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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.

Heartwarming musicals, ballets for Christmas

By Kwon Mee-yoo, Lee Hyo-won Christmas is just around the corner and local theaters await with fabulous line-up from the glamorous “Evita” and “Mamma Mia!” to fun-packed “Zorro” and “200-Pound Beauty.” Among these blockbusters, two small musicals “While You Were Sleeping” and “Story of My Life” are ready to warm audiences’ hearts. “While You Were Sleeping” is a homegrown musical written by Jang Yu-jeong, playwright and director of “Finding Kim Jong-uk” and movie version of the show “Finding Mr. Destiny.” The musical premiered in 2005 and celebrated its 2,000th performance in September. The musical describes what happened on Christmas Eve at a Catholic charity hospital in a remote area. Father Peter, new director of the hospital, applied for a television community chest show to raise donations to support the tight budget. However, Choi Byeong-ho, a hemiplegic patient who was going to be interviewed for the program, mysteriously disappears just one night before its recording. In panic, Father Peter presses two patients sharing ward 602 with Choi, Lee Gil-rye and Jeong

Dec 13, 2011

Exhibition reinstates beauty of Joseon paper flowers

By Lee Hyo-won What is a rose without fragrance? Artificial flowers are widely regarded as substitutes that can never fully replace real blossoms, but traditional Korean paper creations — “jihwa” — were appreciated for aesthetic values and cultural symbolism of their very own. Fine art photographer Koo Bohnchang and jihwa researcher Kim Tae-yeon have teamed up for an exhibition that sheds new light on the Joseon craft — and a time-honored culture — that has slipped into oblivion. Though mostly forgotten today and occasionally mentioned as a genre of “hanji” (traditional paper) crafts, jihwa have held important symbolic meanings in Korean culture, according to Kim. During the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), various types of jihwa were part of royal protocols as well as Buddhist and local shamanist rituals. The papers eventually took on more than just stately or religious meanings and became central to the everyday lives of not only the nobility but also laymen. During a time when it was difficult to procure flowers off-season, jihwa served as vers

Dec 12, 2011

’Translation is process of finding second best’

By Kwon Mee-yoo Many Broadway and West End musicals are staged in Korea and the majority of them are licensed Korean-language productions. Some of them are translated well, smoothly conveying the original message while others are poorly rendered with mistranslation and do not even have the translator’s name in the program. However, there are a few credible translators on the Korean theater scene and Park Chun-hwi is one of them. Park, 40, is the translator of two hot musicals currently being staged in Seoul — “Zorro” and “Next to Normal.” Though completely different in style, the two shows are receiving critical acclaim as well as applause from the audiences. Park is a translator and composer, but surprisingly, he majored in math at Yonsei University. “A borrowed LP of the musical ‘Les Miserables’ led me to the world of musicals,” Park said in an interview with The Korea Times. “I really loved the music and did not return the record for a year until I got my own copy from abroad.” Other works he translated into Korean include Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” a

Dec 11, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Clubs, art exhibitions and sports games

Clubs 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. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Boutique Club 52 Itaewon Once called Function inside Macaroni Market, Club 52 boasts a chic and modern interior with the DJ spinning the beats for the hippest crowd from the center of the dance floor. Featuring top DJs from both home and abroad, two bars inside the club serving the coolest cocktails including some made with Hendrick’s gin, and a high-class interior, Club 52 is always the place for good times. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented international DJs for unforgettable nights of dancing and debauchery. Reborn after extensive renovations to maintain its reputation as a quality club with a superior sound system, luxurious setting and stylish people, Clu

Dec 8, 2011

Concerts, museums and theater

Classical Concerts Chung Kyung-wha Violin Recital ‘She is Back’ Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘Venues’ on the right for more information) Dec. 26 Violin virtuoso Chung Kyung-wha will hold a series of recitals in December for the first time since 2002, performing sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, Franck and Brahms. Chung’s recitals will start on Dec. 19 in Incheon, followed by Daejeon on Dec. 21, Chuncheon on Dec. 25 and finally in Seoul on Dec. 26 at the Seoul Arts Center. Tickets cost 30,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call (02) 518-7343 or 02)547-5694. Min Yoo-kyung’s Mozart Violin Concerto Series II Seoul Arts Center* Dec. 26 Violinist Min Yoo-kyung will perform Mozart’s violin concerto series, following her premier performance in 2009. The audience will have a good opportunity to appreciate Mozart’s five violin concertos and the “Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra.” Tickets cost 10,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 706-1481. The Little Singers from Paris Christmas Concert Sejong Center for the Performing Arts* Seo

