For three years, rumors swirled around who was the mysterious winning bidder of Korean artist Kim Whan-ki’s dot painting “05-IV-71 #200 (Universe). The painting sold for 88 million Hong Kong dollars ($11 million) at a Christie’s auction in 2019, and remains the most expensive painting by a Korean artist to date. The collector was recently revealed when Korean clothing manufacturer Global Sae-A Group announced the opening of an art gallery, S2A, in southern Seoul in July. The bi

Arts & Design Oct. 29, 2022

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea said Thursday it will overhaul the 10-year-old annual prize given to promising young Korean artists, after an internal review revealed some shortcomings. Some chronic problems of the award, including the winner selection process and lack of concrete support for award recipients afterward, have long been criticized. Artists skeptically refer to the Korea Artist Prize as a "tomb," as the winning artists do not receive attention

Life&Culture Oct. 28, 2022

The main street in the Hongdae neighborhood in Seoul -- a street bustling with young people near Hongik University – will be full of Halloween vibes this weekend, complete with a zombie parade, Halloween busking, DJ party, street dance contest and costume contest. Free cocktails and Halloween makeup will be offered at booths set up near Hongik University Station Exit No. 8. The Halloween event will be held from Friday to Sunday. Halloween art market booths will sell handmade craftworks, ac

Culture Oct. 28, 2022

Love and comfort are what some people seek from art. The exhibition at Andtree Gallery in Seoul touches the heart with paintings by four artists that reveal their innermost thoughts and life experiences. The exhibition “Midnightluv” at Andtree Gallery in southern Seoul, held by ArtTechTree and Connect Art, was inspired by Woody Allen's fantasy and romance film “Midnight in Paris.” Sixty-three paintings by Yun Song-a, Koh Yeo-myoung, Ha Jung-woo and Lee Tae-sung are on

Arts & Design Oct. 27, 2022

Where are we headed today?  Is our life going toward the right direction? These are questions that we rarely ask ourselves on a daily basis, busy as we are just living day to day. In the time of a pandemic and political turmoil at home and abroad, these questions are worth asking ourselves. Korean artist Choe U-ram unveiled his mechanical sculptures at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, posing those fundamental questions to viewers. The solo exhibition titled &ld

Arts & Design Oct. 25, 2022

When entering a basement exhibition hall of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, a city dweller may first recognize the unfamiliar earthy scent that prevails in the exhibition hall before being mesmerized by the massive presence of a 12-meter-tall monumental piece which is made of actual soil from the paddies. Lim Ok-sang – known for being part of the Minjung artist group formed in the late 1970s against the military regime to support democracy -- has unveiled new w

Arts & Design Oct. 23, 2022

After an exhausting day, top star singer Lee Hyo-ri enters a cocktail bar. She orders two drinks: Basil Smash and Cigar in a Glass. While she enjoys her drink, the DJ plays vinyl record of 1980s singer Lee Eun-ha. If you have been wondering about the bar that Lee visited in “Seoul Check-in,” or just want to enjoy some extra special drinks, a cool night vibe and good music as the cold wind starts to blow this weekend, the place for you is Hills & Europa in the Haebangchon neighbor

Culture Oct. 21, 2022

  The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea will undergo a special audit this year after the state-run museum was grilled at the parliamentary inspection Wednesday over recent issues surrounding the museum. The lawmakers questioned the museum’s director Youn Bum-mo Wednesday about the museum's inadequate management of artworks in its collection, employee bullying issues, and its relationship with the current government. Youn was reappointed as the director in Februar

Arts & Design Oct. 20, 2022

  Seoul Fashion Week returned to Dongdaemun Design Plaza as a fully in-person event after three years. Although online platforms have evolved, fashion week still matters a lot to designers, for it is where a brand's identity is presented, and networking among industry people, buyers and media takes place. Attending the five-day event, I was initially excited at the prospect of finally seeing runway shows by talented Korean fashion designers. A festive atmosphere prevailed at the venue, d

Arts & Design Oct. 19, 2022

Rirkrit Tiravanija is widely known for his intimate and participatory art, through which he engages with the audience. He would cook and serve up Thai food at an exhibition as part of the show, expanding the way in which people appreciate art. A Thai born in Argentina and based in New York since the late 1980s, Tiravanija's Seoul debut exhibition at Gladstone Gallery, titled “Rirkrit Tiravanija: Submit To The Black Compost,” ended Oct. 7. "For me, it has a deep meaning like

Arts & Design Oct. 17, 2022

Seoul Fashion Week last week brought together South Korea’s established and rookie designers for the first fully in-person shows in three years, filling Dongdaemun Design Plaza with energy and verve throughout five days of shows presenting the 2023 spring-summer collections. DDP, the long-time venue for the city’s fashion week, was bustling Tuesday to Saturday with Seoulites who came to see the shows or to show off their fashion flair. Some were trendy and some were outlandish, but

Arts & Design Oct. 16, 2022

  If you are either a hanok lover or a dessert maniac, the hanok-themed Hyegyeonggung Bakery is the place to visit as a chill creeps into the air. From fascinating desserts to a large garden where you can go for a light stroll, Hyegyeonggung Bakery has it all to make for a quality weekend. Located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul, the three-story bakery offers unique pastries, muffins, cakes, croissants and more. Taste sweet apple jam and cream cheese in the

Travel Oct. 14, 2022

Seoul Fashion Week kicked off Tuesday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, where 30 Korean designers are presenting 2023 spring-summer collections through Saturday. The country’s largest fashion show is making a full-scale return to in-person shows as most COVID-19-related social distancing rules have been lifted. Twenty-three established designers and seven rookie designers with less than seven years of business experience are participating in the biannual fashion week. The five-day fashion we

Arts & Design Oct. 11, 2022

A solo exhibition of Korea’s geometric abstraction pioneer Lee Seung-jio, currently showing at Kukje Gallery, traces how the late artist's unique visual language led the country's avant-garde art scene. Lee started his “Nucleus” series early in his career, with the first work going back to 1967. The first “pipe” form, which would become a familiar motif in his later paintings, emerged in the 10th painting of the series and continued to appear in his "Nuclear&

Arts & Design Oct. 10, 2022

  You are invited to the “Belle Epoque,” or “beautiful age,” a period in France spanning the late 19th and early 20th century when the European county enjoyed cultural enrichment from prominent artists who came to Paris from around the world. The exhibition “MMCA Lee Kun-hee Collection: Monet to Picasso, and the Masters of the Belle Epoque” at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province brings together eight a

Arts & Design Oct. 10, 2022