LATE SHOWS? The Philharmonic Society thought it...

LATE SHOWS? The Philharmonic Society thought it had a winner in the Samulnori, a famous Korean folk music and dance troupe playing tonight at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. But so far, ticket sales have been much slower than expected in the heavily targeted Korean American community. . . . However, Koo Oh, president of the local Korean American Assn., predicts the place will be packed: “This is the first time a Korean performing group has ever come to the Performing Arts Center.” He predicts most will buy their tickets at the door.

PURPLE UNITY: Here’s a new color of ribbon for a cause: Teachers in Fullerton are wearing purple ribbons as a show of solidarity in a pay dispute with the district. . . . They say they won’t take them off until the district gives them a 5% raise, and that past raises have been about 0.5%. Says one teacher: “We want a well-deserved piece of the pie.”

ALL-WORLD: Tisha Whitney of Laguna Hills had already won the 1995 World Masters Road Challenge for bicyclists, plus every other major title in her class. So what more could she accomplish? . . . Whitney, 48, has been chosen Athlete of the Year, for women older than 30, by the U.S. Cycling Federation. . . . Says Whitney, who’s ridden across the U.S. and in Europe, Australia and South Africa: “It’s the only way to see the world. And I’ll race just as long as I can.”

SHARPER IMAGE: Goodwill is sprucing up its image. Its 10 24-foot trucks show a new billboard-sized picture of a woman giving clothes to a man in a wheelchair--plus its logo and number ([800] 446-6394). . . . The nonprofit company says the signs are meant to draw attention to its work with the disabled while making it more competitive with the Salvation Army and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. . . . “We often get confused with other charities,” said spokeswoman Cindy Gertz. “We used to be the only game in town, but the market share for used goods is a little bit thinner.”