Around Town 2

The Octagon

Nonhyeon

Near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon, this club is notable for its stylish interior and elite clientele. The venue offers a club stage, lounge bar and dining area to satisfy any night out after work or on the weekend. Near exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 516-8847.

Club Volume

Itaewon

Offering a venue for specially-themed weekly events and world-class DJs, Club Volume is located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station. Club Volume was listed by Time magazine among the “10 things to do in 24 hours in Seoul.” For more information, call 1544-2635.

Once in a Blue Moon

Apgujeong

Once in a Blue Moon is one of the best known and well established jazz clubs in the city. It features live jazz sets from two different bands every night, usually starting at 7:30 p.m. It is located between the Hakdong intersection and Galleria department stores in the posh district of Apgujeong. For more information, call (02) 549-5490 or visit www.onceinabluemoon.co.kr.

Club Answer

Cheongdam

Club Answer, chosen as one of the five hottest clubs in Seoul by CNN, provides a spacious interior and brilliant lighting systems, with world renowned DJs filling the stage. Club Answer is located in the classy area of Cheongdam, a district known to lead the party culture of Seoul. Located near exit 13 of Cheongdam Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 514-4311 or visit www.clubanswer.co.kr.

Club Ellui

One of the largest clubs in Asia and located under Hotel Ellui, world-class DJs such as Alex Kenji and Ferry Corsten feature in weekend lineups. Located near exit 13 of Cheongdam Station on subway line 7. For more information, call 1577-9669 or visit www.ellui.net.

Luv Superlounge

Nestled in the heart of Itaewon, Luv Superlounge offers a wide selection of drinks, and a solid sound system with resident DJ AndiNuman from New Zealand. Located near exit 1 of Itaewon Station on subway line 6. For more information, call (02) 794-8898 or visit ko-kr.facebook.com/luvsuperlounge.

Club Double Eight

Sinsa

Opened in 2010, Club Double Eight takes clubbing to a whole new level. Located in Gangnam, it provides diverse hotel promotions and features weekend lineups with global DJs. Located near exit 1 of Sinsa Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 543-8803 or visit cafe.naver.com/doubleeight.

Club Mute

Club Mute is a boutique club with exquisitely designed decorations and a custom-tailored sound system. Located near exit 1 of Itaewon Station on subway line 6. For more information, call (02) 796-6853 or visit www.clubmute.com.

Platoon Kunsthalle

Platoon Kunsthalle is a cultural space offering various facilities, including a large, open hall, library lounge, art studios and a bar and restaurant for multi-purpose events. It is open from Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m to 1 a.m. and DJ nights are on Thursday and Friday from 10 p.m. Located near exit 10 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 3447-1191 or visit

www.kunsthalle.com.

Dojo

Work hard, play hard, sleep later! Lying underground Noxa in the thriving Kyonggridan neighborhood, Dojo is the latest edition to the clubbing nightlife in Seoul. Popular local DJs offer nonstop tunes for energetic dancing until dawn with weekday drink specials and enthusiastic crowds of longtime expats. For more information, call (02) 790-1334.

‘Relaxing One’s Mind Through Sound: Sinchoon Concert’

Gyeonggi Arts Center

March 27

The Gyeonggi Provincial Traditional Music Orchestra is holding a concert entitled “Relaxing One’s Mind Through Sound” in Suwon on March 27. Established in 1996 for the preservation and further development of traditional Korean music, the Gyeonggi Provincial Traditional Music Orchestra will be divided into three acts. Tickets cost 20,000 won for adults and 10,000 for students younger than 24. For more information, call (031) 230-3200 or visit www.ggac.or.kr.

‘Kim Ji Won: Accumulation’

Kim Chong Yung Museum

Feb. 27-Apr. 22

“Unity - 器2014-7” by Kim Ji Won will be on display at the Kim Chong Yung Museum from Feb. / 27 to April 22. Courtesy of the Kim Chong Yung Museum

The Kim Chong Yung Museum will hold a special exhibition of Korean artist Kim Ji-won’s work from Feb. 27 to Apr. 22. Although Kim Chong-yung is primarily regarded as a trailblazer of modern Korean abstract sculpture, he also devoted much of his life to the growth and expansion of Korean art education, spotting and nurturing promising young artists and presenting them with a conspicuous platform from which to showcase their work. The museum has honored his enduring legacy since 2004 byselecting emerging talents andhosting an annual exhibition of their work so far. This year, the honoree is none other than Kim Ji-won, who works exclusively with wine bottles and glassware and fire to create haunting works of art. Admission is free. Located near exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station on subway line 5. For more information, call (02) 3217-6484 or visit kimchongyung.com.

