my timesThe Korea Times
Lifestyle

Arts & Theater

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

`Fever Tango to Showcase Original Argentine Tango

By Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter Kong Myung-kyu has done various jobs during his 50 years of life. In the early 1980s, he taught taekwondo to Argentinean police forces and the Ecuadorian national squad. He then became a professional golfer, registering as a PGA tour member. During the last 10 years, however, he found himself devoted to another mission: spreading tango culture in Korea. The nephew of Kong Ok-jin, a respected master of traditional Korean dance, such hereditary talent perhaps helped Kong Myung-kyu gain the title of the tango maestro while he was living in Argentina, the birthplace of the dramatic dance. Back in his hometown, sowing the seeds has not been always easy. When he returned to South Korea in 1997, the nation was in the midst of the Asian financial crisis and his tango lessons did not fare well. But his hard work and determination have recently been bearing fruit. In 2003, the Argentine Embassy in Seoul designated Kong as an ambassador for promoting tango. Now he is setting the stage to celebrate a decade of tango culture slowly taking root in Korea

Aug 13, 2007

Don Quixote Captivates Audience

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter There is neither flamboyant choreography nor impressive stage sets and dramatic extravaganza in the musical, ``Man of La Mancha.'' However, it has immediately captivated audiences' hearts with its classical story and actors' excellent performance, coupled with ``The Impossible Dream,'' an all-time favorite musical number written by Mitch Leigh. The musical was written by Dale Wasserman in 1965. The Korean version musical was first staged in Seoul in 2005, with actors Kim Sung-gi and Ryu Jung-han in the lead. This time, the musical has a new line-up starring top musical star Cho Seung-woo and comedian-turned-actor Chung Sung-hwa, who both play the main role of Don Quixote. Since first being staged in 1965 in New York, it has steadily grown into one of Broadway's representative musicals.

Aug 12, 2007

Artist Shows Dark Side of Philippine Society

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter As art becomes more and more commercialized, it is rare to find an artist who believes in using art as a tool for social change. The dark paintings of Filipino artist Leslie de Chavez are a scathing social commentary on society, politics, culture and religion in the Philippines. Thirteen of de Chavez' striking works are shown in his solo exhibition ``Red-Eyed Brother'' at the Arario Seoul in Jongno, which runs through Aug. 26. In an interview with The Korea Times, de Chavez said the title of the exhibition refers to the fact that his eyes are always red, and his intense passion for his art. ``My eyes are always red, literally, especially at night. Maybe it's due to stress or I need some eye check-up. My Korean friends noticed it when I lived here last year on an artist's grant. … Then the curator made the connection of my being red-eyed with my passion and intense engagement with art,'' he said. Arario Gallery curator Juhl J. Lee noted the energy of de Chavez' works, which is shown in the dark, intense colors. ``When Leslie

Aug 10, 2007

Clubs, Exhibitions and For Kids

Clubs Club Garden Apgujeong-dong The Garden is an electronica hotspot, with the big draw being its line-up of guest DJs such as Laurent Garnier, Mondo Grosso, Afrika Bambatta and Goldie. Near Galleria Department Store on the so-called Rodeo Street in southern Seoul. Call (02) 518-5115 or clubgarden.co.kr. Club Evans Hongdae or Hongik University Area This place, located near Hongik University, is great for intimate live performances. The line-up of performers is generally top-notch and the acoustics are good. Located near exit 1 on Sangsu Station on subway line 6 or exit 6 on Hongdae Station on subway line 2. Call (02) 337-8361 or www.clubevans.com. Club Caliente Itaewon The patrons are so diverse, DJ Josh sometimes has a hard job appealing to everyone. But he keeps the dance floor going, playing a variety of standbys and new Latin music. The song selection is what keeps people coming back. Located near exit 4 of Itaewon Station subway line 6. Call (011) 9094 8484 Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance floo

Aug 9, 2007

Concerts, Museums and Performances

Summer Chamber Music Seoul Arts Center (Concert Hall) Aug. 10-17 Seoul Arts Center promises a week full of classic music for the entire family with a variety of guests and ensembles, from the Korea and Japan Woodwind Ensemble to the Contemporary Music Ensemble SORI. Tickets cost from 5,000 won to 20,000 won. Visit www.sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3. 4th Annual Great Mountains Int'l Music Festival Yongpyong Resort Through Aug. 19 Boasting an impressive list of musical geniuses from around the world, the fourth International Music Festival will have ten days of classical performances by international stars Aldo Parisot, Jian Wang, Kyoko Takezawa, and many more. Visit www.yongpyong.co.kr or call (033) 335-5757. Located off the Yeongdong Freeway towards Gangwon Province. Brahms Special Orchestra Series III Seoul Arts Center (Concert Hall) Aug. 22 Conductor Chung Myung-whun and pianist Kim Sun-wook alongside the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra take part in performing the third o

