Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Ocula promotes art from Asia perspective

Simon Fisher, co-founder of OculaBy Kwon Mee-yoo Art connoisseurs who frequently search the Internet looking for information on contemporary artists or galleries representing them may be familiar with the pupil-like icon, Ocula, a website providing up-to-date news and in-depth information.Simon Fisher, co-founder and director of the online art platform, visited Korea to give a lecture on the online art platform as a part of the Global Art Market Project organized by the Arts Council of Korea (ARKO) last week.Fisher comes from a family gallery business, but instead of continuing it he eyed the Internet. The Fisher family business began in 1870 after his ancestors immigrated to New Zealand from England and introduced British artists."I was always interested in the form of communication and the relations between gallery and collector, curator and museum. It is a bit closed off and exclusive and it is not easy to access if one does not know about the art market very well," Fisher said. "However, the Internet is an unintimidating place and I launched a website in the mid-90s, making

Mar 2, 2016

Ocula promotes art from Asia perspective

Adoptee's journey from Atlanta to Mokpo

Gay bar owner Delia (played by Kang Yun-seok), left, and Korean adoptee Josh Cohen (Choi Jae-rim)  in a scene from the musical “Airport Baby” / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yooKorea previously exported babies because many orphans after the Korean War (1950-53) were adopted overseas. According to a statistics by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, over 148,000 Korean babies were adopted overseas from 1953 to 2001. Koreans generally take pity on the adoptees, but many of them found loving homes and lived good lives.A new musical “Airport Baby,” currently staged at Art One Theater in Daehangno, downtown Seoul, challenges such prejudices against adoptees.The musical begins with the namesake song "Airport Baby," in which Josh Cohen is the protagonist,  a Korean adopted by a Jewish family in Atlanta, Georgia, played by Choi Jae-rim. In the song, Josh sings of the adoptee's desire to search for his roots who thought babies were born at an airport and delivered to their parents."Airport Baby" is the debut work of writer Jeon Su-yang and composer Ch

Feb 28, 2016

Around Town 1

‘Do You Like Brahms?’Olympus HallThrough April 21 Following the success from Olympus Lecture Concert Season 1, a second season is being performed with the music of Brahms. The Musikamia ensemble will lead all the performances until the last one on April, featuring its vocalists and piano section. The ensemble aims to express the sense of purity in their performance, which Brahms always pursued within his music.Brahms composed a number of pieces for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for vocal and chorus — many of his works have become staples of modern repertoires. Though his music is firmly rooted in the structures of the Baroque and classical masters, Brahms created a new approach to harmony.The “Do You Like Brahms” concert will alternate themes each week, presenting a wide variety of his works.Admission is 33,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6255-3270. ‘SAC 11am Concert’Seoul Arts Center*Through Dec. 8The SAC 11am Concert will be held once a month throughout 2016 at Seoul Arts Center./ Courtesy of Seou

Feb 25, 2016

Around Town 2

‘Fanta-Stick’Seoul Fanta-Stick TheaterThroughout 2016 “Fanta-Stick” is performed every day 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.Tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit www.fanta-stick.co.kr or call (02)3143-5959. Musical AranggaChungmu Art HallThrough April 10 The musical “Arranga” will be staged at Chungmu Art Hall from Feb. 14 to April 10.Depicting a love story between a king and a commoner, the musical seeks to combine Western rhythms and Korean musical traditions — the musical numbers in Arrangga are a fusion of gugak. Kang Pil-suk and Yoon Hyung-ryul star as King Gaero, and Choi Joo-ri and Kim Da-hae play Arang.Admission is 66,000 won. For more information, call (02)541-7110 or visit www.ticket.interpark.com. ‘The Song of Spring’Sejong M TheaterMarch 24 The Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra will present newly composed tradition

Feb 25, 2016

Girls' Generation's Seohyun stars in 'Mamma Mia'

Seohyun speaks during a press conference of “Mamma Mia!” at the Charlotte Theater in southern Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yoo Seohyun of Girls’ Generation revealed her bubbly side on a Greek island with ABBA’s music in the musical “Mamma Mia!”Seohyun showcased a scene from the jukebox musical at a press event Tuesday, singing the Swedish pop group’s "Thank You for the Music." Seohyun portrayed Sophie, the bright-eyed ingénue who loves singing and dancing.This is her third role in musical theater, following Yeon-woo in the Korean musical "Moon Embracing the Sun" in 2014 and Scarlett O'Hara in the French musical "Gone with the Wind" in 2015."Mamma Mia!" is a jukebox musical featuring some 22 songs of ABBA, revolving around Donna and her daughter Sophie living on a Greek island.Seohyun said she did not take extra private acting lessons, but tried to harmonize with the team. "I received notes from our director Paul (Garrington) and listened to advice from cast members," she said.Seohyun alternate

Feb 24, 2016

Girls' Generation's Seohyun stars in 'Mamma Mia'

