Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Politician-turned-artist Ro returns

By Chung Min-uck After a 12-year hiatus, Ro Seung-woo, a former politician and professor, is finally back on the art scene with new paintings inspired by his life experiences. The title of the exhibition is “Reflection on Eve.” During an interview with The Korea Times he made clear the meaning of “Eve” by explaining his award-winning painting at the 2011 National Modern Art Exhibition, “Eve in the Beginning.” “Eve is the mother of the average man and we are her descendants. We have to revive humanism,” said Ro. “The painting shows how humans weren’t shy about being naked in the beginning. But after committing sin, humans became wicked. We have to stop committing sins and become pure like the times back then.” Looking back at his life, it is understandable why his paintings deliver messages of reviving humanism. After studying politics and political philosophy in the United States, he came back to Korea and taught Marxist theory at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. He said that Marxism failed to succeed in the area of economics due to its nonrecognition

Jun 10, 2011

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 st

Jun 9, 2011

Concerts, museums & theater

Classical concerts Pianist Vladimir Ovchinikov Concert Seoul Arts Center* June 12 Russian pianist Vladimir Ovchinikov will hold a concert in time for the 200th anniversary of Franz Liszt’s birth. He will play solo pieces by Liszt for the first half of the concert while the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Seo Hee-tae, will join him for the second half. Tickets cost 40,000 to 150,000 won. For more information call (02) 6377-1252. The National Chorus of Korea ‘Cantata: Lazarus’ Seoul Arts Center* June 14 The National Chorus of Korea will hold a concert featuring the cantata “Lazarus,” an original composition by Lee Gun-yong. The piece is written in memory of Lee Gyeong-jae (1926-1998) who dedicated his life to caring for leprosy patients. Na Young-soo will conduct the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Tickets cost 10,000 to 30,000 won. For more information call (02)-587-8111. The Four Cellists Busan Citizen’s Hall, Keimyung Art Center, Seoul Arts Center* June 24-26 Four cellists — Korea’s Young Song (Song Young-hoon), China’s Li-Wei, Switzerland’s Joel

Jun 9, 2011

Seopyeonje named best homegrown show at Musical Awards

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Seopyeonje” scooped five awards, including Best Original Musical, Best Director, Best Drama, Best Female Actress and Best New Actress, at the fifth Musical Awards at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul, Tuesday. The musical, based on the 1976 novel of the same title by Lee Cheong-joon and the 1993 movie, portrays the life and bitter sorrow of a “sorikkun,” or traditional singer. Rather than reproducing traditional Korean style on stage, its unique abstract costumes and set added a modern twist to the musical and imbued a new life to the traditional vocal music of “pansori.” Cho Kwang-hwa, the writer of the musical, received the award instead of the producer who was found dead in an apparent suicide in May. The producer was said to be in financial difficulties after the commercial failure of the musical. Cho said his death was a tragedy for the Korean musical scene. “‘Seopyoenje’ was unappreciated since it was about pansori, an old-fashioned subject,” he said. “We felt as if we were in an independence movement.” Actress Cha Ji-ye

Jun 8, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Seasonal ballets beckon fans

By Lee Hyo-won For the first time, ballet aficionadas can look forward to an array of performances one after another in Seoul, from an annual modern dance showcase to a full lineup of works at a ballet festival. The Universal Ballet Company (UBC) will stage its signature summer program this Thursday through Sunday, before taking part in the Ballet Festival Korea. The UBC will be among other top local troupes featuring in the inaugural edition of the event, which opens Sunday to run through June 28. With a modern edge Since 2001, UBC has been introducing the latest contemporary ballet pieces from around the world, adding zest to the dance scene. This year, the company will present works by innovative Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian and Hue Young-soon, a Korean artist highly sought after in Europe, at Universal Art Center, Neung-dong, eastern Seoul. This is the first time a local troupe has earned the rights to stage Kylian’s work, and fans will be able to watch “Petite Mort” and “Sechs Tanze” (Six Dances). The art director of the Netherlands Dans Theather is repute

