Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Chung seeks to attract more foreign visitors to NMOCA

Artist duo Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho’s works are on display at 2012 Korea Artist Prize at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. / Courtesy of NMOCAChung Hyung-min, director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, wants the museum torepresent Korean art and support Korean artists advancing overseas.By Kwon Mee-yooThe National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea (NMOCA) is on the way to becoming the key place of Korean art and Chung Hyung-min, 60, named new director in January, is leading the innovation.Chung was an art history professor at Seoul National University before she took the position of the head of the nation’s contemporary art institution. She also led Seoul National University Museum of Art.With her expertise, Chung is ensuring the museum showcases the essence of Korean art and supports Korean artists advancing overseas.“The NMOCA should represent Korean contemporary art and I think it has the collection to do so. However, it was not researched thoroughly or put on display for pub

Oct 31, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Chung seeks to attract more foreign visitors to NMOCA

Top performing arts school marks 20th year

A view of the K-Arts at nighttime. The K-Arts celebrates its 20th anniversary Tuesday with performances and the declaration of “New Value of Arts Education.” /  Courtesy of the K-ArtsK-Arts President Park Jong-wonBy Do Je-haeIn recent years, young Korean artists particularly in classical music and ballet have regularly been sweeping prizes at important competitions abroad. Many of them are products of an intense training program at the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts), the nation’s only institute of higher education for nurturing artists founded by the culture ministry.In just 20 years, the K-Arts has produced many leaders in the arts, contributing to improving Korea’s international image. Graduates like London-based piano sensation Kim Sun-wook or ballet dancer Park Se-eun, the first Korean ballerina ever to join the renowned Paris Opera Ballet, have built the school’s reputation. Kim came into the international spotlight when he won the Leeds Competition in 2006, becoming not only the competition’s youngest winner in 40 years,

Oct 29, 2012By Do Je-hae

Top performing arts school marks 20th year

Van Gogh's self-portraits come to Korea

“Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat” (1887),“Self-Portrait” (1887)By Kwon Mee-yooKoreans love Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh’s bold use of color, unique brushstrokes and sentiment in his paintings. This makes the expectations on the coming Van Gogh exhibit higher.Hosted by Hankook Ilbo, The Korea Times’ sister paper, 60 of Van Gogh’s works, including nine self-portraits, will be on display at “Van Gogh in Paris: A“Self-Portrait”(1887). A total of 60 Van Gogh’s works, including nine self-portraits, will be on display at “Van Gogh in Paris: A Dialogue with Modernism” exhibition at Hangaram Design Museum in Seoul Arts Centerin southern Seoul, from Nov. 8 through March 24, 2013./ Courtesy of Hankook Ilbo Cultural Project CenterDialogue with Modernism” exhibition at Hangaram Design Museum in Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, from Nov. 8.This is the second exhibit of Van Gogh in Korea. The first retrospective was in 2007 and drew more than 820,000 visitors. This exhibit sheds light

Oct 29, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

When Korean tradition meets modern art

The National Folk Museum of Korea, Whanki Museum and Korean Embroidery Museum are jointly holding a special exhibition titled “KimWhan-ki and The Beauty of Korea — Echo of Dot, Line and Plane,” through Dec. 9 at Whanki Museum in Buam-dong, central Seoul.Courtesy of National Folk Museum of Korea and Whanki MuseumBy Chung Ah-youngBefore moving to the United States in 1963, Korean modern art pioneer Kim Whan-ki (1913-74) eagerly collected ancient jars from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and wooden furniture to encompass traditional motives in his abstract paintings through dots and lines. While working in the United States, he strived to create formative art reflecting both traditional Korean beauty and universal aesthetics to complete his art world.With a focus on works containing Korean identity, the National Folk Museum of Korea, Whanki Museum and Korean Embroidery Museum are jointly holding a special exhibition through Dec. 9 at the Whanki Museum in Buam-dong, central Seoul.The exhibition displays 14 pieces of wooden furniture, one moon-patterned jar and 48 pieces

Oct 28, 2012

Will Pletnev lead rebirth of KBS Symphony?

Russian virtuoso Mikhail Pletnev will conduct a special concert of the KBS Symphony on Nov. 30. / Korea Times fileBy Do Je-haeAfter months of cancellations, the KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) Symphony Orchestra will finally hold a concert next month. All eyes will be on the Russian virtuoso Mikhail Pletnev, who has been offered a job as the new music director of the controversial ensemble.Pletnev will conduct a special concert on Nov. 30 at Seoul Arts Center for the re-launch of the KBS Symphony as an incorporated foundation for the first time in the orchestra’s 56-year history. Formerly it had been operated as a state organization.The international classical music circle is wondering whether Pletnev, who has founded and led the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) since 1990, will take on foreign orchestra as a full-time music director."KBS has just been released from the clutches of a tyrannical and incompetent political appointee, Hahm Shin-ik. It is holding mass auditions to fill 26 positions, including one concertmaster, assistant concertmaster and various principals,"

Oct 28, 2012By Do Je-hae

Will Pletnev lead rebirth of KBS Symphony?

