Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Korean Symphony Orchestra names mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook as new CEO
Hwang Hee, right, minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, appoints mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook as the CEO of the Korean Symphony Orchestra, a government-funded performing arts organization, in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook, a former adjunct professor of vocal music at Sookmyung Women's University, has been named as the new CEO of the Korean Symphony Orchestra, a government-funded performing arts organization, replacing Park Sun-hee.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday that Choi will lead the state-funded orchestra with a term of three years.
Choi, a graduate of the Sookmyung Women's University Department of Vocal Music, the Conservatory Arrigo Boito of Parma, Italy, and the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, has performed in Korea and Europe. She has been working as a board member of Korea's Regional Culture & Development Agency since last year.
“Based on her experiences and expertise, it is believed that she will activate cooperation with government-funded performing arts organizations such as the Korean National Ballet and Korea National Opera and contribute to the level of the orchestra by actively communicating with the new artistic director.”
Founded in 1985, the orchestra has been performing and working with other state-funded performing arts organizations. Belgian conductor David Reiland, the new artistic director and the first-ever foreign artist to lead the orchestra, will hold his first concert at the Seoul Arts Center on Jan. 23.