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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

Photographer captures life during coronavirus

"The Dress-Code Mask, COVID-19 Seoul" by Baek Seung-woo / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery NowBy Kwon Mee-yooPhotographer Baek Seung-woo is holding his first exhibition since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on how the virus has changed everyday life in unexpected ways. Titled "The Dress-Code Mask, COVID-19 Seoul," the exhibit shows how people have adjusted to a new lifestyle wearing masks every day after the outbreak of COVID-19 at Gallery Now in southern Seoul through the end of the month.Baek is a seasoned hotelier who worked for the Hyatt Hotels Corporation for over three decades. He is also a fine art photographer who has held his exhibitions "The Windows" in Seoul and Paris and published "Way to Work, Yaksudong," "My Korea" and "My Seoul: Hidden Gems."Baek does most of his photography on his way to and from work, covering Hannam-dong area and Beotigogae and Yaksu subway stations both on Line 6. He captured a variety of people from students to office works, all wearing masks, reflecting the changes the COVID-19 have brought."The Dress-Code Mask, COVID-19 Seou

Jul 22, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Photographer captures life during coronavirus
Arts & Theater

Museum unveils national treasure trove

"Samguk sagi" (History of the Three Kingdoms), left, and "Samguk yusa” (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) are on display at "The New National Treasures of Korea 2017-2019" exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, Monday. YonhapGigantic exhibition puts an end to 55-day COVID-19 hiatus By Kwon Mee-yooThose who are interested in Korean history would have heard of "Samguk sagi" (History of the Three Kingdoms) and "Samguk yusa” (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), the two most important books about Korea's ancient history. "Samguk sagi," compiled by Kim Bu-sik in 1145 during Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), is the oldest surviving official historical document of Korea, and "Samguk yusa," compiled by Buddhist monk Iryeon during the 13th century, is another collection of historical accounts of the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C. to 668 AD) and it focuses mainly on legends and folktales. Despite the public knowledge of the books, few people have actually seen the authentic editions. These books are on view at the National Museum of Korea (NMK), which reopens from a 55-day h

Jul 21, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Museum unveils national treasure trove
Arts & Theater

Backstage magic at 'Mozart'

The stage of the musical "Mozart!" is seen from behind during a backstage tour at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBehind-the-scenes crew make large-scale musical possibleBy Kwon Mee-yooTheatergoers may only see the glitz and glamour of a performance on stage, but there are numerous backstage creative contributors and crew members who move around busily ― like a swan's busy webbed feet underwater that propel its graceful motion ― to make the show possible.Austrian musical "Mozart!," which celebrates its 10th year in Korea, opened up its backstage to give a peek into how each creative department collaborates to put on the show safely and successfully amid COVID-19.According to the EMK Musical Company, which produces "Mozart!" in Korea, approximately 170 people work for the production every night, including some 40 actors, 30 members in the orchestra and 100 crew members in the backstage area. The sixth production of the musical in Korea returned to the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul, where

Jul 20, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Backstage magic at 'Mozart'
Arts & Theater

'Great Comet' arrives in Seoul in September

Hong Kwang-ho as Pierre Bezukhov in the musical "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812." / Courtesy of ShownoteBy Kwon Mee-yoo"Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812," a Broadway musical inspired by Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel "War and Peace," will premiere in Korea in September as the nation's theater industry strives to continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The musical, composed and written by the multi-talented Dave Malloy, premiered in Off-Broadway's Ars Nova in 2012 and moved to Broadway in 2016. It was critically acclaimed for its immersive theater experience, staged in an opulent Russian club setting.In the Korean production, one of the nation's most acclaimed musical actors Hong Kwang-ho will alternate the lead role of Pierre Bezukhov with K-pop singer K.Will. On Broadway, singer-songwriter Josh Groban played the role. In the play, Pierre, an illegitimate son of a Russian aristocrat, is an outsider in society and has doubts about life despite his wealth. Hong has impressive credits under his belt including the roles of Raoul and the Phantom in "The Phantom of the Op

Jul 17, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Great Comet' arrives in Seoul in September
Arts & Theater

Korea ramps up efforts to bring back looted treasures

Korea ramps up efforts to rebuild cultural heritageBy Kwon Mee-yooEarlier this month, a rare and intricate mother-of-pearl lacquerware box from the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) was returned to Korea from a private collector in Japan.The return is one of the achievements of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF), an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration established in 2012 with the aim of discovering and retrieving Korean artifacts from abroad.The lacquerware box is one of the OKCHF's successes, following the return of a "dallyeong," a wedding robe, from the St. Ottilien Archabbey in Germany in February.According to the foundation, it had located over 193,000 Korean cultural properties in 21 countries as of April 1. Forty-two percent, or 81,889 artifacts, are in Japan, followed by the U.S. (27.5 percent), China (6.7 percent) Germany (6.3 percent) and the U.K. (4 percent)."Not all Korean cultural assets overseas are taken out illegally. Some were gifts or exported at the time of production. We try to recover those that have been smuggled out or ones that were

Jul 16, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korea ramps up efforts to bring back looted treasures
Arts & Theater

