Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Star-Studded Cast Shine in Monte Cristo

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The musical"The Count of Monte Cristo," the newest work from world-renowned composer Frank Wildhorn, will be staged in Korea for the first time with a star-studded cast. Celebrated musical stars Ryu Jung-han, Shin Sung-rok, Um Ki-joon, and Cha Ji-yeon, as well as singer-turned-actress Ock Joo-hyun, will perform in the Korean rendition. The musical is based on the novel of the same title written by Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870). The music was composed by Wildhorn and the lyrics were penned by Jack Murphy. The story depicts a mission of revenge undertaken by a young sailor named Edmond Dantes. Falsely accused, Dantes is incarcerated for 14 years. After escaping from prison, he assumes the identity of the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo, and exacts revenge on those who falsely charged him, one by one. The original novel, which consists of five volumes, has been condensed into a two-hour show with fantastic stage sets that portray places such as Rome and Paris. Ryu, Um and Shin will share the role of the count, while Ock and Cha will alter

Feb 10, 2010

Nam Brothers Take the Stage Together in Play Rain Man

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Real-life brothers Nam Kyung-eup and Kyung-joo are returning to the stage with ``Rain Man,'' the Korean theatrical version of the Oscar-winning film of the same name. Kyung-eup will play autistic brother Raymond ― played by Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 film ― while younger brother Kyung-joo will take the role of Charlie ― played by Tom Cruise. The play will be more ``personal'' for the actors as it is the first time for them to act together on stage since they performed in the musical ``Singing in the Rain'' in 1996. ``I am very excited to perform again with my brother,'' Kyung-joo said in a recent press conference. He said that when he first read the script, he found the story resembles their family story. ``I felt as if Charlie was modeled after me. It's really appealing and close to me in many ways,'' he said. His elder brother Kyung-eup is renowned as a first-generation musical star, along with Kyung-joo, when the genre was barely recognized in Korea. Kyung-joo has gained prominence in numerous commercially successful musicals,

Feb 9, 2010

Restoration of Sungnyemun Will Begin Wednesday

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The restorative construction of Sungnyemun, a historic gate located in Seoul and Korea's National Treasure No. 1, will begin Feb. 10, two years after it was destroyed by the fire. The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said that it has prepared for the repair project through historical research of traditional architecture and safety inspections. The authorities have designated five masters responsible for the restoration project ― Shin Eung-soo, master carpenter; Hong Chang-won, an artisan of ``dancheong,'' the art of painting traditional architecture; Lee Jae-soon and Lee Ui-sang, stone sculptors; Hang Hyung-joon, an earthenware roof tile maker; and Lee Geun-bok, tile roofing master. It will take three years to finish reconstructing the gate to its original shape, including walls on both sides of the gate that had been present prior to the Japanese colonial period, with the overall cost of restoration reaching 25 billion won. The administration will first dismantle the gate tower in a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 10 to mark t

Feb 7, 2010

Arario Gallery Nurtures Emerging Artists

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Arario Gallery, one of the biggest commercial galleries in Korea, is welcoming the Lunar New Year with its first group show that gathers its ``exclusive'' artists. ``Artists with Arario,'' featuring 19 artists from Korea, India and the Philippines, opens at the Arario galleries in Seoul and Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Feb. 9. ``This exhibition will be an opportunity to commemorate the memories and fruitful artistic accomplishments of the artists with special connections to the gallery, who for the last five years have been represented by Arario Gallery, as well as providing the public a chance to encounter the leading works of the Korean contemporary art scene,'' organizers said in a press release. Arario Gallery, founded by businessman and influential art collector Kim Chang-il in Cheonan in 1989, has led the way in the Korean art scene by introducing the exclusive artist system in 2005. In the past, Korean galleries did not represent artists or provide financial support for them, but Kim believed taking emerging ar

Feb 5, 2010

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’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

