Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Lee Jung-seob's legacy lives on

Artist Lee Jung-seob (1916-1956) / Courtesy of MMCABy Kwon Mee-yooLee Jung-seob (1916-1956) is one of the greatest modern painters of Korea. Every Korean knows him, but at the same time people do not know much about him. Lee is most well-known for his "Bull" oil painting with dynamic brushstrokes, but most people have only seen it in replica.A new exhibition "The 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Korean Modern Masters ― Lee Jung-Seob 1916-1956" at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Deoksugung commemorates the 100th anniversary of Lee's birth. The exhibit features some 60 oil paintings as well as silver foil drawings borrowed from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, letter paintings, postcards and "Two Homelands, One Love," a 2014 documentary film by Atsuko Sakai on Lee and his wife Masako Yamamoto, also known by her Korean name Lee Nam-duk.“Bull”This is the first exhibit shedding light on the artist by the nation's flagship museum some 60 years after his death. The MMCA tried to make atonement for the belated exhibit by offering as ma

Jun 19, 2016

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  ‘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 Ji-yeo

Jun 16, 2016

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  ‘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. Chong Park will host performances 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. ‘Homage to Mozart’Sejong Center for the Performing ArtsJune 25The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will have a “Homage to Mozart” concert on June 25./ Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will hold a concert as part of its Sejong Chamber Music Series on June 25, featuring music by Mozart.With its chamber orchestra composed of maestro Lim Heon-jeong and Korean Sympony Orchestra members, the center will present Divertimento No.2 in B Major, Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor and Piano Concerto No. 26 in D Major. Performing o

Jun 16, 2016

Chekhov's 'Seagull' reinterpreted in symbolism

Actress Lee Hye-young plays Arkadina in “The Seagull,” directed by Felix Alexa and produced by the National Theater Company of Korea at the Myeongdong Theater in central Seoul through June 29. / Courtey of National Theater Company of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yoo"The Seagull" by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov is one of the most well-known plays in modern theater. The National Theater of Korea (NTCK) takes a new approach to the classic revolving around the fading actress Arkadina, her lover and established writer Trigorin, her son Treplyov and the ingenue Nina.Director Felix Alexa, who previously worked with the NTCK on an innovative production of Shakespeare's "Richard II," again presents a modern interpretation of a timeless classic in "The Seagull." Chekhov's "The Seagull" was written in a realistic manner, Alexa throws a fresh light on the relations of the characters, especially through the concept of a theater and memory.To achieve the feat, Alexa drastically dramatized the script, emphasizing the relations between theater and illusion in a symbolistic way. When the play

Jun 14, 2016

Chekhov's 'Seagull' reinterpreted in symbolism

Ballet 'Shim Chung' celebrates 30th anniversary

The Universal Ballet’s soloist Hong Hyang-gee, left, and principal Hwang Hye-min alternate the role of ShimChung in the namesake ballet staged at the Seoul Arts Center through June 18. / Courtesy of Lee Soo-jinHwang Hye-min, Hong Hyang-gee share titular role, friendshipBy Kwon Mee-yooThe term ballet immediately relates to airy dancers in white tutus, but "Shim Chung,” currently staged by the Universal Ballet Company (UBC) at Seoul Arts Center, tells the tale of Shim Chung, Korea's best-known filial daughter, cleverly combining classical ballet with traditional Korean dance.For this year's production, five dancers ― Hwang Hye-min, Kang Mi-sun, Kim Na-eun, Han Sang-yi and Hong Hyang-gee ― alternate the lead role of Shim Chung. Among them, veteran Hwang and the youngest Hong sat down for an interview with The Korea Times on June 7.Premiered in 1986 choreographed by Adrienne Dellas with the music of Kevin Barber Pickard, "Shim Chung" is one of the major repertoires of the UBC. This year’s perform

Jun 12, 2016

Ballet 'Shim Chung' celebrates 30th anniversary

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‘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 Ji-yeon and Cho Ha

