Lifestyle - The Korea Times

’Design is design is not design’

The 2011 Biennale questions essence of design By Kwon Mee-yoo Design has become an everyday word, but the meaning of the word is still motley and vague. The 2011 Gwangju Design Biennale will explore the basics of design and the evolution in its paradigm from Sept. 2 to Oct. 23 at Gwangju Biennale Hall and selected locations in the southern city of Gwangju. The theme of the event is “Design is design is not design.” The riddle-like phrase comes from Chinese philosopher Laozi’s classic text “Tao Te Ching,” which opens with the phrase “The way that is the way is not always the way.” “This year’s biennale throws out a basic question — what is the fundamental of design and can it improve the quality of life,” architect Seung H-sang, artistic director of the 2011 biennale, said. Seung added that the 2011 biennale will present a new vision on design, integrating Asian values. “The concept of design in the 21th century has expanded to relationships between people and place from just beautifying objects. In these changes that time has brought to us, we will cover

Jul 15, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Clubs, Traditional and Art Exhibitions

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, it’s all flashy with loud music and lights. Spacious, with a supersized crystal ball hanging over your head, DJs from near and far make music while you can hang out at the bar or classy private rooms. Located near the main entrance of Hongik Univ. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance floor and the DJ are in the center of the club, which attracts a trendy crowd along with models and celebrities. Packed on the weekends. Visit www.ohoo.net. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong subway station Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented international DJs for unforgetable nights of dancing and debauchery. Reborn after extensive renovations to maintain its reputation of a quality club with a superior sound system, luxurious setting and stylish

Jul 14, 2011By Do Je-hae

Concerts, museums and theater

Classical concerts 2011 Premiere Philharmonic Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘Venues’ on the right for more information) July 27 The symphonic works by Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer and pianist known for the invention of symphonic poems, will be performed by the Premiere Philharmonic Orchestra, celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth. Liszt’s “Symphonic Poem No. 3 ‘Les Preludes’ S.97” and “Symphonic Poem No. 6 ‘Mazeppa’ S.100” will be played. Tickets cost 10,000 to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 585-5964. Asia Philharmonic Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* July 31 Maestro Chung Myung-whun, musical director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, launched the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997 to invite musicians from different Asian countries to the symphony. He will conduct the ensemble for Beethoven’s symphony no. 7 and Brahms’ symphony no. 1. Tickets cost 40,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 547-5694. Ha Sung-ho and Seoul Pops ‘Fun Fun Orchestra’ Seoul Arts Center* July 20 Th

Jul 14, 2011

Getting fired opened another door for Varney

By Kwon Mee-yoo Office life seems to be universal across the globe. There is the foul-mouthed but warm-hearted boss, the social climber, the Star Trek geek, the man of no ability, the worker who always says “None of your business” and a temp. Keith Varney’s musical “I Got Fired” brings this “soul-sucking” pyramid found in office cubicles onstage in a rather snappy yet sarcastic way. The production is based on his experience of getting fired. The musical was invited by the Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) and staged at the Daegu Opera House from July 7 to 10. At this time last year, Varney submitted his show for the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and “panicked till it opened.” But his work won two awards and even flew to Korea. “Having my show changed my life forever. It will never be the same,” Varney told The Korea Times in an interview after the show Sunday. The musical premiered at the 2010 NYMF at the 99-seat TBG Theatre and won the Theater for the American Musical Prize and the DIMF Production Award. “When I got the phone call to say I was inv

Jul 13, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Can Korea globalize homegrown operas?

By Do Je-hae When Chinese composer Tan Dun’s “First Emperor” debuted at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, starring the legendary singer Placido Domingo, Korea wondered if this something it could do it as well. The globalization of local operas was the main topic of a seminar held on the sidelines of the Korea Opera Festival, which will close July 24 after a month-long run. The Academy Award-winning Tan had the honor of being one of five composers who conducted their own opera at the prestigious Metropolitan Opera, and the “First Emperor” has been staged repeatedly in New York and at the opera house of Karlsruhe, Germany. This is the kind of recognition that Korea’s operatic circle hopes to achieve. But many experts at the seminar seemed pessimistic about such prospects, particularly in light of the financial constraints that professionals involved in the creation of an opera face. “Koreans are a singing people and we are good at cooperating toward a certain goal. Because an opera is a joint effort of many different fields, we have the capacity to create a world-class o

