Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Art purges prejudice for multicultural goal

By Ines Min With more than 1 million foreign residents in Korea, exactly how multicultural are locals? “The Last Letter from Huynh Mai” at KT&G Sangsangmadang Gallery, Seogyo-dong, explores the plight of immigrant brides here by taking an introspective look into the perpetrators of prejudice — natives. The group exhibition of 17 female artists takes the local audience on a journey of self-exploration to reach a goal of educated multiculturalism. From paintings to delicate embroidery, projections and video art, 16 Koreans and one Vietnamese artist purge the emotional process of understanding new cultures. Inspired by the tragic tale of Huynh Mai, a Vietnamese migrant bride murdered by her spouse in 2007, the exhibition highlights a growing concern about the abuse faced by foreign residents. The title letter refers to her last written words before her death, addressing the problems she faced with her husband and how she had tried to make the relationship work. Though the launching point was the tale of Mai, other Southeast Asian countries have risen with more case

Jan 30, 2011

Insane analyzes the honesty of media art on media

By Ines Min Could you go without TV, Twitter or a cell phone for a day? What about three months? Artist Insane Park did exactly that in preparation for his solo exhibition “M.IDEA” at Arario Gallery, Sogyeok-dong, on display through Feb. 20. The artist specializes in images comprised of industrial coaxial cables and car paint — simple acrylics too vulnerable to aging — in order to provide a well-known message of media mistrust through innovative methods. Large-scale portraits cover the walls of the space, “flickering” as if on a static TV screen. Each picture is comprised of horizontally laid cables on wood panels, the curves of cheeks, smiles and eyes peering forth from the varying depths of exposed cables underneath. A laborious process of “grinding” down the protective rubber of the cables enables the layers of color to show: from the blue of the industrial paint to the white of the rubber underneath and the glint of silver metal. While Park’s work once focused on the inundation of images in today’s modern society, depicting Osama bin Laden and A

Jan 28, 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’s also 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. Check www.ohoo.net. Cafe Mou Sinsa-dong This cafe has a rich ethnic interior that mixes inspirations that its owner got from travels to such places as Morocco and France. Its menu is limited, but features desserts. It’s located at the edge of Dosan Park. 650-9 Park View Building, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, near the Cine City Theater in Apgujeongdong. Call (02) 3444-6069. Club Heaven Yeoksam-d

Jan 27, 2011

Concerts,Museums & Theater

Classical Concerts Opera ‘Turandot’ Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘venues’ on right for more information) Jan. 28 The Korea National Opera and Chinese National Center for the Performing Arts will offer a joint production of Puccini’s timeless opera “Turandot.” The beautiful but cold-hearted Princess Turandot is skeptical about love but Prince Calaf risks his life to win her heart. Tickets cost 30,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call (02) 586-5282. Opera ‘La Boheme’ Towol Theater, Seoul Arts Center* Feb. 10-13 The Incheon Opera Group will stage “La Boheme,” one of Puccini’s signature works along with “Tosca” and “Madame Butterfly.” The Inseim Philharmonic Orchestra, under the conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Marcello Mottadelli, and I Piccoli Junior Chorus will enliven the colorful story about the poor yet passion-filled lives of artists in 1930s Paris. Tickets cost 30,000 to 100,000 won. For more, call (02) 2659-4100. Rose Jang Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center* Feb. 17 Popera diva Rose Jang will hold a concert featuring w

Jan 27, 2011

Gwanghwamun brings back late composers songs

By Kwon Mee-yoo “Gwanghwamun Younga,” a jukebox musical featuring songs by the late composer Lee Young-hoon, finally unveiled its cast. Actor Song Chang-ui and Yoon Do-hyun from YB, or Yoon Do-hyun Band, share the role of Sang-hoon, a composer who falls in love with Yeo-ju. Lisa Chung, singer and musical actress, will perform the part of the female lead, while actors Kim Moo-yeol and Lim Byung-geun will play Hyeon-woo, brother of Sang-hoon, who also likes Yeo-ju. “I remember listening to songs by Lee when I was young. I will portray a truthful love story through these timeless songs,” Song said. Yoon said it is his first time to play a romantic character. “I will bring the girlish sensibility within me to play Sang-hoon.” Their love triangle will be presented through a play within a play, and veteran actor Park Jung-hwan will be the older Sang-hoon, the narrator. Park’s voice is very similar to that of the late composer. The trend of casting young K-pop stars in musicals is no exception in “Gwanghwamun Younga.” Yang Yo-seop of B2st was chosen to perform the ro