Deoksu palace available in virtual reality tour

Virtual reality (VR) tour of the Deoksu Palace is available through Jump VR application provided by SK Telecom. / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage AdministrationBy Kwon Mee-yooAmid the COVID-19 pandemic which is preventing visits to cultural heritage sites, Deoksu Palace, one of the remaining royal palaces from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), is available for virtual visits.The Deoksugung Palace Management Office under the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), joined hands with Korea's largest mobile operator SK Telecom to provide a virtual reality (VR) application that allows a 360-degree view of the palace's main Western-style building Seokjojeon Hall.The palace is best known as the venue where King Gojong proclaimed the founding of the Daehan Empire. Deoksu Palace has a mix of Korean traditional and Western architecture, reflecting the wave of modernization that hit Korea in the late 19th century. The name of the palace means “Palace of virtue and longevity” in Korean, in the spirit of praying for a long life for King Gojong.According to the management office, 470,000 p

Jul 14, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Deoksu palace available in virtual reality tour
Arts & Theater

'Maybe Happy Ending' returns with romantic 'helper-bots'

Jeon Seong-woo, left, as Oliver and Kang Hye-in as Claire in a scene from the musical "Maybe Happy Ending" / Courtesy of CJ ENMBy Kwon Mee-yoo"Mayby Happy Ending," a Korean hit musical which premiered in the U.S. earlier this year, returned to Seoul with some of the original actors who garnered popularity on the small screen. Currently on stage at the Yes24 Stage in Seoul's theater district of Daehangno, the musical has become the hottest ticket in town for its riveting story as well as beloved actors.The musical is set in a near future when a "helper-bot" is part of everyday life and these robots are replaced by newer models as technology advances. The show's protagonists Oliver and Claire are obsolete helper-bots living in an apartment for out-of-date robots. Oliver, a jazz loving helper-bot, lives a content life occasionally talking to his plant, but his life takes an unexpected turn as a stranger named Claire knocks on his door in the hopes of borrowing a charger. Oliver, who befriends Claire, set out on a trip to Jeju Island to reunite with his master James, while Claire wants t

Jul 12, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Maybe Happy Ending' returns with romantic 'helper-bots'
Arts & Theater

Gallery Hyundai celebrates 50th anniversary with experimental artists

Park Hyun-ki's video installations on view at "HYUNDAI 50 Part II" at Gallery Hyundai in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Gallery HyundaiBy Kwon Mee-yooGallery Hyundai, one of the top commercial galleries in Korea, continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, shedding light on Korean experimental artists from the 1960s, international artists the gallery introduced to Korea and young contemporary artists who portray the era we live in through art."HYUNDAI 50 Part 1," held from April 17 to May 31, focused on Korea's modern art. The highlight was Kim Whan-ki's "05-IV-71 #200 (Universe)"; art lovers lined up outside the gallery to have a glimpse of the most expensive Korean painting. It was the first time for the painting to be exhibited after being sold for a record 13.2 billion won at a Hong Kong auction in November 2019."Part 2 has a different vibe from Part 1. We started by trying to treat the master experimental artists properly, having a high regard for what they have done in Korea's modern art history," said Do Hyung-teh, president of Gallery Hyundai.Do, who studied art and

Jul 10, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gallery Hyundai celebrates 50th anniversary with experimental artists
Arts & Theater

Performance streaming seeks paywall

A scene from streaming of the musical "Lost Face 1895" by the Seoul Performing Arts Company / Captured from Naver TVBy Kwon Mee-yooEven though Korea is one of the few countries in the world where the performing arts industry is still open for business amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many public theaters remain shut down to prevent indoor transmission of the coronavirus.Theaters and production companies have been seeking a breakthrough and online streaming has become a new way of watching musicals and concerts in the last few months. While most of the theatrical streaming was free of charge as it was offered as a consolation for the pandemic-struck society, theaters look to generate revenue in streaming as the situation becomes prolonged, experimenting with donation and fundraising systems. The Seoul Performing Arts Company (SPAC) streamed its 2015 production of "Lost Face 1895," its musical repertoire revolving around Empress Myeongseong who did not leave any photos of herself behind, through Naver TV on June 22. The June streaming raised 2.1 million won in donations from 220 viewers. It

Jul 7, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Performance streaming seeks paywall
Arts & Theater

Philosophical questions behind colorful balloon sculptures

Installation view of Gim Hong-sok's solo exhibition “Short People” at Kukje Gallery Busan / Courtesy of Kukje GalleryGim Hong-sok captures breath in metal balloonsBy Kwon Mee-yooBUSAN ― Colorful balloons are stacked on a large stone. However, instead of their original lightness, these balloons are hard, made of metal. Artist Gim Hong-sok, stylized as Gimhongsok, transforms the materiality of this familiar object to question beliefs on the role of art. At his solo exhibition “Short People” at Kukje Gallery Busan, Gim presents his signature balloon sculptures in new styles along with spray-paintings titled “Human Order.” He experiments with a variety of materials, questioning the boundaries between completion and incompletion and providing new ways of communication through art."When people see balloons, they immediately relate it to cute and familiar in their cognitive system. I wondered why such cute and pretty things exist and tried to give the viewers food for thought as I believe that art provides something more than immediate familiarity," Gim s

Jul 5, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Philosophical questions behind colorful balloon sculptures
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