J. Yoon of M.C the Max found dead at home

Singer J. Yoon of M.C the Max was found dead Thursday. According to the Seoul Mapo Police Station, J. Yoon, 39, whose legal name is Yoon Jae-woong, was found dead at his home in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. His agency, 325 E&C, called the police as it had been unable to reach Yoon. “J. Yoon left us on Thursday,” the agency said in an official statement. “Members of M.C the Max and the staff of 325 E&C are mourning his death with great grief,” the statement

PeopleMay 13, 2021

Musical ‘Dracula’ set for opening after COVID-19 hit

Musical “Dracula” has postponed its opening by two days, following a string of infections involving four of its cast members. Actor Son Jun-ho, who performs in the musical, was confirmed with the virus infection on April 23, followed by more infections among its main cast members such as Shin Sung-rok, Jeon Dong-seok and Kang Tae-eul. “To put on a performance of better quality, the opening date of the musical ‘Dracula’ has been postponed from May 18 to May 20,&r

PerformanceMay 13, 2021

[Weekender] [#WeFace] Green architecture brings fresh air

While going green has become an urgent agenda for many industries from retail, fashion to the performing arts and architecture is no exception. Amid the climate crisis, more individuals, companies and the government are paying attention to sustainable architecture, aware of the impact of the lasting footprint left by construction. “Green architecture” refers to an approach to architecture which acknowledges the necessity for improvement in both environmental impact and our healt

Arts & DesignMay 13, 2021

‘Aloners’ a timely movie about solitariness: actor Gong Seung-yeon

Actor Gong Seung-yeon says her new movie “Aloners,” directed by Hong Seung-eun, reflects the feelings of loneliness that we have all been experiencing since the COVID-19 spread started last year. “We filmed this movie before COVID-19. Now we have all become used to keeping distance from each other and this movie is about how we can live well through this situation,” Gong said during a press conference held after a screening of the film at Lotte Cinema in Gwangjin-gu, Se

FilmMay 13, 2021

Art Busan anticipating big success again this year

Art Busan, a major art fair in South Korea, will be held this weekend amid much anticipation after an unexpected boom last year, when avid art collectors and young people flocked to the southern port city. The largest art fair in the country’s southern region will showcase a total of 4,000 artworks during the four-day event. The 110 galleries participating this year include renowned international galleries such as Neugerriemschneider and Esther Schipper from Berlin, Commonwealth and Coun

Arts & DesignMay 13, 2021

Korean guitarists pay tribute to Myanmar pro-democracy activists with ‘Starlight’

In a YouTube video titled “Starlight: Stand with Myanmar,” Shin Dae-chul, the lead guitarist of South Korea’s first heavy metal band Sinawe, holds up a three-fingered salute. “This music is dedicated to the citizens of Myanmar. I hope that our hearts go with them,” said Shin, who is also a songwriter. The message of solidarity comes at the end of the performance of “Starlight,” composed and produced by Shin, featuring 11 guitarists, including himself

CultureMay 12, 2021

Finnish conductor takes helm of KBS Symphony Orchestra

The KBS Symphony Orchestra has appointed Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen as its chief conductor and music director. The orchestra announced Tuesday that the Finnish conductor, 41, would fill the post. It had remained empty for two years, since conductor Yoel Levi left in 2019. The new conductor will begin in January and is set to stay until the end of 2024. Inkinen, who is also a violinist, studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He is currently the chief conductor of the

PerformanceMay 12, 2021

[Feature] Cities, museums all want a piece of the pie

While a large part of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s personal art collection has arrived at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and National Museum of Korea, the collection’s final destination remains up in the air. The major problem is the capacity to hold the record-breaking donation by Lee. The MMCA, which was given 1,488 artworks, most of them Korean modern art, admitted that the museum is running out of space at its storage facilities in

Arts & DesignMay 12, 2021

‘More COVID government aid needed for local theaters’

Local multiplex operators on Wednesday urged the government to come up with more effective financial support plans for theaters that have been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives of the Korean Theater Association, as well as four local multiplex operators -- CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q -- gathered at Megabox Dongdaemun in Seoul to express their concerns about the plight they have been facing. “The movie industry is a competitive cultural business that can b

FilmMay 12, 2021

S. Korean dance company teams up with Coldplay for Brit Awards performance

The South Korean dance group Ambiguous Dance Company has made a surprise appearance during British rock band Coldplay's latest performance at the Brit Awards. The dance company, known for its unique choreography and playful vibe, performed alongside Coldplay in its performance of its new single "Higher Power" during the music awards ceremony held in London on Tuesday (local time). Six members of the dance group appeared as neon-colored holograms as the British rock band sang the gala

