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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

Lee to lead Chungmu Art Hall as cultural hub

By Kwon Mee-yoo Chungmu Art Hall (CMAH) in central Seoul is seeking to become one of the nation’s most prestigious theaters under the new leadership of CEO Lee Jong-duck. Lee, 76, was tapped as the new head of CMAH in mid-January. He began his career at the Ministry of Culture in 1963 and has led major venues in Korea including Seoul Arts Center from 1995, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from 1999 and Seongnam Art Center from 2004. "It feels a little tight to be in a smaller place, compared to my previous workplace," he said. "But my view of life is that where I am is the best place and I will come up with performances to suit this theater." "I think planning performances is a long-term job, looking at least five years ahead. What would be the best thing for CMAH?" he said. CMAH is composed of the Grand Theater (1,231 seats), Theater Black (327 seats), Theater Blue (258 seats) and Chungmu Gallery. "Since CMAH is under the Jung-gu Cultural Foundation and Jung-gu District Office, we should provide performances for local residents for their emotional and intelle

Mar 7, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Koirala wins Manhae Prize

By Kwon Mee-yoo Anuradha Koirala, 62, the founder and executive director of Maiti Nepal, won the 15th Manhae Prize Thursday. Manhae Foundation, an organization commemorating poet Han Yong-un, also known as Reverend Manhae, hosts the annual Manhae Prize to honor people who promote peace across the globe. A Korean poet under Japanese colonial rule, Han is most famous for his work "Love's Silence" and his patriotic activities. Koirala was formerly an English teacher, but now she fights for the human rights of sex trade victims. She was chosen as the Hero of the Year by CNN in 2010, for saving Nepalese girls sold for sex trafficking. The literature section of the prize was awarded to Mo Yan of China and Lee Keun-bae of Korea. Mo is a modern Chinese author known for his works such as "Red Sorghum" (1987) and "Big Breasts and Wide Hips" (1996). Lee's poems are based on sijo, traditional three-verse Korean poems, and he modernized the traditional style in his own way. Sri Lankan archaeologist S.B. Hettiaratchi won the practice section, for academically analyzing the history o

Mar 4, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

Colorful patterns induce imagination

By Kwon Mee-yoo From pink flowers to blue pentagons, the color palette and patterns of Hong Jung-hee, 66, captivate visitors entering Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space in Apgujeong, southern Seoul. Her first solo exhibition in six years is now ongoing at the gallery located amid office buildings in southern Seoul. The two-floor exhibition is filled with some 60 pieces of Hong's latest works since 2005. The series is called "Nano," coming from the smallest particle in physics. Just as the smallest unit can transform into anything, she wants unlimited interpretation on her pictures. Hong has been dedicated to color field abstraction since the 1970s and has established a solid world of color and pattern. The geometric patterns in Hong's paintings can be interpreted in various ways; triangles for a mountain or an arrow and five-cornered shapes for a house. Some patterns are even, while the others are irregular. Her signature four-leaf clover or modified cross pattern has recently changed into irregular patterns like blooming flower shapes. Her drawings do not have a

Mar 4, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Girl group Kara tops Japan DVD chart

By Kwon Mee-yoo Girl group Kara has topped the Japanese music chart once again with their DVD. The group headed the weekly DVD section of Oricon, the music sales chart of Japan, with their new DVD “Kara Best Clips.” Released on Feb. 23, the DVD sold 132,000 copies in the first week. The Oricon News said the group members are the first female foreign singers to top the DVD sales list after its launch in 1999. The group finishes sixth, when male singers are included, following the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, TVXQ, JYJ and Michael Jackson. The sales exceeded the Japanese record of female singer's first-week DVD sales, previously 99,000 copies for Mai Kuraki's "First Cut" in 2000. Their latest DVD “Kara Best Clips” includes eight tracks _ the group's Japanese debut "Mister" and "Jumping" in both Korean and Japanese and video clips of other songs such as "Lupin." The five-member girl group made its debut in 2007 and expanded their horizons to Japan in August 2010, rising to stardom in both countries. Despite a dispute with Korean agency DSP Entertainment, the group wi

Mar 2, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

Trite plot dwarfs music, set in Tears of Heaven

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Tears of Heaven,” a musical of love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness with music composed by Frank Wildhorn, raised its curtain in Seoul last month, aiming to reach Broadway. However, the much-anticipated musical seems to be lost somewhere between “Miss Saigon” and “The Joy Luck Club,” although the music hauntingly resonates through the extravagant set. The musical starts from where Tianna, a Vietnamese-American singer visiting Korea, meets Joon, a middle-aged Korean novelist who fought in the Vietnam War. Joon tells her how he met Linh, a night club singer in Vietnam, and how they fell in love, wandering around the beautiful city of Saigon. As a writer-to-be, he tells the story of a tiger and a dove to Linh, reflecting his love for her. In the scene, Joon grabs a paper tiger and performs a shadow play which soon moves on to projections on a backdrop. The number "The Tiger and the Dove" is repeated throughout the show, portraying the tragic love of Joon and Linh. Still, their love lacks persuasive power and the audience has to imagine why they fell

