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Kwon Mee-yoo

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.

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Arts & Theater

Design company d'strict makes splash in art gallery

Installation view of “Starry Beach,” a multisensory installation by a'strict, a collaborative art unit by design company d'strict, at Kukje Gallery in central Seoul / Courtesy of Kukje GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooUpon entering Kukje Gallery K3 in central Seoul, visitors will be engulfed by endless blue waves. The sea waves crash upon the wall of the black box space, making the visitors feel as if they are seeing the wave from a top view, accompanied with the roar of the sea.The people who brought this multisensory experience titled “Starry Beach” into the gallery is a'strict, a media artist unit of digital design company d'strict. The company uses digital media technology to create immersive experiences. It is best known for "WAVE," a giant digital public art piece featuring a crashing wave at COEX in southern Seoul, which gained international attention back in May. Shown on the largest high-definition outdoor advertising screen in Korea, "WAVE" was dubbed as the world's largest anamorphic illusion.Lee Sung-ho, CEO of d'strict, said, "d'strict has been active in the

Aug 30, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Design company d'strict makes splash in art gallery
Arts & Theater

Social enterprise bridges art, community amid pandemic

Spanish street artist Okuda San Miguel's mural “Equilibrium.” The mural, commissioned by the STEPS Initiative, was created in 2018 with help from local assistants. / Courtesy of Sharon MendocaCanadian public art organization revives business district through artBy Kwon Mee-yooThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the arts and culture sector around the world. UNESCO said art has the power to bring people together ― by inspiring, soothing and sharing ― the importance of which has been made obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic on the occasion of World Art Day in April. However, with the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus rising and the implementation of social distancing measures to contain COVID-19, the arts community is being forced to adapt to the global pandemic to survive."Arts and Culture Education Change-Up," a program that teaches and supports creative people who are interested in social entrepreneurial projects in the field of arts and culture education, managed to create something positive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is

Aug 27, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Social enterprise bridges art, community amid pandemic
Arts & Theater

COVID-19 stuns struggling theater industry

Officials disinfect the Baek Seonghui & Jang Minho Theater in central Seoul in this May 21 file photo. Confirmed COVID-19 infections cases and people who were in contact with them caused the cancelation of many theatrical performances last weekend. Korea Times fileBy Kwon Mee-yooAmid the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the fallout from the pandemic dealt another blow to Korea's theatrical performances at the weekend, causing the cancelations of major shows including "Rent" and "Kinky Boots."The Korean productions of "Rent” and “42nd Street,” which were to close Sunday, had to close down a day early as each production had a performer in the cast who had come into secondary contact with someone with COVID-19. "Kinky Boots," also canceled its weekend shows as one of the cast came into contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19, a day after opening Friday. The actor tested negative, but will be quarantined for two weeks while the show resumes Tuesday, producer CJ ENM said in a statement. As many actors participate in two or more shows at the same time, the after

Aug 25, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
COVID-19 stuns struggling theater industry
Arts & Theater

'This Event' explores value of performance art

Kim Dong-hee's "Sequence Type: 2" is on view for the "This Event" exhibition centering on performance art at the Seoul Museum of Art. Courtesy of Seoul Museum of ArtBy Kwon Mee-yooThe COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing rules have the appreciation of art in many ways as museums have closed down and are holding virtual exhibitions instead. In the case of performance art, whose live nature and the sense of presence are key, the fallout of COVID-19 is even more impactful. "This Event," a new exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), throws questions on the value of performance art in an era when society is moving toward a contact-free culture.The exhibit was announced earlier as part of the museum's annual schedule, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed its direction. SeMA Director Beck Jee-sook said the exhibition is a result of the museum's reaction to the pandemic."Due to its immateriality, contemporary performance art is a challenging subject for any art museum. In the era of untact, we tried to examine performance art from diverse perspectives ― archive, site, time and physical

Aug 23, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
'This Event' explores value of performance art
Arts & Theater

Palace Museum unveils 100 highlights from royal collection online

Annals of the Joseon Dynasty from the Mount Odae Archive / Courtesy of National Palace Museum of Korea By Kwon Mee-yooAmid a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic here, the National Palace Museum of Korea has uploaded a selection of 100 royal relics from its collection to the internet, providing a wider audience the chance to appreciate them from home.The museum, which inherited the collection of the Korean Imperial Museum established in 1908, celebrated its 15th anniversary, Aug. 15. The museum specializes in the Joseon Kingdom's royal court culture and has about 70,000 artifacts in its collection, including National Treasure No. 228 the Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido Gakseok.Located next to Gyeongbok Palace, the largest among the five remaining royal palaces of the Joseon Kingdom, the museum attracted 1.1 million visitors last year."The 100 highlights are the ones that represent the royal court of the Joseon Kingdom and the Korean Empire. The collection showcases how t

Aug 19, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Palace Museum unveils 100 highlights from royal collection online
Arts & Theater

