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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. Leave via exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. Call (02) 516-8847 for more information. Underlounge Seoul Hongdae or Hongik University Area This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that also has a branch in Shanghai, located in the famous clubbing area Hongdae. Located near the main entrance of Hongik University. For more information, call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events. 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. Wo

Mar 22, 2012By Do Je-hae

‘Dansaekhwa‘ highlights timeless movement

By Noh Hyun-gi Not one of 155 paintings at “Dansaekhwa; Korean Monochrome Painting” at the National Museum of Contemporary Art fails to overwhelm the viewer both in scale and rigor. Choi Byung-so filled in newspaper pages with ballpoint pen and pencil until the paper turned completely black and shiny with charcoal and ink. Kim Tae-ho’s over-two-meter-high paintings consist of numerous grids; Kim repeated layering up and chipping off the dried ink until the acrylic results protruded over three centimeters off the wall. “The unique feature of Korean ‘dansaekhwa’ (monochrome paintings) is that they stimulate the tactile sense,” explained Yoon Jin-sup, professor at Honam University who was invited to curate this show, at a press conference at the museum Thursday. This large-scale exhibition convenes works of 31 artists who have pursued a specific genre of abstraction since the 1970s including Kim Whan-ki, Lee U-fan, and Park Seo-bo. Though labeled monochrome paintings, these works defer from the blue paintings of French artist Yves Klein. This school is devoted to the proc

Mar 18, 2012

Korean troupes offer cultural performances at Costa Rican arts festival

Korea's cultural and sports delegation threw an extravaganza of traditional and contemporary Korean arts as well as Korean sports at the opening concert of the 2012 International Arts Festival (FIA) in San Jose Thursday. Under the direction of Suh Bong-jun, the general manager of the Korean art and sports delegation, performers of namsadangnori, which dates back to the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and is No. 3 on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, and percussion group A-jack opened Costa Rica's biggest cultural festival. It runs until March 25. The Haegeum Plus, a crossover music group led by Kang Eun-il on the haegeum, a two-string Korean instrument; Bridge of Sol, a male popera trio; and Han's Dance, a contemporary dancing company, performed various shows for the Costa Rican audience while a B-boy dance group and Korean martial art taekwondo practitioners introduced the splendid skills of Korea's modern culture and sports. A joint performance called "Battle Dance" by performers of namsadangnori, the B-boy group, taekwondoists and the Haegeum Plus was the highli

Mar 16, 2012

Clubs, art exhibitions and sports games

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. Leave via exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. Call (02) 516-8847 for more information. Underlounge Seoul Hongdae or Hongik University Area This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that also has a branch in Shanghai, located in the famous clubbing area Hongdae. Located near the main entrance of Hongik University. For more information, call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events. 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-clas

Mar 15, 2012

Concerts, museums & theater

Classical Concerts Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Seoul Arts Center* May 27 Led by Jonathan Cohen, the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields will perform in Seoul. Founded in 1959, the orchestra has been performing all over the world. The ensemble’s name comes from a 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. Lorin Maazel & London’s Philharmonia Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* April 7-8 The Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Lorin Maazel will visit Korea for the second time. Based in London, the Philharmonia Orchestra has collaborated with numerous artists for over 60 years. U.S. conductor Maazel will perform Gustav Mahler’s symphonies No. 1 and 5. The concert will be held at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on April 7 and 8. Tickets cost 70,000 to 250,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-3183. 2012 Yukhi Kuramoto Grand Concert Sejong Center for the Performing Arts* March 25 A well-known pianist, composer, and arr

Mar 15, 2012

Korean ballet troupe to perform ‘Swan Lake‘ in South Africa

Korea's Universal Ballet will perform P. Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" in Johannesburg from Friday to Sunday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The private ballet company will put on the Mariinsky Theater version of "Swan Lake" at Joburg Theater in the South African city. It has performed the Mariinsky version of "Swan Lake" in 12 countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany and Italy. The Korean Embassy in Johannesburg, Korea Foundation and Joburg Theater will jointly sponsor the performances. Julia Moon, general director of Universal Ballet, said she hopes to introduce the high standard of Korean ballet to the world with the Johannesburg performances and let the world know the diversity of Korean culture which has been mainly known for traditional arts. The private ballet company also plans to hold special programs such as opening a dress rehearsal to local ballet students and a workshop. It also will hold a joint class with South African Ballet Company, a resident performing group at Joburg Theater. (Yonhap)

