Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Suspension of state museums, theaters extended amid virus resurgence

The operation of state-run museums and theaters in Seoul and adjacent cities was further suspended Friday amid a resurgence of new coronavirus infections in the metropolitan area.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said major state-run museums, including the National Museum of Korea, National Folk Museum of Korea and National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, will remain closed until further notice.The National Hangeul Museum and three branches of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul and Gwacheon, as well as two Seoul outlets of the National Library of Korea, will also stay out of service, according to the ministry.The institutions have been closed since late May amid signs of resurgence in COVID-19 transmissions. On Friday, the culture ministry decided to extend the shutdown as the country's new daily infections, mostly reported in the capital area, have hovered around 50 recently.Cultural facilities outside of the capital area are currently in business, operating in compliance with social distancing guidelines. Along with the museums and librarie

Jun 12, 2020

Suspension of state museums, theaters extended amid virus resurgence

Nonbat Art School in Paju up for art auction

Heyri Nonbat Art School in Paju, Gyeonggi Province is up for auction on June 17. Courtesy of Seoul AuctionBy Kwon Mee-yooArt auctions traditionally feature only artwork, but its horizons have broadened to include more diverse items such as wine and limited edition sneakers. The most attention-grabbing article up for auction at Seoul Auction's June event, scheduled for June 17, is the Nonbat Art School in the Heyri Art Village in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The art education facility designed by seven artists, including Choi Jung-hwa, Park Ki-won, Kang Un and Lee Mi-gyung. Built in 2009, the building includes two galleries, a restaurant, three guest rooms and workshop spaces, complete with its own vegetable garden.Located in mountainous area of Paju, north of Seoul, the eco-cultural facility was established with the theme of "Farming is art." Maintaining the sloped geographical features as much as possible, the two galleries are named "Non" and "Bat," Korean words for paddy and dry field, respectively. The art school has been offering a variety of programs on art, ecology and culture.The

Jun 11, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

Nonbat Art School in Paju up for art auction

'Phantom of the Opera' continues amid pandemic

Jonathan Roxmouth as Phantom and Claire Lyon as Christine in a scene from "The Phantom of the Opera" currently staged at Blue Square in Seoul amid COVID-19 outbreak / Courtesy of S&COKorean theater safety measures catch attention of British culture secretaryBy Kwon Mee-yooThe international touring production of the musical "The Phantom of the Opera," currently on stage at Blue Square in central Seoul, has set a record despite bad timing. The world-famous musical has been showing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The show is the longest-running show on Broadway, but the world's most glamorous theater districts of Broadway in New York and West End in London have been dark for months to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. While other productions of the musical in North America, Britain, Italy and Australia have been shut down indefinitely, the Seoul company strives to keep its doors open with rigid safety measures. Claire Lyon from Australia, who plays the show's diva Christine Daae, said there is a survivor's guilt, in a way, as she continues to perform here while most shows in A

Jun 9, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Phantom of the Opera' continues amid pandemic

Ballet Festival Korea to be held on June 18-28 amid COVID-19

Seen is a scene from the Korea National Ballet's “Mata Hari” in 2019 Ballet Festival Korea. Courtesy of Ballet Festival KoreaBy Park Ji-wonAt a time when there are few indoor artistic performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an upcoming ballet festival is looking to revive people's spirits from coronavirus-related stress through a familiar dance repertoire and performances by leading ballet dancers from here and overseas.The 10th edition of the festival, which was established in 2011 with the aim of bringing ballet closer to the public, is slated to take place from June 18 to 28 at the Seoul Arts Center, presenting nine ballet works ranging from classic to contemporary. Poster for the 10th Ballet Festival Korea Courtesy of Ballet Festival KoreaThe Korea National Ballet's romantic ballet “Giselle” was originally planned to be opening the festival on June 10, but it was canceled under the government's measures that closed state-run cultural facilities through June 14 due to the recent spread of the coronavirus in the Seoul metropolitan area. To this end, Unive

Jun 7, 2020By Park Ji-won

Ballet Festival Korea to be held on June 18-28 amid COVID-19

Redefining 'family' in Asian contemporary art

Lee Kang-Seung's "Imaginaries of the Future" offers an insight into the lives of members of the LGBTQ community in a book lounge-style setting as part of the 2020 MMCA Asia Project "Looking for Another Family" exhibition. Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooThe definition of family has changed over time and a new exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) sheds light on the new definition of family, departing from the conventional idea of a "normal family," which consists of a married couple and their children. MMCA director Youn Bum-mo said the 2020 MMCA Asia Project "Looking for Another Family" provides an opportunity to introduce diverse and dynamic Asian contemporary art. "As this time of global crisis marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the innovative work of the Asian artists in this exhibition and their collaboration will hopefully communicate the spirit of social solidarity and coexistence to the world ― the message should particularly resonate in Asian territory," Youn said.The exhibit is part of the MMCA's effort to discover a new critical perspe

