Arts & Theater

Classical Concerts, Big Tickets, Museums, Dance, Pop & Jazz

Director Portrays Fiddler in Korean Sentiment

Actor Hwang to Star in New Play

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Renowned movie star and musical actor Hwang Jung-min will star in a new play, ``University of Laughs'' written by Japanese dramatist Koki Mitani. The play will be shown in Korea for the first time as the ninth work of the Yeongeuk Yeoljeon 2 (Best Plays Series) programmed by veteran actor Cho Jae-hyun. The play will be staged at Dongsoong Art Center in central Seoul Oct. 24 to Nov. 30. The piece is a comedy based on the story of an artist's freedom of expression when faced with censorship. The work is a two-man play set over seven days amid World WarII in 1940. A young playwright comes up against a government censor to put a comedy on stage. The censor's job is to prevent anything political or taboo from getting into the pre-war media, but this particular censor has a thing against comedy, too. Hwang will play the role of a young writer while actor Song Young-chang will take the role of a cold-blooded government censor. The play was originally performed at Parco Theatre in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan in 1997 to high acclaim. It was al

Again, Edinburgh Fringe in Seoul

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Three Korean shows that went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August will be re-staged at Sachoom Theater in Insa-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22-26. ``Again, Edinburgh Fringe 2008'' is designed to bring a slice of the atmosphere of the festival to Seoul through the successful works of ``Sachoom,'' ``The Angel and the Woodcutter'' and ``Drum Cat.'' As well as the shows, there will be street performances and parades and forums about Edinburgh. Particularly, all of these shows are suitable for the foreign community in Korea as all are either non-verbal or performed with English subtitles. ``Sachoom,'' called ``dance-cal,'' is a performance without dialogue, expressing itself through dance and songs. It tells the fun story of a beautiful girl who is loved by two guys and how they all grow up to be the best dancers in the clubs. The show breaks down the barriers between the actors and the audience, so that by the end of the show the audience is up on their feet and dancing along. The show uses dance as a unique form of expression and i

Choreographers Love Affair with Ballet

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Ballet is a priceless art that offers many aspects but for Hans van Manen, it is simply the love of his life. Van Manen, 76, Netherlands's legendary choreographer, recently visited Korea to watch one of his famous pieces put on stage by the Universal Ballet Theater (UBT), the first time in Asia. The local troupe, led by Julia H. Moon, presented their ``Modern Ballet Project,'' consisting of three modern pieces including those of van Manen and also celebrated choreographers William Forsyth and Christopher Wheeldon. ``It's wonderful that UBT has brought `Black Cake.' You always have to do classic ballet because it (demands) a lot of fantastic dancers and you can develop, but with modern repertoire, you can build up a tradition which is also very important,'' van Manen said during an interview with The Korea Times last week at the Universal Ballet Theater. For the ballet master, creating a piece is one thing while watching the dancers executing it is another. Although the concept of the work must be similar, it is important to have individu

Alegria Mesmerizes Local Fans

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter It was an exciting night for the thousands flocking to the Big Top Theater in Jamsil Sports Complex in southern Seoul Wednesday. ``Alegria,'' the second show presented by Canada's circus troupe Cirque du Soleil, thrilled more than 2,000 audience members in the opening performance, one year after the troupe brought ``Quidam'' to Korea. Alegria, which means ``joy'' in Spanish, is about a tussle between the old and the new, but this was not that apparent during the performance as the eye-popping performances overwhelmed the show. The first act began with synchronized trapeze in which an artist swung from the ceiling. Perched on the trapeze, the graceful aerialist performed an awe-inspiring display of harmony and beauty. In the breathtaking act, the daring artist defied the laws of gravity with incredible mid-air twists and maneuvers. Then, the Bronx, or tough, young characters, symbolizing the new generation in the show, demonstrated their acrobatic prowess individually and as a group. Dressed in glittering costumes spun of gold, they