Aug 9, 2007

Portrait Sketches Reveal Spirituality

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter There was a time when portraits meant more than paintings. They were regarded more as spiritual artworks, vividly capturing the models' souls and postures. For that reason, both the portrait and the sketch were highly appreciated because the process was believed to instill vitality and spirit into paintings in the past. The National Museum of Korea is holding an exhibition titled ``Portrait Sketches of the Joseon Dynasty'' to show the painting skills and techniques during that time. The exhibition which is being held in the painting room of Gallery I of the Permanent Exhibition Hall, will continue to run until Oct. 28. The exhibit features 35 artworks, including the Portrait Sketch of Choe Deok-ji (Treasure Number 594). Focusing on portrait sketches, dubbed ``chobon'' in Korean, the exhibit has received little attention from the academic world so far. The basic sketches functioned as a preliminary work that offered a preview of the portrait before the final version was born on silk. The exhibition not only shows the end-re

Aug 6, 2007

Antique Gate Latches Unfastened

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter A latch, or ``bitjang'' in Korean, refers to a lock, or strictly speaking, a crossbar of a gate made of wooden structures used in ``hanok,'' or Korean traditional houses in the past. ``Bitjang'' not only physically fastened the gates but also spiritually protected the houses from outside evil spirits, according to ancient beliefs. The Lock Museum is displaying about 70 pieces of antique latches, which were mostly used in the late Joseon Kingdom. Usually the traditional lock consists of ``bitjang'' and ``dunte.'' ``Bitjang'' is a wooden or an iron stick used for locking the gate. ``Dunte,'' a hole-pierced wooden board, is fixed on the gate in pairs to put ``bitjang'' into it. For its installation, ``dunte'' on the right side is fixed with ``bitjang'' inserted, and then the left one is fixed at the equal height. ``Bitjang'' is fixed firmly with a knot at the back and the middle. In the Royal Court, the lock was installed across a big tree, depending on ``Janggunmok,'' or a separate frame fixed on the wall. In larger towns,

Aug 5, 2007

Clubs, Exhibitions& For Kids

CLUBS Club Garden Apgujeong-dong The Garden is an electronica hotspot, with the big draw being its line-up of guest DJs such as Laurent Garnier, Mondo Grosso, Afrika Bambatta and Goldie. Near Galleria Department Store on the so-called Rodeo Street in southern Seoul. Call (02) 518-5115 or clubgarden.co.kr. Club Evans Hongdae or Hongik University Area This place, located near Hongik University, is great for intimate live performances. The line-up of performers is generally top-notch and the acoustics are good. Located near exit 1 on Sangsu Station on subway line 6 or exit 6 on Hongdae Station on subway line 2. Call (02) 337-8361 or www.clubevans.com. Club Caliente Itaewon The patrons are so diverse, DJ Josh sometimes has a hard job appealing to everyone. But he keeps the dance floor going, playing a variety of standbys and new Latin music. The song selection is what keeps people coming back. Located near exit 4 of Itaewon Station subway line 6. Call (011) 9094 8484 Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance

Aug 2, 2007

Concerts, Museums & Performances

CLASSICAL CONCERTS Seong-hun Kim's Classic Guitar Recital Seoul Arts Center (Recital Hall) Aug. 29 Korean classic guitarist Seong-hun Kim will perform works by Bach, Weiss, and more with guest classic guitarist Yu Hyung-jun. Tickets cost 20,000 won. Visit www.sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1300. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3. Hwaum Chamber Orchestra & Daejeon Chamber Music Festival 2007 Daejeon Arts & Culture Center (Art Hall) Aug. 10 Centered on the works of Mozart and Haydn, the Hwaum Chamber Orchestra showcases their renowned ability to harmonize and deliver a truly colorful performance. Tickets cost from 10,000 won to 30,000 won. Visit www.djac.or.kr or call (042) 610-2222. Located near Government Complex Daejeon on the Daejeon subway line 1. Peter & the Wolf Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 7 - 9 Music director Nanse Gum and the Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra provide music for Prokofiev's story of Peter and the Wolf as it plays in stop-frame motion animation on screen. Ticket

Aug 2, 2007

Needlework Master, One Stitch Makes Difference

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter In the old days, needlework was thought of as an integral part of Korean women's daily life. Before the introduction of ready-made Western garments, Korean women were supposed to make all of the family's clothing. For that reason, sewing traditions have strong ties within the family structure. Here is a case of deft-fingered skills in needlework being handed down from a mother-in-law to a daughter-in-law. Koo Hye-ja, a needlework master, or ``chimseonjang'' was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 89 in needlework on July 9 by the Cultural Heritage Administration. ``Chimseon'' literarily means needlework in general, but it usually indicates making clothes using needle and thread. ``I mostly make traditional clothes, matching beautiful colors with designs,'' Koo said in an interview with The Korea Times. Koo has inherited traditional sewing techniques from her late mother-in-law, Jung Jeong-wan, who became the first master in needlework in 1988. Jung, who was the forerunner in preserving Korean traditi

Jul 31, 2007
previous page
487488489490491
next page

Most Read in Lifestyle