‘Hanjin Shipping: The Box Project 2015’

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

Through Sept. 13

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul is holding a special exhibition for the annual “Hanjin Shipping Box Project” through Sept. 13. Installations by Argentine conceptual artist Leandro Erlich, “Port of Reflections,” will be displayed. Located near exit 2 of City Hall Station on subway line 1 and 2. Tickets cost 4,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3701-9500 or visit www.mmca.go.kr.

‘Artist’s Portfolio’

SAVINA Museum

March 18-Jun. 6

“Flatten 3-D Out” by Han Sung-pil will be on display at the SAVINA Museum from March 18 to Jun. 6. Courtesy of the SAVINA Museum

Following the museum’s successful pilot project last year, the SAVINA Museum will be holding its second “Artist’s Portfolio” from March 18 to Jun. 6. Unlike other exhibitions, which only display the final product, the organizers of “Artist’s Portfolio” showcase the in-house painters and designers’ entire portfolio, thus allowing visitors to view and fully experience the strenuous and visceral process by which each participant was able to arrive at his or her art. Through this rather revolutionary approach, one can attempt to delve into each artist’s mind and understand his or her artistic philosophy, as opposed to merely scratching at the proverbial surface. Tickets cost 3,000 won for adults and 2,000 for children. Located near exit 1 of Anguk Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 736-4371or visit www.savinamuseum.com.

‘Magnum’s First’

The Museum of Photography, Seoul

April 4-Aug. 15

To herald in the 130th anniversary of bilateral relations between Korea and France in 2016, a retrospective photography exhibition will be held at the Museum of Photography from April 4 to Aug. 15. Organized in part by Magnum Photos, one of the world’s most eminent photography agencies, “Magnum’s First” will feature photo-essays composed of original black and white vintage prints shot by the eight iconic photojournalists featured: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Marc Riboud, IngeMorath, Ernest Haas, Jean Marquis, Werner Bischof, Robert Capa and Erich Lessing. Located near exit 2 of Mongchontoseong Station on subway line 8. For more information, call (02) 0418-1315 or visit www.photomuseum.or.kr.

‘Short Stories’

Gallery Baton

Through March 6

Gallery Baton, situated in Apgujeong, southern Seoul, is showcasing the third solo exhibition of Paolo Ventura, entitled “Short Stories.” Ventura’s repertoire to date exemplifies his preferred Diorama technique, and he dexterously employs his distinctive style in this series portraying the artist’s interpretation of short story scenes. By placing his twin brother, Andreas, his young son and even himself as the main protagonists in each frame, and transforming each subject with the adept use of props, costumes and background scenery, Ventura succeeds in replicating familiar scenes from time-honored short stories while still maintaining his subjective take on them. Located near exits 1 and 6 of Apgujeong Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 597-5701 or visit gallerybaton.com.

‘Illusion and Fantasy’

Through May 6

An exhibition featuring 30 items, such as paintings, dioramic models and sculptures exploring the penultimate question of life and fantasticality will be held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul from Feb. 10 to May 6. The seven participating artists tackle this abstruse but critical subject through diverse mediums of artistic expression, which serves as a testament to the limitless possibilities and diversity of contemporary art. Tickets cost 4,000 won. Located near exit 1 of Anguk Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 3701-9500 or visit www.moca.go.kr.

Kathe Kollwitz

Seoul Museum of Art

Through Apr. 19

The Seoul Museum of Art is currently holding an exhibition of Kathe Kollwitz’s work, with some 56 of her original charcoal drawings on display. During her lifetime, Kollwitz, a noted German painter, printmaker and sculptor of the early twentieth century, dealt with visceral social and political issues through her art by examining the poignant dichotomy of the common man’s perpetual social suffering and the pristine veneer of Germany’s rapid industrialization. The exhibition is divided into two parts, the first gallery of which details the life of the working class prior to 1914, while the latter gallery, focusing on post-First World War Germany, contains drawings depicting the utter savagery of war. Located near exit 1 of City Hall Station on subway line 1. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 2124-5269 or visit www.sema.seoul.go.kr.

