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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

'Chicago' celebrates 21st anniversary in Korea with Tiffany Young

Tiffany Young, center, rehearses musical "Chicago" as Roxie Hart with opposite Choi Jae-rim, right, playing Billy Flynn, Thursday. / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yoo"Chicago," Broadway's second longest-running musical, also has a long history in Korea, celebrating its 21st year with the upcoming production starring Tiffany Young of Girls' Generation as the new Roxie Hart. The musical, set in jazz-age Chicago, centers on Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two murderesses who seek fame in show business even while in prison, and their eloquent lawyer Billy Flynn. Tiffany debuted as a member of Girls' Generation in 2007 and headed to the U.S. to continue her career as a solo artist in 2018 when her contract with SM Entertainment expired. This is the K-pop idol's second appearance in a musical after playing Carmen Diaz in the musical "Fame" in 2011.Tiffany said “Chicago” is the first show she ever saw on Broadway, the heart of musical theater industry in New York. “I saw the Korean production back in 2009. I watched Chicago about once every year as I visited New York

Mar 19, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Chicago' celebrates 21st anniversary in Korea with Tiffany Young
Arts & Theater

Ecole de Seoul: How artists, writers survived dark ages through friendship

Installation view of "Encounters Between Korean Art and Literature in the Modern Age" featuring first editions of modern Korean literature at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung / Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooIn the early 20th century, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, which is generally considered as a time of darkness and despair. However, art and literature never stopped blossoming despite the troubled times, as artists and writers gathered at cafes and bars and shared communion in search of a new era."Encounters Between Korean Art and Literature in the Modern Age," an exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Deoksugung, looks into how artists and writers shared the spirit of the times and navigated the colonial era together.MMCA director Youn Bum-mo said the exhibit highlights the priceless legacies left by modern artists and writers who challenged the times with their visions."This exhibition invites audiences into a new world as envisioned by the featured artists and writers, who lived lives that were rich in te

Mar 18, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Ecole de Seoul: How artists, writers survived dark ages through friendship
Arts & Theater

Korean collection at Cleveland Museum of Art unveiled in catalogue

Cover of "The Korean Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art" / Courtesy of Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage FoundationBy Kwon Mee-yooFrom Goryeo celadon to a rare triad Buddhist sculpture from the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, gems of Korean art in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art can be vicariously viewed in a catalogue compiled by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF)."The Korean Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art," is the 16th in the OKCH series by the foundation that researches notable collections of Korean cultural artifacts around the globe.The book features 379 pieces of Korean items in the American museum's collection, surveyed by the OKCHF on three occasions from 2015 to 2016."With detailed descriptions of selected objects and essays further illuminating some of the highlights of the collection, the publication provides a comprehensive overview of the museum's holdings of Korean art," the foundation said in a statement.The Cleveland Museum of Art start collecting Korean art relatively early, through gifts and purchases, in 1915. Now one

Mar 17, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korean collection at Cleveland Museum of Art unveiled in catalogue
Arts & Theater

Changgeuk 'Tree, Fish, Moon' seeks inner peace through Asian tales

A scene from "Fish, Tree, Moon" by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea / Courtesy of National Theater of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yoo“Tree, Fish, Moon,” a new changgeuk (Korean traditional opera) by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK), follows the journey of an unlikely group of peopling hoping to have their wishes granted in a fairytale style ― but with a philosophical twist. Directed by Bae Yo-sup, written by Kim Chun-bong and pansori and music composed by Lee Ja-ram, "Tree, Fish, Moon" interprets the old narrative of a wish-fulfilling being from the perspective of self-realization. Bae is a member and director of the Performance Group Tuida and this is his first collaboration with the NCCK. He is best known for "Human Fuga," a stage adaptation of Han Kang's novel "Human Acts."Playwright Kim is, in fact, an alter ego of director Bae.The changgeuk combines various folk tales of different Asian countries to tell stories of different people on their way to the Wishing Tree and how they are changed on their journey.The story has three narrators and six characters who

Mar 16, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Changgeuk 'Tree, Fish, Moon' seeks inner peace through Asian tales
Arts & Theater

Lee Bul's early works take SeMA by storm

Lee Bul's early soft sculptures, from left, "Untitled (Cravings Red)," (1988/2021), "Monster: Pink" (1998/2021) and "Untitled (Cravings Black)" (1988/2021) are on view at the "Lee Bul: Beginning" exhibition at Seoul Museum of Art through May 16. Courtesy of SeMABy Kwon Mee-yooArtist Lee Bul / Courtesy HO-AM FoundationLee Bul is one of the most internationally established Korean artists, best known for her utopian explorations through sci-fi imagery. Ralph Rugoff, curator of the 2019 Venice Biennale and director of the Hayward Gallery in London where Lee held a solo show in 2018, described Lee as "truly one of the most compelling and inventive artists of her generation."The 57-year-old artist, now a prominent figure in the international art scene, had a beginning just like everyone else. Her earlier works can be revisited in her retrospective exhibition "Lee Bul: Beginning" at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA). The exhibit centers on Lee's early works from 1987 to the late 1990s when Korean society went through a point of inflection with the rise of popular culture, internationalization

