The Korea Times

'Royal night stroll' to return in April

Changdeok Palace starts its Moonlight Tour on April 4. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage AdministrationBy Kwon Mee-yooChangdeok Palace will start its Moonlight Tour on April 4, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) announced Monday. The Moonlight Tour is a popular nighttime stroll program at the ancient palace in Seoul. Changdeok Palace is one of the Five Grand Palaces built during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. Built in 1405, it is the second royal residence following the main palace Gyeongbuk Palace. It includes official affairs buildings, royal family residence buildings and the famous "Secret Garden" with a lotus pond and pavilions. UNESCO designated the palace as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1997.The night tour begins at the main gate Donhwamun, taking a commemorative photo with chief gatekeeper in traditional attire.Then visitors cross the Geumcheongyo Bridge, the oldest extant bridge in Seoul originally built 1411, to look around Injeongjeon Hall, the main throne hall of Changdeok Palace and National Treasure No. 225, and Nakseonjae Hall, a royal residence building where

Mar 18, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

K-pop

Cellist Mun Tae-guk celebrates Pablo Casals

Cellist Mun Tae-guk, left, and pianist Han Chi-ho perform together at a press conference on Mun's first international album "Songs of the Cello" at the Munho Art Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of CrediaBy Kwon Mee-yooCellist Mun Tae-guk released his first international album through Warner Classics, one of the world's most influential classical music labels. The 25-year-old cellist won the Pablo Casals International Cello Competition in 2014, becoming the first Asian to receive the award named after Spanish cellist and composer Pablo Casals (1876-1973). He is the first Korean cellist to release an album through a major classical label in 23 years after Chang Han-na.“There are few Korean cellists who have worked with Warner Classics and I am grateful and honored to record with Warner,” Mun said during a press conference Tuesday.Titled “Songs of the Cello,” the album is an homage to Casals. Mun selected repertoire from Casals' albums and his favorite pieces and added Schubert's "An die Musik" (To Music) and Schumann's "Widmung" (Dedication). Like many cellists

Mar 17, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Cellist Mun Tae-guk celebrates Pablo Casals

Arts & Theater

Changgeuk meets Peking opera in 'Farewell My Concubine'

Poster for the National Changgeuk Company of Korea's "Farewell My Concubine" / Courtesy of National Theater of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooCan "changgeuk," a type of theater style based on Korean narrative singing pansori, blend well with Peking opera, the iconic Chinese performance style combining music, mime, dance and acrobatics?The National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK), which has been pioneering modernization of the genre, joined hands with Taiwanese actor and director Wu Hsing-kuo to experiment with changgeuk and Peking opera in their new performance "Farewell My Concubine."Though mostly well known as the 1993 film version starring Leslie Cheung, the NCCK's "Farewell My Concubine" is based on the original Peking opera also known as "The Hegemon-King Bids His Concubine Farewell." The Chinese epic tells the story of Xiang Yu during the Chu―Han Contention in ancient China.Poster for the National Changgeuk Company of Korea's "Farewell My Concubine" / Courtesy of National Theater of KoreaWu, currently artistic director of the Contemporary Legend Theatre, said this collaboration has a gr

Mar 14, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Changgeuk meets Peking opera in 'Farewell My Concubine'

Arts & Theater

Je Yeo-ran makes squeegee art

Je Yeo-ran's "Usquam Nusquam" (2018) / Courtesy of 313 Art ProjectBy Kwon Mee-yooArtists Je Yeo-ran's abstract paintings have unique, thick textures resulting from the artist's use of a squeegee and her performative painting process.In her solo exhibition "Usquam Nusquam" at the 313 Art Project in Seongbuk-dong, northeastern Seoul, Je presents paintings in the namesake series. The most iconic part of her work comes from that she uses a squeegee, instead of a traditional brush, to paint on canvas. "A squeegee is made of a flat rubber blade, unlike paintbrushes consisting of bristles or hair. When you place the squeegee on a canvas, there's a certain feeling of resistance. In other words, when used for painting, there's a difference between stiffness and softness," Je explained during a press conference on March 8."I need the resistant feeling of an inconvenient tool. I tame the tool until it gets natural for me as if it is an extension of my body," Je said. Artist Je Yeo-ran uses a squeegee instead of a brush to create unique, dynamic textures. Courtesy of 313 Art ProjectThe artist sa

Mar 13, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Sports

Two Koreas push for joint team in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Kim Yong-sam, first vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, announces the ministry's annual operational plan focusing on peace, tolerance, fairness and innovation at the government complex in Seoul, Monday. YonhapCulture ministry pursues peace, tolerance, fairness and innovation in 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo"We should uphold and develop the peace mood between the two Koreas although no agreement was reached during the second North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit in February. In doing so, the role of culture will be inevitable," Kim Yong-sam, first vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), said during a press conference announcing the ministry's annual plan, Monday.The ministry unveiled a plan to make South Korea “a cultural country for everyone" setting aside a 5.29 trillion won ($4.6 billion) budget, the highest amount ever allocated since the ministry was established.Its 2019 plan consists of four keywords ― peace, tolerance, fairness and innovation.Peace refers to inter-Korean relations. To boost exchanges between Seoul and Pyongy

Mar 12, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Two Koreas push for joint team in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Arts & Theater

