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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

‘Les Miserables’ comes to Korea, at last

Chung Sung-hwa to play Valjean By Kwon Mee-yoo With plans to raise the curtain in November, “Les Miserables” unveiled its Korean cast Monday. There have been a few productions before, but it is the first-ever licensed Korean version of the legendary musical. Chung Myung-kun, president of KCMI, said he has been preparing for the Korean production since he organized a touring production of “Les Miserables” in Korea in 2002. The musical revolves around the well-known story of Jean Valjean, who was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread, and how he changed through the kindness and generosity he experienced amid the French Revolution. The Korean rendition of the show will be directed as the 25th Anniversary touring production, which began in 2010. Director Laurence Connor, set designer Matt Kinley and lighting designer Paule Constable will visit Korea to head the production. KCMI emphasized the seven-month-long auditioning process taken to find the right actors for the musical. The company said the original producer Cameron Mackintosh reviewed video clips of each ca

Aug 21, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Living history of Korean abstract art

By Rachel Lee “Why would I worry about getting old? I haven’t thought about my age for a long time because everyone dies eventually.” Legendary Korean artist Han Mook still speaks vigorously in spite of his age. He is 99. Han, a first-generation painter of Korean abstract art, is to show his masterpieces at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam in Sinsa-dong in southern Seoul, starting tomorrow. Some 40 works created between the early 1950s and 2000s will be on display, including some to be shown to the public for the first time. Born in 1914 in Seoul, Han graduated from Kawabata Art School in Tokyo, Japan, in 1940. In the 1950s, he co-founded the Modern Art Association with other famous artists such as Yoo Young-guk in 1957 and established the Association of Korean Art Critics in 1956. He was also a professor at Hongik University in Seoul for six years beginning in 1955 before he left for Paris to devote himself to artistic pursuits at the age of 47. The artist is said to be living proof of Korean art history and a pioneer who accepted Western modernism. “Han has never los

Aug 20, 2012

Eminem live: pure genius- even if for just 1 hour

By Kwaak Je-yup In what was the most anticipated concert since Lady Gaga in April, Eminem did not disappoint in quality. On Sunday, the revolutionary rapper impressed the 20,000-plus audience at the Auxiliary Stadium of the Jamsil Sports Complex, southeastern Seoul, during the last stop on the artist’s “Recovery Tour.” There was everything one would expect, his larger-than-life stage presence and flawless rhymes, and some surprises, too: guest artist and fellow American rapper Dr. Dre, the multiple heart signs Eminem made with arms above his head and even a very slight glimpse of a smile. His artistry was in triumphant form so it was a shame that the concert lasted for just over an hour. Fans agreed: “It was f—-ing good, until it ended!” said Dan Cho, whose dancing was cut short by the rapper’s sudden farewell announcement at one hour. (He even looked at his watch once during the show.) After the encore “Lose Yourself,” it looked like everyone was just getting in the mood to follow that order but had to go home. Maybe this is the new post-rehab Eminem who can n

Aug 20, 2012

Korean porcelain goes to Brazil

By Kwon Mee-yoo Ninty-six pieces of traditional and modern Korean ceramics presenting the nation’s cultural diversity are on show in Brazil. The National Museum of Korea (NMK) opened “The Diverse Spectrum: 600 Years of Korean Ceramics” at the Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) Wednesday. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation and MASP, the exhibit is a part of the Korea Festival to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Korean immigration to Brazil. A group of 103 Koreans left their home country in December 1962 and arrived in Brazil in February. The special exhibition aims to enhance the understanding of Korea in the South American country. “This exhibit is the first to introduce Korean cultural assets to South America. Brazilians can experience the clean and simple beauty of white porcelain from Korea through it,” Kim Young-na, director of the NMK, said at the opening of the exhibit in Brazil’s largest city. A Portuguese catalogue will be published next month to help locals better understand Korean culture and ceramics, Kim added. Blue-and-white porcelain from Joseon King

Aug 17, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Clubs

Clubs The Octagon Nonhyeon-dong This club recently opened near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon-dong. The venue offers a club stage, lounge bar and dining area in a hip and modern setting. Leave via exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. Call (02) 516-8847 for more information. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and world-class DJs. Club Volume was listed by TIME magazine among the “10 things to do in 24 hours in Seoul.” For more information, call 1544-2635. Le Nuit Blanche Cheongdam-dong Formerly Club Answer, Le Nuit Blanche is a posh restaurant, theater and club. Located in front of the Hotel Prima in Cheongdam-dong, Le Nuit Blanche offers Cirque du Soleil-type performances. World-class DJs from all over the world perform at the club. For more information, call (02) 514-4311. W.E. Listen Samcheong-dong This cafe reinterprets traditional Korean desserts. The menu not only offers American-style coffee but also sweet potato, sweet b

