The pirates were nervous. A rookie author ― a white man from Canada ― had unexpectedly arrived in their cliff-top Somali village to ask about the captured ship anchored offshore.Locals fearing a showdown quietly melted away into a small collection of shacks.The encounter with the deadly gang forms the final chapter of “The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World,” a fir

 

A South Korean team of scholars said they have found the world’s longest and deepest carnivorous dinosaur tooth-marks ever documented in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province.The tooth-marks found on a bone of a herbivorous dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period (left) and an enlarged image of part of the bone. (Pukyong National University)Led by Paik In-sung, professor of sedimentary geology at th

The Korea Tourism Organization said it was helping 103 U.S. fans of Korean pop visit the country to see a concert by girl group Girls’ Generation, attend two broadcasters’ K-pop TV shows and visit major tourist spots this week.The KTO said the 103 fans from a K-pop fan community in Los Angeles asked the KTO’s branch in L.A. to help them attend a concert by Girls’ Generation, also known as SNSD.Nin

KBS special documentary looks for ways to practice Buddhist teachings in daily livesHAPCHEON, South Gyeongsang Province ― Haein Temple, deep inside the folds of Mount Gaya in South Gyeongsang Province, is known for housing arguably the world’s most comprehensive and oldest intact Buddhist canon, the Tripitaka Koreana.Visitors have been prohibited from entering the Janggyeong Panjeon, the depositor

Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraDebussy, RavelUniversal MusicAfter reaching a long-term contract with Deutsche Grammophon in April, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s debut album with DG is finally on the shelves.The SPO’s performances of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea) and Ravel’s “Ma Mere L’oye” (Mother Goose) and “La Valse” under maestro Chung Myung-whun are featured in the album. Ravel’s programs wer

People usually associate Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province with the wild because it is far from the expressway and blocked by a high mountain. However, the county is much closer than people think. If you travel along National Road No. 7 via Yeongdong Express Way and Donghae Expressway, it takes less than four hours by car from Seoul. The first spot to check out for a beautiful summer vacation in

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― With “Mad Men,” “Boardwalk Empire” and other prestige series, cable ruled the Emmy nominations for drama. But broadcast networks got the last laugh with their sitcoms.Of the six nominees for best drama series only one, CBS’ “The Good Wife,” is a network program. Of the half-dozen comedy series contenders, all air on networks.Members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences c

The Korean pop market is dominated by idol groups, including Girls’ Generation, 2NE1 and Wonder Girls. For new girl group A Pink, which debuted in April with the first album “Seven Springs of A Pink,” it will not be easy to survive in the competitive K-pop scene. However, it will differentiate itself from other girl groups by showing unique colors of the seven members, they said.“If we say other g

Acclaimed American R&B singer-songwriter Eric Benet said Korean audiences will be able to see him pull off one of the best performances at his upcoming concert in Seoul in September.Benet is to hold his third solo concert in Korea on Sept. 22 at Ax-Korea in Seoul. He concert, originally scheduled for April, was postponed after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.“What you can expect at my co

Mario MaurerThe Korea Tourism Organization on Monday said it named Mario Maurer, a popular entertainer in Thailand, as a PR ambassador. Born to a German father and Thai mother in 1988, the model, actor and singer is one of the most popular celebrities in Thailand.Maurer is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Thursday and visit major tourist sites in Korea for four days.Photos and videos of his visit w

Work will begin on a museum of Hangeul, the Korean writing system, at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on Wednesday.The Hangeul Museum will be a three-story building with 4,200 square meters of space for exhibition rooms, lecture rooms, seminar rooms, a cafeteria and a souvenir shop, the ministry said. The building will also have a parking lot in the basement. An artist’s rendition of the Han

Yamaha Korea CEO targets Korean musicians with Austrian premium pianoBösendorfer, a premium piano brand from Austria, has been added to the list of other well-known piano brands such as Steinway and Bechstein for professional pianists in Korea, as Yamaha Music Korea, the brand’s exclusive distributor, launched it Thursday in Seoul.Bösendorfer was established in 1828 in Vienna, Austria and currentl

Trio of session musicians wishes to leave band’s musical trace in people’s memory; eyes EuropeWhile idol-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie scene has received relatively little attention. This is the fourth installment of a series of interviews shedding light on the scene. ― Ed.Although trio indie band Serengeti is not a household name, each member’s versatility

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) ― One of Latin America’s most admired folk singers, Facundo Cabral, was killed Saturday when three carloads of gunmen ambushed the vehicle in which he was riding, prompting expressions of anguish from across the region. Authorities said the performer’s concert promoter was apparently the target.Interior Minister Carlos Menocal said the Argentine singer and novelist was on his w

Australian soft rock duo Air Supply (Southernstar Entertainment)“Air Supply Live in Seoul”: Australian soft rock duo Air Supply is to perform in Seoul on Aug. 16 at the Olympic Park Olympic Hall at 8 p.m. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Graham Russell and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s. Thei

Selena Gomez & the Scene“When the Sun Goes Down”Hollywood RecordsThere comes a point when a Disney or Nickelodeon star tries to make the transition to official recording artist. This is Selena Gomez’s moment.Musically speaking, Gomez is no Miley Cyrus or Vanessa Hudgens ― that’s because she’s better. She’s got a decent voice, and showcased that on last year’s “A Year Without Rain,” a pop ballad th

Namhae County in South Gyeongsang Province is often called “treasure island,” as there are many things to see, eat and enjoy. Famous tourist sites include Gacheon Village known for having stair-shaped rice paddies, and Boriam, a popular Buddhist temple in Mount Geum. German Village and House N Garden offer exotic scenery as well. The county is at the center of Hallyeo Marine Region, boasting spark

Rock band aims to keep making indie music, plans Japan tour in fallWhile idol-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie scene has received relatively little attention. Seeking diversity of Korean music, The Korea Herald is running a series of interviews shedding light on the Korean scene. This is the third installment of the series. ― Ed.Chang Kiha & the Faces, a five-