Mar 1, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Shows & Dramas

Love, lies & family secrets

Han Hye-jin returns to small screen with melodrama By Kwon Mee-yoo A new melodrama will uncover family secrets of birth and maternal love on the small screen. “The Thorn Birds,” set to premiere Wednesday on KBS2, includes all the characteristics of a conventional Korean melodrama — a love triangle intertwined with secrets regarding one’s birth. The two women in the drama make opposing decisions about family and their fates get tangled up. Director Kim Jong-chang explained that the story revolves around people who make mistakes and go through the process of forgiviness at a press conference, Wednesday. “We aim to make a show portraying maternal love, morality and the people in search of such,” Kim said. Kim has directed hit programs including “Yellow Handkerchief” (2003) and “Rosy Life” (2005), which were mostly straightforward and melodramatic. Han Hye-jin, the heroine of “Jumong” (2006) and “Jejungwon” (2010), returns to the small screen by playing the role of Jeong-eun. Jeong-eun is an obscure actress desperately trying to find her biological mother. I

Feb 27, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Garion sweeps music awards

By Kwon Mee-yoo Hip-hop duo Garion won Album of the Year, Best Hip-hop Album with “Garion 2” as well as Best Hip-hop Song at the eighth Korean Music Awards, Wednesday. Composed of MC Meta and Nachal, the duo is recognized for their hip-hop music in Korean. The band name Garion refers to a legendary white horse with a black mane, living on Mt. Baekdu. Galaxy Express was awarded Musician of the Year, while Hot Potato’s “Confession” won Song of the Year. Rock band Gate Flowers took Rookie of the Year. Best Rock Album was awarded to Crash's "The Paragon of Animals" and the group Nine and the Numbers got the Best Modern Rock Album award. Cho Kyu-chan's ninth album won the Best Pop Album and girl group 2NE1's "To Anyone" grabbed the Best Dance and Electronic Album.

Feb 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Travel & Food

Weekender Childrens dreams come true at KidZania

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Kai!” children yelled as they entered a miniature courtroom at KidZania Seoul, an indoor role-play theme park for children in Jamsil, southern Seoul. “Kai” is the greeting of KidZania. Children put their forefinger and middle finger in front of their chest and say “kai,” instead of “hi” in the child-sized city. They also use “zee you,” instead of “see you.” A supervisor at the supreme court of KidZania asked the children to play the roles of a judge, a prosecutor, a public defender, a defendant and two witnesses, after describing each. “This is my first time being a defendant,” Lee In-seo, 8, said, while sitting in the dock. Lee is a member of KidZania Seoul’s child congress and fan of the theme park. She had been to the KidZania court several times, but there is always something new. The supervisor handed out scripts and costumes. “We will learn what a court does by reading the script. The judge can hand down the ruling based on one’s own thoughts,” she said. “The court is a solemn place and we should keep the same atmosphere at this model c

Feb 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Films

Showdown stylish, yet flawed

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Showdown” paves the way for a new style of epic films, with the heart of the action set in a deserted pub rather than on an open field. The thrill of three men struggling in acute tension is maximized despite the limitation of the space. The stylish fights take place in an abandoned bar in Manchuria during the war between Joseon (1392-1910) and Qing China (1644-1912). Three soldiers, Heon-myeong (Park Hee-soon), Do-yeong (Jin Goo) and Du-su (Go Chang-seok), are in the same unit, fighting the Qing army. After being defeated in a battle in a snow-covered forest, they find themselves isolated and become enemies. They all have reasons to kill each other. “Showdown” chose to highlight the characters’ desperate struggles rather than the historical aspect of the epic. The fight scenes are not exaggerated or beautified, inciting dynamism and suspense. The movie is like an epic version of “Cube” (1999), since the backdrop is limited to a pub in ruins — all grudges and anger get tangled there. The confrontation of a trio, instead of just good and evil, adds

Feb 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Shows & Dramas

Money, ambition and love blend in Midas

By Kwon Mee-yoo SBS aims to reign the local drama scene again with money, ambition and love all intertwined in the series “Midas.” The drama will examine people’s thoughts on money and desire, rather than feature normal happenings of everyday life. “When people pass by Yeouido or Teheran-ro, they might wonder who owns those tall buildings and why they have nothing. This drama will portray the people who own them and those who want them,” Kang Sin-hyo, the director said at a press conference for the show, Monday. Kang directed the 2008 drama “Tazza,” which dealt with the world of gamblers. The program will show how a young lawyer changes as he becomes greedy under the influence of the richest woman in Korea. “Midas” casts veteran actors to realistically portray the deepest desires of people blinded by ambition and how the wealthiest people live. Jang Hyuk, the winner of 2010 KBS Drama Awards with his role in “The Slave Hunters,” returns to the small screen as Kim Do-hyeon, a lawyer awakened by an impassioned desire to achieve success. “Kim is a person of amb

Feb 22, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
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