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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

Private museums gather up for networking

By Kwon Mee-yoo An association of private art museums in Korea gathers to discuss the Korean art scene. The Korean Art Museum Association (KAMA) holds the third Museum Day event at Seoul Museum of Art (SEMA) through Wednesday. A total of 21 museums will participate to consult art students and provide information on the art museums in the two-day event. At the main consulting space, curators and educators from participating museums will explain their major exhibitions, education programs and assistance programs for young artist such as residency and competition. An archive of the private museums’ collections will also be on display. A round-table talk on the life of contemporary artists will be held from 4-6 p.m. today at the first exhibition hall of SEMA. Hwang Shin-won, curator of Project Space Sarubia, will give a lecture on making a portfolio and presentation at 2 p.m. today. Shin Bo-seul, curator of Total Museum of Contemporary Art, will talk about planning an exhibition at 1 p.m. and Sim Gyu-hwan, the National Art Studio program manager, will explain about dome

Apr 23, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

Light, color and Eliasson

By Kwon Mee-yoo Olafur Eliasson, an artist of light and color, returns to Korea with his new works at the PKM Trinity Gallery in southern Seoul. He explores the interaction between human perceptual abilities and physical laws through materials such as glass, mirrors, light, water and air. At his third solo exhibition at the PKM Trinity Gallery, following shows in 2007 and 2009, the artist questions spectators’ perception of “seeing” with relatively smaller works. Still, his works fill the gallery space with light, color and imagination. The works on display at “Your Uncertain Shadow” vary from watercolor and glass to light objects and film. However, Eliasson was not to be bound in dividing genres. “I am not interested in categorizing what is real and what is fake. For me, reality is relative. Our perception of surroundings could change reality,” he said at a press preview of the exhibition last week. “Afterimage Star” uses eight color spotlights and creates accidental colors, while “Infinite Color Double Polyhedron Lamp” is composed of color-stained glass panels in

Apr 22, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

TVXQ to hold fan meeting in Japan

By Kwon Mee-yoo K-pop group TVXQ have just finished a successful run of concerts at the Tokyo Dome and proceeded to announce fan meetings for the summer. TVXQ's agency SM Entertainment said 165,000 attended "TVXQ Live Tour 2012 _ Tone" in Tokyo from Saturday to Monday. The boy band sang some 25 songs, including new track "Still." The agency said the boy band became the third foreign artist in Japan to hold three consecutive concerts at the Tokyo Dome, the largest concert hall in Japan, after Michael Jackson in 1988 and the Backstreet Boys in 2001. During the last concert on Monday, TVXQ announced that they will hold fan meetings on June 30 and July 1 at the Saitama Super Arena and on July 7 and 8 at the Kobe World Memorial Hall. This is the first event for TVXQ fan club members in four years since January 2008 and the four day event is expected to draw more than 100,000 people. The group will wrap up the concert tour of Japan at the Kyosera Dome in Osaka, playing three nights there from Friday to Monday.

Apr 17, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

‘Camera‘ zooms in on Syria

By Kwon Mee-yoo A Syrian play “Can You Please Look at the Camera?” brings to life the political unrest in the Middle East at Stage 111 of the Doosan Art Center in central Seoul, from today. The play centers around an amateur documentary director, who tries to document people arrested during the Syrian revolution. The Syrian uprising began as a democratization movement demanding the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad in January 2011. It turned into violent clashes as the opposition forces used armed retaliation. More than 10,000 people have been killed during the uprisings that continued for more than a year, according to the U.N. “When the revolution started in Syria, there was a difference. People started to take photos and document everything on their mobile phones. They used new technologies to upload those to YouTube and shared everything,” Omar Abu Saada, the Syrian director of the play, told The Korea Times. Abu Saada studied at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus and established the Studio Theatre Company, including debut work “Insomnia” (

Apr 16, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Actress Jun ties knot with designer’s grandson

By Kwon Mee-yoo Actress Jun Ji-hyun, 30, tied the knot Friday at the Shilla Hotel, Seoul. Also known as Gianna Jun, the actress married Choi Jun-hyuk, grandson of "hanbok" (traditional Korean costume) designer Lee Young-hee. She said getting married has not come home to her yet at a press conference held three hours prior to the wedding. Jun and Choi were childhood friends and love blossomed between the two when a friend re-introduced them two years ago. "I am an actress and I express myself through movies and dramas. I think I have to reflect on myself first and improve my acting," Jun said. She added the couple has no plans for children yet. Justice Minister Kwon Jae-jin, who went to high school with Choi's father, officiated at their wedding; and Jun's favorite singer Lee Juck sang a nuptial song for them. She wore a Reem Acra wedding gown for the first part of the ceremony and a hanbok designed by her grandmother-in-law for the wedding reception. At the press conference before the wedding, she chose a Jenny Packham dress. Jun originally planned to w