Jan 26, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

MOCA to see drastic overhaul

By Ines Min The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea (MOCA) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, unveiled its budget forecast through 2016 at a press conference, Monday, and new high-tech storage space. Six storage rooms for artwork at MOCA were shown, following three years of construction at a cost of 8.4 billion won ($7.5 million). The move is part of the museum’s plans to open its third branch at the former Defense Security Command, also known as Gimusa, in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul, as the main location will instead focus on education, storage and research. The focal feature of the storage rooms is advanced, integrated temperature and humidity control to keep the atmosphere constant (between 40-70 percent humidity and 20 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 4 degrees). The original three rooms, built in 1986, were equipped with only air conditioners and separate temperature and humidity monitors. New security measures include four levels of recognition: fingerprint scanners, combination codes, access cards and pin numbers. An automatic sensor turns on interior l

Jan 25, 2011

Korea-China Turandot to redefine Orientalism

By Lee Hyo-won Central in staging centuries-old pieces of classical music is honoring the composer’s original intentions, and opera fans can mull on that idea in an upcoming production of ``Turandot’’ by the Korea National Opera and China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, Tuesday through Friday at Seoul Arts Center. The 1926 melodrama set in ancient China has given birth to some of the most enduring and celebrated operatic arias in history. And yet it is also a prime example of Orientalism that was pervasive in Puccini’s day, of giving flight to largely imagined ― and often prejudiced ― interpretations of the exotic East. Unlike ``Madame Butterfly,’’ which featured faux Japanese tunes, Puccini actually made efforts to research real Chinese music for his final masterpiece. However, it remains ``marred’’ by the fact that a Chinese princess is named Turandot, which means ``daughter of Turan’’ in Persian. Of course the Italian composer was more than aware of this, since the plot was taken from a Persian collection of tales, ``The Book of One Thousand and One Days’’

Jan 23, 2011

Chang Ucchin: speaking to the people

By Ines Min The gallery was full for a weekday, a steady line of visitors taking their time to closely analyze and appreciate each of the decades-old artwork in front of them. Celebrated painter Chang Ucchin’s (1918-1990) retrospective runs through Feb. 27 at Gallery Hyundai, Sagan-dong, held in cooperation with the Chang Ucchin Foundation. The large-scale exhibition of 60

Jan 21, 2011

Clubs, art exhibitions & sports games

Underlounge Seoul Hongdae or Hongik University Area This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that’s also 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. Check www.ohoo.net. Cafe Mou Sinsa-dong This cafe has a rich ethnic interior that mixes inspirations that its owner got from travels to such places as Morocco and France. Its menu is limited, but features desserts. It’s located at the edge of Dosan Park. 650-9 Park View Building, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, near the Cine City Theater in Apgujeongdong. Call (02) 3444-6069. Club Heaven Yeoksam-dong Lo

Jan 20, 2011

Concerts, museums & theater

Classical Concerts Opera ‘Turandot’ Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘venues’ on right for more information) Jan. 25-28 The Korea National Opera and Chinese National Center for the Performing Arts will offer a joint production of Puccini’s timeless opera “Turandot.” The beautiful but cold-hearted Princess Turandot is skeptical about love but Prince Calaf risks his life to win her heart. Tickets cost 30,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call (02) 586-5282. Rose Jang Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center* Feb. 17 Popera diva Rose Jang will hold a concert featuring what she calls “nouveau classics,” a more expansive interpretation of popera that includes Korean traditional songs such as the “Peace Song.” She will perform other favorites including “My Heart Will Go on” from the film “Titanic,” “O Mio Babbino Caro” from the opera “Gianni Schicchi” and “Habanera” from “Carmen,” among others with the Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets cost 40,000 to 200,000 won. Call (02) 580-1300 for more information. Im Jin-young Flute Recital Kumho Art Hall Feb