Korean-American artist Arthur Kwon Lee draws inspiration from myth

"All and Everything" by Arthur Kwon Lee / Courtesy of Filo Sofi ArtsBy Kwon Mee-yooArthur Kwon Lee / Courtesy of the artistArthur Kwon Lee, a martial artist-turned-visual artist, uses vivid and vibrant colors and dynamic brushstrokes to reinterpret imagery from classical Greco-Roman and East Asian culture. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee opened solo exhibition “Hermitage” at Filo Sofi Arts in New York, which was scheduled to run from July to August, but has now been converted to a digital show and extended to reach a wider audience.Despite the title "Hermitage," the works on view are strong and intense. The notion of hermitage implies isolation and inward introspection, but for the artist it more emanates outwards."I am a contrast ― I am making the sacred accessible to the modern minded by painting the spiritual under a color scheme that has a certain pop art sensibility," he said in an e-mail interview with The Korea Times."What all of the artworks on display share is a cohesive theme in the light of philosophical dialogue, they function as a transcendental mirror where

Aug 18, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korean-American artist Arthur Kwon Lee draws inspiration from myth
Arts & Theater

Musical 'Fun Home' explores queer identity, family issues

From left, Bruce Bechdel (played by Choi Jae-woong), Adult Alison (Bang Jin-ui) and Small Alison (Yoo Si-hyun) in a scene from the musical “Fun Home” / Courtesy of Dal CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yoo"Fun Home," based on Alison Bechdel's namesake memoir, is the first Broadway musical featuring a lesbian as its main character. It arrived in Seoul last month, currently on stage at Dongguk University Lee Hae-rang Arts Theater.The original author Bechdel is known for the Bechdel test, which measures the representation of women in fiction such as films and books. "Fun Home" is the lesbian cartoonist's autobiographical graphic novel, retracing her life growing up in a funeral home run by her family, and discovering her sexual identity as well as that of her closeted gay father.The musical rendition is composed by Jeanine Tesori and written by Lisa Kron, who became the first all-female writing team to win the Tony Award for Best Original Score in 2015. Korea's musical theater industry relies heavily on star power, especially that of male actors, and few expected this lesbian musical to ar

Aug 17, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Musical 'Fun Home' explores queer identity, family issues
Arts & Theater

European ceramics in Joseon royal court show modernization process

Installation view of "New Era of The Royal Ceramics: Embracing the Western-Style Porcelain in the Joseon Royal Court" exhibition at the National Palace Museum of Korea / Courtesy of National Palace Museum of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooCeramics can serve multiple roles from practical use to decorative purposes, reflecting the times they were made. The 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom faced a turning point when it opened its ports to Western countries in 1876, and European ceramics used at the royal court of Joseon in the late 19th century give a glimpse of how the country established diplomatic relations and tried to survive amid the rapid transformation."New Era of The Royal Ceramics: Embracing the Western-Style Porcelain in the Joseon Royal Court" exhibit at the National Palace Museum of Korea sheds light on how Joseon adapted to Western contact by looking into the ceramics used in the royal court from the 19th century.The first section "Ceramic Consumption of the Joseon Royal Court" presents Joseon's iconic "cheonghwa baekja," or blue-and-white porcelain.The Joseon royal court established "Bunwon

Aug 16, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
European ceramics in Joseon royal court show modernization process
Travel & Food

Gyeongbok Palace resumes night, royal kitchen tours

Gyeongbok Palace Starlight Tour / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage AdministrationBy Kwon Mee-yooGyeongbok Palace, the largest remaining royal palace of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom in Seoul, is resuming its special nighttime and royal kitchen tours.Gyeongbok Palace was the main royal palace of Joseon, built in 1395. Spanning about 433,000 square meters in the heart of the city, the palace has had about 500 buildings over its entire history. The “Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour,” launched in 2016, features a variety of events to enhance the unique experience. The tour begins with a traditional music performance at Sojubang, the royal kitchen where meals were prepared for the king.At Sojubang, “Doseuk Surasang,” a modern interpretation of the Joseon king's meal consisting of 12 dishes, is served during the performance.Guides lead the way to Huwon, or the “Secret Garden,” where visitors can stroll through Jipgyeongdang Hall and Hamhwadang Hall. The buildings are open exclusively for the Starlight Tour.Visitors can also step into the iconic Gyeonghoeru Pavil

Aug 12, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gyeongbok Palace resumes night, royal kitchen tours
Arts & Theater

Choreographer Ahn connects world in '1'59”'

Dancer and choreographer Ahn Eun-me, top left, holds an online workshop for "1 Minute 59 Seconds Around the World." Courtesy of Eun Me Ahn CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yooDancer and choreographer Ahn Eun-me moved her work online after the “interruption” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.In her latest project "1 Minute 59 Seconds Around the World," Ahn attempts to connect the world with an online dance workshop.Ahn was in France preparing for a three-month touring production in Europe when COVID-19 hit earlier this year. She cancelled the tour for the safety of her troupe and returned to Korea as the future of her projects became uncertain due to the pandemic.Eager to continue with her work, Ahn collaborated on a new online project with 40 creative people around the world. “In the post COVID-19 era, the traditional education system has expanded to include online platforms, opening up new possibilities,” she said."COVID-19 has separated people as they are asked to observe two meters of social distancing. However, '1 Minute 59 Seconds Around the World' has proven that people

Aug 11, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Choreographer Ahn connects world in '1'59”'
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