FREDERICK SOUND, Alaska ― “There’s a whale right here, next to us!” whispered 15-year-old Will, leaning over the railing and frantically trying to focus his camera on the shiny black hump off the port side bow. “And there’s another one, right there!” he said, pointing at the second giant head that rose up and tipped sideways, fixing a round black eye on the ship.Humpback whales, too many to count, circled the Sea Bird as the 62-passenger vessel, a Lindblad Expedition cruise ship, idled in Alaska

Travel Feb. 22, 2013

Seoul’s cityscape represents the rapid economic growth of Korea. The city exhibits various architectural scenes from high-rise office buildings, massive apartment complexes and retail spaces to buildings from both old and modern days. While some trendy streets of Seoul such as Garosu-gil and Hongdae give off a sophisticated ambience, most of the small streets, defined by narrow pedestrian walks with mundane or showy buildings, constitute an ugly side of the city. “There are many old buildings an

Culture Feb. 21, 2013

The winter season of the northern port of Doripo of Muan County, South Jeolla Province, is one of the busiest times for mullet fishing. Mullet from the mudflats of Muan is a local delicacy that was offered at the king’s table during the Joseon period (1392-1910). The Muan tidal flat, home to the mullet and other marine life, is the first tidal flat registered as a national park in Korea as well as being on the Ramsar Wetlands list. Extensive mudflats stretch out from the southwestern coast of th

Culture Feb. 20, 2013

The art world is shifting attention to artists from developing countries in search of fresh input into the contemporary art. Major galleries in New York and European countries are holding exhibitions that highlight artist from developing countires. Many of Europe’s major galleries are holding exhibitions of artists from countries in the Caucasus region such as Azerbaijan and Georgia. “The trend started about five years ago as major galleries started to pay attention to artists from Latin America

Performance Feb. 18, 2013

African-American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat’s artistic career lasted only eight years before he died at age 27, but he still remains as a mainstay in the global auction market: A drawing by Jean-Michel Basquiat was sold at the top price of $15.2 million at an auction last Friday in London. And now, some of his iconic works are on view at Kukje Gallery in Seoul until March, offering a broad survey of his works that left a lasting impression in the contemporary art scene in the 1980s. As Basquiat

Performance Feb. 17, 2013

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Despite threatening skies, the Mardi Gras party carried on as thousands of costumed revelers cheered glitzy floats with make-believe monarchs in an all-out bash before Lent. In the French Quarter, as usual, Fat Tuesday played out with all its flesh and raunchiness.Crowds were a little smaller than recent years, perhaps influenced by the forecast of rain. Still, parades went off as scheduled even as a fog settled over the riverfront and downtown areas.Police, who had to deal wi

Travel Feb. 15, 2013

  Nearly 60 years since the end of the Korean War, memories of war have faded away through the generations. But the memories remain very vivid to the separated families and are a true reminder of the painful history of the war. Artist Lee Eun-sook, from a second generation of separated families whose father left four children in the North and died two years ago, keeps the fading memories alive by using the forgotten names of the divided families in the South and North as the main materials for h

Performance Feb. 13, 2013

Nam June Paik has been called the father of video art, having transformed video into an art medium. But Paik didn’t limit his creations to video art. He explored diverse fields such as performance, collaboration, music and writing to present his ideas. Through diverse media, Paik created symbolic performances that challenged social taboos and raised controversy in a conservative society. The new exhibition at the Nam June Paik Art Center sheds light on Paik’s political and ideological side, as w

Performance Feb. 12, 2013

Toys as playthings has long been a bygone perception. They have become objects to admire for adults who treat them as valuable collectibles on the same level as artwork, including more than 100,000 fans of Michael Lau’s art toy collections worldwide. The Hong Kong-based artist’s famous toy collections have arrived in Seoul for the first time amid much anticipation from local fans. Making vinyl figures into the most sought-after toy collection in the world, Lau is considered a pioneer in the fiel

Performance Feb. 11, 2013

Festivals“Samcheok Jeongwol Daeboreum Festival”: Koreans celebrate the first full moon day of the Lunar New Year to bring health and good luck to their families. The traditional event, celebrating the beginning of the Lunar New Year, will be held in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, from Feb. 22-24. Visitors can experience various folk games, including a tug-of-war, burning a bundle of twigs and other fun activities such as arm wrestling and a singing contest. The festival will take place at Expo Town

Travel Feb. 7, 2013

From guided tours to traditional and trendy spots in Seoul to a lucky draw event, Korea is readying for the arrival of more than 60,000 Chinese tourists during China’s week-long holidays starting this weekend. Expecting the number of Chinese visitors to increase by about 25 percent from the previous holidays, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization has been preparing events for the large influx of tourists. It is holding a welcoming event at the Incheon International Airport, providing welcomin

Travel Feb. 7, 2013

A diverse spectrum of Chinese contemporary art can be seen at an art exhibition devoted to new Chinese art starting this week in Seoul. The “New Contemporary Art from China” exhibition, organized in celebration of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China, offers a fresh look at contemporary art in China and insight into the current state and future of Chinese art.“I hope the exhibition gives new inspiration to the Korean audience and artists. There are two point

Performance Feb. 7, 2013

A rugged young hunter stands with one leg on the root of a large tree stump, a deerskin and rifle slung over his shoulders as if to show off his hunting skills. This scene of “A Huntsman and Dogs” portrayed by Winslow Homer, one of the most admired American painters of the late 19th century, reflects the sense of accomplishment Americans felt during the years of expansion of the railroad and industrialization, as well as one of the era’s most popular pastimes.  Observations of people’s emotions

Culture Feb. 5, 2013