‘Park Hyunki 1942-2000: Mandala’

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon

Through May 25

A retrospective exhibition posthumously honoring Park Hyun-ki, unanimously regarded as the father of video art in Korea, is being held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon through May 25. Throughout his relatively short career, Park distinguished himself from his contemporaries with his innovative interpretation of video as an artistic medium. Park’s work is characterized by his singularly remarkable ability to blend old and new, Western and Eastern artistic traditions seamlessly and harmoniously. Located near exit 2 of Seoul Grand Park Station on subway line 4. Tickets cost 2,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2188-6000 or visit www.mmca.go.kr.

Seung Hyo-sang’s Architecture Exhibit

Gana Art Gallery, Busan

Through March 7

Gana Art Gallery is holding a solo exhibition of the work of revered Korean architect SeungHyo-sang at its Busan branch through March 7. As one of the most respected architects in the nation, Seung has long been a proponent of “the poor man’s aesthetic,” or in his own words, “the beauty of poverty.” Rather than subscribing to art that is baroque and ostentatious, Seung endorses a simpler, more muted aesthetic, doing away with any fanciful frills and excess. As such, many of the pieces on display at his exhibit are stripped bare to their very core, achieving the desired effect: quiet but nevertheless cogent. For more information, call (051) 744-2020 or visit www.ganaart.com.

‘Space Life’

Ilmin Museum of Art

Through May 17

“Elaborate Diagrams for Intended Impossible Completeness” by Kim Hong-seok will be on display at the Ilmin Museum of Art through May 17. / Courtesy of the Ilmin Museum of Art

The Ilmin Museum of Art is holding its first exhibition of 2015, entitled “Space Life,” through May 17. Centering on NASA images borrowed from the organization’s archives, the exhibition also features more than 30 pieces of different contemporaryartists’ interpretations of outer space. Tickets cost 4,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for students, including university students. Located near exit 5 of Gwanghwamun Station on subway line 5.For more information, call (02) 2020-2050 or visit ilmin.org.

‘Millet, Barbizon & Fontainebleau’

Seoul Olympic Museum of Art

Through May 10

The Seoul Olympic Museum of Art is holding a retrospective exhibition of work by French realist painter Jean-Francois Millet, celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth, from Jan. 25 to May 10. The exhibition features painting collections from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston including his four masterpieces: “The Sower,” “Potato Planters,” “Harvesters,” and “Resting Young Shepherdess.” Located near exit 1 of Mongchontoseong Station on subway line 8. Tickets cost 8,000 won for children, 10,000 won for students under 18, and 14,000 won for adults. For more information, call 1588-2618 or visit

www.somamuseum.org.

The Children’s Museum

National Museum of Korea

Open Run

The Children’s Museum run by the National Museum of Korea provides an opportunity for children to see the lifestyles of Koreans in the past. The museum also exhibits duplicated versions of Korea’s national treasures, which visitors can touch. In the "hands-on" activity room, children can play traditional Korean music instruments. Located near exit 2 of Ichon Station, subway line 4 and Jungang Line. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr.

Gwacheon National Science Museum

Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province

The museum has revamped its programs, highlighted by a wider variety of natural history items such as dinosaurs and also items on space technology. Located near exit 5 of Seoul Grand Park Station, subway line 4. Tickets cost 2,000 won for children and 4,000 won for adults. For more information, call (02) 3677-1500 or visit www.sciencecenter.go.kr.

Men’s Basketball

Friday, Feb. 20

Jeonju KCC Egis vs. Seoul Samsung Thunders

Jeonju Indoor Gymnasium at 2 p.m.

Seoul SK Knights vs. Busan KT Sonicboom

Seoul Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21

Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs. GoyangOrions

Ulsan Dongcheon Gymnasium at 2 p.m.

WonjuDongbuPromy vs. Incheon ET Land Elephants

Wonju Sports Complex at 4 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 22

Seoul Samsung Thunders vs. Busan KT Sonicboom

Seoul Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium at 2 p.m.

Changwon LG Sakers vs. Seoul SK Knights

Changwon Indoor Gymnasium at 2 p.m.

Anyang KGC vs. Jeonju KCC Egis

Anyang Indoor Gymnasium at 4 p.m.

Gwacheon Seoul Race Track

The Gwacheon Seoul Race Track holds races from 10:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday. Get off at Seoul Racecourse Park Station, subway line 4, exit 3. For more information, call (02) 509-1114 or visit www.kra.co.kr.