“Crash Wily” by Yinka Shonibare. (Tiroche DeLeon Collection)A wide range of contemporary African art is being showcased for the first time in Korea. The Seoul Museum of Art has brought together foreign artists of African descent and ones based in African countries to introduce the overarching identity of African art to Korean art fans. The exhibition is also attempting to bridge the geographical and cultural gap between Africa and Korea. On Jan. 23, a discussion among art experts and culture cri

Performance Dec. 17, 2014

Koreans seem to be keener than ever on safety issues after witnessing a series of accidents this year, including the Sewol ferry disaster that killed more than 300 passengers and the deadly collapse of a ventilation grate at a concert venue.Adding to the safety concerns recently have been the geological problems and construction flaws affecting the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, which is expected to be the sixth-tallest building in the world when completed in 2016. Keith Griffiths, the chairman of

Arts & Design Dec. 15, 2014

Damso-story, a Gangnam, Seoul-based franchisor of Korean sausage “soondae” soup, offers the popular dish with a modern twist.It attempts to break the stereotype of the dish ― strong pork smell, low quality and the usual drab interior of soondae dining places. Soondae is steamed pig intestine stuffed with a mixture of sticky rice, bean sprouts, cabbage or other vegetables seasoned with garlic, ginger, sesame oil and fermented bean paste. Damso-story specializes in soondae soup. For broth, it uses

Food Dec. 14, 2014

A hand-carved ceramic vessel, an origami-inspired molded ceramic bowl and a tree-shaped vertical wooden clothes rack. The craftwork to be showcased at the ninth edition of the Craft Trend Fair on Thursday at Coex attempts to bring elegance and warmth to functional modern lifestyles. It is the biggest showcase of craftwork in Korea, and its 2014 exhibition is dealing with a theme entitled “Temperature of Craft at 36.5 degrees Celsius” to highlight the heartwarming humanism of handmade craftwork.“

Arts & Design Dec. 14, 2014

A box-shaped apartment complex has been a dominant housing option for Koreans for decades. The government has encouraged the development of such complexes, considering them as the most efficient type of housing to accommodate a large number of people in the country given its limited land. The popularity of apartments has was the most profitable investment tool in Korea until the housing market bubble bust, hit by the global economic downturn in 2008.Against this backdrop, with the demand for a b

Arts & Design Dec. 12, 2014

The Association of Young Architects launched the HOUSHOW initiative, a dream house-building project, in 2012. For the first project, it selected six candidates among 80 applicants and then met with them in person to discuss the design of their dream house. As a gift, the project offered them a floor plan, a perspective drawing and a model so that they could build the actual house one day. Below is the brief introduction of four such houses.01. Raon HausA couple in their early 40s with two young

Arts & Design Dec. 12, 2014

British afternoon tea at Grand InterContinental Seoul ParnasGrand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents a British afternoon tea set at the Lobby Lounge & Bar to celebrate the completion of the 10-month hotel renovation. The “Weekend High Tea Buffet” promotion offers a wide variety of dessert menus, including Earl Gray cake, brie crème brûlée, blueberry cheesecake and more prepared by the hotel’s patisserie. The selection of the dessert menu was assisted by InterContinental London Park Lane. Gue

Food Dec. 12, 2014

Actor Jang Hyuk and actress Cha Ye-ryun were named the best dressed at the 2014 Herald Donga Lifestyle Awards on Tuesday. “It’s my first time receiving the best dressed award,” said Jang at the award ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Jang gained huge popularity when he appeared in the reality entertainment show “Real Men” in which eight male celebrities experience life in the army. His comedic role in the TV drama “Fated to Love You” received praise from fans and viewers.  Cha, a former model,

People Dec. 10, 2014

Artist Po Kim was a victim of political upheavals in Korea. He was accused of being a communist and tortured by the South Korean authorities in 1950, right after he returned from a drawing trip with his students to an island in the West Sea.When the Korean War broke out shortly after, he was cleared of charges, but then arrested again, this time by the North Korean People’s Army for being a pro-American activist. “As soon as I was cleared of charges and freed from prison I walked to Gwangju. But

Performance Dec. 9, 2014

On display in the private office of Lee Hyun-sook on the top floor of her gallery in Seoul are items from some of the most significant contemporary exhibitions in Korea over the last couple of years. The small space overlooking Gyeongbokgung Palace is ultramodern, with a sculpture by Anish Kapoor, a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat and a glass sculpture by Roni Horn alongside her selection of contemporary designers’ furniture. Lee’s Kukje Gallery, opened in 1982, has been the first in Korea to s

Performance Dec. 5, 2014

Winter is the low season for travel in Korea. Day temperatures remain below freezing and snowfalls cause traffic jams, often paralyzing major cities. But it’s one of the best times of the year to enjoy the scenic winter views in the provinces. “Hanok” lodgings across the country offer true relaxation for those who wish to get away from the crowds at ski resorts or hot springs and look back on the year. The Korea Tourism Organization has recently recommended top hanok accommodation for winter tra

Travel Dec. 5, 2014

Korean and Chinese restaurants reopen at Sheraton Grand Walkerhill Sheraton Grande Walkerhill reopened the Korean restaurant Ondal and Chinese restaurant Geumryong after six months of renovation on Dec. 1. The Korean restaurant Ondal presents Korean royal cuisine based on the recipes of an aristocratic family of the Joseon era. Ondal also serves the head chef’s “Summit Luncheon,” which was served during the G20 Seoul Summit and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea. Geumryong (Golden Dra

Food Dec. 5, 2014

Park Hyun-jung, CEO of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, who faces demands for her resignation from employees accusing her of sexual harassment and arbitrary personnel management, said Friday that artistic director Chung Myung-whun may have been behind the recent accusations against her.She also refused to step down and vowed to cooperate with investigations into the complaints.“I am willing to cooperate with the national auditing agency, prosecutors or anyone in investigating this case,” she sa

Culture Dec. 5, 2014