Lifestyle - The Korea Times

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

Universal Ballet Company to perform in South Africa

By Do Je-hae The Universal Ballet Company (UBC) will present Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” at the Joburg Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa, from Friday until March 18, the troupe said Monday. Choreographed by UBC artistic director emeritus Oleg Vinogradov, the production is one of the events feting the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and South Africa. Vinogradov is the former head of the world-renowned Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. UBC’s first South African visit is the final stop of the company’s three-year world tour, which has seen it visit major theaters in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. “The head of the Joburg Theater invited our company after seeing a videotaped performance of our ‘Swan Lake’ production,” UBC director Lim So-young said. Founded in 1984, UBC is one of four professional ballet companies in Korea. Its repertoire includes many full length classical ballets, together with shorter contemporary works and original full-length Korean pieces created especially for the company. Some of the main pro

Mar 12, 2012By Do Je-hae

Korean art troupes to offer cultural performances at Costa Rican arts festival

Korea's cultural and sports delegations will perform representative cultural programs at the 2012 International Arts Festival (FIA) to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica from March 15-25. The culture ministry said Friday that seven performing groups, including Haegeum Plus, a crossover music group led by Kang Eun-il on the haegeum, a two-string Korean instrument, and samulnori, a traditional percussion quartet, will take part in the festival. Performers of "namsadangnori," which dates back to the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and is No. 3 on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list; Korean martial art taekwondo athletes and a B-boy dancing team will also show off Korea's rich cultural heritage along with a popera trio and a contemporary dancing troupe before the audience at the No. 1 Costa Rican arts festival. The biennial arts festival is the biggest cultural event in the Central American nation with 5,000 artists from 20 countries participating. More than 1 million people out of Cost Rica's entire population of 4.6 million are known to enjoy the festival's various pro

Mar 9, 2012

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 performa

Mar 8, 2012By Do Je-hae

Classical concerts

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,

Mar 8, 2012By Do Je-hae

Sculptor Hesse’s torment comes to life

By Noh Hyun-gi When legendary artist Eva Hesse died very young from a brain tumor in 1970, her acquaintances and art officials swarmed into her New York studio and took just about everything. Soon, numerous retrospectives took place at prestigious venues including “Eva Hesse: A Memorial Exhibition” at the Guggenheim Museum in 1972, the first retrospective ever given to a female artist. However, until 2009, two bodies of her most revealing works — her oil paintings and the odds and ends of her small scale experiments — remained in the dark. Kukje Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, is currently showcasing the two traveling exhibitions that shed a unique light on Hesse — “Eva Hesse Spectres 1960” and “Eva Hesse: Studiowork.” More importantly, by highlighting the former, which is a collection of her paintings, “Eva Hesse: Spectres and Studiowork” offers a closer examination of Hesse’s struggles to achieve true originality. Formally trained as a painter, Hesse shocked the art world by using unorthodox materials like latex, fiberglass and polyester resin

Mar 5, 2012

Clubs, Traditional, Art Exhibition, Kids, Sports games,

Clubs The Octagon Nonhyun-dong This club recently opened near the New Hilltop Hotel, 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

Mar 1, 2012

Classical Concerts, Big Tickets, Museum, Pop and Jazz, Dance

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 on May 27. 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. Maestro Lorin Maazel & 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. Maestro Maazel will perform Gustav Mahler’s symphonies No. 1 and 5. The concert will be held at Seoul Arts Center from April 7 to 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 arrange