ArtShow Busan, the port city’s largest art fair, will kick off on Friday at Bexco, showcasing more than 4,000 works of art by international artists represented by prestigious galleries.The art fair, in its third year, is attempting to cement its status as a notable art market in Asia by presenting the works of high-profile artists including Nam June Paik, Lee U-fan, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Julian Opie. Last year, 35,000 people visited the fair and sales reached 5.1 billion won ($4.9 millio

Performance April 14, 2014

The traditional vacation destinations in the French Riviera and Provence regions boast natural beauty, rich architectural heritage, great food and good wine. The diverse charms of the region enables travelers to plan themed tours according to their tastes. “People should know what they want to see and experience in the region. If you are a wine lover, you can visit different wineries and try a variety of wines. Think about whether you want to enjoy its natural beauty, appreciate paintings of Van

Travel April 11, 2014

In this wired society, checking Facebook news feeds and Twitter updates is an hourly routine. Swipe the screen of your smartphone and you will instantly be immersed in a sea of information. Social networking services have become so addictive that the first thing many people do after waking up is fiddle with their smartphone to check for updates that arrived while they were asleep. This modern-day obsession with staying updated is critically observed by London-based art trio Troika in its latest

Performance April 10, 2014

French sculptor Xavier Veilhan is holding his first exhibition in Korea, presenting life-size and miniature human figures along with architecture-inspired mobiles. His works have been exhibited in such prominent places as Versailles in 2009 and the Centre Georges Pompidou in 2004. His sculptures are displayed on the streets of New York, Lyon, Sweden and Seoul. One of his blue geometric human sculptures is on permanent display near the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His horse sculpture is part

Performance April 9, 2014

Lee Sook-kyung, research curator of Tate Research Center, has been selected to curate the Korea Pavilion of the 2015 Venice Biennale, while duo artists Moon Kyungwon and Jeon Joonho have been chosen to represent the Korean Pavilion, according to the Korea Arts Council. The selection was made based on recommendations by a committee of seven art experts and interviews with candidates. Lee has curated numerous exhibitions, including those of Korean media artist Nam June Paik and American media arti

Performance April 8, 2014

Grand Hyatt Seoul said Monday that it had named veteran hotelier David Pacey its new general manager. The former general manager at Grand Hyatt Taipei will succeed Peter Walshaw, the longest-serving general manager of Grand Hyatt Seoul. The Australian has served as general manager of the hotel for the last 23 years. On his first assignment to Korea, Pacey served as the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Incheon from 2002 to 2007. Later, he moved on to participate in the openings of Grand Hyatt

People April 7, 2014

Hundreds of students take a nap with their heads down on wooden desks. There are piles of books, Coke and juice bottles on the long rows. Posted on the wall are slogans encouraging students to stay awake and study harder. The sight offers a hint of strict study plans and the weight of pressure on students before their big exam day. The exhausting scene recalls the intensive study that Korean students endure in their final year of high school. “The competitive college entrance exam poses a lot of

Performance April 6, 2014

Some 40 Chinese workers stride into a pond, form a line in the middle dividing it into two parts, then shortly after disperse, walking freely in the water. This odd performance is found in a scene from a 1997 video by Zhang Huan of China. His video is among the diverse media artwork by 24 international artists currently on view at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibits satirically, critically or sometimes humorously depict today’s political and social problems. Zhang intends to “rais

Performance April 3, 2014

Byun Choo-suk, a design professor at Kookmin University, has been tapped as the new president of the Korea Tourism Organization, according to officials on Thursday. He will succeed German-born Lee Charm, who resigned as head of the organization amid a sex scandal in November last year. Byun is known as an advertisement and design expert. He has served as a director of LG Ad and as former dean of Kookmin University College of Design. He was a member of the presidential campaign team for Park Geun

People April 3, 2014

Iranian-born artist Shirin Neshat has lived most of her life outside of her home country. She left Iran to study in the U.S. at age 17 in 1974 but hasn’t gone back for nearly 16 years. On her last visit in 1999, she was detained and interrogated by Iranian officials who mistook her for a political dissident. Outside her native country, Neshat has gained an international reputation as an Iranian artist. Her inspiring TED talk on her life as an Iranian woman and artist in exile drew more than 480,

Performance April 2, 2014

Munsoo Kwon attracted more viewers than any other rookie designer for his runway show at this year’s Seoul Fashion Week. His show was also frequently mentioned by foreign buyers and press as a favorite during the event. Since his debut with his 2013 fall and winter collection last year, he has become one of the most anticipated young designers in Seoul. His collection, featuring modern silhouettes and fine tailoring with a unique sense of humor, was widely praised by foreign buyers and press. Fo

Arts & Design April 1, 2014

The aesthetics and rich heritage of Korean craftwork will be introduced during Milan Design Week in April. A total of 174 craftworks by 21 Korean artisans will go on display at the Triennale Design Museum from April 8-13. The second showcase of Korean craftworks in Milan will feature diverse pieces ranging from metalware, lacquerware inlaid with mother of pearl, ceramics, fabric works and mulberry paper. Under the theme “Constancy and Change,” the Korean exhibition will focus on the natural beau

Arts & Design April 1, 2014

The Ritz-Carlton Seoul has appointed Romanian hotelier Radu Cernia its general manager, the hotel said on Monday. Cernia has extensive experience in the East Asian hospitality industry. He previously held managerial posts in JW Marriott Beijing and The Ritz-Carlton Beijing and took charge of food and beverages at The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo. Since he joined The Ritz-Carlton Company in 1998, he has held various positions at The Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Bulgari Hotels in Indonesia. Cernia graduated from

People March 31, 2014