Dec 8, 2011

Dance meets literature, theater

Nat’l Contemporary Dance Company showcases ‘Equus’ By Lee Hyo-won The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company (KNCDC) will revive its critically acclaimed interpretation of Peter Shaffer’s play “Equus” starting tonight in Seoul, offering a unique combination of dance with literary and theatrical elements. The modern dance piece is inspired by the British playwright’s 1973 work, which caused a sensation for featuring explicit themes and nudity. The Tony Award-winning play having been staged more than 1,000 times on Broadway was introduced in Korea in the form of dance by the KNCDC in 1999 to rave reviews from both critics and fans. The play was inspired by the true case of a stableboy that blinded six horses with a pick. In the theatrical piece, Dysart is a psychiatrist who attempts to treat the 17-year-old stableboy, Alan, who has a pathological obsession with horses. Having been raised by a religious fanatic mother and stern atheist father, he develops a sexual fascination with horses. He constructs a personal theology involving the animals with the supreme godhead “

Dec 7, 2011

Kwon finds inspiration in Oriental painting

By Kwon Mee-yoo In front of Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space in southern Seoul, a round-faced, smiley character on a flower-patterned box greets visitors. The simple yet playful face belongs to Dongguri, a signature character of Korean artist Kwon Ki-soo, who is holding a solo exhibition “Reflection: The mind is as bright and clean as a stainless mirror” at the gallery. Some 40 pieces of Kwon’s work from paintings and sculptures to installations and videos are presented at “Reflection.” A new series of paintings themed reflection are mostly on the first floor. The paintings might look similar to the artist’s previous works full of colorful flowers, bamboo trees, boxes and boats, but when looked at carefully, the viewer can see a reflected image of Dongguri and other objects on the lower part of the canvas. Dongguri is a pared-down character with a round head, dot eyes and always smiling. The name Dongguri came from Korean word “donggeurami,” meaning round or circle shape. Though the use of color and character might misrepresent Kwon as a pop artist, the artist clarifie

Dec 7, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Final batch of ancient royal books returns from Japan

By Kwon Mee-yoo With their arrival at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday, the 1,200 ancient Korean books including “Uigwe” or royal texts will be housed at Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA). Among them, 167 books are "Uigwe”or texts that detail the protocol and formalities for state events such as weddings, funerals, banquets and visits of foreign missions of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). Designated as UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2007, the treasures are the essence of Joseon’s royal culture and history of records. Tuesday’s batch comes in the wake of five Uigwe that were returned earlier in October including “Daerye Uigwe,” two copies of “Wangsejagaryedogam” and two copies of “Hongjae Jeonseo.” The bulkiest returned is "Jeungbo Munheon Bigo," (Reference on the Compilation of Documents on Korea), which is composed of two books and was published in 1908. "Daejeon Hoetong" (Comprehensive Collection of National Codes) published in 1865 is also on the list. Nine hundred and thirty eight books were taken out of Korea by Hirobumi Ito, the

Dec 6, 2011By Do Je-hae

Did you know that ... (42) Getting to the front

By Robert Neff Jack London, an American author and journalist, spent a short time in Korea at the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. London’s sojourn to Korea was marred by numerous transportation problems that may have stopped a lesser man. While traveling from the United States to Japan, he injured his leg which left him on crutches until he arrived in Japan. Once there he ran afoul of the Japanese authorities for taking unauthorized pictures. It wasn’t until after war had been declared that he was able to resolve his problems with the Japanese authorities and board a small Japanese steamship to Fusan (modern Busan). Accommodations were poor and he was forced to spend the night on deck. But things would get much worse. From Busan he was able to board another steamship — this one bound for Jemulpo (modern Incheon) — but near Mokpo the ship was commandeered by the Japanese military and London was set ashore. Undaunted, London was able to purchase a small Korean junk with crew and promptly set sail. That night they battled sea-sickness, howling

Dec 6, 2011By Do Je-hae

’Doctor Zhivago’ staged in musical

By Kwon Mee-yoo A musical version of Boris Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago” will be staged in Korea in January 2012 at the Charlotte Theater in southern Seoul. Best known for the 1965 movie adaptation featuring Omar Sharif as Doctor Yuri Zhivago, the story revolves around Zhivago’s life and love amid the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent Russian Civil War. The musical began as a tryout at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2006 as “Zhivago”; and the first major production — “Doctor Zhivago” — premiered after revision at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney, Australia in February 2011 with Anthony Warlow as Zhivago and Lucy

Dec 5, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
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