Choi explores finite and infinite

By Kwon Mee-yoo Choi Jae-eun, a Korean artist based in Japan and Germany, is holding an exhibition titled “-verse” at Kukje Gallery K2 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, exploring the communication between nature and people. Viewers are invited into a dark sky full of stars when they enter the gallery. When observed closely, there are three video screens facing in three directions in the darkened space. Titled “Finitude,” the video features the night sky over Storkow, Germany, as well as the sound of the artist walking around. The eight hour video is played in real time and though the screen might look like a still frame, the sky slowly changes. Born in 1953, Choi moved to Japan in 1976 to study fashion, but seeing works of Fluxus artists led her to become an artist. She is well-known for her ongoing “World Underground Project,” in which she buried paper in 11 different places in seven countries from 1986 and later dug them up to show the different levels of discoloration. She was the first Korean artist to hold a solo exhibition at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, Japan i

Oct 26, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Clubs

Clubs The Octagon Nonhyeon-dong Near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon-dong this club is notable for its stylish interior and elite clientele. The venue offers a club stage, lounge bar and dining area to satisfy any night out after work or on the weekend. Near exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line No. 7. For more information, call (02) 516-8847. Club Volume Itaewon Offering the finest venue for specially-themed weekly events and world-class DJs, Club Volume is located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong subway station. Club Volume was listed by Time magazine among the “10 things to do in 24 hours in Seoul.” For more information, call 1544-2635. Dojo Kyoungridan-gil Work hard, play hard, sleep later! Lying underground Noxa in the thriving Kyoungridan neighborhood, Dojo is the latest edition to the clubbing nightlife in Seoul. Popular local DJs offer nonstop tunes for energetic dancing until dawn with weekday drink specials and enthusiastic crowds of longtime expats. For more information, call (02) 790-1334. W.E. Listen Samcheong-dong This cafe reinterp

Oct 25, 2012

Classical concerts

Classical Concerts Maestro Valery Gergiev & Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* Nov. 6-7 Maestro Valery Gergiev will lead the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra for two performances in Seoul. The first will feature Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 1, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 with pianist Son Yeol-eum; the second will showcase pianist Cho Seong-jin playing Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 5. Tickets cost 70,000 to 270,000 won. Yo-Yo Ma Seoul Arts Center* Nov. 13 Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has a recital with pianist Kathryn Stott, with whom he has performed for the last 35 years. The program will cover a variety of pieces from Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion” to Brahms’s Sonata No. 3. Tickets cost 50,000 to 180,000 won. Radu Lupu Piano Recital Seoul Arts Center* Nov. 17 Romanian piano virtuoso Radu Lupu is noted for his performances of works by great 19th century composers. Though he studied at the Moscow Conservatory and is influenced by the Russian school, he is also is known for his excell

Oct 25, 2012

Anish Kapoor, beyond material concerns

By Kwon Mee-yoo Anish Kapoor, the sculptor of the 2012 London Olympics’ “Orbit,” came to Korea with his signature works and pigment series, “Auto-generation” and recent steel sculptures. This exhibition currently under way at Leeum museum is designed to review what Kapoor has done for some 30 years of his artistic career. “We chose works that can represent Kapoor’s lifelong theme of pursuing what is the non-material behind material,” said Tae Hyun-sun, curator of Leeum. “For every material object, there is a non-material condition in it,” and the phrase explores the thoughts behind Kapoor’s works, Tae said. The artist who is holding his first exhibition in East Asia sounded like more of a philosopher who unravels his thoughts in the form of fine art. “Scientific ways are incomplete and we are forced to reflect them philosophically,” Kapoor, 58, said. Upon entering the Ground Gallery in the museum’s Rem Koolhaas-designed building, a giant egg-shaped steel sculpture greets visitors. Titled “Cave,” the 2012 work explores darkness as an origin of creation. “Inside

Oct 24, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

More dynamic 'Phantom' comes to Korea in December

By Kwon Mee-yoo The Phantom behind the mask once again returns to Korea in December. In this 25th anniversary international touring production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” Brad Little plays the Phantom, Claire Lyon, Christine, and Anthony Downing, her fiance Raoul. The three actors visited Korea last week to meet their fans a month ahead of the show and shared their thoughts in an interview. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” has become one of Korea’s favorite musicals since it premiered here in 2001. The show drew more than 900,000 theatergoers for two licensed productions in 2001 and 2009 and a touring production in 2005. Little, 48, a Broadway veteran who has played the role of the Phantom over 2,000 times, already has a strong fan base in Korea since he played the role on the 2005 tour. “This is going to be very exciting and the audiences will see something very different from what it was,” Little said. He jokingly said he is “seven years older” compared to when he performed the Phantom in Korea last time, but he also seemed to have become deeper

Oct 21, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater