Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Classical music

Classical Concerts Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Seoul Arts Center* May 27 Led by Jonathan Cohen, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields will perform in Seoul. Founded in 1959, the orchestra has performed in elite venues all over the world. The ensemble’s name comes from the church located near Trafalgar Square, London. Pianist Son Yeol-eum will collaborate in this concert. Tickets cost 40,000 to 160,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743. Daniel Muller-Schott Cello Recital Seoul Arts Center* June 5 German cellist Daniel Muller-Schott will hold his first recital in Korea with a concert program including Bach Suite No. 2 in D minor, Britten’s Suite No. 3, and Bach Suite No. 3 in C major. Muller-Schott was born in 1976 in Munich and has earned much acclaim at a young age. Tickets cost 70,000 to 90,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743 or visit www.daniel-mueller-schott.com. Paavo Jarvi & Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* June 11 Germany's traditional orchestra, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (FRSO) wa

May 24, 2012By Do Je-hae

Kang, Rademaker to show riveting chemistry in 'Lady'

By Do Je-hae Kang Sue-jin, 45, and Marijn Rademaker, 31, both principal dancers with the Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet, are years apart in age and come from different parts of the world. One thing in common between the Korean ballerina and the Dutch dancer is their affection for “The Lady of the Camellias,” choreographed by John Neumeier. The two dancers solidified their positions through this narrative ballet set to Chopin’s music. The German ballet troupe will bring the masterpiece to Seoul next month to the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on June 16-17. “We chose ‘The Lady of the Camellias’ for the Korean tour because of Kang, who has been received as a hero here as one of the first Korean pioneers of international ballet stardom,” Reid Anderson, Stuttgart artistic director said in an e-mail interview with The Korea Times. “We selected the work because it is one of Kang’s greatest roles and it is perfect for her at this time in her career. It just felt absolutely right,” Anderson said. “John Neumeier chose Marijn to dance the lead role with Sue-jin when he

May 23, 2012By Do Je-hae

'Korean Eye' takes 34 artists to London

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Korean Eye,” an exhibition to introduce contemporary Korean artists to the world, revealed the 34 who will present their work at the 2012 show at the Saatchi Gallery in London from July 25 to Sept. 23. “Korean Eye” was founded by Parallel Media Group chairman David Ciclitira to promote Korean art in cooperation with the Saatchi Gallery. The project has hosted a series of shows introducing rising Korean artists since 2009. The first exhibition themed “Moon Generation” was held in Seoul and London in 2009 and the 2010 “Fantastic Ordinary” was held in London, Singapore and Seoul. “Energy and Matter” previewed in Seoul last September and moved to New York and Abu Dhabi. The project also published a book on Korean contemporary art with Skira. The third exhibition in London coincides with the London Summer Olympics, which runs from July 27 to Aug. 12. The Saatchi Gallery is known for discovering promising artists. The gallery owner and collector Charles Saatchi has bought works and supported the Young British Artists, including Damien Hirst and Tracey E

May 21, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Latin Passion' to be unleashed in Korea

By Kwaak Je-yup, Rachel Lee It’s easy to group together the countries of Central and South America as “Latin America” and wrongly suggest that they all share the same culture. But a new festival aims to dispel that misperception by providing a window into the rich diversity of people and art to be found on the opposite side of the globe. The 2012 Latin American Cultural Festival, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) and its cultural arm the Korea Foundation, opens Saturday and will run for nine days showcasing the sounds and sights of the region in various events. “I hope, through this cultural event, that people in Korea will gain first-hand experience of the passion and cheerfulness of Latin America situated on the other side of the world,” said Ha Byung-koo, director of the foreign ministry’s cultural cooperation division, at the press conference last week. Held under the theme “Latin Passion meets Korea,” the festival is a part of the ministry’s cultural exchange program in its sixth year. Genres like Brazilian bossa nova music, Arge

May 21, 2012

Men drafted to life of ambivalence

By Joon Soh Military service, mandatory or otherwise, is an experience shared by most men in South Korea. Some look back on their time in the military with fondness, while others would rather erase those years from their memory altogether. Photographer Oh Hein-kuhn decides to tackle this delicate but complex subject matter in his latest solo exhibition at the Artsonje Center in Seoul. The show, titled “Middlemen,” is a series of photographs from the past several years of enlisted soldiers serving in the different branches of the Korean military. One will find no patriotic overtones in Oh’s take on military life. Rather, there is a strange sense of neutrality to most of the works, which may leave viewers wondering about the artist’s intentions. For Oh, who has been exhibiting for 20 years, photography seems to be a means to examine social groups and prejudices in Korean society. In previous exhibitions, the 49-year-old artist has turned his lens on such subjects as “ajumma” (middle-aged women), female high school students and the Itaewon district. Whatever their su

