FREETOWN, Sierra Leone -- A corpse has tested positive for Ebola in Sierra Leone, an official said Friday, the day after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak over in West Africa.　 Tests on a 22-year-old woman who died earlier this month in Sierra Leone‘s north proved positive for the virus, Francis Langoba Kellie, spokesman for the Office of National Security, told a local radio program.　 She came from the Northern Kambia District and went to the Northern Tonkolili District for me

Four panelists from the hit JTBC show “Non-Summit Meeting” were honored Tuesday for their work in bridging cultural understanding between Koreans and non-Koreans. At the CICI 2016 gala evening, hosted by the Corea Image Communication Institute, Tyler Rasch (U.S.), Alberto Mondi (Italy), Guillaume Patry (Canada) and Zhang Yuan (China) shared their thoughts on Korea while accepting the Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award. Guillaume Patry (Yonhap)Patry, who is a former professional gamer, noted

After a year of crowd-pleasing action films such as “Assassination” and “Veteran,” the Korean box office gears up in 2016 to welcome back star directors who have received international critical acclaim for their artistically crafted films. The big names in Korean cinema are focusing their attention on period pieces, many of them choosing to base films on novels and true stories, and are bringing fail-proof star actors in their casts. Director Park Chan-wook, known for “Oldboy,” “Thirst” and “Sto

EXO“Sing For You - Winter Special Album, 2015”KT Music　The best thing about EXO’s “Winter Special Album” for 2015 is that it doesn’t feel like a winter album. There are no thinly veiled Christmas carol rip-offs or songs about being giddy about the holidays. Thank goodness.Instead, the five-track EP brings catchy tunes and pop beats that would have made the songs hits at any time of the year. With the double lead tracks “Unfair” and “Sing for You,” the members of EXO show that they can handle bot

Dope’Doug“Feelin‘MySelf”Luminant Entertainment　Although hip-hop’s been steadily gaining ground in the Korean music scene, it’s hard to deny that many of the new rappers coming out have a similar style -- teetering between their underground roots and a more pop-friendly style. The difference between the two sides is not only in the lyrics, as rapper Dope’Doug shows in his seven-track EP “Feelin’MySelf.”The first five tracks of the EP are about different topics -- staying true to yourself, believi

　　　Dalshabet“Naturalness”Loen Entertainment　When girl group Dalshabet downsized two members to become a quartet before releasing their ninth EP “Naturalness,” there was some concern among fans about how the remaining members would rearrange the parts. For example, Serri was suddenly named a rapper to replace the former rapper Gaeun. But those concerns seem to have been misplaced; Dalshabet’s music remains intact and balanced, and the rap section is arguably the highlight of the Brave Brothers-pr

Heading to theaters this weekend? The Korea Herald offers a guide of what's playing on the big screen.The Good Dinosaur (U.S.)Animation. Directed by Peter SohnOpened Dec. 7The latest release from Disney-Pixar follows the story of Arlo, a young apatosaurus, who must find his way home after he becomes separated from his family. The timid and clumsy Arlo tries to muster up the courage to overcome obstacles along the way, and finds an unlikely friend in a small human boy that he names Spot.　　Remembe

Any new film coming from animated film powerhouse Pixar is bound to drum up expectations. So it was no easy task for Peter Sohn, the first Korean-American feature director at Pixar, to work on “The Good Dinosaur” -- his first feature film after 15 years at Pixar as an artist and working on storyboards. Adding to the pressure, it was timed to celebrate the anniversary of the Disney-Pixar partnership that revolutionized computer-animated films with “Toy Story.” Peter Sohn (Disney/Pixar)“I feel hon

CJ E&M announced Wednesday that it has acquired hip-hop label AOMG, continuing to strengthen its presence in the music genre.AOMG is famously headed by two artists -- Jay Park, a former member of JYP Entertainment boy group 2PM, and Simon Dominic. The label, formed in August 2013, is the home of trendy artists who perform both in mainstream music and in the underground scene, such as Gray, Loco and Ugly Duck.  AOMG (CJ E&M)Ahn Seok-joon, the head of CJ E&M’s music division, said in a statement t

A local broadcaster said Tuesday that its new television series would premiere simultaneously in Korea and China in February.Titled “Descendants of the Sun,” the drama features top hallyu stars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo in the lead roles. Set in a fictional Asian country that suffered a major disaster, the story follows the romance between a young soldier named Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) and a doctor named Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo). The series was written by Kim Eun-sook, who also wrote a

Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun became the latest star to add her name to the cast of upcoming fantasy period drama “Bobogyeongsim: Ryeo (Moon Lovers)” which has already created much buzz with its A-list lineup.The TV drama, based on the 2005 Chinese novel “Bu Bu Jing Xin (Scarlet Heart)” by Tong Hua and its adaptation that aired in 2011, will tell the story of a woman in Seoul who goes back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty.  Seohyun (Herald File Photo)Singer-actress IU has been cast in the role of the

Korean hip-hop trio Epik High was confirmed Tuesday to perform at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, making them the first K-pop act to be invited to the festival.Epik High will perform April 17 and April 24.  Epik High (YG Entertainment)The annual two-weekend Coachella Festival is one of the largest music festivals in the United States, drawing fans to Indio, California, to enjoy music by top artists of all genres.This year’s Coachella is particularly notable because it will

For 42-year-old veteran actor Jung Woo-sung, “Remember You” is more than just another line on his filmography. He took part in the romantce-mystery as both lead actor and producer, taking on the dual role in order to “keep the personality of the director alive” in the work.Speaking at a press conference last Tuesday, Jung explained that he had initially wanted to introduce a producer to director Lee Yun-jeong. “But there were many producers who found the unique feel of this movie uncomfortable.

The world of K-pop is buzzing in the new year, with artists both young and old, working alone and in groups, announcing new upcoming albums. Dalshabet (Happy Face Entertainment)First up is Dalshabet, who downsized to a quartet from a sextet after members Gaeun and Jiyul left upon the end of their contract. The remaining members -- Woohee, Subin, Ahyoung and Serri -- are set to release a new seven-track EP including the lead track “Someone Like U” on Tuesday. “Someone Like U,” which was teased wi

At 25 minutes past midnight on Jan. 1, government officials and corporate executives welcomed the country’s first foreign tourists of the year at Incheon International Airport. Gifts including cosmetics kits and beverages were handed out to inbound travelers, with officials wishing them “Happy New Year” while holding placards that read “Korea Smiles on You.”Over the next two years until the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, Korea will hold a series of grand promotional campa

U.S. music magazine Billboard released its list of the “10 Best K-pop Albums of 2015” last Wednesday, giving the top spot to “Reboot,” from the Wonder Girls.The top 10 list showed a mixed bag of established idol groups, including Wonder Girls, 2PM and TVXQ, and newcomers such as Red Velvet, BTS and Seventeen.The chart only included full-length albums, rarities in the current Korean music market that is flooded with singles and EPs, and gave credit to artists who crafted records in 2015 based on

Two SM Entertainment artists, Victoria of f(x) and EXO’s Lay, were named among the top 10 artists on Chinese social media network Weibo in 2015. They were the only artists based in Korea to make the top 10.According to Weibo, Lay came in at No. 5 with 90.5 million followers while Victoria came in at No. 10 with over 75 million. Victoria was also the only female star in the top 10.Lay and Victoria are currently supported in their promotions in China by SM Entertainment through a local “workshop”

Twenty-five-year-old actress Go A-ra has spent over a decade in the public eye, starting with the teen TV drama “Sharp” in 2003. Despite her more than 12 years in the industry and her fame, Go has a relatively short filmography: seven TV shows and six films. Although Go has recently appeared on a number of television shows, most memorably hit drama “Reply 1994,” she had been away from the big screen for four years when she returned in December with Kim Dai-seung‘s romance period piece “The Magic

EXO member Chen will be joining composer and pianist Steve Barakatt on stage during his upcoming Seoul concert with the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, according to UNICEF, Chen’s agency SM Entertainment and concert promoter Rainbow Bridge Story on Sunday.Chen will be performing John Lennon‘s song “Imagine” to the accompaniment of Barakatt, showing his support for UNICEF‘s work providing aid to vulnerable children around the world. Steve Barakatt is currently serving as a UNICEF Ambassador.Steve

Ten stars, each with different individual strengths in creativity, math or games, lock themselves in a room eight stories underground for JTBC‘s new entertainment program “Code.”The show is an adaptation of popular “escape room” games that began online with versions like “Doors & Rooms” and “The Mansion,” and eventually grew into physical off-line versions. In the games, players are required to find clues in anything from paintings on the walls to bar codes on the backs of books to help them unl