서울통신 - 한번 보시죠

[물소리]

 

Get Your Caricature at Seoul Selection

Starting this week caricature artist Yonie Woo will be at Seoul Selection every Wednesday between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., with the exclusive purpose of drawing portraits of our customers. Woo has drawn at the Lotte Department Store for six years, in the United States in 1999, and later started her own "caricature company" in Everland and the COEX Mall. Her caricature is unique in that she has introduced the Korean traditional painting method to her works. Portraits on average take approximately half an hour. The minimum donation for her work is usually 20,000 won.

Flowers, Anyone?
I hear that shopping trolleys in England come with loops where you can stick flowers. I've seen few Koreans indulge themselves with cut flowers as most seem to prefer to have their flowers or plants in pots. Flowers are most commonly used for special occasions such as graduation or school entrance ceremonies and on special days like Valentines Day, White Day or Parents Day. Primary school parents decorate the desks of their child's new teachers throughout March and April with orchids and bouquets, while companies deliver huge yellow/white wreathes to express their condolences at funerals. In fact, yellow or white flowers (chrysanthemums in particular) are symbols of mourning. Namdaemun, Yangje Flower Market, and the flower market in Seoul Express Bus Terminal are just a few of the wholesale flower markets that open in the wee hours of the morning and close early in the afternoon to accommodate retail distributors who come from all over the country. Each one surrounds its visitors with a damp fragrance and effusive variety at two-thirds the retail price. By Isabelle Min of AIG International Services.

Do you have any puzzling cultural behaviors you would like to share or ask Isabelle? Write to: imin@aigis.co.kr.

The National Museum of Korea is inviting 20 foreigners to attend a free Ceramic Class for Foreigners starting March 24. Applications will be received through March 22 on a first-come, first-served basis, either by email or fax. The lessons are free of charge but participants must pay 100,000 won for materials. The museum (02-398-5241, www.museum.go.kr) is a 5-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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Among the non-verbal performances inspired by the phenomenal success of "Nanta," Yadanbeopseok stands out in particular because the characters are Buddhist priests. Running through March 30 at Yonkang Hall, the precussion performance develops by following the lives of performers who have shaved heads but are of course not real monks. Yonkang Hall (02-708-5001, www.yonkang.co.kr) is near Exit 1 of Jongno 5-ga Station on Line 1. For more information visit the troup at www.yadan.co.kr or call 02-929-2183. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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Ahn Yun-mo is exhibiting about 50 paintings of animals in the exhibition Yukwehan Jungle("Happy Jungle"), until April 20 at the Savina Museum. With its message of environmental protection and criticism of civilization, the exhibition thematizes each floor of the museum for a different subject. On the first floor are happy animals in the jungle, shown not on canvas, but in sculpture, in contrast to the basement floor exhibition of painted animals wearing gas masks in a smog and noise-filled metropolis. Works on the second floor represent "utopia," based on the notion that a child’s imagination does not separate people from nature. Savina Museum (02-736-4371) is near Exit 1 of Anguk Station on Line 3. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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The Korean Film Archive, an organization dedicated to preserving film history, will begin the third year of its biweekly screenings of domestic films with English subtitles this Saturday. The first program will be Director Shin Sang-ok's Seven Best Films, screening at 2 p.m. every other Saturday until June 21. The renowned and controversial director is considered one of the masters of Korean cinema from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Shin held a retrospective last year at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and of course the films were provided by KFA. The first film to be screened is "Sarangbang Sonnimgwa Eomeoni" (The Houseguest and My Mother, 1961), based on a famous short story that used to be in middle-school textbooks. KFA (02-521-3147 (ext. 120), www.koreafilm.or.kr) is inside the Seoul Arts Center, a 15-minute walk from Nambu Terminal Station on Line 3. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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The Tongyeong International Music Festival honors its native musician Isang Yun, who in his lifetime was not allowed to return from Germany despite his international reputation because he was accused of espionage in 1969 by the government of Park Chung-hee. The festival offers a program as rich as any other prestigious music festivals in the world. The festival will open on March 25 with oboist and composer Heinz Holiger, a friend of Yun, currently with the Ensemble Modern, and will close on April 2 with a performance by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, led by maestro Zubin Mehta. Everything in-between is no less significant. Contact the organizers in Tongyeong at 055-640-4959/60 in Seoul at 02-6303-5700/02, or visit the official website at www.timf.org. Tongyeong is located on Korea's southern coast. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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The Korea Opera Group and the Fujiwara Opera of Japan will stage a joint performance of "La Traviata" March 28-30 at the Seoul Arts Center, to celebrate the successful co-hosting of last year's FIFA World Cup. This will be the first time a Japanese opera has visited the country since before World War II. The Fujiwara Opera is Japan's leading opera company, founded in 1934 by the tenor Fujiwara Yoshie. Junichi Hirokami will wield the baton for the performance with Greek soprano Dimitra Theodossiou in the role of Violetta. "La Traviata" is Verdi's opera about the tragic romance of Violetta, a beautiful courtesan of Paris, and Alfredo Germont, a sincere young man from a respectable provincial family. Tickets are .....available from Ticketlink (02-1588-7890, www.ticketlink.co.kr). The Seoul Arts Center (02- 580-1300, www.sac.or.kr) is a 15-minute walk from Exit 5 of the Nambu Bus Terminal Station on Line 3. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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Pianist Kang Choong-mo will hold the ninth concert of the Complete Bach Series that he started in 1999, at 8pm March 25 at the LG Art Center. Kang has been one of the most prominent Western classicists on the local scene since returning to the country in 1992. He now teaches at the Korean National University of the Arts. The program will include "Capriccio," "Italian Concerto," and "Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue." The next and the last concert of the series will be held in December. Tickets are available from Ticketlink (02-1588-7890, www.ticketlink.co.kr). The LG Art Center (02-2005-0114, www.lgart.com) is directly connected to Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on Line 2. Additional Korea-related events may be seen at clickkorea.org.