May 20, 2012

Classical concerts

Classical Concerts Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Seoul Arts Center* May 27 Led by Jonathan Cohen, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields will perform in Seoul. Founded in 1959, the orchestra has performed in elite venues all over the world. The ensemble’s name comes from the church located near Trafalgar Square, London. Pianist Son Yeol-eum will collaborate in this concert. Tickets cost 40,000 to 160,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743. Paavo Jarvi & Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* June 11 Germany’s traditional orchestra, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (FRSO) was founded in 1929 and Paavo Jarvi has been conducting the orchestra since 2006. With a wide-ranging musical style, the orchestra is among the best in Europe and consistently earns international acclaim. The program includes symphony and orchestral pieces and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. U.S. violinist Hillary Hahn will collaborate in this concert. Tickets cost 50,000 to 220,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743. Daniel Muller-

May 17, 2012By Do Je-hae

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 pot

May 17, 2012By Do Je-hae

War drama comes to Seoul theater

By Rachel Lee “Incendies,” about a woman during a civil war in a Middle Eastern country mirroring Lebanon, will run for three weeks at the Myeongdong Theater, Seoul. Moviegoers will be familiar with the Canadian film of the same name, directed by Dennis Villeneuve that was adapted from the original stage play, “Scorched” written by Lebanese-Canadian Wajdi Mouaward. “Our play has more or less the same storyline as the movie,” director Kim Dong-hyun said at a press conference at the downtown theater on Tuesday. “As space is limited, we tell the entire story by words only.” “Scorched” first premiered in France in 2003 and received critical acclaim in Germany, Greece and the United States. Villeneuve decided to make a movie version of it in 2010 after becoming fascinated with its intensity and depth. His film adaptation won numerous awards including Best Motion Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress and Sound Editing at the 31st Genie Awards, the Canadian movie industry equivalent of the Oscars. “Incendies” is a moving and touching tale of twins who voyage to the heart of a w

May 16, 2012By Do Je-hae

Seoul to pursue academic exchanges with Pyongyang

By Do Je-hae Culture minister Choe Kwang-shik has shown keen interest in inter-Korean cultural and academic exchanges since the beginning of his appointment. A scholar whose area of expertise is Korea’s ancient kingdoms, Choe stressed in his inauguration speech that he would actively pursue such exchanges with the North. Although due to unforeseen circumstances like the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in December, it has not been easy. North Korea’s repeated provocations during President Lee Myung-bak’s term have not helped, either. Anger erupted among South Koreans when in 2010, North Korea launched a sneak submarine attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors and sank the Cheonan, a warship sailing in South Korean waters. The North also rained artillery shells on a South Korean island, killing four people. “Due to the stalemate in inter-Korean relations, there has not been much progress in the exchanges of cultural heritage. But we are fully ready to engage the North when (political) circumstances improve,” Choe said. “Cultural exchanges are a crucial reminder t

May 14, 2012By Do Je-hae

College student claims ‘The Voice of Korea‘ throne

By Kwaak Je-yup Son Seung-yeon, an 18-year-old music student, beat out her competitors to win the first season of the cable TV audition show, “The Voice of Korea,” Friday. With the first-place finish on the Mnet program, she received 100 million won (approximately $87,000) in prize money, additional 200 million to record and release a debut album, a Nissan Cube and a chance to study music abroad with her vocal coach in the program and one of Korea’s legendary singers Shin Seung-hun. Considered an underdog going into the final round, Son sang ― and won the hearts of voters with ― a moving rendition of an original number “Ugly Duckling,” which was loosely based on her life. She received a lengthy standing ovation from the live audience. She also performed a song from 60s diva Yoon Bok-hee, called “Everyone,” with the spectators rising to their feet. Part of the “The Voice” franchise first developed and aired in the Netherlands, the local variant successfully convinced the fickle Korean TV watchers to tune in since its first airing three months ago. Recording between 3 to 4

May 13, 2012

Arts & Theater