HAWI, Hawaii ― You don’t get to North Kohala unless you mean to, or you’ve made a wrong turn.All the better for local musicians and artists to hide away and find their Polynesian muses.This lush district at the Big Island of Hawaii’s north shore is isolated from the busy Kona Coast by the ranch-dotted, horse-heaven hill that is Kohala, an extinct volcano. On its windward side, it squeezes up like an accordion into deep and wild valleys navigated only by ancient trails.A two-lane road transits th

Travel Nov. 23, 2012

The Korea Tourism Organization filed a defamation lawsuit Thursday against the CEO of Incheon International Airport Corporation for damaging its name by making false remarks about the management of its airport duty free shops. “The Incheon Airport CEO Lee Chae-wook dishonored the KTO by calling us a ‘company suffering deep losses from the duty free shop business and an organization that does nothing but waste taxpayers’ money,’” said KTO CEO Lee Charm at a press conference on Thursday morning. 

Culture Nov. 22, 2012

Marking the fifth anniversary of its opening, Opera Gallery Seoul is holding a special exhibition at its new location from Friday to Dec. 23. Opera Gallery Seoul, part of the world’s leading contemporary art gallery which has 11 branches worldwide, recently moved from a gallery building in Cheongdam-dong to a more spacious site on Dosan Boulevard.Some 70 paintings and 30 sculptures from Opera Gallery Seoul’s collection, including works by 10 well-known artists such Damien Hirst, Jean Francois La

Performance Nov. 22, 2012

Korea welcomed the 10 millionth visitor of the year on Wednesday ― a landmark figure for Korea’s tourism industry as it aims to become a top travel destination. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the total number of foreign visitors to the country is expected to reach 11.3 million by the end of the year, up about 15 percent from the previous year. The number of inbound travelers has grown an average of 15 percent since 1978, higher than other major tourist destinations such as the U.S.

Travel Nov. 21, 2012

Following is part of a series exploring unique museums, collections and the passionate collectors behind them. ― Ed.In the conservative Confucian society of Joseon, use of vibrant colors was restrained as they were thought to carry sexual connotations. As a result, the subtle use of color dominates many artifacts of Joseon as shown in white porcelain and clothes. The only place that was free from the Confucian principle, however, was in Korean women’s boudoir culture, according to Huh Dong-hwa,

Culture Nov. 20, 2012

The National Medical Center is hosting a solo exhibition by Korean painter Koo Ja-sung at the hospital gallery Scandia until Nov. 30. The exhibition, titled “Reflection on the eastern point of view of the world that voices inner thoughts,” features 30 paintings including Koo’s famous photo-realistic still paintings and nude paintings. Koo, 71, considered a pioneer of realism in Korea, has developed a signature style characterized by sharp depictions and stable composition. He adopted naturalism

Performance Nov. 19, 2012

King Gojong of the Korean Empire enjoyed having his picture taken. He gladly allowed Percival Lowell, who visited Korea as a foreign secretary and counselor for a special Korean diplomatic mission to the U.S. in 1883, to take his photo for the first time. He later included the photo in his travel story book “Joseon: The Land of the Morning Calm.” Gojong was frequently photographed by Western visitors to his country, who published the pictures in foreign publications. Experts later saw it as Gojo

Performance Nov. 18, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Travel for humans during holidays is tough enough: Long lines, crowds everywhere, extra bags full of presents. Throw a pet in the mix, and it’s a recipe for disaster.But Sheron Long, a frequent traveler and author of “Dog Trots Globe ― To Paris and Provence,” say it’s worth the trouble.“Every trip was better when Chula could be with us,” she said of her Shetland sheepdog. “She was so excited, I could imagine her dog’s eye view of the world. It causes you to explore and go see

Travel Nov. 16, 2012

ST. GEORGE, Utah ― Pick your pleasure: Scrambling up a steep ridge, 1,000 feet above a canyon floor? Or gliding in a golf cart down a manicured fairway, where a carpet of emerald green offers a striking contrast to the red-rock desert?At first blush, the two outings might seem to have little in common. But having done them on successive days in Southwest Utah this fall, I can identify two key similarities: Both call for sunscreen and each goes a lot better if you avoid going off a cliff.Visiting

Travel Nov. 16, 2012

British artist Tom Price makes chairs: not ordinary comfy ones sold at furniture stores, but those with a sculptural appearance, which may cause viewers to question their functionality and comfort. They can also be put in a living room, which will be sure to establish a unique mood in one’s home. Making the chairs involves a long and complicated process. From the initial idea to choosing materials and finding a way to apply them to chairs, the process involves artistic exploration of materials a

Performance Nov. 15, 2012

A Joseon-period book of paintings and writings has been sold for a record 3.4 billion won ($3.1 million), the highest price ever paid for ancient Korean artwork. The book with the long title “Toeuieseonsaengjinjeokcheop” was said to have been bought by an unknown telephone bidder during an auction at K-Auction in Seoul in September. But according to the Cultural Heritage Foundation on Tuesday, the ownership of the old piece of art has been transferred to Samsung Foundation of Culture and a new t

Culture Nov. 13, 2012

Korean artists Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho met in 2007 when they were both growing tired of the politics of the art world.It prompted them to ponder on the role of art from scratch.The 43-year-old artists’ search for the answer has eventually taken them on the path to Kassel Documenta, the world’s largest contemporary art event — only the second time Koreans have been invited. They also won artist of the year by the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea.“We wanted to break the high wall

Performance Nov. 13, 2012

The 9th Gwangju Biennale came to an end with Asia’s biggest contemporary art event being lauded for adopting thoughtful and provocative approaches to art. Artworks reached out to viewers, shedding light on global social and political issues, providing moments of self-reflection to viewers, and bridging the gap between contemporary art and ordinary citizens. Some works reflected on the founding spirit of the biennale, which is in the memory of the 1980 civil uprising for democratization. Korean a

Performance Nov. 11, 2012

Dance“Swan Lake”: Internationally acclaimed ballet company Mariinsky Ballet will be in Korea to stage the Tchaikovsky classic “Swan Lake.” The famous ballet tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. She tries to break the curse with her love interest prince Siegfried, but fails when the prince is tricked by the sorcerer. The Russian troupe was founded in the 18th century and is now considered one of the world’s greatest ballet companies. The show runs

Culture Nov. 9, 2012

Seoul is a new hotbed for hotel development as more and more tourists flock to the city. As a number of new hotels are expected to open next year, two foreign hotel brands started the frenzy in two popular business districts in the city. Conrad Seoul, a luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide, will open on Monday in the financial district of Yeouido. Under the slogan of “Smart Luxury,” the hotel has much to appeal to affluent travelers and those seeking a luxurious experience. “Hotels have stayed more

Travel Nov. 9, 2012