Mar 15, 2012

N. Korean, French orchestras hold landmark joint concert

PARIS (Yonhap) -- A North Korean and a French orchestra held a landmark joint concert in Paris on Wednesday, helping to boost cultural exchanges between the two countries. Pyongyang's Unhasu Orchestra performed North Korean songs and French composer Camille Saint-Saens's Violin Concerto at the packed Salle Pleyel theater before holding a joint concert with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of France. The joint orchestras performed Brahms' Symphony No. 1 and Korean folk song called "Arirang" under the baton of renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun. Chung, who organized the joint performance, said after the concert that he chose Arirang because it is the most well-known and loved song by Koreans before the division of the Korean Peninsula. North and South Korea have remained technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The sold-out performance was broadcast live by a French network. It marks the first time the Unhasu Orchestra has held a concert in Paris, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles

Mar 15, 2012

Performances at royal banquet hall

A series of performances will take place later this month to celebrate the 600th anniversary of an iconic royal banquet hall in downtown Seoul. Traditional shows will be held at 8 p.m., March 28-30, at Gyeonghoeru, which served as Gyeongbok Palace’s main venue for hosting diplomats and other state ceremonies during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and is designated National Treasure No. 224. “Gyeonghoeru Yeonhyang” will comprise of Joseon court music and dance amid the scenic backdrop of the building and its surroundings. The three-part program will feature reenactments of ceremonies feting the longevity of the Joseon Kingdom and the palace, banquets for foreign dignitaries and the 19th-century reconstruction of Gyeonghoeru under King Gojong. The country’s foremost artists will take the stage for the occasion. Legendary “pansori” (Korean opera) master Ahn Sook-seon is set to sing pieces by late 19th-century court singer Jin Chae-seon while Kim Hye-ran will offer vocal folk pieces. Visitors can also enjoy watching “jultagi” or theatrical acrobatic tightrope walking. Tickets

Mar 14, 2012By Do Je-hae

N. Korean, French orchestras rehearse for joint concert

PARIS (Yonhap) -- "Tres bien!" "Parfait!" Renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun repeatedly let out exclamations of delight Tuesday as a North Korean and a French orchestra performed in good harmony at an open rehearsal for their landmark joint concert in Paris. Pyongyang's Unhasu Orchestra and Radio France Philharmonic will perform together on Wednesday under the baton of the South Korean conductor who organized the event. "The sound is very good although you practiced for the concert together for just one day," Chung told the orchestras during the rehearsal held before reporters from a score of television stations and newspapers from such countries as France, Japan, China and South Korea. The maestro asked the French ensemble to heed the delicate sentiment contained in traditional Korean music as it performed a pan-Korean folk song called "Arirang" that will open the concert at Salle Pleyel concert hall. After arriving here on Saturday (French standard time), the North Korean delegation, including 70 members of the Unhasu Orchestra, toured the Palace of V

Mar 14, 2012

Half-human, half-bird creatures at night

By Noh Hyun-gi Humans have admired birds’ wings from time immemorial, but printmaker Han Ji-min instead reveres their beaks. As a shy child, the artist confided in her pet birds. “Every time they would nip my hands, I realized it was those peckers that empowered the caged creatures,” she told The Korea Times at her Mullae-dong studio in western Seoul. So the 30-year-old borrows their weapons to use in her defense. Her engravings of nude bodies topped with the heads of birds represent a whole being; the sleek bills complete the insecure and fragile human flesh. “Birds were considered sacred messengers between humans and higher beings. I adopted them as my totems to overcome my insecurities.” For her second solo exhibition of linocut titled “Night at Dawn” at Gallery DOS in Jongno, Seoul that opens today,” Han chose ravens to be her messenger. “Ravens are known for their intelligence and ability to relate with humans.” Standing or in flight, the half-human, half-bird figures evoke unease and reverence. The daunting atmosphere comes from the large scale coupled with fin

Mar 13, 2012
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