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Sculptures by Venezuelan sculptor Victor Salas Hernandez are on display at the Wood and Brick restaurant near the Hongik University until the end of March. Born and raised in Caracas, Salas came to Korea in 2000. In his latest sculpture "Marana"- which means "tangled" or "confused," he expresses the unrest caused by Venezuela's national oil strike. Salas' kinetic art consists of mobile suspensions that move in the wind, or are multifaceted and segmented to catch the light at different angles, conveying the optical illusion of movement. He explained that behind his colorful aluminum and steel sculptures was a childlike imagination and simplicity unmarred by political rhetoric. Wood and Brick restaurant (02-332-1162) is close to Exit 1 of Sangsu Station on Line 6 or exit 4 of line 2. to the way of Hongik Univ. by the Parking area(Picasso street).

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Italian director Romeo Castellucci's Genesis will be staged March 21 and 22 at the LG Art Center. Regarded as one of the most radical and influential of contemporary theatre adventurers, Castellucci concentrates on the uncertain and fear that lies between creation and destruction, felt by scientists, by artists, and by ordinary human beings in this controversial theater. "Genesis" leaps from the first chapter of the Bible to the discovery of radium in Marie Curie’s laboratory, to Auschwitz, and back to the Bible, to the land of Cain. This is part of the "Avant Garde Festival" being put on by the LG Art Center. The LG Art Center (02-2005-0114, www.lgart.com) is directly connected to Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on Line 2.

