Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Korean favorite 'Jekyll & Hyde' returns with Broadway cast

Cast members for the world tour of “Jekyll & Hyde” pose during a press conference at the Dress Garden in Gangnam, Seoul, last Tuesday. From left are Bradley Dean, Lindsey Bliven, Kyle Dean Massey and Diana Degarmo.  / YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooKoreans love split-personality characters and it is no wonder the musical "Jekyll & Hyde," based on the 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, is one of Korea’s favorite musical dramas.The musical, with music and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn and book by Leslie Bricusse, made its Broadway debut in 1997 and landed in Korea in 2004. Since then, the show has been staged over 1,000 times here and attracted over 1.1 million ticket sales.Set in 19th century London, the show revolves around Dr. Jekyll, who believes the good and evil in a person can be separated. Its exploration of the dark side of humanity’s dualism, detailed descriptions of characters and dramatic music have contributed to the musical’s immense popularity in Korea.Jointly produced by Korea's OD Musical Company and the U.S. Work Light Productions, a new

Nov 15, 2016

Korean favorite 'Jekyll & Hyde' returns with Broadway cast

Kyle Dean Massey challenges split personality in 'Jekyll and Hyde'

Ex-vice minister allegedly meddled in appointing dance company director

By Yun Suh-youngKim ChongFormer Vice Culture Minister Kim Chong is suspected of influence peddling in appointing the artistic director Kim Sang-deok of the National Dance Company of Korea. However, the National Theater of Korea under which the dance company operates was offended by such doubts being raised and immediately denied such suspicion saying it was “a false report” and that “it will actively make countermeasures to such baseless claims in the media by sending it to the Press Arbitration Commission.”The Hankook Ilbo daily raised doubts in its report last week of the process in which the dance company director was appointed, saying it was suspicious that Kim was selected again after being denied during the initial screening process and that this could have had something to do with his network at Hanyang University, of which Kim is an alumnus.The theater company however denied such claims saying that “the director has never met with the vice culture minister and does not know him” and “there was no influence peddling involved with the a

Nov 14, 2016

Ex-vice minister allegedly meddled in appointing dance company director

Greek tragedy reborn with pansori

Recent studies show oral diseases can affect the health of not only the mouth but also the whole body. It is also known that a bacterium, Streptococcus gordonii, can cause blood clots and trigger life-threatening endocarditis, or inflammation of the heart. / Courtesy of NTOKBy Kwon Mee-yooThe ancient tale of the Trojan horse and the love between Paris and Helen during the Trojan War is well-known through many literary sources, but what happened to the people of Troy after their defeat is relatively unknown.The National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK), which has been experimenting with various ways to contemporize changgeuk (traditional Korean opera), tells the tale of the women of Troy while exploring the essence of pansori (traditional Korean narrative music), which is a musical form of changgeuk.From left, Helen (played by Kim Jun-su), Hecuba (Kim Geum-mi), Andromache (Kim Ji-sook) and Cassandra (Lee So-yeon)"The Trojan Women," originally written by Greek playwright Euripides, is a tragedy that centers on the fates of the women of Troy after their city has fallen. It takes o

Nov 13, 2016

Ong Keng Sen bridges tradition with contemporary

Around Town 2

Traditional‘Fanta-Stick'Seoul Fanta-Stick Theater Throughout 2016"Fanta-Stick" is performed daily at Seoul Fanta-Stick Theater on an open-ended run. The performance presents original representative Korean music, using traditional Korean instruments to create fusion gugak. Park Ji-hoon, Lee Seok-jae, Kwon Hyun-soo and Na Jung-suk play the main roles of Jangdan and Saemachi. The show also features Yang Ye-rim, Kim Jee, Kim Sae-jin, Yoon Sung-hwan, Kim Byung-soo and Shin Kwang-hee.Tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit fanta-stick.co.kr or call (02) 3143-5959. ‘YOULL'Jeongdong Theater Until Dec. 31"YOULL," a dance performance mixed with drama, will be staged at Jeongdong Theater until the end of 2016.The performance will bring a wide range of traditional modes of expression together, including Korean dance, theater, music and martial arts. By applying the heroic fantasy genre to this production, Jeongdong Theater hopes to broaden its popular appeal. Actors Jeon Jin-hong, Lee Hyuk, Park Ji-yeon and Cho Haneul will play the main roles.Tickets cost

Nov 10, 2016

Around Town 1

Classical Concert‘La Traviata'Sejong Center for Performing Arts Nov. 8 to 13"La Traviata" directed by Henning Brockhaus and conducted by Sebastiano De Filippi will be performed at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from Nov. 8 to 13."La Traviata" is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, and is known as one of opera's greatest romances. The November performances will feature baritone Carlo Guelfi as Giorgio Germont, tenor Luciano Ganci as Alfredo Germont and soprano Gladys Rossi as Violetta Valery.Tickets cost 30,000 to 280,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 587-1950. ‘2016 University Orchestra Festival’Seoul Arts Center Nov. 21 to 27, 2016Seoul Arts Center holds the 2016 University Orchestra Festival, featuring student orchestras from six different universities including Seoul National University, Kookmin University and Korea National University of Arts. Under the slogan of “Youth, stands confidently on stage,” the students will present youthful, livel

