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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

Five boys grow up with Billy Elliot

By Kwon Mee-yoo “And then I feel a change like a fire deep inside,” a boy started singing as four others joined in. “Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide. And suddenly I’m flying, flying like a bird.” These boys — Kim Se-yong, 13; Lee Ji-myeong, 13; Jung Jin-ho, 12; Park Jun-hyeong, 11; and Lim Sun-u, 11 — alternate the role of Billy Elliot in the Korean production of the musical “Billy Elliot,” currently at LG Art Center in southern Seoul since August 2010. The part they sang was from “Electricity,” a song Billy sings after auditioning for the Royal Ballet School, expressing what he feels like when dancing. The five boys gathered for an interview with The Korea Times at Billy School last week. They chattered like birds, but when talking about their performances, their eyes twinkled earnestly with a professional edge. They all started ballet at different points. Kim began when he was around 4, as he took dance sports, and Lim learned to correct his posture but soon became interested in its charm despite his friends’ teasing. Park fell in

Feb 14, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Editorial cartoonist Shin passes away

Shin Kyung-moo, 55, the editorial cartoonist for the Chosun Ilbo, one of the largest newspapers in Korea, passed away due to leukemia, Saturday. Shin was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2009 and had been fighting against the disease for more than a year. He returned to the newspaper in early January as he felt better, but took a turn for the worse some 20 days later and took further sick leave. However, he passed away due to an acute infection last week. His last cartoon was in Jan. 29’s paper, titled “People worse than Kim Jong-il.” He started to submit satirical cartoons in letters to the editor sections around the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and entered the Busan Economy in 1992. He moved to the Chosun Ilbo in 1996, providing editorial cartoons for 15 years.

Feb 13, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Asia Journalist Association calls for Mubarak to quit

By Kwon Mee-yoo The Asia Journalist Association (AJA) released a statement Tuesday, calling on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down gracefully in honor of the long-suffering Egyptian people’s demand for change. Ivan Lim, president of the organization, said in a press release that the time has come for Mubarak to acknowledge he has lost the popular support after 30 years of quasi-military rule that violates citizens’ rights and freedom and has done little to raise living standards. “We believe his acceptance is the decent and graceful stance he should take as a political leader of Egypt, the birthplace of world civilization and the pride of world citizens,” Lim said. The AJA is an association of journalists in the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 2004, the organization was first composed of reporters from East Asia, including Korea, China, Japan and Mongolia, and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Now it has 36 regular member countries and 10 associate member nations including the United States and Brazil. T

Feb 8, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Choe tapped as new cultural heritage administrator

By Kwon Mee-yoo Choe Kwang-shik, director of the National Museum of Korea, was named as the new administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), Tuesday. Choe is a professor of Korean history at Korea University and has been involved in various academic activities. He was appointed as the director of the national museum with the onset of the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2008. He is specialized in studies of ancient Korean history and one of founders of the Goguryeo Research Foundation, which was absorbed by the Northeast History Foundation. The foundation was created in protest to the so-called Northeast Project, a Chinese academic program to reexamine the ancient history of its northeastern region. He also offered Advanced Program for Culture and Arts, which President Lee attended, when he directed Korea University Museum. The CHA is a government body dedicated to preserve cultural heritages. Former administrator Yi Kun-moo was inaugurated in March 2008. His major projects included investigating cultural assets for the four-river restoration project. H

Feb 8, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
South Korea

Gangnam-gu Office going international

Gangnam-gu Office has been at the forefront in the race among districts to attract more foreign tourists and host more international events. At the center of the drive to make the district more appealing to tourists and expatriates is its chief Shin Yeon-hee, 63. Shin is the first woman to head a district office in Seoul with more than 30 years experience in public administration and has been orchestrating strategies to make Gangnam-gu a more internationally friendly district since July. “Now I am the person who makes the final decision and I feel more responsibility than before,” Shin told The Korea Times. “I try to be more cautious and open my heart to other high-ranking officials so we can work on important issues together.” Shin says women have advantages such as being more subtle and considerate. “I will try to make the best of such strong points while I serve the residents in my district.” She said Gangnam is a representative district of not only Seoul but Korea as a whole. “Unlike other spontaneously developed cities, Gangnam is a planned area with the Coex conv

