GLACIER NATIONAL PARK ― Jagged peaks, a lucky glimpse of a bear or moose, and, of course, glaciers ― these sights are just the tip of the iceberg at Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana.Red, blue, yellow and white wildflowers fill the alpine meadows, even into August, and a few mountain goats or bighorn sheep may be grazing, too. The melting snow and rocky terrain create plenty of waterfall photo ops, and the glaciers carved out several large, windy lakes where visitors can take a boat

Travel April 5, 2013

Psy has been included on the list of winners recognized for their “disruptive innovation” during the past year, according to the website of Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards. Psy was among the 19 recipients of the award given to a person or organization for their achievements that had a significant impact on their respective industry.  “The recent online obsession over Psy’s video for ‘Gangnam Style’ has turned the Korean artist into a global phenomenon,” read the description of Psy on the we

Culture April 5, 2013

Korean crafts have largely been associated with modesty and purity as seen in white porcelain and costumes dating mostly from the Joseon era (1392-1897). But extravagance and glamour were dominant aesthetics of many crafts made before Confucianism became the ruling ideology. Jewelry boasted delicate and refined designs in gold and silver, and various precious materials such as amber, mother-of-pearl and turquoise were used extensively. Some of the opulent artifacts of ancient Korea are on displa

Performance April 3, 2013

In 1959, art student Youn Myeung-ro received the top award from the National Art Exhibition, considered the gateway to success in the careers of Korean artists. That would have been the easiest path for Youn to reach fame. But he took the road not taken. Rebelling against the status quo of the art world, he refused to show his prize-winning work at the actual exhibition. He established a new artist group and showed his work on the stone wall of Deoksugung Palace, the venue of the National Art Ex

Performance March 31, 2013

In today’s fiercely competitive fashion world where fast fashion poses a formidable threat to emerging designers and local brands struggle against global brands, an understanding of what women really want might be just what smaller players need. Seoul’s position as a fashion capital may be weak, but Seoul Fashion Week for fall/winter 2013 seemed to have just that. How and What by Park Byung-kyu lived up to modern women’s wish to look powerful, confident and smart in sexy, bold looks. Park, the d

Arts & Design March 29, 2013

SYDNEY (AFP) ― Australian travelers have become so demanding of their foreign ministry when they encounter trouble overseas, officials are struggling to deal with their requests, a new report has found.Research by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute has found that the expectations of what Australian diplomats can and should do for distressed travelers are not only climbing, but becoming “more unrealistic.”“The growing incidence of Australians overseas demanding that government intervene in their cas

Travel March 29, 2013

ROME ― “SILENZIO!” says the sign just past the massive bronze doors marking the entrance to St. Mary and the Martyrs Catholic Church in Rome, one of the two or three most important churches in Christian history. The sign reminds all that this is a house of worship. Indeed, visitors from around the globe flock to the Piazza della Rotonda to see its austere, columned portico.But the true beauty of the church is inside, where a geometrically perfect sphere could fit between ceiling and floor. A thi

Travel March 29, 2013

There seemed to be a unifying theme in the fall/winter menswear collection of Seoul Fashion Week, which kicked off Monday, as designers presented safe variations of traditional tailored suits, and fitted or oversized overcoats. Black and gray dominated the color palette as expected for the season. But some twists and fun came from Vanhart di Albazar. For the third season Italian celebrity designer Lino leluzzi is working with designer Jung Doo-young, artistic director of the brand. Contrasts in

Arts & Design March 27, 2013

While the chill still lingers in the morning air, spring is here in flower buds waiting to bloom and warm breezes in the afternoon sun. Opera Gallery Seoul is celebrating the season with an exhibition of masterpieces by artists such as Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Bernard Buffet, Salvador Dali, Raoul Dufy and Rene Magritte. The exhibition “Le Sacre Du Printemps,” meaning the Rite of Spring, borrowed from the music of Stravinsky which premiered in Paris in 1913, features 70 artworks inspired by t

Performance March 27, 2013

Some big titles are used to describe artist Kim Whanki. The artist is called a “pioneer of abstract art,” for adopting simplified compositions in his paintings, and the “Korean Picasso” for his prolific creation of more than 3,000 works. He is also a best-selling artist in the contemporary art market. One of his earlier works, a painting called “Moon and Plum Blossom,” sold for $663,750, almost double its estimate of $350,000-$400,000, at the Japanese and Korean art auction at Christie’s in New

Performance March 25, 2013

Architect Cho Min-suk has been named the commissioner of the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2014, the state cultural agency Arts Council of Korea announced on Monday. Cho will be in charge of selecting architects and planning the Korean Pavilion for the architecture exhibition. Cho runs his own architecture firm, Mass Studies in Korea. Its representative projects include the “Dalki Theme Park,” in Paju, “Nature Poem,” and “World Expo 2010 Shanghai: Korea Pavilion,” for which Cho received the

Culture March 25, 2013

MEXICO CITY (AP) -― Mexico’s top tourism official said the country may drop out of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations, a spot it has held for years.Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu hasn’t said why the drop occurred, but there were declines in 2012 in two areas that have been affected by violence: border tourism and cruise ship stopovers.The number of cruise ship passengers stopping in Mexico dropped 3 percent in 2012 and more than 15 percent over the past two years. The number of bord

Travel March 22, 2013

A white porcelain jar from the Joseon Period was auctioned off for $1.2 million, the highest price fetched at the auction of Japanese and Korean art auction at Christie’s in New York on Wednesday.Paintings by renowned Korean artists Park Soo-keun and Kim Whan-ki were also sold for double their estimates. Park’s “Five seated figures” was auctioned at $711,750, higher than its $400,000-$500,000 estimate.  Kim Whan-ki’s “Moon and Plum Blossom” painting was sold for $663,750, about double its estima

Culture March 22, 2013

There’s something about landscape paintings that allows viewers to accept them as they are. When viewing Kang Yo-bae’s landscape paintings of Jeju island, one can stop trying to understand the art, but just let the works touch their hearts. The 61-year-old native of Jeju is a landscape painter who has been portraying the southern island of Jeju for more than two decades. Born on Jeju, the artist spent his 20s and 30s in Seoul, studying painting at Seoul National University and teaching high scho

Performance March 21, 2013