Halloween is just around the corner. For anyone looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween, a spooky art fair in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, offers art with a Halloween vibe. The fair welcomes visitors in Halloween costumes.

The Halloween Art Market in Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek, a neighborhood near the Osan Air Base, has kicked off in three cultural spaces -- Hanchigak, Another Space 3 and Duchigak, near the Songtan Shopping Center.

Some of the exhibition spaces will be turned into haunted houses, and some 50 artists have contributed works with the theme “Monster, Superstition, Myth.” Graffiti pieces by Original Punk, Sarvo and Wezt are on display in an alley for photo opportunities. Admission to the art fair is free of charge.

You can get tickets at Hanchigak, which offers a 10 percent discount on drinks at a cafe inside the building. The cafe will be decorated for Halloween, and visitors can purchase art there. Prices start at 100,000 won.

Alongside the event, there will be a flea market Friday through Sunday. Workshops on Asian shamanism and Western ghost stories will be held Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. The Halloween Art Market is open through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. The event is organized by the GyeongGi Cultural Foundation.

Dress up in Jeju City

If you are looking for a special way to celebrate Halloween this year, Jeju City is the place to be this weekend.

2021 Heart On, which started Oct. 12, is scheduled to run through Oct. 31 at Sinsan Park.

The annual event provides splendid night views with glowing lights and computer-generated art on large LED screens.

Jeon I-soo, the famous 12-year-old author from Jeju Island, will present his writing, drawings and unique book characters to the public.

Weekend busking by local artists, including Contena Project, will heighten the festive atmosphere.

The festival will give out candy and chocolates to visitors wearing Halloween costumes or eye-catching makeup.

You might even get a free lunch or dinner.

Four noodle restaurants near Sinsan Park -- Kooksu-madang, Story of Daryeodo (unofficial translation), Mimi Noodle and Samdae Noodle -- are offering a special “mission meal” at no charge to anyone who can finish it within a specified time.

If you spend more than 10,000 won at convenience stores, restaurants and cafes around Sinsan Park, bring your receipts to the event venue. You’ll get a box of Jeju Real Tart, a Jeju Island specialty.

In compliance with social distancing guidelines, visitors are required to wear masks and private gatherings are limited to eight fully vaccinated people.

You can check the Jeju Tourism Organization’s official website for updates and purchase tickets via Naver.

Animal marionettes play music in Seoul

A horn-playing dog, a piano-playing goose and a violin-playing cat will get together at the Mapo Art Center in western Seoul on Saturday, as the art center showcases a music recital with animal marionettes.

The art center has invited puppeteer Moon Su-ho to lead “Marionette Ensemble M” as part of the annual Mapo Classical Music Festival.

At the recital, a nine-member ensemble of animal marionettes is set to perform well-known music representing diverse genres, from classical music to jazz music.

Moon, who is also an actor, director and puppet maker, studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and became the first Asian artist to have a pavilion dedicated to him in the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in 2019.

Jazz orchestra The Big Band Raon is to take part in the recital, performing live music behind the marionettes.

The performance will be available via the Mapo Cultural Foundation’s YouTube channel for the wider public to enjoy.

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