New MMCA director pursues art exchange with North Korea

Youn Bum-mo, new director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, speaks during a press conference at the museum's Seoul branch, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooYoun Bum-mo, new director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), vowed to make the flagship art museum a friendlier space with exchanges with North Korea and research on Korean art history.Youn, 68, took office about a month ago, replacing Bartomeu Mari from Spain whose term expired last December.Youn is a veteran critic who has been in the Korean art scene for over three decades. "I've been working with a belief that art can contribute to enhancing national prestige and finally arrived at this position. The MMCA reached a turning point on its 50th anniversary, making a new leap for the next 50 years," Youn said during a press conference, Tuesday.However, Youn faced a backlash even before he started the directorial position, as Lee Yong-woo, one of the other finalists claimed he was deprived of the position. "This administration's philosophy of justice and equal opportunity is on tri

Mar 6, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

New MMCA director pursues art exchange with North Korea

Arts & Theater

Photographer reconcepualizes restoration of Versailles

"Chambre de la Dauphine" (1986) by Robert Polidori / Courtesy of Park Ryu Sook GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooFor about three decades, photographer Robert Polidori has been documenting the restoration process of the Palace of Versailles, the French royal residence known for its architectural grandeur and political history.Unlike fancy photos emphasizing the splendid interior of the palace, Polidori captures the bare face of the palace where paintings are taken off from walls for restoration and furniture is wrapped in plastic for protection. At the “Versailles: Poetics of a Quiet Space” exhibition at Park Ryu Sook Gallery in southern Seoul, he presents 14 selected pieces from his Versailles series. The artist is not much interested in preserving the Baroque beauty as it is. "It's about historical revisionism seen through a museum restoration," Polidori said during a press preview of his exhibit at the gallery, Monday.Artist Robert Polidori explains his work during a press preview at the Park Ryu Sook Gallery in Southern Seoul, Monday. YonahpThe Canadian-American photographer is kn

Mar 6, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Photographer reconcepualizes restoration of Versailles

Korean Heritage

Woman of independence movements

Kim Maria, left, with Ahn Chang-ho, center, and Cha Gyeong-seon / Courtesy of Independence Hall of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooOn March 1, 1919, tens of thousands of Korean people took to the streets to rally for their independence from Japanese colonial rule.The March 1 Movement provided a catalyst for the independence movement and became a crucial moment in the history of the Korean resistance under colonial rule. Men and women of all ages took part in the March 1 Movement, but only a few of those women, including Yu Gwan-sun, a 16-year-old student who organized marches at Aunae Marketplace in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province and became the most iconic figure of the movement, are known. As of February 2019, only 357 out of a total of 15,180 people awarded honors for independence fighting were women. Though often forgotten or neglected compared to male activists with equivalent achievements, there are many unsung female activists who fought for the nation's freedom.Lee Yun-ok, director of the Korea-Japan Cultural Harmony Institute who has been shedding light on the lives of these female

Mar 3, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Exhibit explores immortality in digital era

Cho Eun-ji's "Dtang, Dtang, Dtang, the Mud Said" / Courtesy of Ilmin Museum of Art/2019-02-25(코리아타임스)By Kwon Mee-yoo"Immortality in the Cloud," a new exhibition at the Ilmin Museum of Art in central Seoul, explores how immortal values such as history, religion and love are interpreted and recorded in the digital environment. The Korean title of the exhibit is literally translated into "immortal love," but the exhibit inclines to capture the desire for immortality in the digital era, instead of being romantic, through the works of six artists."The exhibit examines human's desire to be loved and remembered. The desire for immortality resulted in records and history. We explore how such desire is regenerated in the era of digital cloud in a contemporary context," curator Cho Ju-hyun said. "This year marks the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Movement and we aim to give a look at Korea's modern history from a fresh perspective."French artist Fabien Verschaere unraveled his experience in Korea during his two week residency program. He traveled Seoul, Busan and Jeju and drew various items

Feb 26, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Exhibit explores immortality in digital era

Arts & Theater

CJENM participates in Broadway conference

Charlotte St. Martin, right, president of the Broadway League, and Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Group, speak during the Broadway League's Biennial Conference in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 1. Courtesy of Broadway LeagueBy Kwon Mee-yooCJ ENM took part in the Broadway League's Biennial Conference 2019 as the first-ever Korean corporate full member of the Broadway theater industry association from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.The Korean media and entertainment giant was approved as an associate member of the Broadway League in 2014, the first Korean and third Asian company. CJ ENM has produced the Broadway shows "Kinky Boots" and the upcoming "Moulin Rouge."CJ ENM invested $1 million in the latest movie-turned-musical, putting its name on the list of producers in the early stages of production. The musical, which will feature well-known songs from the original 2001 film soundtrack as well as famous pop numbers from Madonna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Adele and Rihanna, will open at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre on June 28.The theater production branch of Korea's conglomerate has been pu

Feb 20, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kwon Mee-yoo

Read more

'Royal night stroll' to return in April

Cellist Mun Tae-guk celebrates Pablo Casals

Changgeuk meets Peking opera in 'Farewell My Concubine'

Je Yeo-ran makes squeegee art

Two Koreas push for joint team in 2020 Tokyo Olympics

New MMCA director pursues art exchange with North Korea

Photographer reconcepualizes restoration of Versailles

Woman of independence movements

Exhibit explores immortality in digital era

CJENM participates in Broadway conference

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