The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Korea announced Friday it has started “Project #” to promote new artists.  Starting this year, it will annually select two art teams and provide them with financial support for exhibitions until 2023. Each team will be given 30 million won ($24,790) by Hyundai Motor for exhibitions, while the MMCA will provide studios at its residency in Chang-dong for six months and exhibition space at the museum’s main branch in Seoul

Arts & Design Aug. 23, 2019

Confusion has recently followed after the relocation of “Mona Lisa,” as it created bottlenecks of visitors coming to see Leonardo da Vinci’s most widely known masterpiece. To what end do people toil all the way to see the artwork? Why is it that “Mona Lisa” gets the spotlight while masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens that hang on the wall behind it do not get attention they rightfully deserve?Local artist Kim Hong-shik’s works shown at Gallery Su’s exhibit

Arts & Design Aug. 22, 2019

In “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” Walt Disney’s famous eight-minute animation from 1940 based on a Goethe poem of the same name, Mickey Mouse takes a hold of the magical hat that his master left behind. The apprentice Mickey uses the magical hat to do his chores, but he soon falls asleep, only to wake up to waves of water filling the cavern. Mickey tries to stop the water with his hands, yet fails.Just when Mickey thought he was in control, disastrous consequences were on t

Arts & Design Aug. 21, 2019

Artist couple Yi Joung-min, 48, and Jin Shi-u, 44, of Okin Collective were found dead at their home Friday, sources within the local art community said Monday. According to the sources, the couple had experienced financial difficulties and conflicts with others in the art world. Police are currently investigating, they said.Okin Collective was a three-member artist collective founded in 2009 to address issues surrounding the eviction of residents of the Okin Apartment Complex in Jongno-gu, centr

Arts & Design Aug. 19, 2019

The Universal Ballet Company will reintroduce its popular Korean classics, “Shim Chung” and “The Love of Chunhyang,” in October in celebration of the company’s 35th anniversary.“The Love of Chunhyang” runs Oct. 4-6, followed by “Shim Chung” Oct. 11-13, both at the Seoul Arts Center. “I am very happy to reintroduce ‘Shim Chung’ and ‘The Love of Chunhyang,’ which have played important roles in promoting Korea&rsquo

Performance Aug. 18, 2019

Actress Ku Hye-sun and actor Ahn Jae-hyun could become yet another high-profile Korean couple whose marriage ends in divorce.On Sunday, the actress shared a post that hinted at the end of her marriage with Ahn. In the post that included a private message with Ahn, Ku wrote that she had lost faith in her husband. HB Entertainment, which represents both Ku and Ahn, announced Sunday that the two have agreed to start divorce proceedings.However, Ku has refuted the statement, saying she has not come

Television Aug. 18, 2019

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company will stage its production “Swing” between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 at Seoul Arts Center.“Swing” is a contemporary dance piece of the state-run dance company’s Director Ahn Sung-soo. It had its premiere in April last year and received a positive response.  “Swing,” an hourlong performance, features Ahn’s swing-styled choreography in which he has also combined different types of movements, like the ones y

Performance Aug. 15, 2019

King Jeongjo (1752-1800), the 22nd king of the Joseon era, is one of the most respected rulers of the period, known for his love for the people and innovations he tried to bring to the kingdom.Jeongjo recruited many scholars who pursued pragmatic measures, such Jeong Yak-yong, and established Kyujanggak, a royal library. Hwaseong, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was also one of King Jeongjo’s celebrated achievements.The latest exhibition at the Suwon Ipark Museum of Art, titled “Seong

Arts & Design Aug. 12, 2019

Placing a food delivery order is not a complicated process, just a few clicks or touches on a smartphone perhaps. Then, you just wait until the delivery person rings your doorbell. We do not pay much attention to all the steps that are involved in food delivery because we do not need to. Who really cares about which way was taken to get your food delivered to your place? Korean artist Koo Dong-hee seems to care. Koo’s solo exhibition at Art Sonje Center, “Delivery,” runnin

Arts & Design Aug. 11, 2019

Joseon era royal palaces and other cultural sites of the period will waive entry fees, timed with the 74th Independence Day and the 100th anniversary celebrating the March 1 Independence Movement this year, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.In Seoul, four royal palaces, Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, and Jongmyo Shrine will be free for public between Aug. 10-25. It is the first time in four years that the authorities are exempting admission fees for

Travel Aug. 9, 2019

The National Theater Company of Korea has canceled scheduled performances of a play by pro-Japanese playwright Lim Sun-kyu, amid growing economic and political tensions between Korea and Japan. The work was scheduled to be staged Sept. 27-Oct. 13 at Baek Sung-hee & Jang Min-ho Theater in Seoul. “Binghwa” (1940) is a late Japanese colonial period play carrying pro-Japanese elements that was submitted to a drama contest organized by Japan as part of its cultural policy.Lim&rsq

Performance Aug. 6, 2019

On the gallery walls hang paintings of facades that show entrances to different houses the artist found during her trip to Venezuela’s Los Roques archipelago. These paintings, which portray doors and windows in a colorful yet simple manner, are lined up so as to remind viewers of an alley lined with houses.The paintings by Sol Calero are part of the latest exhibition at Arario Gallery in the Samcheong-dong area of Seoul.  The exhibition, titled “A Shiver in Search of a Spine,&rd

Arts & Design Aug. 5, 2019

An exhibition of a statue representing victims of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military has been shut off to the public following pressure from the Japanese government and right-wing civic groups.Organizers of the Aichi Triennale 2018, a Japanese international art show, have closed off the area displaying the statue created by two South Korean artists. It was the first-ever museum exhibition of the “Statue of a Girl of Peace” in Japan. Similar statues are displayed in Seoul

Foreign Affairs Aug. 4, 2019

Pompidou Center curator Ma Yung has been appointed artistic director for next year’s Seoul Mediacity Biennale, Seoul Museum of Art Director Beck Jee-sook announced during a press conference in Seoul on Monday.This is the first time a foreign curator will head the biennale since its inauguration in 2000. “It was the very first thing that I did since I know about the complications that last year’s Seoul Mediacity Biennale had,” Beck said.Ma will be in Seoul in December

Arts & Design July 29, 2019

It is perhaps unusual for a deceased artist to be listed as a member of a group exhibition alongside living artists. Especially, when the person is a well-known figure, a retrospective exhibition is often the more favored option.  “In the beginning, I wanted to organize an exhibition that highlights Yi Jong-ho himself, an architect who is respected in the local architecture scene yet not much known to the public. However, I later realized he would have not liked such a spotlight, He w

Arts & Design July 29, 2019