Lifestyle - The Korea Times

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Classical Concerts‘SAC 11am Concert’Seoul Arts CenterUntil Dec. 8On every second Thursday of each month, an “11am Concert” will be performed at the Seoul Arts Center. Chong Park will host the shows with commentary, and coffee will be provided for free. With distinct soloists for each concert, the Korean Symphony Orchestra will perform at all of the concerts.Tickets cost 20,000 to 25,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. ‘La Traviata’Sejong Center for the Performing ArtsNov. 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

Nov 3, 2016

Noted ballet director says 'it's easy to work with Koreans'

A scene from “Sleeping Beauty” / Courtesy of the Korean National BalletMarcia Haydee visits Seoul to direct Sleeping BeautyBy Yun Suh-youngArtistic director Marcia Haydee / Courtesy of the Korean National BalletArtistic director and ballerina-turned-choreographer Marcia Haydee was in Seoul to stage her version of "Sleeping Beauty" which has been performed throughout the world for the past 30 years since premiering in 1987 by Stuttgart Ballet in Germany. Haydee showcased Sleeping Beauty for the first time for Stuttgart Ballet while she was artistic director of the company from 1976 to 1996. She was also artistic director for Ballet de Santiago. During her career as an artistic director, she reinterpreted classics such as "Giselle," "Swan Lake," "Carmen," and "Cinderella."The Korean National Ballet invited Marcia Haydee this year to direct her version of “Sleeping Beauty” to be staged here, more than a decade after Rudolf Nureyev's version of Sleeping Beauty played in Korea in 2004. Haydee's version will present a fantastical, fairy-tale like stage setting and s

Nov 1, 2016

Noted ballet director says 'it's easy to work with Koreans'

Korean art gains more global presence

An installation view of “Dansaekhwa” exhibit at the Palazzo Contarini-Polignac in Venice, Italy in 2015./ Courtesy of Kukje GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooKorea’s contemporary art has gained a strong presence on the international art scene, mainly with a rediscovered art movement from the 1970s as well as a new generation of artists making their names globally. The boom breathed life into the art market; according to Artprice.com, the Korean art market has become the 10th largest in the world in terms of art auction turnover as of 2015.Reflecting increasing interest in Korean art, more international art figures are visiting Korea and providing new insights on the swelling presence of Korean art.An internationally established gallerist, who believes her role is to bring attention to notable artists, said Korea has become a key player in the international art market.Art dealer and collector Pearl Lam Pearl Lam, a Hong Kong-based art dealer and owner of Pearl Lam Galleries, visited Korea last month to see two artists managed by her gallery -- Kim Tschang-yeul and Suki Seok

Nov 1, 2016

Top dance troupes collaborate on 'Crazy Hamlet'

Dancers perform a scene from Crazy Hamlet during a press rehearsal Friday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. / Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing ArtsBallet series celebrates 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birthBy Yun Suh-young"To go crazy or not to go crazy, that is the question."The confused mentality of Prince Hamlet will be expressed in a modern day version of his character in "Crazy Hamlet," a locally created ballet performance, which premieres this Friday. The performance will be held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' M Theater in Seoul from Nov. 4 through 6.Crazy Hamlet, created by Seo Mi-sook of Seo Dance Company, is part of a series of ballet performances based on Shakespeare's works, "Shakespeare in Ballet," which will be held through Nov. 13. The Shakespeare in Ballet series is performed by five of the six member organizations of Ballet STP, an association of six private ballet groups _ Universal Ballet, Seoul Ballet Theatre, Seo Dance Company, Wise Ballet Theater, LeeWonKook Ballet, and Kim Ok Ryun Ballet.The dance compa

Oct 31, 2016

Top dance troupes collaborate on 'Crazy Hamlet'

MMCA Seoul celebrates autumn with festival

im Se-jin and THSS's video performance "A Hermit" as part of MMCA-Hyundai Motor Museum Festival: Madang / Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooThe Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) celebrates the third anniversary of its Seoul branch in November with a handful of new exhibitions and a museum festival this week."MMCA-Hyundai Motor Museum Festival: Madang" running through Sunday reflects the museum’s efforts to take a step closer to the public with convergence arts.MMCA director Bartomeu Mari explained why the festival is named "madang," the Korean word for courtyard, an important element of Korean traditional culture as well as a keyword for MMCA Seoul's architecture.“Ob.scene 5: Void” by Ob.scene is a participatory performance exploring architecture of MMCA Seoul."Madang is a space open to all and welcomes everyone. It is a space of freedom and sharing. It is a place to be with others, to enjoy, to learn, to discover and to exchange," Mari said Wednesday. "The festival will take place in several madang of the building, inside and outside of MMCA Seoul