Jun 7, 2011

Don Quixote eager to enter Broadway

This is the first in a series of interviews of heads of Korea’s top theatrical companies. — ED. By Kwon Mee-yoo “Jekyll and Hyde” is one of the most popular musicals in Korea, drawing more than 620,000 people as of May. Don Quixote of the musical “Man of La Mancha” is one of the most sought-after roles among male musical actors. The musical “Grease” has been a nest for aspiring actors, nurturing top performers such as Oh Man-seok, Um Ki-joon and Kang Ji-hwan. In 2009, a revival of the musical “Dreamgirls” premiered in Korea, with state-of-the-art LED panels depicting the backdrop of the legendary Apollo Theater and also the airport where the Dreamgirls held a press conference. All these musicals are produced by OD Musical Company led by Shin Chun-soo, 44. He is a man not afraid of challenge, just like Don Quixote. The company name OD stands for “Open the Door” and also is pronounced the same as mulberry in Korean. “The name first started with mulberry which is nourishing and healthy and I came up with the English meaning later,” Shin said in an interview with The Kor

Jun 6, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Exhibition marks 1,000th anniversary of First Tripitaka

By Chung Ah-young This year marks the 1,000th year of the engraving “Chojo Daejanggyeong” (the First Edition of the Tripitaka Koreana), on which work was begun in 1011, during the second year of the reign of King Hyeonjong, and completed in 1087 in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). To commemorate the occasion, the Horim Museum is holding a special exhibition to display some 100 printed papers of the woodblocks and related items, including four national treasures at its Sinsa and Sillim branches. The exhibition shows the essence of Buddhist culture and its printing technology of Goryeo through the early Tripitaka. Tripitaka refers to a collection of Buddhist sutra known as the records of Buddha’s teaching. It was the second Tripitaka translated into Chinese characters in the world and it retains historical value as it includes a vast amount of content as the longest Chinese-language scriptures. Chojo Daejanggyeong is the first Tripitaka in Korea, which was made to repel the Khitan invaders in the 11th century. It was stored in Heun

Jun 5, 2011

Beachside dance fest kicks off in Busan

By Yun Suh-young Dance is embroidering the nightscape of Busan starting with the opening of one of the country’s largest showcases for the art. The 7th Busan International Dance Festival kicked off Friday in the southern port city and continues through June 7 at Haeundae Beach. It is the world’s first dance festival to be held on a beach, and features a stage that was specifically designed for such an event. This year’s edition is themed “Communication and Harmony,” the organizing committee for festival said. Under a sub theme, “Dance! Lead to the World From the Sea,”the festival will introduce 200 works from 150 companies from 13 countries. The lineup includes works by dance companies as well as individual artists. Participating companies include the River North Dance Chicago (United States), Expressions Dance Company (Australia), Van Huynh & Hong Kong Performing Arts Company (United Kingdom and Hong Kong) and the Universal Ballet Company (Korea). Apart from the officially invited dancers, ancillary events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, performances

Jun 3, 2011

The Steins Collect sheds new light on Matisse, Picasso

By Kwon Mee-yoo SAN FRANCISCO — Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are recognized as masters of cubism, appearing in art textbooks and their works displayed in museums across the world. However, for the Stein family, these artists were their friends. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) presents “The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso and the Parisian Avant-Garde,” an exhibition that shows works collected by American author Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) and her brothers Leo and Michael and Michael’s wife, Sarah. The exhibition weaves the family history of the Steins and the Parisian avant-garde movement in an interesting way, offering a chance to think back to the fledgling era of now-reputed master artists and the patrons behind them. The Steins encouraged young, aspiring artists and new art trends with an open mind. Originally based in the San Francisco Bay Area, they moved to Paris and created a private art collection which made them well-known. They met and bought works by artists on top of Matisse and Picasso, who were then eager young painters in need of patro

Jun 3, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Weekender Opera with a cinematic touch

By Lee Hyo-won Physical distance is less critical in this digital age, as cultural content ― including even live stage work ― can easily reach fans on the other side of the globe through the screen. In 2003, rocker David Bowie’s live London concert attracted full-house audiences in Sydney via a satellite transmission, while fans across Japan will be able to tune into K-pop band Kara’s Seoul fan meeting in real time on June 11 through a similar channel. Opera buffs no longer need to be seated at the New York Lincoln Center to enjoy the latest Metropolitan Opera productions. The troupe’s award-winning series “The Met: Live in HD” broadcasts specially produced transmissions for some 2.2 million international viewers in over 40 countries including Korea. “The program was developed as a way to reach existing audiences and to introduce new audiences to opera through new technology,” said the Met Opera on its website. The screenings are designed to recreate the experience of attending a live performance. Some 10 cameras are employed in the production to offer multiple

Jun 2, 2011

Arts & Theater