Mar 14, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Lee Bul's early works take SeMA by storm
  • Lee Bul's dystopian utopia on view in London
Arts & Theater

Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho named MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2021 artists

Moon Kyung-won, left, and Jeon Joon-ho / Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooArtists Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho have been named for the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2021, an artist support program co-hosted by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and Hyundai Motor. The project is a 10-year partnership between the MMCA and the global carmaker, providing funds for new works and solo exhibitions at the state-run museum for mid-career artists. Artists can create large-scale works or experiment with new techniques, developing their artistry as they seek a breakthrough.Moon and Jeon are the eighth in the series since 2014, following noted artists including Lee Bul, Kim Soo-ja, Im Heung-soon and Yang Hae-gue.Both established artists with individual careers, Moon and Jeon have worked together since 2009, exploring the social function of art.The duo won the Korea Artist Prize at the MMCA in 2012 and participated in dOCUMENTA (13) the same year in Kassel, Germany. Moon and Jeon also represented the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015 with their site-specific video

Mar 11, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho named MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2021 artists
Arts & Theater

Universal Ballet presents 'Chunhyang,' 'Shim Chung' for Italian viewers

A poster for the online showing of the Universal Ballet Company's "The Love of Chunhyang" in Italy / Courtesy of UBC By Kwon Mee-yooTwo Korean original ballets will be streamed online for Italian audiences in March and June. The Universal Ballet Company (UBC) and the Korean Cultural Center in Italy have joined hands to remotely present "The Love of Chunhyang" and "Shim Chung" to Italian audiences.These are part of Korea's top private ballet company's efforts to connect with international audiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Both ballets are original creations of the UBC, bridging Korean folk tales with classical ballet and music. "Chunhyang and Shim Chung are great ways to introduce Korean culture such as clothing and literature through ballet, which is familiar to Italian audiences. This is going to provide an opportunity to promote the excellence of the Korean performing arts in Italy," Oh Choong-suk, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Italy, said in a sta

Mar 11, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Universal Ballet presents 'Chunhyang,' 'Shim Chung' for Italian viewers
Arts & Theater

'Faust Ending' seeks alternative finale

A scene from the play "Faust Ending," starring Kim Sung-nyo, right, as Faust, and Park Wan-kyu as Mephistopheles / Courtesy of National Theater Company of Korea Actresses defy gender in classicsBy Kwon Mee-yooGoethe's "Faust" is considered a masterpiece of German literature, portraying how humanity can be saved despite corruption through strenuous attempts."Faust Ending," a new play by the National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK), twists the iconic ending of the original play, centering on humane agony and responsibility. Veteran actress Kim Sung-nyo plays the titular role. Playwright and director Cho Kwang-hwa adapted the play into a 110-minute version centering on the chaos of human civilization, departing from the original ending.In the original, Faust is redeemed by God in the end for his constant striving. God accepts Faust into heaven despite his wrongdoings, saying "Man errs as long as he strives.” However, Cho interpreted this as how human desire could end u

Mar 10, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Faust Ending' seeks alternative finale
Arts & Theater

National Palace Museum exhibition sheds light on military rituals of Joseon

Installation view of "Military Protocol: Symbol of the Military in the Joseon Dynasty" exhibition at the National Palace Museum of Korea / Courtesy of National Palace Museum of Korea By Kwon Mee-yooThe 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom is known as a country of scholars, governed by Confucian scholar-officials. However, the monarchy was in fact operated based on a delicate balance between officials and military top brass.Titled "Military Rituals ― Symbol of the Joseon Dynasty's Military Power," an exhibition at the National Palace Museum of Korea, located next to the Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, sheds light on how Joseon was governed not only by civil officials, but also through military power, which was displayed through various rituals."Though Joseon is known for its literati governance, it does not mean that the kingdom was effeminate. Military officials were one of the mainstays of Joseon's governmental system," Lim Ji-yun, curator of the exhibit, said. "Military po

Mar 9, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
National Palace Museum exhibition sheds light on military rituals of Joseon
Arts & Theater

Gallery, artist seek healthy relations through exclusive contract

Artist Kim Yun-soo's works are featured on the online art platform Manifold run by the Korea Arts Management Service. Captured from ManifoldBy Kwon Mee-yooAn ideal relationship between an artist and a gallery can be complementary when the artist provides quality works and the gallery promotes and sells them. However, it can easily go sour when there is miscommunication or one side does not fulfill their responsibility.The Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS) is offering the “Grant for Artist Management” for three years with the aim of nurturing healthy gallery-artist relationships. Keum Hye-won is the director of Gallery Soso, which she founded in Paju, Gyeonggi Province in 2007. "My husband is an architect who worked under the late architect Kim Swoo-geun. As we saw exhibitions and performances at SPACE Love, a small theater inside the SPACE group building, we had this vague dream of establishing a cultural enterprise when we could afford it," Keum said in an interview with The Korea Times. "It was a passing remark, but became true eventually."Though Gallery Soso has hel

Mar 6, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gallery, artist seek healthy relations through exclusive contract
  • Digital platform Manifold to promote Korean art overseas
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