Oct 28, 2016

MMCA Seoul celebrates autumn with festival

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Traditional ‘Sin-si’Sejong Center for Performing ArtsOct. 28“Sin-si, the Festival of the Sun” will be held at Sejong Grand Theater on Oct. 28.This performance is a ballet themed upon the mythology of Dangun, featuring exaggeratedly elaborate dance moves which are choreographed by Kook Su-ho, a renowned director of historical dances. “Sin-si” will focus on the story of Hwanwoong, the son of Heaven: as he descends to Earth, he embraces two warring tribes, the Woong tribe and the Ho tribe, and establishes a city of reconciliation and coexistence called Shinsi.Tickets cost 10,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, visit sejongpac.or.kr or call (02) 399-1766. ‘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. T

Oct 27, 2016

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Classical Concerts‘SAC 11am Concert’Seoul Arts Center*Until Dec. 8On every second Thursday of each month, an “11am Concert” will be performed at the Seoul Arts Center. Chong Park will host the shows with commentary, and coffee will be provided for free. With distinct soloists for each concert, the Korean Symphony Orchestra will perform at all of the concerts.Tickets cost 20,000 to 25,000 won. For more information, visit sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. ‘La Traviata’Sejong Center for Performing ArtsNov. 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

Oct 27, 2016

More harassment incidents in literary circle revealed via social media

By Kwon Mee-yooOne after another, famed male writers and artists ― including poet Park Jin-seong, 38, novelist Park Bum-shin, 70, and curator Ham Young-jun, 38 ― have been accused of sexually harassing women, abusing their position.  Despite their respective apologies, the incidents raised the deep-seated issue of the male-oriented cultural world beyond individual crimes.Following the series of harassment incidents, the Writers Association of Korea issued a statement Monday that it will take action against its members related to sexual crimes, including poet Park and novelist Park."It is terrible that our members are associated with sexual harassment cases. If the rumors turn out to be true, we will take disciplinary action against them for degrading the association," the association wrote.Novelist Park decided to postpone publication of his latest book which was to be released by the end of October.Most of the cases are reported through social media including Twitter using hashtags such as “#sexual_violence_in_cultural_circle.” The hashtags call out sexual

Oct 25, 2016

Bernard Pras produces Hangeul-inspired works

Bernard Pras sits next to his artwork on the stairs of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. / Courtesy of Woowa BrothersBy Yun Suh-youngOn the stairs of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, there lies a peculiar installation that makes passersby stop and wonder "What is that?"At first sight, the work seems like a collection of abandoned items put together to form an image, but unless you look closely you have no idea what it is supposed to be.When you peer through the eyeglass installed in front of the work, you finally get a focused view of the whole picture ― an image of King Sejong created and surrounded by a variety of items from nickel-silver pots, brassware, toys, pieces of brooms, bicycles seats and delivery motorbikes and so on. In the middle of it all it says, "What kind of a nation are we?" in Hangeul, the Korean writing system.The work is of French installation artist Bernard Pras, who visited Seoul to put the piece together in commemoration of the 570th birthday of Hangeul. The exhibit was revealed on Oct. 19, 10 days after Hangeul Day wh

Oct 23, 2016

Bernard Pras produces Hangeul-inspired works

Around Town 2

Traditional‘Sin-si’Sejong Center for Performing ArtsOct. 27 to 28“Sin-si, the Festival of the Sun” will be held at Sejong Grand Theater for two days on Oct. 27 and 28. Courtesy of Sejong Center for Performing Arts“Sin-si, the Festival of the Sun” will be held at Sejong Grand Theater for two days on Oct. 27 and 28.This performance is a ballet themed upon the mythology of Dangun, featuring exaggeratedly elaborate dance moves which are choreographed by Kook Su-ho, a renowned director of historical dances. “Sin-si” will focus on the story of Hwanwoong, the son of Heaven: as he descends to Earth, he embraces two warring tribes, the Woong tribe and the Ho tribe, and establishes a city of reconciliation and coexistence called Shinsi.Tickets cost 10,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, visit sejongpac.or.kr or call (02) 399-1766. ‘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

Oct 20, 2016

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

Around Town 1

Noted ballet director says 'it's easy to work with Koreans'

Korean art gains more global presence

Top dance troupes collaborate on 'Crazy Hamlet'

MMCA Seoul celebrates autumn with festival

Around Town 2

Around Town 1

More harassment incidents in literary circle revealed via social media

Bernard Pras produces Hangeul-inspired works

Around Town 2

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