Jun 4, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

Redefining 'family' in Asian contemporary art

Mobile real estate agency pops up at art museum

Mobile real estate agency pops up at art museum

Installation view of "On the Way to Investment," a collaboration between Indonesia's Jatiwangi Art Factory and Korea's Budnamugage, at the 2020 MMCA Asia Project "Looking for Another Family" exhibition / Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yoo"Looking for Another Family," the 2020 Asia Project of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), provides diverse perspectives on changes in the concept of family with artists from eight Asian countries.One of the most playful works at the exhibit is "On the Way to Investment," a collaboration between Jatiwangi art Factory (JaF) from Indonesia and Budnamugage from Korea, which invites viewers to make an investment to buy land in Indonesia. Those who invest in this project will receive a land certificate and plant lettuce and Moringa in the museum's courtyard. Jatiwangi is a district in West Java, Indonesia, and the JaF focuses on discourses of local rural life through art. Jatiwangi began as a clay civilization and became the largest roof-tile-producing region of Southeast Asia. "With the same clay, JaF uses it to encourage peopl

Jun 4, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

Mobile real estate agency pops up at art museum

Redefining 'family' in Asian contemporary art

Lee Kwang-ho broadens artistic horizons in 'Composition in Blue'

Lee Kwang-ho's enameled copper artwork "Composition in Blue" is on view at Leeahn Gallery Seoul through July 31. Courtesy of the artist and Leeahn GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooLee Kwang-ho is well-known for his creations of weaving electric wires and PVC hoses. His braid lighting "Knot ― Beyond the Inevitable" series and chair "Obsession" series earned international acclaim and his furniture is highly sought after among art collectors and celebrities.His furniture might be familiar to those who frequent the new AmorePacific headquarters in Yongsan District in Seoul. Lee's signature knitted chairs are scattered around the lobby ― he also designed the furniture and lighting for the Osulloc Tea House in the building.However, Lee's exhibition "Composition in Blue," opened last week at Leeahn Gallery Seoul, shows an unknown aspect of him as he takes a leap, blurring the boundary between a designer and an artist. Except for a long sofa-like piece in nylon cord, all the works are in enameled copper and do not have any practical use as actual seating or lighting. Born in Guri, Gyeonggi Province in

May 31, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

Lee Kwang-ho broadens artistic horizons in 'Composition in Blue'

Star-studded blockbuster musicals aim to lure audiences in June

Cast members of the musical “Mozart!”Several major musical productions starring high-profile stars are set to open next month, as the industry tries to grapple with a recent plummet in attendees due to the new coronavirus pandemic, according to organizers Friday. The musical "Mozart!" a Korean adaptation of the German-language production of the same name, is spearheading the move, starting a run in Seoul from June 11-Aug. 9 at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts in central Seoul, according to the EMK Musical Co.Thanks to its all-star cast, including Kim Jun-su, former member of K-pop boy band TVXQ, and star musical actress Kim So-hyun, "Mozart!" is expected to become one of the top picks among musical fans in South Korea.Two days later, an adaptation of the hit classic production "Rent," inspired from Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's 1896 opera "La Boheme," will open at D-Cube Art Center in western Seoul. The previous run of "Rent" in South Korea took place back in 2011.Starring Ivy, former K-pop songstress, and Oh Jong-hyuk of boy band Click-B, the latest Korean edit

May 29, 2020

Star-studded blockbuster musicals aim to lure audiences in June

Hanji Culture and Industry Center opens to promote Korean traditional paper

Colorful sample sheets of hanji are currently on display at the Hanji Culture and Industry Center in Seoul, May 20. Various kinds of hanji are categorized by production region, use and type. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukHCIC aims to save struggling hanji industryBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Hanji Culture and Industry Center (HCIC) has opened in Seoul on May 20 in a bid to promote hanji and revitalize the slumping industry of traditional Korean paper.With over 1,000 years of history, hanji is made from the bark of paper mulberry trees and comes in different types depending on the ratio of ingredients, techniques used in screening the fiber and thickness of the paper. Due to its strength and durability, the bark of paper mulberry was not only used for making paper but also for making shelter and items of clothing. During the Joseon Kingdom, hanji was considered fine quality paper and was exported to China where it was sold at high prices. In the wake of modernization and the introduction of mass produced pulp paper, however, hanji fell out of favor. As a result, there are only 19 traditiona

May 28, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Hanji Culture and Industry Center opens to promote Korean traditional paper

Hanji maker keeps centuries-old tradition alive

Hanji maker keeps centuries-old tradition alive

Kim Chun-ho, a fifth-generation hanji maker, poses for a photo after an interview with The Korea Times at the Hanji Culture and Industry Center in Seoul, May 20. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Kwak Yeon-sooKim Chun-ho, 46, is a fifth-generation hanji maker following in his father's footsteps. His father, hanji master Kim Sam-shik, was designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 23-B of North Gyeongsang Province in 2005. “Since I was six years old, I've been trained to make hanji. I became fully involved in the papermaking business in 2000,” Kim said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.Hanji refers to traditional Korean paper made from the bark of paper mulberry trees. It is formed with laminated sheets and finished sheets are pounded to compress the fibers.Although the hanji making process has evolved over centuries, the most traditional method involves the same steps used during the Goryeo and Joseon Kingdoms. To make hanji, Kim harvests bark from paper mulberry trees usually between November and February from his own land that covers approximately 1