Aug 16, 2012

Classical Concerts

Classical Concerts Ryuichi Sakamoto Trio Tour 2012 Japan & Korea Sejong Center Dec. 9 Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto, based in Tokyo and New York, will tour Japan and Korea with violinist Judy Kang and cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. Sakamoto’s album “1996,” which is to be performed, includes songs many are aware of, such as, “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” “Rain” and “The Last Emperor.” Tickets cost 50,000 to 160,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743. La Boheme Yonsei University Aug. 28- Sept. 2 Angela Gheorghiu, Vittorio Grigolo, Marcello Giordani, Fabio Capitanucci, and many more recognized international opera singers are performing in a production of “La Boheme.” Tickets range from 30,000 to 570,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363. Yo-Yo Ma Seoul Arts Center* Nov. 13 Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma is a recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. His Seoul recital will be accompanied by pianist Kathryn Stott. Tickets cost 50,000 to 180,000 won. For more information, cal

Aug 16, 2012

Light: Seoul’s friend — and foe

By Kwaak Je-yup To some, light is a source of beauty. To others, it irritates. To the former, the permanently-on lights of Seoul represent the city’s vibrancy and the country’s world-leading technology standards. To the latter, it is sheer pollution and an eyesore that needs to be blocked with thicker drapes. Therefore, when the Ministry of Environment and the Seoul City government asked Ko Ki-young, one of Korea’s few lighting design experts, and her partners at Bitzro to assess the famous Dongdaemun garment district’s lighting, they presented two contradictory objectives. “We were asked to remodel 21 buildings in the Dongdaemun area for the project,” she told The Korea Times on Tuesday. “They told us first that the lights should be brighter to foster the area’s commercial activities, wanting to emulate Times Square (of New York). They also said that the lights as they are now are ugly. (The officials) wanted them to be minimized to reduce light pollution.” Buyongji, a pond in the garden of Changdeok Palace, downtown Seoul, lit up With a rather sudden change of

Aug 16, 2012

Making light work for us

By Kwaak Je-yup Few other places on Earth can boast a night as well-lit as Seoul’s. Florescent lights in 24/7 convenience stores, clubs and even barbecue restaurants never seem to switch off. Little children roam around their neighborhood past midnight, and crowds gather at riverside green spaces thanks to some very steely streetlights. Even at home or in offices, there is not a corner left unlit. From Myeong-dong’s or Gangnam’s neon signs to red-hewed crosses on church roofs, the lights are one of the capital’s most memorable sights among tourists. “The thing that struck me most about Seoul at night was the sheer volume of color ― neon signs in every color of the spectrum. You have lights in every possible shape and size and form, whether they're red crosses or pulsating noraebang signs,” said Brian No, who works at the U.S. Senate and spent a year in Seoul last year, “and it's sort of amazing to think that these lights basically don't go off until the sun comes out, and how that sort of seems to represent Seoul's nightlife and energy: the density, the organized chaos, etc.

Aug 16, 2012

Exhibition reflects beauty of Islamic art

By Rachel Lee A collection of exquisite ornaments created by a British designer is set to capture the hearts and eyes of Korea. London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has brought a very fine collection of Islamic artwork created by Owen Jones (1809-84) and other European designers. Titled “Owen Jones: Islamic Design, Discovery and Vision,” the exhibition examines how the artist and other members of the Victorian design establishment looked to Islamic art. “We hope that people will rediscover the importance of Owen Jones and understand how the Alhambra and Islamic architecture enjoy fame as result of his work,” said Beth Mckillop, deputy director at the V&A, during a press conference held at the Goyang Aram Art Gallery, Monday. The V&A, established in 1852, is the world’s greatest museum of art, craft and design with about 2.7 million items in its collections. British architect Jones was a leading agent of the design revolution in Britain in the second half of the 19th century when Islamic art had an enormous impact on the country’s design. His passion for Islamic art

Aug 15, 2012

Seoul Musical Festival celebrates homegrown shows

By Kwon Mee-yoo The Seoul Musical Festival (SMF), Korea’s first-ever for musical theater people, wrapped up the eight-day event with a gala performance, Monday. Held at various venues of Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul, the festival began on Aug. 6 with a variety of exhibits and lectures. The “Korean Musical History” exhibition is taking place on the first floor at Chungmu Gallery. Featuring selected costumes and photographs of homegrown works from famous “The Last Empress” to recent “Moby Dick, ” it runs through Aug. 19. Yegreen Encore showcased five musicals — “Lee Chae,” “The Goddess Is Watching,” “Addiction,” “Abboccato” and “Fly, Mrs. Park” — in development from Aug. 7-11. Producers as well as general audiences came to see the shows and selected which would be further developed. “The Goddess Is Watching” and “Fly, Mrs. Park” won the competition and received 100 million won funding for future production. Academic programs included five conferences discussing issues such as how Korean musicals should make their way overseas and how to establish educatio

Aug 13, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo
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