FLAGSTAFF, Arizona (AP) ― The sometimes plain, sometimes heavily decorated bolo neckties are a symbol of the West, worn with everything from blue jeans to tuxedos.Texas links the bolo to the romanticism of the pioneer era and suggests that anyone who wears one refuses to be bound by convention. New Mexico says they reflect the state’s tri-cultural heritage ― a mix of Hispanic, American Indian and Anglo influences.In Arizona, where the bolo tie was declared the official state neckwear in 1971, an

Classical Music“Chung Kyung-wha: ‘She is Back’”: Violinist Chung will perform on Dec. 19, 21, 25 and 26 in Seoul and other Korean cities for her first solo recitals in the country in nine years. Suffering a finger injury five years ago, Chung has been unable to hold a solo performance for years, focusing on teaching at the Juilliard School in New York. Chung will be performing with American pianist Kevin Kenner, whom she calls “a great partner,” playing Mozart’s “Violin Sonata No. 21 in E Minor

Lyrics shine in Sheeran’s debutEd Sheeran“+”(Atlantic Records)The album that sold more than 58,000 copies in the first week of its release in Britain, becoming the highest-selling and highest-charting debut single of 2011 is finally on sale in Korea. British singer Ed Sheeran is indebted to artists such as Jamie T and Damien Rice, as evidenced by a debut that hops between bullish mockney rap and quavering sentimentality. Surprisingly, there’s also a Justin Bieber-like quality to Sheeran’s appeal

It’s finally that time of the year when cozying up with a cup of hot chocolate and a stack of movies seems the best way to spend time off. In winter, warm, inviting hotels can become destinations in themselves. Arumjigi Hamyang HanokArumjigi Hamyang Hanok, located in South Gyeongsang Province, offers visitors a chance to spend a winter’s night in the Korean traditional style. Donated by the 150-year-old Jeongseon Jeon clan’s head family in 2003, the traditional house was restored with westernize

Actor Jang Keun-suk made a donation of 1.2 billion won to his university this week without telling the school or the media, Hanyang University said Thursday.Jang, who majors in theater and film at the school, made the deposit without notifying the school, but students found his name among the list of scholarship fund donators on the school’s website. Jang is considered one of the newest Korean Wave stars with his TV dramas and movies becoming hits across Asia. The 24-year-old actor was named the

A 2012 calendar featuring photos of Korea’s landscape, people and culture will be sent to tourism-related agencies and diplomatic missions for overseas distribution to attract more tourists, the Korea Tourism Organization said.Starting in December, the KTO will send 185,000 calendars printed in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. The calendar, titled “The Story of Korea,” carries work by four Korean photographers who traveled around the country to capture the depth of Korean traditional cultu

As controversy grows over which government ministry should manage the promotion of Korean culture overseas, scholars have come together to seek a solution to the issue. During a policy debate session this week, experts agreed that the job should not fall on just one ministry or government agency, but a network of organizations with different functions. “The role should not fall on one ministry, but the whole government,” professor Lee Joon-hyung of Hanyang University said during the “Internation

Tightrope walking and martial art Taekkyon are likely to join UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, Seoul officials said this week, as the U.N. cultural agency begins deliberating on 84 traditions.Delegates of UNESCO are meeting in Bali Nov. 22-29, where they will discuss which local traditions should be protected and nurtured for future generations under the list of practices with world cultural importance.Korea is promoting six of its traditions, which also include the Joseon Dynasty

Korea’s largest broadcaster KBS is considering whether to take legal action against a lawmaker’s controversial lawsuit against one of its entertainers. Rep. Kang Yong-seok, who was expelled from the ruling party last year for making sexist remarks to female college students, sued comedian Choi Hyo-jong last week, claiming the KBS entertainer insulted legislators during his weekend TV gig. On the Nov. 2 episode of “The Wart’s Kindergarten” segment of the popular “Gag Concert,” a comedy show, Choi

Having lost three of her most precious people, including her mother and eldest sister, during the past five years, violinist Chung Kyung-wha feels she has now stepped into “the third stage” of life. As the first task in this new stage, the world-class musician will hold a solo recital in Korea playing her “beloved” Bach and Brahms. “This feels like a dream,” the 63-year-old said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. “I’d been given a chance to look back and reorganize my life,” Chung said,

Six leading entertainers including music producer Lee Soo-man and veteran singer Ha Chun-hwa were awarded cultural medals by the Korean government on Monday in recognition of their contribution to Korean pop culture. Twenty-seven others received commendations by President Lee Myung-bak, the prime minister and culture minister during the award ceremony held at the Korean Pop Concert Hall at Seoul Olympic Park.The Culture Ministry and the state-run Korea Creative Content Agency declared the fourth

Regardless of ethical issues, blogging is not just about time-killing or communication these days. For some, blogs are an easy road to money. Earlier this month, seven “power bloggers” were fined by the Fair Trade Commission for promoting sales of certain products without informing consumers they were receiving commission from companies. The term power blogger was first used by Naver, a major portal site here, which chose and listed 786 of the most popular and interesting blogs. Moon Sung-sil, a

A touch of sentimental Christmas Kim Dong-Ryul“kimdongrYULE”(Loen Entertainment) He’s finally back. After four years of silence -- which felt like forever for his faithful fans -- singer-songwriter Kim Dong-ryul has returned with a Christmas album that feels happy, sad, lonely and fulfilling all at the same time. Skillfully matching his English name with “Yule,” Kim has created his album with songs he wrote as far back as 13 years ago. Title track “Replay,” written in 2000, shows off what fans w

Korea’s top entertainment agency SM Entertainment said it would hold overseas auditions for future K-pop stars starting January. Starting Jan. 7 in Daegu, Korea, the auditions will go to 15 cities in five countries including the U.S., China, Canada and Japan, S.M. said. The talent agency has produced many famous musicians and pop groups including Girls’ Generation, Super Junior and f(X), becoming Korea’s largest entertainment firm in the past decade. The auditions are open to anyone and everyone

Heritage is not the past, but a resource of the future, and so maintaining continuity between the past and the present is important when it comes to urban development, a visiting UNESCO official said Thursday. “Continuity, here, means understanding the past,” Assistance Director-General for Culture of UNESCO Francesco Bandarin told The Korea Herald. “Changes are forced by history … but it is important not to forget that nonphysical values do not change even if the physical appearance changes.” B

President Lee Myung-bak named Kwak Young-jin, his former secretary for cultural affairs, as the new deputy minister of culture, sports and tourism Wednesday. Kwak, 54, formerly served as the director-general of the Arts Bureau and the Planning Bureau at the Culture Ministry.Born in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, Kwak graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. (hayney@heraldm.com)

The Korean Culture and Information Service published “K-Pop: A New Force in Pop Music” this week amid growing K-pop fever overseas. The 93-page pocket book, the second volume in the K-Culture series, explains in detail the history of K-pop, how K-pop began to make a splash overseas, where the phenomenon might be headed and also introduces some of the most popular K-pop artists. Korean pop was strongly influenced by Western pop music, diversifying through many stages of copying, translation and i

YG, third entertainment agency to be listed on KOSDAQ,attracts 3.6 trillion won in IPOThe recent success of YG Entertainment and other listed Korean entertainment agencies in the stock market is an indicator of the growing influence of Korean pop music at home and abroad, analysts said Wednesday. YG Entertainment drew more than 3 trillion won in its initial public offering this week, receiving bids for 561 times the number of shares allocated to individual investors.The company, which produced p

Simon Rattle anticipates intensity, depth in audiences during Berlin Phil’s Seoul performanceWhile preparing two very different symphonies by two very dissimilar composers, maestro Simon Rattle hoped to tell just one story; a story in which the audience and the orchestra become one and feel the same air. “On stage, you feel the atmosphere immediately. It is not the matter of sound, but the matter of the intensity of the audience,” Rattle, the star conductor of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, said

South Korea needs a long-term, diversified plan to set up new diplomatic ties with Libya as it transitions from Moammar Gadhafi’s decades-long rule, Seoul’s top diplomat to the North African state said Friday. “Economy should not be the only focus,” Cho Dae-sik, the South Korean ambassador to Libya, told reporters in Seoul. “We need a long-term strategy embracing various sectors to start new diplomatic relations (with Libya).” Cho came to Seoul for a four-day meeting to discuss with related mini