12 of Lee U-fan paintings believed to be counterfeit

Lee U-fanBy Kwon Mee-yooArtist Lee U-fan's works, currently under police investigation on suspicion of forgery, are believed to be counterfeit, said an art expert who took part in the appraisal.Choi Myung-yoon, director of the International Art and Science Institute, said he and other experts concluded after visual and scientific appraisal that all 12 paintings the police confiscated as part of a forgery investigation were fake.Choi said his institution was asked to examine the authenticity of the confiscated paintings and after appraisal using scientific equipment, determined all of them were fakes.One of the paintings in question, "From Point No. 780217," which was sold for 490 million won ($407,620) at K Auction in December 2015, came with a forged certificate of authenticity. Choi said that painting also turned out to be counterfeit."The paintings police asked to be appraised were poorly forged ― the canvases were artificially worn out and the frames colored to look old," Choi said.The director added that he and the five other experts judged all the paintings as fakes just t

Feb 19, 2016

12 of Lee U-fan paintings believed to be counterfeit

Around Town 2

 ‘Fanta-Stick’Seoul Fanta-Stick TheaterThroughout 2016 ‘Fanta-Stick’ is performed every day 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.Tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit www.fanta-stick.co.kr or call (02)3143-5959. ‘The Song of Spring’Sejong M TheaterMar. 24 The Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra will present newly composed traditional music at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.As the first traditional music orchestra in Korea, they have been putting tremendous efforts into creating a transformation of traditional music and popularizing creative music. Under the theme of spring, they will introduce various new pieces composed by Kim Baek-chan, Park Kyung-hoon, Shin Yoon-su, Park Han-kyu and Kim Bo-hyun.Tickets cost 20,000 to 30,000 won. For more information, call (02)399-1111 or visit www.sejongpac.or.kr. Musical AranggaChungmu Art HallFeb. 14-

Feb 18, 2016

Around Town 1

 ‘Do You Like Brahms?’Olympus HallUntil Apr. 21 Following the success of the Olympus Lecture Concert Season 1, a second season is scheduled with the music of Brahms. The Musikamia ensemble will lead all performances until the last one on April, featuring its vocalists and piano section. The ensemble aims to express the sense of purity in their performance, which Brahms always pursued within his music.Brahms composed a number of pieces for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra and for vocal and chorus — many of his works have become staples of modern repertoires. Though his music is firmly rooted in the structures of the Baroque and classical masters, Brahms created a new approach to harmony.The ‘Do You Like Brahms’ concert will alternate themes each week, presenting a wide variety of his works.Admission is 33,000 won. For more information, call (02)6255-3270.  ‘Rebecca’Seoul Arts CenterUntil Mar. 6The musical “Rebecca” will be staged at Seoul Arts Center through March 6. / Courtesy of EMK Musical mpany&n

Feb 18, 2016

Othoniel finds spiritual beauty in lotus

Above: Detail view of Jean-Michel Othoniel’ s “Pink Lotus.” Inset: French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel poses with his works on display at Kukje Gallery K3 in central Seoul. /  Courtesy of Kukje GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooFrench sculptor Jean-Michel Othoniel brings the spiritual beauty of the lotus to his solo exhibit at Kukje Gallery K3 in downtown Seoul.Titled "Black Lotus," this comes five years after Othoniel's retrospective at Plateau, Samsung Museum of Art, in 2011. The exhibit features 10 of Othoniel's latest works including bead installations and lithographs embodying the dual meaning of the namesake flower.Born in 1964 in Saint-Etienne, France, Othoniel is known for creating whimsical yet poignant bead installations. In this exhibition, coiled strings of black, purple, gold and pink glass beads recreate the shape of lotus, blossoming or in full bloom.For Othoniel, the lotus sculpture is a metaphor for perfection, truth and serenity, symbolized by the flower. The lotus grows from murky mud, but the flower is always clean and thus often associated with purity a

Feb 15, 2016

Othoniel finds spiritual beauty in lotus

Cha Ji-yeon steals limelight in 'Rebecca'

Cha Ji-yeon, left, as Mrs. Danvers and Kim Bo-kyung as “I” in a scene from the musical “Rebecca” / Courtesy of EMK Musical CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yooThere is no Rebecca in the musical "Rebecca," which is now staged at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. However, Rebecca's presence sweeps the theater and the audience of this Austrian in its third successful run in Korea.The musical rendition of "Rebecca" is based on the 1938 novel of the same name written by English author Daphne du Maurier. The story is best known for the Academy Award-winning adaptation of the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock film. In 2006, composer Sylvester Levay and librettist Michael Kunze brought the dark Cornish romance onto the stage.The plot revolves around Maxim de Winter, Rebecca's husband who is overshadowed by her mysterious death; "I," the unnamed narrator who marries the widowed Maxim; and Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper and former maid of the first Mrs. De Winter, Rebecca.The character that steals the limelight in the show is obviously Mrs. Danvers, the spitefully mani

Feb 14, 2016

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

Ocula promotes art from Asia perspective

Adoptee's journey from Atlanta to Mokpo

Around Town 1

Around Town 2

Girls' Generation's Seohyun stars in 'Mamma Mia'

12 of Lee U-fan paintings believed to be counterfeit

Around Town 2

Around Town 1

Othoniel finds spiritual beauty in lotus

Cha Ji-yeon steals limelight in 'Rebecca'

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