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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

Year-end auction features Chun Kyung-ja, Yayoi Kusama

Chun Kyung-ja's "Portrait of a Woman" (1977) will be up for auction at Seoul Auction Gangnam Center on Dec. 15. Courtesy of Seoul AuctionBy Kwon Mee-yooThe last art auction of the year is coming, packed with masterpieces of Korean modern artists and top international artists.Seoul Auction will hold its 158th auction at its Gangnam Center on Dec. 15. Four works by the late Chun Kyung-ja (1924-2015) are up for auction. Her works featuring female figures are known for their bold portrayals and use of vivid colors. "Portrait of a Woman" (1977), which portrays a woman with flowers on her head and butterflies, showcases Chun's signature style and is expected to fetch around 500 million won to 800 million won ($447,500-$715,990)."The year 1977 was when Chun produced her major works including The 22nd Page of My Sorrowful Legend and Mother Theresa. All three of them feature a front image of a woman with golden eyes with hair adornments and flowers," the auction house said in a statement. "Chun's female figure is not just a portrait but an integration of her experiences and dreams."A wide ran

Dec 9, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Year-end auction features Chun Kyung-ja, Yayoi Kusama
Arts & Theater

Gwangju Biennale president, Kukje Gallery chairwoman listed in art Power 100

Kim Sun-jung, Gwangju Biennale Foundation president / Korea Times fileBy Kwon Mee-yooKim Sun-jung, president of Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and Lee Hyun-sook, founder and chairwoman of Kukje Gallery, were named in ArtReview's 2020 Power 100 list.Kim was ranked 72nd, up seven steps from last year. She has been listed in the international contemporary art magazine's Power 100 since 2013.The 13th Gwangju Biennale, which was slated for a September opening, is pushed back to February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In lieu of the biennale, Kim organized a special exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratic Movement, a crucial moment in Korea's modern history. Kim is also known for the Real DMZ Project, which has been presenting artworks in the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea since 2012. Defne Ayas and Natasha Ginwala, co-artistic directors of the 13th Gwangju Biennale, are also listed in 77th, for their curation of the biennale featuring Cecilia Vicuna, Korakrit Arunanondchai and Buddhist monk and chef Jeong Kwan.Lee Hyun-sook, Kukje Galler

Dec 8, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gwangju Biennale president, Kukje Gallery chairwoman listed in art Power 100
Arts & Theater

Unearthed ornaments link tomb to 5th century Silla princess

Seen are the accessories adorning the deceased in the Silla ancient tomb no. 44 at Jjoksaem in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The ornaments include a gilt-bronze crown, gold pendants and earrings, gold chest ornament and gold and silver bracelet and rings. Courtesy of Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural HeritageLuxurious Ornaments including golden-edged jewel beetles and baduk stones found in tombBy Kwon Mee-yooAn abundance of luxurious ornaments including a gilt-bronze crown, pairs of gold pendants and earrings, gold chest ornament, gold and silver bracelets and rings as well as gilt-bronze ornaments decorated with golden-edged jewel beetles, a stone mortar and a pestle and 200 baduk stones were discovered last month at the Silla ancient tomb No. 44 at Jjoksaem in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.According to the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH), the sorts and quality of burial accessories indicates that the tomb likely belonged to a young female member of a royal family. Jjoksaem No. 44 Tomb is estimated to have been built aro

Dec 7, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Unearthed ornaments link tomb to 5th century Silla princess
Arts & Theater

MMCA Seoul revisits Lee Seung-taek's 'non-art'

Installation view of “Lee Seung Taek's Non-Art: The Inversive Act,” a retrospective of experimental artist Lee Seung-taek at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul. Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yoo"My view was inverted. My thought process was inverted. My life in this world was inverted," artist Lee Seung-taek said. Lee is a seminal figure in Korean experimental art, known for introducing the concept of "non-sculpture" which defies the established grammar of sculpture. Active since the 1950s, Lee covers diverse genres from painting, photography and sculpture to performance art and land art. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul, presents "Lee Seung Taek's Non-Art: The Inversive Act," a retrospective of Lee centering on the artist's unique aesthetic values which played an important role in transforming Korea's contemporary art scene."This exhibition will be an opportunity to revisit Lee's journey of the past six decades, in which he constantly challenged the fixed notion of art," MMCA director Youn Bum-mo said.Artist Lee

Dec 6, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
MMCA Seoul revisits Lee Seung-taek's 'non-art'
Arts & Theater

Rizzoli publishes monograph on Korean artist Yoo Young-kuk

Rizzoli New York published a monograph on Korean artist Yoo Young-kuk titled "Yoo Youngkuk: Quintessence" / Courtesy of Kukje Gallery By Kwon Mee-yoo Artist Yoo Young-kuk (1916-2002) Korea Times file Rizzoli New York will release an English monograph on Korean abstract artist Yoo Young-kuk (1916-2002), Dec. 1, the first book of its kind on a Korean artist by the prestigious art book publisher.Titled "Yoo Youngkuk: Quintessence," the 360-page book features a wide range of Yoo's works from seminal masterpieces to never-before-seen works.Dubbed as a "magician of colors," Yoon is one of the pioneers of modern Korean abstract art, best known for his vibrant vocabulary that distilled Korean naturalism into basic formal elements of point, line, plane and color."Reminiscent of the deep waters, rugged mountains, fertile valleys and brilliant sun of his Uljin

Nov 28, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Rizzoli publishes monograph on Korean artist Yoo Young-kuk
Travel & Food