Jun 9, 2016

AROUND TOWN 1

‘SAC 11am Concert’Seoul Arts Center*Through Dec. 8On every second Thursday of each month, an “11am Concert” will be staged at the Seoul Arts Center. Chong Park will host performances 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. ‘Yang Sung-won’s Chamber Story’Sejong Center for the Performing ArtsJune 9-10  On June 9 and 10, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will hold concerts that will allow people to experience chamber music. / Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts On June 9 and 10, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will hold concerts that will allow people to experience chamber music. Sejong’s chamber music series featuring Yang Sung-won is offered six times with four themes on a yearly basis along with top artists from Korea and abroad, such as Trio Owon, Enrico Pace and the

Jun 9, 2016

Forger of Lee U-fan's works indicted

Lee U-fan’s “Point”By Yun Suh-youngThe prosecution indicted a gallery operator who had allegedly forged artist Lee U-fan's works, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Wednesday.The 66-year-old gallery operator is charged with forging and selling three artworks by Lee, including a copy of "From Point" and making 1.3 billion won ($1.1 million) off the sales.The gallery owner, identified by the surname Hyeon, had been running a gallery in Dongdaemun, northeastern Seoul. In 2011, he allegedly received a suggestion from an antiques dealer trading between Japan and Korea who offered to pay 50 percent of the profit for selling a forged Lee U-fan piece if Hyeon could produce it. Prosecutors say Hyeon then decided to team up with a Western-style painter and received canvases and an easel from the antique dealer.In 2012, Hyeon and his partner allegedly produced two pieces similar to "From Point" and one piece similar to "From Line" series, putting Lee's signature in the pieces.Prosecutors say the works were then sold to one person through two gallery operators in Seoul's

Jun 8, 2016

Young artists take look at modern society

“Family Planning” by Optical Race, an artist duo of Kim Hyung-jae and Bahk Jae-hyun / Courtesy of LeeumBy Kwon Mee-yooContemporary art evolved from traditional portraits or landscape paintings evokes immediate impressions at first glance these days and has become more rational than emotional, along with the development of science and technology.Such a trend is reflected at ARTSPECTRUM 2016, a biennial exhibition series of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art for emerging domestic artists. The works on display become more interesting when examined more closely with provided context than just having a quick look around.For the sixth edition of the exhibit, 10 artists using a variety of media including painting, photography, videos and installations, were chosen to explore a broad spectrum of subjects ranging from personal narrative to the modern history of Korea.Upon entering the museum's Ground Gallery, colorful boards and a white inverted pyramid hanging from the ceiling catch the visitor's eyes. There are cryptic numbers and symbols written on them.“Bamboo in Snow, Plum Bl

Jun 6, 2016

Young artists take look at modern society

Character artist Park mirrors paranoiac outlook in his character

Character artist Park Se-jin’s watercolor work “Gravity” / Courtesy of the artistBy Baek Byung-yeul When thinking of a character artist, most people would imagine someone drawing characters for animated movies or video games. But things are different with character artist Park Se-jin.Instead of meeting the specific needs of a client, Park does exactly the opposite ― using his signature character “PARAKID,” the artist, 30, shares his view of the world at art galleries and lets his character be featured in products such as paper toys, postcards and clothes.The artist, whose pen name is 08AM, recently signed a contract with the United States-based clothing store 2Sable and is waiting for T-shirts featuring PARAKID to be released.In sharing his thoughts about being a character artist, Park said “self-satisfaction” is a driving force that pushes him to keep drawing. “My definition of a character artist is different from a character designer,” said Park at his colleague’s atelier in Seodaemun, Seoul, on May 24. &ldq

Jun 5, 2016

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

Lee Jung-seob's legacy lives on

AROUND TOWN 2

AROUND TOWN 1

Chekhov's 'Seagull' reinterpreted in symbolism

Ballet 'Shim Chung' celebrates 30th anniversary

AROUND TOWN 2

AROUND TOWN 1

Forger of Lee U-fan's works indicted

Young artists take look at modern society

Character artist Park mirrors paranoiac outlook in his character

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