Paintings Depict Idyllic Life in Jeju

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Jeju island is often considered Korea's tropical paradise. The island is blessed with a relatively temperate climate, stunning landscapes and beaches. The slow, laidback rural atmosphere in Jeju is vastly different from Seoul's fast-paced lifestyle. Artist Lee Wal-chong moved to Jeju island in 1991, which not only changed his lifestyle but also his artistic perspective. He has chosen to depict scenes of everyday life on Jeju in his paintings, wood works and ceramic sculptures. The 63-year old artist is holding a solo exhibition ``Golden Mean of Jeju Living'' at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space, through Nov. 5. On Lee's canvas, flying fish, colorful blossoms, people, houses and cars are floating in the dream-like space. He uses pastel colors that are fresh and lively, conveying a sense of cheerfulness to the viewer. ``No matter how trifle a life form, every form of life has an existential value in my paintings, which makes them free. A human can become a bird, just as a bird can become a human and a flower. My paintings capture

Balhae’s Castle Site Found in Russia

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The ruins of a castle from Korea's ancient Balhae Kingdom (698-926) have been discovered in Primorsky Krai ― known as Yeonhaeju here in the past ― 360 kilometers from Vladivostok, Russia. The Natural Cultural Properties Research Institute announced Thursday that after observing the site with their Russian counterparts, the Koksharovka-1 area included castle remains from Balhae and also numerous relics. The institute added that the characteristics of the ruins and relics were similar to those from the Goguryeo Kingdom (B.C. 37-668), which will help find a link between the Balhae Kingdom to the succeeding Gogureyo and also the exact territory of Balhae. Excavators provided several pieces of evidence that link the site to Balhae, including the fact that the base was built with sand and mud to a depth of one meter. The builders also used smoothly faced flagstones as the step foundations of the castle and also the castle had a hint of ``ondol,'' a Korean traditional heating system, along the floors of the buildings, among others. This ma

Art Exhibitions, Kids and Sports Games

Clubs The Circle Cheongdam-dong Located in the upscale Cheongdam-dong neighborhood, it's notorious for turning you down unless you're dressed chic and sleek. Faithful to its name, it has a round revolving floor ― looking for your ``lost'' table gives clubbers the perfect excuse to sit down with a sexy stranger. Located on Dosan-daero near Hak-dong intersection. Call (02) 546-5933 or visit www.thecircle.co.kr. Club Answer Cheongdam-dong This might be the answer to your nightlife. It offers an intimate partying environment with groovy electronic music by star DJs. You can reserve tables and the ones on the second floor provide an open view of the dance floor. Or mingling with the hot bartenders at the open bar might be a fine alternative. Located in Cheongdam-dong across the street from Prima Hotel, near the entrance of Yeongdong-daegyo. Call (02) 548-7115 or visit www.clubanswer.co.kr. Club Evans Hongdae or Hongik University Area This club, located near Hongik University, is great for intimate live performances. The line-up of performers is generally top-notch a

Classical Concerts, Big Tickets, Museums, Dance, Pop and Jazz

Classical Concerts 2008 UNICEF Hope Concert Hoam Art Hall Nov. 2 The Hope Concert, hosted by UNICEF and sponsored by Tiffany & Co., reunites classical music fans with the violist Richard Yong-jae O'Neill. The program includes Bach's Chaconne and Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata. All the proceeds from the performance are donated to ``School For Africa.'' For more information, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr or call 1577-5622. Located near exits 9 and 10 of City Hall Station on subway line 2. 2008 Yiruma Ribbonized Concert Seongnam Arts Center Nov. 8 Korean new age pianist Yiruma is holding a concert the first time after returning from his military service. Spend a romantic evening with Yiruma's piano tunes. Tickets cost from 55,000 won to 88,000 won. For more information, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr or call (02) 2658-3546. Located near exit 1 of Imae Station on the Bundang line. Europa Galante & Fabio Biondi LG Arts Center Nov. 2 Violinists Europa Galante and Fabio Biondi will grant fans a special concert after their successful performance back in 2004. The two arti