Remains of two Silla people found in castle wall of Wolseong Palace site in Gyeongju

Part of the excavation of Wolseong Palace and the west rampart. / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration By Kwon Mee-yooThe remains of two Unified Silla era people were found in the ramparts of the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH) revealed Friday. The discovery came during excavation and academic research on the west rampart and the approach road between Gyerim Forest and Wolseong. The bodies of the two men in their 50s found in the castle walls are considered the first case in Korea of "Insingonghui," or human sacrifice, in the process of building a rampart. According to legend, an embankment or building would not collapse if a person was buried under a cornerstone.The excavation of the west rampart of Wolseong was conducted in a bid to identify the palace gate site. The bodies were found between a base construction layer and an artificial ground laye

Nov 27, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Remains of two Silla people found in castle wall of Wolseong Palace site in Gyeongju
Travel & Food

Enjoy Korean royal desserts at Kohojae

A server at Korea House serves chrysanthemum tea for the autumn dessert course in Seoul on Nov. 19. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Kwon Mee-yooAs Korean food continues to gain influence internationally, relatively lesser-known traditional Korean desserts are receiving renewed attention.Korea House in central Seoul launched Kohojae, a second brand specializing in traditional Korean confectionery, earlier this year. Visitors can enjoy beautiful scenery and traditional Korean architecture with a variety of Korean sweet treats once served to royalty. "Nowadays Koreans are familiar with desserts as there are so many cafes serving a variety of confections. Trendy youngsters are always looking for something new and dessert is no exception. At Kohojae, they find new desserts, not from abroad but from our own tradition," Jin Na-ra, manager of the marketing planning team at Korea House, said.The royal desserts are served at Munhyangru, one of the annexes of Korea House. The name Munhyangru means a palace with fragrances.The two-hour tea session is available upon reservation and the locati

Nov 26, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Enjoy Korean royal desserts at Kohojae
Arts & Theater

'After Every Winter Comes Spring' exhibition sheds light on ancestors' pursuit of hope

“Sehando” by Kim Jeong-hui is on view at the “After Every Winter Comes Spring” exhibition at the National Museum of Korea, Monday. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yoo"After Every Winter Comes Spring," a new exhibition at the National Museum of Korea (NMK), centers around the work of two renowned Joseon era painters ― Kim Jeong-hui (1786-1856) and Kim Hong-do (1745-1806). The two centerpiece paintings are "Sehando" by Kim Jeong-hui, Korean National Treasure No. 180, and "Pyeongan Gamsa Hyangyeondo" (Welcoming Banquet for the Governor of Pyeongan) by Kim Hong-do.The first section "Wintry Days" centers on “Sehando” by Kim Jeong-hui, also known as Chusa, who was a renowned literati painter and calligrapher.The painting was created when Kim Jeong-hui was living in exile on Jeju Island. There are four trees and a snow-covered cottage in the painting. Kim also wrote the painting's title "Sehando" on the upper right corner of the image and gave the painting as a gift to his follower Yi Sang-jeok, who sent valuable books from China. The 15-meter scroll consists of the pa

Nov 24, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
'After Every Winter Comes Spring' exhibition sheds light on ancestors' pursuit of hope
K-pop

Monsta X unveils cultural heritage travel documentary

Joohoney and I.M of Monsta X visit the Route of Mythic Landscape as part of promoting the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign. Courtesy of Korea Cultural Heritage FoundationBy Kwon Mee-yooK-pop group Monsta X unveiled "Korea Fantasia," a Korean heritage travelogue on JTBC, Sunday.The six-member boy band, which consists of Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M, has been promoting the Visit Cultural Heritage Campaign 2020 since September.In the documentary two Monsta X members visit one of the tour routes, tracing Korea's traditions and history."We realized that hallyu originated from Korea's rich cultural heritage while visiting the routes and filming this documentary. We will continue to promote Korean culture in and outside the country," Shownu of Monsta X said.Joohoney and I.M visited the Route of Mythic Landscape, exploring unique landscapes and myths of Jeju Island. They followed the Jeju Island legend of Seolmundae Halmang, who is believed to have created the island, and visited Sanbang Mountain, oreums and Gimnyeongsagul Cave. They also experienced the life of "haenyeo

Nov 22, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Monsta X unveils cultural heritage travel documentary
Music

Pianist Choue Hee-youn holds recital

Pianist Choue Hee-youn / Courtesy of Choue Hee-younBy Kwon Mee-yooPianist Choue Hee-youn will present a solo recital at the Youngsan Art Hall on Yeouido in Seoul, Nov. 25.It will include works by Bach, Mozart, Debussy and Albeniz. Choue will start with Bach's "Partita in B-flat Major, BWV 825," followed by Mozart's "Piano Sonata No.13 in B-flat Major, K.333." After an intermission, she will play Debussy's "La Serenade interromapue" and "La Puerta del Vino," and Albeniz's "Iberia Book II." The first half showcases the purity of absolute music, emphasizing the beauty of combinations of notes, while the second half presents program music, specifically Spain portrayed by French Impressionist composer Debussy and Spanish Nationalist musician Albeniz."As many of my concerts this year were postponed or canceled, I had to come up with a new program. Albeniz is a Spanish composer who used Spanish folk music elements in classical music, combined with influences from Impressionism and Romanticism," Choue told The Korea Times via a phone interview. "Debussy was his contemporary and he also wrote

Nov 20, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Pianist Choue Hee-youn holds recital
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