Apr 13, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
Others

Turtle marathon on Sunday

Join the Turtle Marathon for a stroll around Mt. Nam and enjoy the spring sunshine, Sunday. The Hankook Ilbo, a sister paper of The Korea Times, is hosting the 417th Turtle Marathon with the Korea Duck Association.The monthly event has drawn more than 120,000 people since 1978. Lee Chang-ho, chairman of the Korea Duck Association, will lead this month’s event. Goodwill ambassador of the association, comedian Park Jun-hyung, and the winners of the 2011 Miss Korea pageant will take part in the walkathon as well. After the walk, TV presenter Lee Sang-yong will host a prize draw with samplings of duck meat. This month’s prizes include assorted duck meat gift sets, running shoes from FILA, tickets to Drumcat’s “The Festival,” a voucher for Donggang Cistar Resort and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit turtle.hankooki.com. When: April 15. Meet at 7:40 a.m. and the walk begins at 8 a.m. Where: The outdoor plaza of the National Theater of Korea, near Dongguk University Station on subway line 3, exits 2 and 6. Inquiries in English: (02) 724-2354

Apr 13, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

2PM, 2AM to film documentary in Japan

By Kwon Mee-yoo K-pop groups 2PM and 2AM will film a documentary on their concerts in Japan, which will hit theaters in June. "Beyond the OneDay ― Story of 2PM & 2AM" will feature backstage footage from JYP Nation in 2011 last summer, when 10 members of the two groups held a joint performance for the first time. It will also show the boy bands' performances and what they do in their free time, offering a sneak peek into the life of K-pop singers. 2PM’s agency JYP Entertainment, said more than 1,500 fans gathered at the airport to greet them. “It is the largest number of K-pop fans to come to the airport, proving 2PM and 2AM’s popularity in Japan,” a JYP official said. The two groups made their debut through Mnet's "Hot Blood," which documented their training process and how the groups were created. The two groups have contrasting images ― 2PM sings powerful dance numbers while 2AM offers more soft ballads. Later 2AM transferred to Big Hit Entertainment, but the bands continue to share a strong bond as brother groups. "2PM and 2AM were trained together before their de

Apr 11, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Kara to launch perfume

By Kwon Mee-yoo Girl band Kara will soon launch a fragrance called "K5J,” which is the first for a Korean girl group. The perfume will hit shelves in Japan on Saturday and international sales will be shipped in May. The name is an acronym for "KARA 5 Jewel" and members of Kara participated in the development of the perfume from the beginning. "We couldn't have achieved this historic milestone without our fans and thank you all for your love and continued support," Kara members said in a statement. They said the fragrance is a special gift for the fans and to bring them even closer together. In cooperation with a Singapore-based company Three Cups Yard, the five members of Kara ― Gyu-ri, Seung-yeon, Ha-ra, Nicole and Ji-young ― visited Paris last summer to meet with a French perfume maker and designer to choose the signature fragrance and concept of the perfume. The Eau de Toilette made in the United Kingdom has fruity, floral and woody notes. "We hope our fans would feel the sunshine and happiness of the Paris we experienced," Kara said. The fragrance is also

Apr 10, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
Tech & Science

Half-priced TV sets facing backlash

By Kwon Mee-yoo A “Half-priced” promotion swept the nation from fried chicken to tablet PCs, and televisions are no exception to the big price break. However, cheap TVs are facing a backlash as a growing number of consumers are complaining about poor after-sales services. The Korea Consumer Agency, a local civic group designed to protect consumer rights, is seeing a lot of complaints on its Website about low-price TVs. One customer, who did not give his name but his gender as a male, expressed dissatisfaction about the low-price TV he bought from a discount store. The customer bought the TV but later found out that the product did not function properly. So he called the hyper market where he purchased the TV, but the mall told him to contact the after-sales service agent, instead of giving a refund. "Both the store and service center refused to take responsibility. They are just blaming each other. I don't know what to do," the customer wrote on the message board. Previously, the local TV market was dominated by large-sized TVs over 40 inches produced by major

Apr 9, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Actor Ryu Si-won‘s wife files divorce suit

By Kwon Mee-yoo Ryu Si-won, 40, an actor and singer who is wildly popular in Japan and Korea, is in the midst of a divorce. Various media outlets reported that Ryu’s wife filed for divorce last month with the Seoul Family Court. Despite this, Ryu showed his intention to maintain the marriage. Ryu's agency, R's Company said that the actor has not agreed to the divorce and hopes to salvage the marriage. "We expect them not to stay together as they might be able to reach an agreement by talking things over to bridge their differences," the agency said. "Ryu loves his daughter very much and he will do his best to keep his family intact." Ryu married in October 2010 to his wife nine years his junior. The two have a daughter, who was born in January 2011. The actor, a graduate of Dongguk University, debuted in 1994 and since then has appeared in numerous successful dramas including “Truth” (2000) and “Style” (2009). He also ventured into singing and eventually the Japanese stage where he had achieved startling acclaim. Another avid interest is driving so he is also

Apr 9, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
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