PerformanceMay 12, 2021

[Video] Korea’s oldest active kiln gets lit up again

South Korea’s traditional ascending kiln is a living relic of the country’s pottery and porcelain industry. Despite its centuries-old history, it is losing its ground with modern kilns being either gas-fired or electric. In order to revive and spread pottery culture, Korea’s traditional ceramics brand Kwangjuyo held an event on Friday to light up the Icheon Sugwangri ascending kiln -- also a South Korean Registered Cultural Heritage. The traditional kiln was built in 1949 a

CultureMay 11, 2021

Busan Cultural Foundation starts art project to clean up city’s beaches

The Busan Cultural Foundation announced a “beachcombing project” on Tuesday to increase awareness about trash on the city’s beaches. Busan’s artists and other members of the community will pick up trash from the beaches, and will then work together to turn that trash into art. With this upcycling project, the foundation hopes to emphasize the importance of protecting the environment. Upcycling means using discarded materials to make high-value items. “As the

CultureMay 11, 2021

Korean art project ‘Traveling Korean Arts’ kicks off in 14 countries

The project “Traveling Korean Arts,” aimed at introducing Korean art to a global audience, has kicked off in collaboration with art institutions in 14 countries. The art project -- organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange -- started Saturday in South Africa with an exhibition titled “Negotiating Boundaries.” The artworks will be on display at the 300,000-square-meter outdoor sculpture park i

Arts & DesignMay 11, 2021

‘Les Miserables’ concert mired in copyright feud

The “Les Miserables” concert by K&P Entertainment, slated to take place this month in Seoul and Busan, has become mired in a copyright dispute. On Monday, Les Miserables Korea, which holds performance rights to the Korean-language version of the English musical in Korea, claimed that the upcoming concert is an unauthorized production that violates the musical’s copyrights. K&P Entertainment on Tuesday refuted the claim, saying that the upcoming concert is based on

PerformanceMay 11, 2021

Monthlong Gwangju Biennale enjoyed online and offline

The 13th Gwangju Biennale closed on Sunday after a 39-day run, attracting more than 270,000 visitors online and offline. Although significantly shortened -- by around half of its usual three-month span -- due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme and the commissions were executed as planned. Some 85,000 people visited Korea’s largest art biennale in person, according to the Gwangju Biennale Foundation. The biennale -- which kicked off on Feb. 26 after being postponed twice -- was held u

Arts & DesignMay 10, 2021

Choi Young-chang to head Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

The Cultural Heritage Administration appointed Choi Young-chang as the new chairman of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation on Monday. His term of office runs through May 9, 2024. Choi succeeds Jin Ok-sub, who had served in the role since January 2018. Previously, Choi was the head of Jinju National Museum for five years. The museum conducts research, holds exhibitions and offers educational programs on East Asian societies, on the history of the 1592-1598 Imjin War between Joseon and Japa

CultureMay 10, 2021

Korean film ‘Opera’ nominated for Annecy International Animated Film Festival

  Korean director Erick Oh’s “Opera” has been nominated to compete for the title of best short film in the Annecy International Animated Film Festival this year. The nine-minute-long unconventional animated film, which won Oh the Minister’s Award at the 2020 Korea Contents Awards, is an 8K-resolution, massive animation installation piece that reflects on life, society and history. Oh’s film was the only Asian short animation and the only nonnarrative form a

FilmMay 10, 2021

Coldplay, Ambiguous Dance Company make buzz with ‘Higher Power’

Ambiguous Dance Company, which rose to stardom with its 600-million-view YouTube hit video “Tiger is Coming” with alternative pop band Leenalchi, has joined hands with celebrated rock band Coldplay for its new single. The British rock band, led by lead singer and frontman Chris Martin, released its new single “Higher Power” Friday. In a performance video of the single shared on YouTube, Ambiguous Dance Company dancers appear as hologram dancers, dressed in eccentric co

PerformanceMay 10, 2021

Gugak center shares sound source featuring master singers

The National Gugak Center has released some 2,800 sound sources of traditional Korean music sung by celebrated master singers online for free. Over the past year, the state-funded center dedicated to traditional Korean music has been working on developing sound sources of traditional Korean music on its Musical Instrument Digital Interface platform, also known as MIDI. In September, the NGC released 407 sound sources of notes performed on traditional Korean instruments, along with 2,226 soun

PerformanceMay 10, 2021

S. Korean cities race to host new 'Lee Kun-hee art museum'

South Korean cities from Suwon to Busan are lining up to host a possible new museum for late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's vast art collection, with many claiming to be the ideal spot because of their special ties to the Lee family. Samsung and the culture ministry announced April 28 that Lee's family would donate some 23,000 pieces from his art collection, including masterpieces by Korean and Western artists, such as Kim Whan-ki, Claude Monet and Salvador Dali. Lee died in October. The Natio

Arts & DesignMay 10, 2021