Lifestyle - The Korea Times

All About Horsehair Craftsmanship

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Traditional craftsmen wove fine horsehair into pieces of art from headgear to the bows of stringed instruments for its natural beauty and durability to withstand the elements. Although the use of horsehair has waned to the point of almost being forgotten over time, its craftsmanship still holds both practical and artistic beauties that can be appreciated even today. The Korea Racing Association's Equine Museum is holding a special exhibition that displays 55 artworks made of horsehair by four master artisans who were designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties. In the past, horsehair was used for making "gat," or traditional formal hats; "tanggeon," or a horsehair skullcap; musical instruments; sieves; and brushes. In the exhibition, masterpieces from "gat" master Kang Sun-ja, brush maker Kim Jong-choon, sieve maker Paik Gyeong-hyeon and stringed instrument maker Cho Dae-seok are presenting their work. "Gat" is a type of Korean traditional hat worn by men along with hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) during the Jose

Mar 22, 2010

Piccininis Take on Nature, Technology

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter A wild mountain ibex, looking oblivious to a strange creature doing a one-handed handstand on its back, stands in the middle of LeeAhn Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong. Upon closer scrutiny, the creature looks like a cross between a dugong and a seal but with human eyes, two hands and wavy brown hair. The juxtaposition of a real animal with this hybrid creature is at the heart of Australian artist Patricia Piccinini's installation piece ``The Strength of One Arm.'' ``What I'm interested in is our relationship with other species in our planet. I am interested in the life that we create and the animals that are of this world, like the ibex. The creature I created is from the idea of genetically engineered animals, which we are already doing right now in the world. In a way, the first impression I hope people will get is that 'wow, the sheer diversity and wonder of nature,'' she told The Korea Times at the gallery in Cheongdam-dong, Tuesday. Piccinini is considered one of Australia's leading contemporary artists, who represented th

Mar 21, 2010

60th Anniversary Concert Beckons Spring

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Though hints of the cold spell linger in the air, atmospheric melodies and the warm support of The Korea Times' family and readers drew the new season closer at the 60th anniversary Spring Concert, Friday in Seoul. ``The Korea Times, born on Nov. 1 in 1950 in the midst of the Korean War (1950-1953), has been striving to help the people from other parts of the world better understand Korea. We at The Korea times have also been concentrating on helping our younger generation learn English more effectively,'' said the newspaper's President Park Moo-jong. Some 3,000 concertgoers ― including many distinguished guests such as diplomats, designer Andre Kim Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival Director Kim Dong-ho and readers invited through a draw ― gathered at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate the founding of the nation's first English daily. ``I congratulate the nation's oldest English daily on its 60th anniversary. I am grateful to the company as a reader for holding such a cultural event. I do hope the paper will go on

Mar 19, 2010

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 to be found 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. Club Heaven Yeoksam-dong Located next to the Renaissance Seoul Hotel, Heaven is gaining a reputation as a clubber’s paradise with star DJs and a celebrity clientele. Electronic music is the main menu, with laser light and paper confetti shows aplenty on the side. The club caters to partying at any hour of the night: the “main stage” on the first floor is

Mar 18, 2010

Concerts, Museums & Theater

Classical Concerts The 642nd Concert of the KBS Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center March 26 KBS Symphony Orchestra will offer its 642nd subscription concert with KBS’s principal conductor Moshe Atzmon and Russian pianist Boris Petrushansky. The concert will feature Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op. 30,” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op. 64.” Tickets cost from 20,000 to 60,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3. Spring Feast Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center March 27 Seoul Arts Center will hold a spring concert with the Eurasian Philharmonic Orchestra, led by renowned conductor Geum Nan-sae. The concert will feature the overture from Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” and Dvorak’s “Symphony No.8 in G major, Op. 88." Tickets cost from 20,000 to 80,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 3473-8744. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3. BBC Symphony Orchestra

