The Korea Times

Park Sun-hee takes helm in Korean Symphony Orchestra

By Kwon Mee-yooPark Sun-hee, new CEO of the Korean Symphony OrchestraPark Sun-hee, chief manager of the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation (KACF), has been named CEO of the Korean Symphony Orchestra (KSO).The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last Friday that Park will lead the state-funded orchestra with a term of three years. Park, 44, earned positive reviews for discovering young musical talents in Korea and strengthening international exchanges. She is acknowledged for bridging concerts of Korean musicians with world-class orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. The foundation, a subsidiary of the Kumho Asiana Group, was founded in 1977 and now is known as one of the best art patronage institutions in Korea. The KACF awards scholarships to aspiring classical musicians and the list of grantees includes pianists Son Yeol-eum and Kim Sun-wook and violinists Lim Ji-young and Lee Yu-ra. It also rents out high-quality musical instruments to rising musicians and operates Kumho Art Hall, Munho Art Hall and Kumho Museum of Art. "Park is the

Jan 15, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Park Sun-hee takes helm in Korean Symphony Orchestra

Arts & Theater

'Glory of Korea' originates from Goryeo

"Lacquered Statue of Buddhist Monk Huirang," who was teacher of Goryeo founder Wang Geon, is on display at the "Goryeo: The Glory of Korea" exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul. The national museum placed an empty lotus-shaped pedestal next to Master Huirang's statue for the Wang Geon statue in the Korean Central History Museum in Pyongyang. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooThis nation's name Korea is derived from an exonym of the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom, one of the ancient countries that reigned over the Korean peninsula. Best known for its beautiful jade-colored celadon as well as woodblock and metalloid typography techniques, Goryeo is the first country to rule most of the Korean Peninsula and improve its foundation for cultural and economic expansion.The National Museum of Korea (NMK) holds an exhibition to commemorate this less-noticed part of Korea's history.Titled "Goryeo: The Glory of Korea,” NMK director general Bae Ki-dong said the exhibit is “the finale of the national museum's year-long project celebrating the 1,100th anniversary of Goryeo Kingdom

Jan 10, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

'Gentleman's Guide' approaches murders in witty way

Oh Man-seok, left, as Henry D'Ysquith and Seo Kyung-su as Monty Navarro in a scene from the musical "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" / Courtesy of ShownoteBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Korean premiere of the Broadway musical "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," a black comedy full of deaths, but not bloody at all, opened at the Hongik Daehangno Art Center in central Seoul.Set in the early 1900s, the musical captures one of the favorite times of Korean theatergoers ― London in the Victorian era. The show begins with a group of mourners warning any faint-hearted audience members of the upcoming disturbances.Young but poor Monty Navarro discovers at his mother's funeral that she was a member of the famous aristocratic D'Ysquith family, who was expelled from the clan for her elopement with a Spanish musical actor, and he is the ninth in line to inherit the family's noble title. To impress his socially ambitious lover Sibella Hallward and avenge his mother's miserable life, Monty embarks on a journey to take his rightful place in the family ― by eliminating those who are ahead of him in

Jan 8, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Gentleman's Guide' approaches murders in witty way

Arts & Theater

Three artists redefine sculpture

Gwon O-sang's " Red Shirt and Whistle, Calder's Circus” is on view at the "Endless Column" exhibition at the Arario Gallery Ryse Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The exhibit sheds light on three sculptors expanding the boundaries of sculpture. / Courtesy of Arario GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooSculpture refers to 3D art objects. Traditionally, sculptural pieces were made through carving or casting, but a new way of making sculptures emerged in the 20th century ― constructing and assembling various materials and found objects. "Endless Column," a new exhibition at the Arario Gallery Ryse Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, explores this branch of the art with three sculptors, Gwon O-sang, Kim In-bai and Lee Dong-wook, who push the boundaries of sculpture.The exhibit title pays tribute to Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi and his work "Endless Column." Brancusi established the foundation of modern sculpture."Not so many artists these days are called sculptors and these three sculptors' works might not look like traditional sculptures,” an Arario Gallery official said. “However, they've defi

Jan 2, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Korean Heritage

Year of 'Golden Pig' comes to town

A free range, grass-fed pig roams the Songjo Farm in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, in early Monday morning. 2019 is the Year of the Golden Pig. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Year of the Pig has dawned. As 2019 is the Year of the Golden Pig, coming every 60 years, people expect bigger luck as the pig's plump body and big ears exemplify good luck. Despite being familiar to humans, pigs are often considered filthy animals, but in fact they are very clean with the habit of rolling in mud to cool off. Such a habit is captured in the idiom "happy as a pig in muck," referring to being joyful and content.The pig is the 12th animal in the Chinese Zodiac, representing north-west-north in direction and 9 to 11 p.m. in time. In Chinese mythology, the 12 animals helped Buddha to create the world and were awarded with directions and times of the universe in return. "Though the pig comes last in the Chinese Zodiac, it does not mean the animal is inferior to others," said Kim Jong-dae, a professor of Korean Language and Literature at Chung-Ang University specializin