Feb 6, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

Gwanghwamun brings back late composers songs

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Gwanghwamun Younga,” a jukebox musical featuring songs by the late composer Lee Young-hoon, finally unveiled its cast. Actor Song Chang-ui and Yoon Do-hyun from YB, or Yoon Do-hyun Band, share the role of Sang-hoon, a composer who falls in love with Yeo-ju. Lisa Chung, singer and musical actress, will perform the part of the female lead, while actors Kim Moo-yeol and Lim Byung-geun will play Hyeon-woo, brother of Sang-hoon, who also likes Yeo-ju. “I remember listening to songs by Lee when I was young. I will portray a truthful love story through these timeless songs,” Song said. Yoon said it is his first time to play a romantic character. “I will bring the girlish sensibility within me to play Sang-hoon.” Their love triangle will be presented through a play within a play, and veteran actor Park Jung-hwan will be the older Sang-hoon, the narrator. Park’s voice is very similar to that of the late composer. The trend of casting young K-pop stars in musicals is no exception in “Gwanghwamun Younga.” Yang Yo-seop of B2st was chosen to perform the ro

Jan 26, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Shows & Dramas

KoreaToday Secret Garden leaves fairytale love story

By Kwon Mee-yoo Viewers were invited to a secret garden where a magical, soul-switching love story of a rich but arrogant president of a department store Kim Ju-won (Hyun Bin) and a brave stunt woman Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-won) was told through SBS drama “Secret Garden.” Viewers were glued to the small screen for two months as they fell in love, exchanging souls whenever it rained. Though its last episode was aired last week with Kim and Gil living happily with three children, the impressions the drama instilled seems to linger in the viewers’ minds. Magician with words Scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook created the modern version of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” She created many hit phrases in popular dramas such as the “Lovers” series — “Lovers in Paris” (2004), “Lovers in Prague” (2005) and “Lovers” (2007) — and “On Air” (2008). She is the winner of the 41st Baek Sang Arts Awards in 2005. The most famous line of “Secret Garden” might be Kim’s “Is this the best? Are you sure?” As he was the CEO of a department store, Kim often asked his junior employees if wha

Jan 26, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
People & Events

Jung Woo-sung injured while filming Athena

By Kwon Mee-yoo Actors Jung Woo-sung and Chung Chan-woo were injured during filming action scenes for the SBS drama "Athena," Sunday evening. According to Taewon Entertainment, the production company for the drama, Chung, playing a terrorist agent, hurt his head as the car he was driving skidded and Jung injured his right knee trying to avoid the car. The action-packed drama revolves around plots between the National anti-Terrorist Service (NTS) and a secret terrorist organization named Athena. The scene filmed Sunday was Chung ramming his car into Jung in an attempt to murder him. However, the car went into a skid and caused the accident. Neither actor used stand-ins for the scene. Jung’s knee injury is not serious, but he was advised to refrain from walking and running for a while, unavailable to do some action scenes for the drama. Since Jung is the main character, the producers are worried about the remaining episodes if he cannot move freely. Jung also hurt his knee when he was filming "Athena" in Italy and was on crutches for about three months. Chung was

Jan 24, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Films

Come Rain invited to Berlinale

By Kwon Mee-yoo Hyun Bin and Im Soo-jung’s new movie “Come Rain, Come Shine” has been invited to the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) to compete for the Golden Bear. The movie follows the story of a couple who have been married for five years. The wife, played by Im, falls in love with another man and decides to tell her husband (Hyun) about it. Director Lee Yoon-ki (“This Charming Girl,” “My Dear Enemy”) is known for his delicate portrayal of emotions. The three-hour confrontation between the couple on screen is told almost in real-time. “In the film, the wife decides to leave her husband because of her new lover. However, she falters as he packs her luggage without a word,” Im said at a press conference at Dongdaemun CGV, central Seoul, Thursday. She added that it was her first time to play the role of a married woman. “There is no right answer in love, and various feelings that come from love are seen through this movie.” Hyun, the talk of the town for his role as Kim Ju-won in the SBS drama “Secret Garden,” said being invited to the Berlinale was

Jan 21, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Arts & Theater

Weekender Children learn through play, acting

By Kwon Mee-yoo Everyone is a protagonist here. Fifteen children taking a preschool course at the Korea Children’s Culture and Arts Center (KCCAC) poured into their classroom in the Rose Room of the Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul, Tuesday. The KCCAC is a social enterprise dedicated to an educational theater program, and the Synthetic Art Program (SAP) is designed for six- and seven-year-old children to learn how to socialize before entering elementary school. Though the main program of KCCAC is drama, the SAP program integrates other forms of art such as music, drawing and activities to assist the preschoolers learning. Two instructors — Koo Soo-hyun and Lim Seung-ah — led the children to the magical world of Bremen to form a band. As they arrived, they hung clothing on a hanger and took off their socks. “The SAP class teaches children how to socialize with each other, obey rules and express themselves through storytelling,” Han Hae-min of the KCCAC said. “Taking off their socks is a way to let children frolic around more freely.” Tuesday’s class was

Jan 20, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
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