Feb 4, 2010

Concerts, Museums & Theater

Classical Concerts 2010 Matinee Concert Concert Hall, Seongnam Art Center Feb. 18 Seongnam Art Center presents its 2010 Matinee Concert with the KBS Symphony Orchestra. Popular baritone Kim Dong-gyu will provide commentary to facilitate understanding of classical music. All tickets cost 24,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 783-8000. Located near exit 1 of Imae Station on the Bundang line. Violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill's Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center March 5 Star violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill will perform at Seoul Arts Center this March. He will play songs from his new album "NORE-Songs without words?such as Brahms' "Vier ernste Gesange, Op. 121," and Rachmaninov's "Vocalise." Tickets cost from 30,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1577-5266. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3. BBC Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center May 16 The BBC Symphony Orchestra, led by Czech conductor Jiri Belohlavek, will perform at Seoul Arts

Feb 4, 2010

Autistic Artist Holds Solo Show

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter When Kwak Kyu-seob was five years old, he was diagnosed with autism. But now 17 years later, through the help of art therapy, Kwak will open his first show at Cafe Hibi, Hongdae, Friday. Organized by non-profit organization Rawside, the exhibition showcases his artistic talent in drawings and storyboards he developed for an animated TV series, computer games and music compilations. The organization has helped Kwak grow as an artist. Since it was founded in 2008, Rawside is the first group dedicated to discovering and promoting Outsider Art and Able Art in Korea. Claire Sanghi Ham, in charge of public relations and a volunteer for Rawside, said the group has organized art therapy and animation workshops at mental hospitals to help young artists. She added that Kwak's is the first exhibition that solely focuses on works by an ``able artist'' in Korea. The term refers to someone who is capable of creating art despite having a disability. Anthony Caropino-Corbett, an arts instructor at Konkuk University and a Rawside v

Feb 3, 2010

Irish Dance Show Riverdance to Take Stage

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The original dance performance ``Riverdance'' is coming to Korea for the first time. ``Riverdance'' is a theatrical spectacle where dancers perform traditional Irish step dancing, famous for its rapid and energetic leg movements, while the upper body and arms are kept still. More than 50 dancers and musicians will put on the renowned work at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, complete with stage settings, lightings, costumes and props. ``Everything the viewers see will be the same as the original production, including the dancers who will be coming from Europe,'' said an organizer from Mastmedia, a local production company. The show is comprised of 18 acts, with the dancers interpreting life and the environment through movements and music. Fascinating to watch, the performance is famous for the quick-footed tap dancers, and Korean viewers will get to watch the heart-pounding movement firsthand. Not only does the performance include Irish dance techniques, but it also blends various traditional dances, including tap d

Feb 3, 2010

Miss Saigon Returns After 4 Years

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The musical ``Miss Saigon" is returning to stage four years after it premiered in Korea in 2006. The revival production will be upgraded from the 2006 version with revisions to the translated text and stage sets. Set in Vietnam in 1975, the musical revolves around a tragic love story between a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, and an American soldier, Chris. After Chris meets Kim at a night club, they fall in love with each other. However, they are separated when the American troops are withdrawn from Saigon. After returning to the United States, Chris marries another woman because he thinks Kim died. But Kim lives in poverty with her three-year-old son in Bangkok. The musical is renowned for the spectacular scene when Chris escapes from Ho Chi Minh, which will be presented using three-dimensional special visual effects. The new production will include the on-stage Cadillac scene, which symbolizes the American dream. The Cadillac set had not been used for the tour performances since 2004 because of space limitations. But the scene began app

Feb 2, 2010

Play Take Care of Mom Adds New Twist

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The topic of motherhood has been addressed in numerous theatrical works and films whose themes can be summed up in a single word ― sacrifice. However, the new play "Take Care of My Mom," based on the popular novel by the same name written by celebrated author Shin Kyung-sook, adds a twist. Starring veteran actors such as Jung Hye-seon, Kil Yong-woo, Shim Yang-hong and Baek Seong-hee, the play is now on stage at the Sejong M Theater in central Seoul. Veteran producer Ko Seok-man, who has focused on producing TV dramas for the past 30 years, has returned to theater to direct. "I thought about why more than 1.2 million copies of the book have been sold. And I found that the story offers something new. While other works on this subject have dealt with their sacrifices, this story sheds new light on the theme by adding social perspective. It reflects on present-day motherhood," Ko said in a press conference. The director said that he tries to portray motherhood using "social realism"― meaning the relationships that mothers have cannot be

Feb 1, 2010

Arts & Theater