Dec 31, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Korean Heritage

Master pansori singer Ahn presents 'Simcheong-ga' for year end conert

Ahn Sook-sunBy Kwon Mee-yooMaster pansori singer Ahn Sook-sun, 69, wraps up this eventful year with a complete singing of "Simcheong-ga," a well-known pansori piece about filial love, piety and perseverance, with four of her disciples for the year-end "Complete Performance of Pansori" at the Haneul Theater of the National Theater of Korea (NTOK) on Mount Nam on Dec. 27. Pansori is a traditional Korean narrative form of music, sometimes compared to opera.Ahn is a trained practitioner of "gayageum sanjo and byeongchang," Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 23, singing while playing the "gayageum" (12-stringed zither) and the only pansori singer to perform all five existing pansori pieces at the NTOK's "The Complete Performance of Pansori" since 1986.The Intangible Cultural Property title holder will sing the Gangsan version of "Simcheong-ga," developed by Park Yu-jeon, a pansori master of Seopyeonje style at the end of the 19th century. The Gangsan style is known for its understated characteristics.“Simcheong-ga” revolves around Sim Cheong, a girl who sacrifices hers

Dec 25, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Public museums suffer leadership vacuum, biennales galore in 2018

The AmorePacific Museum of Art is located in the new Amore Pacific headquarters designed by David Chipperfield in Yongsan, Seoul. Korea Times fileBy Kwon Mee-yooFor the art world, 2018 was a year of change. Major public museums, including the flagship National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, waved off directors and welcomed new leadership, while some of them are still looking for the right one.Bartomeu Mari, former director of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea whose term expired on Dec. 13Old and new directorsBartomeu Mari, former director of the MMCA who was the first foreigner to occupy the position, stepped down on Dec. 13 after his three-year term. Earlier this year, Mari hoped for an extension of his term to continue his visions promoting the museum internationally, but the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided against it, citing that the museum needs to establish a more distinct Korean identity. Mari pointed out that the post has many limitations as the MMCA director does not have authority over personnel affairs or budget, all coming down f

Dec 25, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Public museums suffer leadership vacuum, biennales galore in 2018

Arts & Theater

Duchamp's most famous urinal on view in Seoul

A 1950 replica of Marcel Duchamp's 1917 work "Fountain" is currently on view at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul. This is the first example of readymade and considered as the artwork which changed the course of art history by challenging the concept of what is art. Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooMarcel Duchamp (1887-1968) is an artist who changed the course of art history by challenging the concept of what is art. About 100 years ago in 1917, he submitted a urinal ― purchased from a hardware store and signed with his pseudonym "R. Mutt" ― under the title of "Fountain" to an exhibition organized by the Society of Independent Artists in New York, which claimed it would accept any work of art as long as an application fee is paid. However, "Fountain" was considered not art and rejected from the exhibit, igniting a debate over the most intellectually challenging art piece of the 20th century.Despite its impact on modern art, the original 1917 "Fountain" is documented in just a few photographs. "The original urinal was simply discarded or disappeared around 1919. It is a p

Dec 23, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Duchamp's most famous urinal on view in Seoul

Arts & Theater

How Korea's modern art began

A 12-panel folding screen "Cranes and Peaches" circa 1902 combines traditional and modern techniques as the Korean Empire adopted Western influences. Courtesy of MMCAExhibition sheds light on art of Korean EmpireBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Korean Empire (1897-1910), proclaimed by Joseon's 26th ruler King Gojong as an effort to modernize, is often neglected in Korea's history. "Art of the Korean Empire ― The Emergence of Modern Art," an exhibition on view at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Deoksugung, sheds light on this short-lived, but crucial period in the development of modern art in Korea. The exhibit commemorates the 20th anniversary of MMCA Deoksugung, situated within one of Seoul's royal palaces. "The art of the Korean Empire is the legacy of King Gojong. Despite its relatively brief duration, the foundation for Korean modern art of the 20th century was laid during the Korean Empire," MMCA curator Bae Won-jung said. "It was a dynamic era with a lot of cultural stimuli when foreign influences were rejected while preserving traditional practices."The art histor

Dec 20, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

'Play That Goes Wrong' highlights backstage mayhem

A scene from "The Play That Goes Wrong" at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyStage manager reveals secrets behind stageBy Kwon Mee-yooAudiences of "The Play That Goes Wrong," currently being staged at Sejong M Theater in the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul, will encounter a poster for "The Murder at Haversham Manor" as they arrive at the theater's lobby. Amid the confusion, a man wanders around the lobby, looking for a French bulldog named Winston, which has to appear in the second act of the play. At the other corner of the lobby, Chris, the director of the play, shakes hands with audience members before they enter the house. It's 10 minutes before the curtain goes up, but stage manager Trevor ― the man who was asking around for the dog ― and stage crew member Annie are busy repairing a broken fireplace on the set. Will this mayhem be over as the play starts?"The Play That Goes Wrong," a recent hit from London's West End, revolves around the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society and their staging of "The Murder at Ha

Dec 17, 2018By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kwon Mee-yoo

Read more

Park Sun-hee takes helm in Korean Symphony Orchestra

'Glory of Korea' originates from Goryeo

'Gentleman's Guide' approaches murders in witty way

Three artists redefine sculpture

Year of 'Golden Pig' comes to town

Master pansori singer Ahn presents 'Simcheong-ga' for year end conert

Public museums suffer leadership vacuum, biennales galore in 2018

Duchamp's most famous urinal on view in Seoul

How Korea's modern art began

'Play That Goes Wrong' highlights backstage mayhem

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