Lifestyle - The Korea Times

R&B Superstar Alicia Keys Heats Up Seoul

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter R&B superstar Alicia Keys might have been late for her concert in Seoul Thursday evening, but her fierce performance more than made up for it. Fans at the Jamsil Gymnasium, located in the Olympic Sports Complex, southern Seoul, impatiently waited for Keys to hit the stage at 8 p.m. Instead, K-pop singer Taeyang, a member of the popular group Big Bang, came out to keep the crowd entertained with two songs. At around 8:30 p.m., someone announced over the PA system that Keys was still preparing for the show, garnering a few boos from the crowd. however, by the time she came on stage at 9 p.m., the audience was ready to forgive her for the long wait. Fans screamed excitedly as Keys finally came appeared on stage, wearing a pair of fitted high-waist jeans and a blue tank top adorned with a diamond flower brooch. For an R&B diva, her stage outfit was somewhat simple but it soon became apparent that Keys did not need any flashy costumes or fancy stage sets. Keys started belting out hit song after another, ``Go Ahead,'' ``You Do

Aug 8, 2008

Clubs, Traditional Events & Art Exhibitions

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

Aug 7, 2008

Concerts, Museums & Theater

Classical Concerts Rhythm & Chorus Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 13 The Seoul Metropolitan Chorus is offering a special performance for students just in time for the summer vacation. With comedian Jeon Hwan-kyu as the host, the chorus will offer a pleasant and easy afternoon with some famous classical music. Tickets cost from 10,000 won to 20,000 won. Visit www.sejongpac.or.kr or call 1544-1887. Located near exits 8 and 1 of Gwanghwamun Station on subway line 5. The Great Mountain Music Festival & School Yongpyong Ski Resort, Gangwon Province Through Aug. 22 Under the theme "Music-Image-Text," the Great Mountain Music Festival & School will delight fans with music performed by some of the most promising musicians in the world. Visitors will be able to watch the world premiere of "Four Seasons" by 16-year-old composer Jay Greenberg. Tickets cost from 10,000 won to 40,000 won. Visit www.gmmfs.com. Visitors can take a shuttle bus that will be operated during the festival. The Magic Flute Seoul Arts Center Aug. 9-24 Seoul Arts Center offers Mozar

Aug 7, 2008

Exhibition Recollects Memory of 60 Years

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Do you remember the Pony? The now out-of-production car was the first to be exported to other countries in the 1970s and 80s, and the very symbol of national pride. Now, the nostalgia-provoking car that exists only in the memories of many Koreans can be seen on display at a special exhibition titled ``Moments of Hardship and Glory'' until Sept. 15 at the National Folk Museum of Korea. To mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the nation, the museum presents not only this old car but also other items hard to see first hand. The exhibition explores contemporary perspectives on Korean culture, history, art and ideas over the past six decades, connecting the life experiences of Korean people of the past and present through a calm recollection of memories. ``Over the past 60 years, we Koreans have built up the nation despite difficulties from Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War by going through poor and tough times,'' the curator of the museum, said. ``The exhibition is expected to draw public attention as it is all about o

Aug 6, 2008

HS Hi Seoul Fest to Mark Han River

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Living in Seoul offers various aspects, from a tech-savvy environment to skyscrapers, but one easy-to-forget feature is the Han River, or Hangang. In order to celebrate and appreciate its existence, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture is holding their summer ``Hi Seoul Festival'' under the theme Han River. ``We wanted people to come back to the river again. (Some) do use it, but not as much as people would expect. I ride a bike and the river is beautiful,'' Roger Rynd, artistic director of the festival, told The Korea Times in an interview. Rynd is the first foreigner to be in charge of the Hi Seoul Festival. The 49-year-old director has been working with Korean artists for 14 years and he is the art director of Australia's REM Theater and Korea's LATT Children's Theater. ``The key word for this festival is participation. Participation is big because Seoul citizens will be the ones who will do it,'' he said. The festival is comprised of various programs citizens and visitors can partici