Jul 12, 2011By Do Je-hae

’Zorro’ to hit stage featuring Gypsy Kings

Screen star Cho Seung-woo returns to musical scene as the pulp hero By Kwon Mee-yoo The new musical “Zorro” will bring the pulp magazine hero to the stage in Korea along with fiery flamenco dance and Gipsy Kings’ music in November. The musical boasts a star-studded cast of Cho Seung-woo, Park Geon-hyeong and Kim Joon-hyun as Zorro. Park Jung-su, the executive producer of the show, said he has three criteria in choosing what to invest in — whether it’s profitable, new and entertaining. “‘Zorro’ has all three elements,” he said at a press conference for the musical at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul, Monday. Premiered in 2008 on London’s West End, the musical is set in early 19th century California under Spanish rule. Based on the 2005 novel “Zorro” written by Isabel Allende, which originally comes from the 1919 novella “The Curse of Capistrano,” the musical revolves around the wealthy young man, Don Diego de la Vega of California, whose alter ego is the heroic Zorro, defending the people under oppression of his childhood friend Ramon. John Gertz, president and CEO of Zor

Jul 12, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Korean to join top French ballet troupe

By Do Je-hae A young Korean ballerina has been accepted by one of the world’s finest ballet companies based in Paris. Park Se-eun, the 2007 winner of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne ballet competition in Switzerland, passed an audition at the Paris Opera Ballet held last week. The 22-year-old was one of three among 111 to be chosen from the competitive selection process, according to the Korea National University of Arts, Saturday. “I can’t believe it. It is a great honor to have an opportunity to work with the best in the world,” Park said during a TV interview after the announcement. No Korean ballerina has ever been a member of the Paris Opera Ballet, which is considered one of the world’s top three ballet companies along with New York’s American Ballet Theater (ABT) and London’s Royal Ballet. Upon joining the company, she will be ranked as a “corps de ballet” and subsequently audition for a further promotion next August. The ballerina ranks among the rising stars in Korean ballet with many important international prizes behind her. Last year, she won the Va

Jul 10, 2011By Do Je-hae

Clubs, art exhibitions & 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, it’s all flashy with loud music and lights. Spacious, with a supersized crystal ball hanging over your head, DJs from near and far make music while you can hang out at the bar or classy private rooms. Located near the main entrance of Hongik Univ. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance floor and the DJ are in the center of the club, which attracts a trendy crowd along with models and celebrities. Packed on the weekends. Visit www.ohoo.net. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong subway station Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented international DJs for unforgetable nights of dancing and debauchery. Reborn after extensive renovations to maintain its reputation of a quality club with a superior sound system, luxurious setting and stylish

Jul 7, 2011

Concerts, museums & theater

Classical concerts The Masters Series of the KBS Symphony Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘Venues’* on right for more information) July 8 The KBS Symphony Orchestra will perform with world-famous British cellist Steven Isserlis, who is known as a philosophical artist. The program features “Cello Concerto No. 2” by Russian modern composer D. Kavalevsky. Isserlis will use his 1726 Stradivarius cello. Tickets cost 20,000 to 60,000 won. For more information call (02) 781-2243. Asia Philharmonic Orchestra Seoul Arts Center* July 31 Maestro Chung Myung-whun, musical director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, launched the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997 to invite musicians from different Asian countries to the symphony. He will conduct the ensemble for Beethoven’s symphony no. 7 and Brahms’ symphony no. 1. Tickets cost 40,000 to 100,000 won. For more information call (02) 547-5694. Ha Sung-ho and Seoul Pops ‘Fun Fun Orchestra’ Seoul Arts Center* July 20 The Seoul Pops Orchestra aims to go beyond the conventions o

Jul 7, 2011

Weekender Summer musical treats

From Broadway classics to K-pop jukebox musical By Kwon Mee-yoo The summer is usually considered a slow season for musicals but a wide variety of hot shows are here this season. From Broadway classics to jukebox musicals featuring K-pop, offering spectacles to tempt people to spend their vacations in theaters. Classics with modern touch Broadway classics “Guys and Dolls” will raise its curtain at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul on Aug. 2. The redesigned production shows off a star-studded casting from singer-turned-musical actress Ock Ju-hyun and musical star Kim Moo-yeol to actors Jin Goo and Lee Yong-woo who are taking the stage for the first time. Premiered on Broadway in 1950, the musical has been staged in Korea 16 times since 1983. Lee Ji-na, who portrayed Adelaide in 1989, directs the show this time. She says the new production will transform the stage originally set in 1929 New York in a stylish way to satisfy the modern audience. Tickets range from 50,000 to 130,000 won. Visit www.guysanddolls.co.kr for more information. Homegrown hits return

Jul 7, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Arts & Theater

’Design is design is not design’

Clubs, Traditional and Art Exhibitions

Concerts, museums and theater

Getting fired opened another door for Varney

Can Korea globalize homegrown operas?

’Zorro’ to hit stage featuring Gypsy Kings

Korean to join top French ballet troupe

Clubs, art exhibitions & sports games

Concerts, museums & theater

Weekender Summer musical treats

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