Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Musical ‘Sesame Street’ Returns to Korea

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter ``Sesame Street Live,'' a musical based on the popular American TV series for preschoolers, will hit the stage at two venues in Gyeonggi Province. Its creative team currently touring 17 countries for the musical performance has chosen Korea as its first venue for this year's Asia tour. The original TV show has been televised in 140 countries and more than 30 international versions have been produced over the last 38 years since it was first aired in 1969. The series has a high international reputation and has received 109 Emmy Awards, a record high win for any television series. More than 4,134 episodes of the show have been produced in 37 seasons, making it one of the longest-running U.S. television shows in history. The musical version was first created in 1980 and has attracted more than 50 million people around the world in 140 countries over the last 27 years. The musical revolves around characters such as Elmo, the Cookie Monster and Big Bird who go on a trip to a fantasy world. The musical was first staged in Korea at

May 18, 2007

Clubs, Traditional, Art Exhibitions & Sports Game

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 floor an

May 17, 2007

Classical Concerts, Big Tickets, Pop Jazz..

CLASSICAL CONCERTS Charity Concert "Because You're There" Seoul Arts Center May 19 A special concert with performances by soprano Anna Maria Kaufman, baritone Kim Dong-gyu, the Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra and many more. All proceeds will go to aid people affected with Hansen's disease. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 100,000 won. Visit www.sac.or.kr or call (02) 580-1234. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3. Jin Yong Piano Recital LG Arts Center June 2 At barely ten years old, pianist Ji Yong captivated audiences and was the youngest to win first place in the 2001 Young Artist Concours. Now fifteen, he returns to the Korean stage. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 40,000 won. Visit www.mastmedia.co.kr or call (02) 2005-0114. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on subway line 2. Lee Kyung-sook: My Life, My Music! Seoul Arts Center (Recital Hall) May 19, June 16 Pianist Lee Kyung-sook presents a concert with performances by Korea's best classical musicians performing works by Bach, Schubert, Beethoven, Mend

May 17, 2007

Exhibition Offers Glimpse of Korean Drama

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter With modern Korean drama's centennial a year away, the National Drama Company of Korea is holding a special exhibition to mark its 57th anniversary and to provide an opportunity for people to get a glimpse of the history of drama in Korea. The company, affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, was the birthplace of Korea's modern performing arts since it was established in 1950. The special exhibition opened on the third floor of the National Theater's main hall, Hae, on May 10 and will continue to run through July 1. The company is displaying 57-year-old historical items and resources used in Korean plays from the company's first production ``Wonsullang'' written by Yu Chi-jin to its latest presentation, ``Hwangsaek Yeogwan,'' or Yellow Inn, directed by Oh Tae-suk. The company has staged 208 plays and also given special performances both at home and abroad, while witnessing the vicissitudes of modern Korean history marked by the Korean War. The exhibition is also designed to celebrate the scheduled launching of the country'

May 16, 2007

Actor, Rapper Yang Debuts as Director

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Multi-talented entertainer Yang Dong-geun, 28, has built up his career as an actor and a rapper, along with his own impressive philosophy on life. Now, Yang is transforming himself into a director of the renowned play, ``Offending the Audience'' by avant-garde Austrian novelist and playwright Peter Handke. As the title suggests, the play ridicules the audiences with actors who do not play characters and a stage set that does not represent any place. The play premiered in Korea in 1978 and has returned several times due to its provocative script and format which breaks traditional theater conventions. Yang has special ties with the play as he performed his own rap songs and hip-hop rhythms in the play in 2005. In this rendition, Yang has transformed the play into a rap-based musical drama under the original premise in which four chairs are set on a bare stage for four actors. The actors spew out ambiguous dialogue. The play ignores traditional conventions, inviting the audience to respond to the performances.

May 16, 2007

World Tour Musical Teams to Hit Stage

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Major world blockbuster musicals from Broadway and the West End _ ``The King and I'' and ``Cats'' _ are exciting musical buffs here. The world tour casts of the two musical masterpieces will perform in Seoul and other major cities in Korea. The tours to Korea are boosting the musical festive mood around the country. The King and I The Broadway cast of ``The King and I,'' a film-based musical, will perform at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. It will begin its run on Friday until May 29. It is the first time a Broadway cast will perform in Seoul, although the Korean language production was first staged in 2003. The musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II is based on Margaret Landon's book about Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam. The plot is based on a partially autobigraphical story written by Leonowens, who became a school teacher to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Since the musical premiered on Broadway in 1951, it has won major prizes at the Tony Awards and the Olivier Awards,

May 14, 2007

Seoul-Berlin Connection Deepens in Art

By Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter South Koreans tend to feel a bond with the people of Germany because of their common experience in national division. This affinity functions as part of a driving force behind active exchanges in the art scene as well as in the political and business fields. Many Korean fine arts students have chosen to study in Germany since the end of the Korean War. Germany, for its part, is showing a keen interest in contemporary Korean art, more so than other European countries. Some galleries are testing the waters for the possibility of opening branches in Seoul, as Berlin-based Michael Schultz Gallery did last year. At the Korean International Art Fair that ended Sunday, 28 German galleries took part, surpassing the number of participating galleries from Spain, this year's guest at the fair. Ten galleries from Berlin, especially, drew attention, as they formed a separate lounge for promoting ``Art From Berlin,'' a collective presentation to show the ongoing scene in, arguably, Europe's most vibrant and biggest gallery space in the German capital.

May 14, 2007

Montblanc Honors Art Patrons

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Successful artists are appreciated and applauded, often receiving awards at ceremonies around the world. In contrast, very little attention is paid to individuals who support these artists. Since 1992, the Montblanc Cultural Foundation has attempted to arouse public attention to relatively neglected art patrons who have contributed to what artists have achieved. ``There are so many awards going to artists for performances and the quality of arts such as Golden Globe Awards, Oscar Awards. But nobody is singing the song of a hidden hero behind the stage,’’ said Wolff Heinrichsdorff, chairman of the foundation. Montblanc, a German manufacturer of writing instruments, created the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award in 1992, along with the foundation, to support and honor modern patrons of the arts who have given their time, energy and money to enhance arts and culture. The award is conferred on outstanding art patrons whose personal commitment and achievements deserve international recognition. Heinrichsdorff said an internati

May 12, 2007

Ssangyong E&C Pioneers Overseas Construction

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 visit 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 on subway line 6. Call (011) 9094 8484 Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance

May 10, 2007

Around Town

Classical Concerts Russian National Orchestra in Korea Seoul Arts Center May 23 Russia's first and much commended independent orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra performs in Korea under the direction of piano genius Mikhail Pletnev and accompanied by Korea's own celebrated pianist, Paik Hae-sun. Tickets cost from 50,000 won to 160,000 won. Visit www.mastmedia.co.kr or call (02) 541-6234. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3. Tenor Kim Jae-hyung's Solo Concert Naru Arts Center May 16 After a widespread and brilliant career in Europe, Kim Jae-hyung comes to Korea for a much anticipated first national solo concert. Tickets cost 22,000 won to 44,000 won. Visit www.naruarts.co.kr or call (02) 2049-4705. Located near exit 5 of Konkuk University Station on subway line 2. Youth Symphony Concert Seongnam Arts Center (Opera House) May 27 An impressive alliance made up of four Korean youth symphony orchestras and the Brandenburg Youth Symphony, this concert takes part in the first national youth orchestra festiva