Aug 6, 2008

Cirque du Soleil to Present Second Show

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Canada's heart-pumping circus troupe Cirque du Soleil will bring ``Alegria'' to town this fall. The circus troupe will present its second show ``Alegria,'' which means ``joy'' in Spanish, one year after the troupe first brought ``Quidam'' to Korea. ``If Quidam was a dark show, Alegria is a hilarious and joyous one for all generations to enjoy,'' Kim Yong-kwan, CEO of Mast Entertainment, the local production company, said. Kim said that it will be the last chance for the Korean audience to see the performance as the show now touring Latin America will soon finish its world tour after stopovers in Asia. ``After performing in Korea, Taiwan and Dubai, the troupe will wrap up the 15-year-old tour of Alegria,'' said Kim. Alegria was created to mark the 10th anniversary of the troupe to chant the jubilation and joy of life. ``It was more about a tussle between new and old rather than a storyline like Quidam. It is a metaphor for change through the confrontation between new and old,'' Milan Rokic, vice president of Marketing for Asi

Aug 5, 2008

Chinese Ethnic Jewelry Exhibits Modern Touches

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games nearing, all eyes are fixed on the world's fourth largest country. People are buzzing with expectation and worry at the same time. Here in Seoul, a jewelry exhibition is showing another aspect of China, one not seen outside of China on such a grand scale before. The World Jewelry Museum is displaying 110 pieces of jewelry, including necklaces, rings and headdresses made by Chinese ethnic minorities under the title ``From China'' until Oct. 31. The museum is showing the collection to coincide with the Olympic Games. ``This kind of Chinese jewelry collection is very rare because traditional Chinese jewelry craftsmanship has not been handed down to the next generation,'' Lee Kang-won, director of the museum, said in an interview with The Korea Times. Lee, who has devoted the last 30 years to collecting rare and antique ornaments from all over the world, said that a spotlight on Chinese minority groups' jewelry is ironic considering China's recent crackdown on unrest in Tibet. ``But I think it is hig

Aug 4, 2008

Exhibition Aims to Stimulate Creativity

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Stimulate your creativity this summer by learning and understanding contemporary art. The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art is holding an exhibition ``Creative Mind,'' aimed at helping visitors better understand the creative process of artists and develop one's own creativity. ``We currently live in a society where we are asked for new creative ideas everyday. We can easily find intellectuals but it is harder to find people with fresh new ideas. We crave for something new and exciting. As a response to this, the team of art experts here in Savina Museum planned and displayed `Creative Mind' to stimulate new ideas,'' curator Hwang Jung-in said. Sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, ``Creative Mind,'' features 45 sculptures, paintings, photographs and videos by 20 artists. The exhibition runs through Aug. 15. The main idea behind the exhibit is that by observing art, viewers will be able to understand the artist's mind and also learn how to become a creative thinker. Can art really help stimulate one's creative juice

Aug 4, 2008

Visit Asian Kitchens at Photo Exhibit

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The best, and perhaps most enjoyable, way to learn about a new culture is through its cuisine. But not everyone has the time and money to go around traveling the world and enjoying gustatory delights of different countries. ``Dreaming Kitchen ― Flavor of Asia'' promises to provide a rare glimpse inside the kitchens of Asian countries including Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and the Philippines. A project of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), the photo exhibit opens on Aug. 6 at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center, downtown Seoul. ``The kitchen, where delectable food is prepared, is conceived as where one nation's culture and tradition are played out. The basic process of cooking which mainly involves using fire and water and placing food on a plate is no surprise to anyone. But the soil on which the ingredients are cultivated varies by region, and the clothes worn by women who cook, and the houses, religions and customs may all be different, which a

Aug 3, 2008

Artist Tackles Essence of Human Existence

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter What time did you get up Monday? Who did you meet five months ago? Where did you go seven years ago? These are questions that anyone would be hard-pressed to remember the answers to. Acclaimed Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara has created a series of works devoted to chronicling the exact times he woke up, where he went and who he met every day for several years. The New York-based Kawara is known for exploring themes of human consciousness, existence and the passage of time in his art. Five series of his works ― ``I Met,'' ``I Went,'' ``I Got Up,'' ``One Million Years'' and ``Pure Consciousness'' ― are being shown in Korea for the first time at doART Seoul through Aug. 24. Kawara's famous date paintings, however, are not included. Kawara is considered an influential figure in modern art. His works are autobiographical in the sense that they record details of his life, such as what times he woke up, but convey no hint of himself. ``These records detail the repetitive daily processes Kawara went through to create his w

Aug 1, 2008

Arts & Theater