Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Alessandra Ferri to perform in Korea for 1st time

Alessandra FerriBy Yun Suh-youngThe oldest active ballerina in the world, Alessandra Ferri, will perform in Seoul for the first time in October in the Universal Ballet Company (UBC)’s "Romeo and Juliet" in the lead female role.The Kenneth MacMillan version of "Romeo and Juliet" was staged for the first time in Korea by the UBC back in 2012 and received glowing reviews. The version returns this year in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare.The ballet featuring Alessandra Ferri will be performed from Oct. 22 through 29 at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul."It may seem belated but it is very moving that the Korean audience can watch Alessandra's performance," said Julia Moon, general director of UBC. "The strength of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is in the acting because the plot is dramatic. The character of Juliet is what made Alessandra the ballerina she is today. I'm looking forward to seeing how she interprets the character differently from younger ballerinas."

Aug 2, 2016

Alessandra Ferri to perform in Korea for 1st time

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[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 representative original 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

Jul 28, 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. / Courtesy of Seoul Arts CenterOn 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.  ‘Curlew River’Sejong M TheaterUntil July 31The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts presents the world-renowned opera “Curlew River” at the Sejong M Theater from July 28 to 31.Benjamin Britten’s Curlew River is the first of his three Church Parables, which was composed after his tour of the Orient in the 1950s. During the trip, he was heavily inspired by different musical and theatrical worlds of Japanese Noh d

Jul 28, 2016

Forgotten treasures of Sinan shipwreck

Visitors look around the Discoveries from the Sinan Shipwreck exhibition at the National Museum of Korea, Monday. /  YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yoo A large merchant vessel pulled up anchor at Qingyuan Port (now Ningbo City) in Zhejiang Province of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and left on a voyage to the Port of Hakata (now Fukuoka) in Japan in 1323. The trade ship, estimated to be 34 meters long and 11 meters wide, was loaded with Chinese ceramics, wooden lacquerware and metal crafts, but it never reached its destination -- it foundered off the southwest coast of Sinan, South Jeolla Province.The shipwreck was completely forgotten until a fisherman from Sinan caught several pieces of pottery in his net in 1975. The celadon was reported to authorities, and the Department of Korean Cultural Properties (now the Cultural Heritage Administration) embarked on a major excavation project in October 1976, unearthing the existence of the Sinan shipwreck.The discovery was a breakthrough for underwater archaeology in Korea. Over 28 tons of coins and approximately 24,000 cultural properties were

Jul 27, 2016

Veteran actors take 'Hamlet' to stage

Yu In-chon in a scene from “Hamlet” / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yooThe year 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of the world's most celebrated playwright, William Shakespeare. It coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Korean thespian Lee Hae-rang (1916-1989).Lee is a pioneer of the modern Korean theater, who began as an actor and later made his name as a director. He staged Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in its full-length for the first time in 1951. The last play he prepared before his death in 1989 was also "Hamlet."To commemorate the two master thespians, the National Theater of Korea (NTOK) and the Seensee Company are staging an unprecedented production of "Hamlet," featuring a group of veteran actors whose average age is 66, at the Main Hall Hae of the NTOK.From the eldest Chon Moo-song, 75, to the youngest Han Myeong-gu, 56, the actors exude extraordinary presence on stage, taking the lead roles of Hamlet (played by the former culture minister Yu In-chon) and Claudius (Jung Dong-hwan) as well as the minor roles such as the

Jul 26, 2016

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[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 representative original Korean music, utilizing 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 www.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

Jul 21, 2016

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[Classical Concerts] ‘SAC 11am Concert’Seoul Arts Center*Through Dec. 8On every second Thursday of each month, an “11am Concert” will be performed at the Seoul Arts Center. / Courtesy of Seoul Arts CenterOn 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, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr. ‘Curlew River’Sejong M TheaterJuly 28-31The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts presents the world-renowned opera “Curlew River” at the Sejong M Theater from July 28 to 31.Benjamin Britten’s Curlew River is the first of his three Church Parables, which was composed after his tour of the Orient in the 1950s. During the trip, he was heavily inspired by different musical and theatrical worlds of Japanese Noh drama and medi

Jul 21, 2016

Exhibitions commemorate Paik Nam-june

“Turtle” Courtesy of Seoul Museum of ArtEvents mark 10th anniversary of media artist's passingBy Kwon Mee-yoo2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of media artist Paik Nam-june. A series of exhibitions and events commemorating the media art pioneer are being held around the late artist's birthday which fell on July 20.The Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province organized a special exhibition titled "New Gameplay" Wednesday.The exhibit explores media art in the context of games, which is basically an extension of Paik's philosophy of combining art and technology.Forty-five works of 34 artists are on display, ranging from a popular video game to experimental contemporary works of art touching on the concept of gaming. Visitors can operate and experience most of the art pieces for a better understanding of digital gameplay and contemporary art.Bill Viola's "The Night Journey" employs first-person-shooter games for a meditative experience, while Chinese artist Feng Mengbo interprets communist propaganda in a 16-bit video game titled "Long March: Restart

Jul 20, 2016

Kang Ik-joong to float dreams of displaced on Thames

Artist Kang Ik-joong speaks during a press conference,July 13.  / YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooKorean artist Kang Ik-joong's installation reflecting the yearning and wishes of the Koreans displaced and divided during the Korean War (1950-53) will be on display Sept. 1 to 30.Titled "Floating Dreams," the structure is three stories high and features 500 miniature drawings created by North Korean defectors now living in the South. It is a lantern illuminated from within and lights up the river in London, floating adjacent to the Millennium Bridge as a part of the Totally Thames.Totally Thames, a major outdoor art festival of London, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Adrian Evans, festival director of Totally Thames, said Kang's works dealing with the issue of displaced people in Korea are closely related to the recent refugee problems in Europe."These elderly displaced people in Korea are earlier examples of refugees. I wanted to create a monument dedicated to the refugees all over the world, made by the people who were forced to leave their hometowns," Kang said at a press confer

Jul 18, 2016

Kang Ik-joong to float dreams of displaced on Thames

New 'Seoul Best 100' guidebook to be published

An updated Seoul guidebook will be published by the end of the year to reflect new tourist attractions and public transportation in the South Korean capital, a city official said Monday."We've placed an order to make 100,000 copies of the new 'Seoul Best 100' by spending 160 million won ($140,000)," the source said.The new 120-page guidebook will be printed in five languages -- Korean, English, simplified and traditional Chinese, and Japanese -- the official said."We'd like to help tourists visiting Seoul, especially those coming for the first time, get a comprehensive grasp of attractions in the 25 wards in our city with just a quick skim through of this book," the official said. "It's kind of a basic book to learn about Seoul."There have been voices that the latest guidebook, published six years ago, does not reflect new attractions, including Dongdaemun Design Plaza, and new public transportation like Subway Line 9.In making the new book, the city will launch a panel comprised of tour and promotion experts and foreigners residing in Seoul to find the city's top 100 attractions by

Jul 18, 2016

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

Alessandra Ferri to perform in Korea for 1st time

AROUND TOWN 2

AROUND TOWN 1

Forgotten treasures of Sinan shipwreck

Veteran actors take 'Hamlet' to stage

AROUND TOWN 2

AROUND TOWN 1

Exhibitions commemorate Paik Nam-june

Kang Ik-joong to float dreams of displaced on Thames

New 'Seoul Best 100' guidebook to be published

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