Mar 18, 2010

Joseon Paintings Return After 500 Years

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter A total of 107,857 Korean cultural properties are scattered throughout 18 countries, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. Japan has the largest number at 61,000, which takes up 60 percent of the whole amount, followed by the United States with 27,000 and China with 3,000. The government and civil groups are building up their efforts to retrieve the lost treasures. Some are already heading home due to the efforts of a handful of individuals spending their own money. Hakgojae Gallery run by Woo Chan-gyu has collected Joseon paintings through overseas auctions and from Japanese individual collectors over the last 10 years. The gallery is displaying 30 such pieces in the exhibition "Return Home After 500 Years" through April 25. Most of the artifacts are being shown for the first time in Korea. The paintings on display are divided into two themes ― landscapes and animals. The paintings at the exhibition, which appealed to Japanese artistic tastes, were influenced by China. According to the gallery, Japan regarded Korea

Mar 17, 2010

Forever Tango to Offer Fiery Passion

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter ``Forever Tango,'' one of the most famous tango shows in the world, is coming to Seoul this month. Korea has welcomed a number of tango shows in the past couple of years. Some wowed fans, others disappointed. With the local audience experiencing more and more theater over the years, they now have a more critical perspective in terms of the content, movement and overall quality. Thanks to praise from noted critics and media, ``Forever Tango,'' created by famed Argentinean producer Luis Bravo, is expected to surpass the quality of shows before it with its spectacular movements, emotional music performed live by veteran artists and its Argentinean charms. Lauded by Newsweek and The New York Times, the ``Forever Tango'' team first visited Korea 11 years ago at Seoul Arts Center, wowing the audience with their dynamic moves and charisma. The performance was a sell-out. Touched by the local audience's enthusiasm, the team has revisited four times since then. The show's introduction of Argentina's dance form brought a fever among dance fan

Mar 17, 2010

Korean, Chinese, Japanese Theater Series Arrives

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Korea, China and Japan share many things from political, economical and historical to cultural backgrounds probably because of regional vicinity. To take a close look at their contemporary needs in the current theater scene, the Doosan Art Center will present a Korean, Chinese and Japanese play series titled "In-In-In," which means people from three countries. China has witnessed the economic growth since its reform movement in 1978 but also suffers a growing gap between the rich and poor and regional imbalanced development as Japan and Korea do. Chinese play, "Rhinoceros in Love" written by Liao Yimei describes the love of a rhinoceros feeder for a beautiful woman. He immediately falls in love with her but she is too cold-hearted to return his love, so he kidnaps her out of desperation. The drama symbolizes love's blindness which is like a rhinoceros's poor eyesight. The Chinese play displays individuals' internal struggles as well as love and also touching upon social environment and class divide against the backdrop of soft rock tunes

Mar 16, 2010

Popular Drama Goes on Stage

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The popular TV drama “Rooftop Room Cat” will be turned into a play and staged from April 6 to May 30 at SM Tin Tin Hall in Daehangno, central Seoul. Actor Lee Sun-ho, who is now garnering popularity for appearing in the variety show “We’ve Got Married” and actress Hwang Bo-ra will star in the stage version. Lee will take the role of Kyung-min (played by actor Kim Rae-won in the drama) while Hwang will play Jung-eun (played by the late actress Jung Da-bin). “Rooftop Room Cat,” based on an Internet novel written by the writer of the romantic drama “Full House,” touches upon friendship and love through a couple who is living together on the rooftop of an old building. In the play, the couple will reside in a rooftop room in the year 2010. “Rooftop Room Cat” will not only focus on the romantic struggles of suffering youngsters but also show some of the hardship facing youth today. The play will reinterpret the original story through the eyes of the youth living in 2010, called the “880,000-won generation,” a newly coined term referr

Mar 14, 2010

Gardot Proves Musics Healing Power

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It takes a story like American jazz artist Melody Gardot's to truly believe in the healing power of music. Gardot was a 19-year-old student when she was hit by a car, suffering brain and spinal injuries that landed her in the hospital for a year. But through music therapy, the now 25-year-old singer has not just fully recovered, but also has a flourishing career in music. ``It took years to recover to the place I am now, where I have the ability to do things I had never imagined. Even walking up a flight of stairs at that time seemed like an impossibility. So a doctor suggested music therapy as he believed it would help in many ways, and very naturally, I took to guitar. Progress came immediately in my speech and my mobility, as well as the discovery of facility for music,'' she told The Korea Times in an e-mail interview. Music therapy, Gardot said, helped restore and rebuild the neural pathways in her brain and contributed to drastic improvement in her memory and speech. Her personal experience has led her to become a staunch