Lifestyle

'Mozart!' musical explores tumultuous life of classical prodigy

A scene from the musical 'Mozart!' / NewsisMusical 'Mozart!' starts 7th run on June 15By Dong Sun-hwaIs being a genius a blessing or a curse? This is a lingering question for the audience of the musical, “Mozart!” which illuminates the vicissitudes of the musical genius' life. His unparalleled compositional prowess makes him one of the greatest composers of all time, but it also causes him agony by hampering him from pursuing what he truly desired ― freedom. Mozart sports dreadlocks and jeans in the theatrical show to emphasize his pursuit of freedom, but struggles to live his ideal life. People around him ― including his strict father Leopold Mozart and Hieronymus Colloredo ― keep pushing him to make music that suits their tastes, claiming he is destined to do so. Throughout his life, Mozart clashes with them and finds himself trapped in his own fate. When he appears on stage, he is always accompanied by Amade, his younger self and the personification of his destiny. As Mozart gets closer to death, he hugs Amade and asks: “If I had understood and loved you a bit ea

INTERVIEW Jeju researcher transforms Ieodo folklore into modern fairy tale

Choi Mi-kyung, a researcher at the Society of Ieodo Research, holds her first book “Ieodot Halmang,” which translates into “The Old Lady Who Came from Ieodo” in Jeju dialect, in Jeju City, Jeju Island, June 16. The fairy tale is a modern recreation of folklore from Ieodo, a southernmost submerged rock that Jeju islanders once believed to be the home of the spirits of dead fishermen. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukJeju folktale gains new spotlight with creative imagination, strong Jeju female figuresBy Lee Hae-rinJEJU ISLAND ― Located off the southern coast of Jeju Island, a submerged rock known as Ieodo emerges only when the waves are high. This reef holds a significant place in the local folklore of Jeju Islanders as it is revered as a sacred place for the spirits of dead fishermen.Choi Mi-kyung, a member of the Society of Ieodo Research, has breathed new life into these tales with her book "Ieodot Halmang," which translates into Korean as “The Old Lady Who Came from Ieodo," published last October. The book combines elements of Jeju's history, culture

Yoon participates in language, cultural exchange with Vietnamese students

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooPromoting Korea's language and culture in Vietnam, especially among the youth, was a major topic of discussion as President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee met with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday.“I heard that the Vietnamese zeal for learning Korean is strong. I see it's no exaggeration,” Yoon said during the meeting. “Earlier, I checked out the metaverse platform for Korean-language learning. Our government will do its best so you can have easy access to Korean language learning programs such as integrating digital technology into education.”Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyoon, who also attended the meeting, vowed to strengthen policies such as fostering Korean language instructors and distributing language textbooks to promote friendly relations betwe

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Kiaf Seoul 2023 ready for September alongside Frieze Seoul

A view of Kiaf Seoul 2022 at COEX in southern Seoul / Courtesy of Kiaf SeoulBy Park Han-solKiaf Seoul, Korea's longest-running contemporary art fair, is gearing up to return this September for its 22nd edition, joined by over 210 galleries from 20 countries.Like last year, the five-day art fair, hosted by the Galleries Association of Korea, will run alongside its global counterpart Frieze Seoul via a five-year-long partnership at COEX in southern Seoul from Sept. 6 to 10.With an emphasis on its mission to introduce forward-looking contemporary Korean art and rising stars to a global audience, more than 130 participating exhibitors will hail from the local art scene ― headlined by the likes of Kukje Gallery, Hakgojae Gallery, Gallery Hyundai and Leeahn Gallery ― said Hwang Dal-seung, president of the Galleries Association of Korea, during a meeting with international press in Seoul, June 21.The leading international art dealers returning to this year's edition include Galleria Continua, Peres Projects, Whitestone Gallery and Asia Art Center.The fair will see 30 first-time participants

Travel authorities to tackle overcharging at rural festivals

In this photo taken on Oct. 27, 2022, visitors try seafood green onion pancake and fish cakes in a sardine broth at a regional food festival held in Seoul's Mapo District. NewsisBy Lee Hae-rinThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Thursday, announced a plan to tackle overcharging at regional festivals across the country by enforcing price control measures and campaigning amid growing criticism of the issue.The culture ministry, along with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), will monitor festival food prices in advance and work with local governments, festival organizers and local residents to control the prices of food sold in 86 cultural tourism festivals nationwide which the ministry selects and promotes as regional special tourism assets.The ministry will work with regional tourism organizations and festival organizing committees to launch the Good Price campaign next Friday.From July, prices and photos of food items sold in regional festivals will be available online on the KTO's Visit Korea website while at the same time enhancing on-site monitoring of food prices.Festiv

DAILY FORTUNE - JUNE 23, 2023

INTERVIEW Dutch singer-songwriter recounts memories, experiences of Korea

Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel poses during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, June 12. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulArtist discovers people's warm-hearted spirit beyond glitz and glamour of big cityBy Lee Hae-rinWhen Dutch jazz singer-songwriter Wouter Hamel first visited Korea 14 years ago to perform, surprisingly many Koreans were already familiar with his surname. Many thought he was a distant descendant of Hendrick Hamel, the Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked on Jeju Island in the 1600s and became the first Westerner to introduce Korea to the world.“I had been asked about this (family lineage) so many times, so I went to the Hamel house in the Netherlands and made a documentary there,” Wouter said during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, while making his 26th visit to Korea. Hendrick Hamel made the first Western account of Korea from his 13 years of captivity ― from 1653 to 1666. Korea had been unknown to the Western world until Hendrick gave a firsthand story about the country in his book “Hamel's Journal

The Korea Times and Tehran Times foster partnership through MOU

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, top left, and Tehran Times Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Sarfi, top right, show their respective copies of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed to promote cooperation between the two news outlets, during an online signing ceremony, Monday. Other participants are Managing Director Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, top right, and Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, Saeed Koozechi, bottom right. Korea Times photo by Kwak Won-heeBy Jeon Yae-woolThe Korea Times and the Tehran Times have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for content exchange and to explore possible business collaborations.The MOU, signed on June 19 via an online conference, calls for the two media organizations to share selected content including text, photos, videos and other media formats.Korea Times President Oh Young-jin said, “In an era where there is no borderline, the free flow of information is pivotal. We expect to see improvement in readership, business opportunities and global context for our mutual readers through this MOU.”Mohammad Mahdi Rahmati, ma

INTERVIEW Meet architectural visionary behind NYC's Korean art showcase at Rockefeller Center

Artist Lee Bae's “Issu du feu (From Fire),” a 6.5-meter-tall stack of pine charcoal on view at the Channel Gardens outside Rockefeller Center in New York City, is the first Korean piece ever to be featured in the city's iconic botanical promenade. It serves as a prelude to “Origin, Emergence, Return,” the group exhibition of three Korean artists ― Park Seo-bo, Lee and Jin Meyerson ― co-presented by the center and Busan-based Johyun Gallery. Photo by Victoria Macchi. Courtesy of studioMDAArchitect Markus Dochantschi of New York-based studioMDA reimagines blue-chip galleries' showrooms as flexible, inviting spacesBy Park Han-solAt the Channel Gardens outside the landmark Rockefeller Center, amid a sea of skyscrapers in the heart of New York City, stands artist Lee Bae's towering stack of pine charcoal.The 6.5-meter-tall wooden sculpture, “Issu du feu” (From Fire) ― the first Korean piece to be featured in the city's iconic botanical promenade ― is an ode to the profound spiritual symbolism embedded in this material, revered throughout East Asian cult