Nov 10, 2016

Conceptual artist Cody Choi prepares for Venice

Cody Choi's "Color Painting 2121" (2016). / Courtesy of PKM GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooConceptual artist Cody Choi holds his first painting exhibition in 15 years at the PKM Gallery in central Seoul.Choi comes from a multicultural background as he immigrated to the United States when he was in university. He lived in Los Angeles and New York for nearly two decades before returning to Seoul. He questions the issue of cultural socialization and assimilation, as well as the rapid and increasingly aggressive Westernization of Asia.The exhibition title, "Color Painting (CHEESEKHWA): Frustration is Beautiful" refers to the antithesis of the Dansaekhwa (Korean monochrome painting) movement established in the 1970s that was rediscovered a few years ago.The paintings on display challenges reason and emotion. On the canvas, the word “violet” is written in yellow, while “red” is in green and “blue” is in red.“Art is not just selling beauty like design. There is something more in art -- we feel and learn from art. I think bringing people into conflict is a wa

Nov 7, 2016

Conceptual artist Cody Choi prepares for Venice

Millet's 'Gleaners' on view in Seoul

Jean-Francois Millet "The Gleaners" (1857). / Courtesy of Musee d'OrsayBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Musee d'Orsay in Paris is a must-see in the French capital as it is a treasure trove of French art, including the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces.A special exhibition at the Hangaram Art Museum of the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul presents 131 masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay, including works of Koreans’ favorite painters, Jean-Francois Millet and Vincent van Gogh.Co-hosted by the Seoul Arts Center and GNC Media, this is the third travelling exhibit from the top Parisian museum, celebrating the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and France as well as the 30th anniversary of the museum.Guy Cogeval, president of the Musee d'Orsay, said some of the works on view are not even displayed in the Orsay Museum in Paris."Musee d'Orsay has a vast collection and we want to share this with Korean audiences. This exhibition sheds light on how beauty was interpreted by artists in the 19th century," Co

Nov 6, 2016

Anything imaginable can be made with brick toys

Visitors enjoy Lego creations at the recently finished BricKorea Convention at Hyundai Department Store’s Pangyo branch in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. / Courtesy of Lego KoreaBy Baek Byung-yeulThere was a time when building something with Legos was dismissed as “child’s play.”However, this idea has changed as nowadays more adults play with the toys.  Among popular toys for adults, Lego is one of the most representative items. Ever since the plastic construction toys were introduced here in 1985 the Danish toy company has been leading in sales over the years in the country’s toy market, estimated at some 1.2 trillion won ($1.05 billion).Lego hobbyists do not stop at just assembling Lego bricks but they go even further to create their own products. Those who do are called “brick artists” and they recently hosted an exhibition, examining ways to elevate the toy product to an art form.At Hyundai Department Store in Pangyo, just south of Seoul, an exhibition titled “BricKorea Convention” was held, featuring 400 Lego artworks from

Nov 6, 2016

Anything imaginable can be made with brick toys

현대건축의 아버지 '르 코르뷔지에'의 미공개작 140점 서울서 본다

(코리아타임스=서울) 박시수 기자 = 코바나컨텐츠가 오는 12월6일부터 2017년 3월26일까지 예술의 전당 한가람디자인미술관에서 '르 코르뷔지에' 건축전시전을 개최한다고 밝혔다.26일 코바나컨텐츠에 따르면 이번 르 코르뷔지에전(展)은 국내에서 처음 선보이는 기회다. 미공개작 140여점을 포함해 500여점의 작품을 전시한다. 모마 뉴욕 현대미술관 디렉터와 퐁피두(파리현대미술과) 디렉터가 참여해 전문성을 더했다.르 코르뷔지에는 '저비용'과 '작은 공간'으로도 행복하게 자연을 누릴 수 있다는 '공간혁명'을 선언했다. 그의 건축을 통해 인류가 앞으로 나아갈 방향을 엿볼 수 있다. 특히 올해 르 코르뷔지에의 현대건축물 17개가 유네스코 세계문화유산으로 등제되며 주목받고 있다.코바나컨텐츠는 "르 코르뷔지에의 혁신은 세계인의 주거방식을 완전히 바꿔놨다"며 "뉴욕과 파리, 서울 디렉터들이 모두 참여하는 세기의 프로젝트인 만큼 '전시 사상 초유의 사건'이라고 생각된다"고 말했다.

Nov 4, 2016

Around Town 2

Traditional‘Fanta-Stick’Seoul Fanta-Stick TheaterThroughout 2016“Fanta-Stick” is performed daily at Seoul Fanta-Stick Theater on an open-ended run. The performance presents original representative Korean music, using traditional Korean instruments to create fusion gugak. Park Ji-hoon, Lee Seok-jae, Kwon Hyun-soo and Na Jung-suk play the main roles of Jangdan and Saemachi. The show also features Yang Ye-rim, Kim Jee, Kim Sae-jin, Yoon Sung-hwan, Kim Byung-soo and Shin Kwang-hee.Tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit fanta-stick.co.kr or call (02) 3143-5959. ‘YOULL’Jeongdong TheaterUntil Dec. 31“YOULL,” a dance performance mixed with drama, will be staged at Jeongdong Theater until the end of 2016.The performance will bring a wide range of traditional modes of expression together, including Korean dance, theater, music and martial arts. By applying the heroic fantasy genre to this production, Jeongdong Theater hopes to broaden its popular appeal. Actors Jeon Jin-hong, Lee Hyuk, Park Ji-yeon and Cho Haneul will

Nov 3, 2016

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

Korean favorite 'Jekyll & Hyde' returns with Broadway cast

Ex-vice minister allegedly meddled in appointing dance company director

Greek tragedy reborn with pansori

Around Town 2

Around Town 1

Conceptual artist Cody Choi prepares for Venice

Millet's 'Gleaners' on view in Seoul

Anything imaginable can be made with brick toys

현대건축의 아버지 '르 코르뷔지에'의 미공개작 140점 서울서 본다

Around Town 2

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