Books Handbook of Korean Art : Folk Painting By Yeolsu Yoon. Translated by Wonjun Nam Part of the five-volume Handbook of Korean Art series by Yekyong. There is no better source on Korean art in English. Most of the book is folk paintings, organized along traditional subject matter for folk paintings: dragons, divine animals, fables, longevity, peonies, birds and flowers, plants and insects, tigers, stationery, and others. The dictionary-style explanation of common symbols located in the appendix is a good point of departure for appreciating all those museums. Edited by Roderick Whitfield of the University of London. Publisher: Yekyong. Paperback: 373 pages. Dimensions (in inches): 0.75 X 5.2 X 6.75. Price: 25,000 won.
Movies (DVDs) Calla, 'Cara' (1999) Soon to be married, Sun-woo is haunted by the memories of Ji-hee, the girl from the flower shop. Three years ago, Sun-woo received a calla lily with a musical note attached to it every day. One day he meets the beatiful Ji-hee on the bus and connects her with the daily anonymous gift when he notices the same music from the musical note coming from the flower shop she works at. Sun-woo confesses his love for her and sets up a date for them to meet at a local hotel. At the hotel, though, he finds Ji-hee taken hostage and tragically murdered by the assailant. His desperate wish to revive her magically comes true whereby time is turned back to the day of the fateful date at the hotel. Seeking a chance to save her life, Sun-woo is given 24 hours to turn things around. Through this process Sun-woo realizes that it was Ji-hee's friend Su-jin and not Ji-hee who sent the calla lilies three years ago. With this, he is transported back to the present, to begin the quest for his true love, Su-jin. (from Korean Film Archive). Region code: All. Subtitles: English, Chinese, Japanese. Running time: 106 min. Rating: 12+. Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0. Price: 22,000 won.
My Heart, 'Jeong' (1999) Like "Une Vie" by Guy de Maupassant, "My Heart" depicts the trouble-filled life of one woman. From the very beginning of the movie, which shows 16-year-old Soon-I's wedding ceremony to a child, viewers have a hunch that this woman is going to be unhappy and the movie will be very sad. And they would be right. Considering that the movie takes place between 1910 and 1960, when the country went through great economic difficulties, it's no wonder Soon-I's life is tough. However, as the movie goes on, viewers can amuse themselves with many unexpected humorous moments. The movie also provides a glimpse of every noteworthy aspect of Korean traditional way of life, such as pottery-making and marriage customs, and is filled with beautiful sound and images, as well as warm human relations. The movie drew awards from many international film festivals, including the Pusan International Film Festival. Region code: all. Subtitles: English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Korean. DVD. Running time: 116 min. Rating: 12+. Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Ch. Price: 20,000 won.
Seoul Van Winkle A February 2003 snap of a man seemingly out of sync with time, shot at Jongno 3-ga. Fulbright scholar Michael Hurt is currently preparing a photography collection about the lives of everyday Koreans.
Hongje, Large Crossing (Orange Line #3) Hong-je-won was an inn for serving Chinese diplomats on their way to and from the capital Hong-je-sa Temple stood nearby. Je refers to the crossing over Green Stream Pass (above). By Jeremy Seligson, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
to Your Friend? If you know someone who would like to receive our e-mail newsletter, please click here. Seoul Selection Closing Early March 22 -- Due to circumstances under the exclusive control of the electric company, the Seoul Selection store will be closed after 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 22. Saturday's Seoul Selection Cinema remains as scheduled. 'Gi' Energy Meditation -- The Suseonje Center in Myeongdong (www.soosunjae.org) is holding a Korean gi-energy art exhibition along with regular meditation and stretching exercise programs for total health and mental benefit. Call Kylee or Michelle (02) 752-6653. Complimentary Tickets Still Available -- Complimentary tickets for the March 28 concert by the International Sejong Soloists are still available through Seoul Selection. The concert is part of a Korea Foundation series for Korea's foreign community launched in 2001. Reserve your tickets by Friday, March 21 at 02-3463-5615 or shkim@kf.or.kr. Mention that you are associated with Seoul Selection. We Buy Used Books -- Seoul Selection buys and sells used books in English. Unlike our regular selection of publications, which specializes on Korea-related materials, our Used Book Section carries books of all shapes and subjects. It's all part of our effort to make life easier for the English speaking community. Seoul Selection Looking for Partners Abroad -- Seoul Selection is looking for overseas partners who can sell English books on Korea, Korean language learning books, Korean movie DVDs and Korean music CDs. Since Seoul Selection has links to local publishers and DVD/CD production companies, we can provide at the best prices possible. Please contact Hank Kim at selector@seoulselection.com for details.
Seoul Selection offers books about Korean art, literature, architecture, religion, and other topics translated into English, German, French, Japanese and Chinese. We also offer Korean films on DVD with English, Janpanese and Chinese subtitles. Music lovers will find a selection of traditional and contemporary Korean music on CD, while children can explore Korean folktales and other stories. You can browse all of these selections at our location which also provides Internet access and a cafe which serves coffee, espresso and cappuccino. Business hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Seoul Selection Web Site: http://www.seoulselection.com e-mail: selector@seoulselection.com Address: B1, Korean Publishers Association Building, 105-2, Sagan-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-190, Korea telephone: 82-2-734-9565 fax: 82-734-9563
Publisher: Hank Kim / Editor: Peter Schroepfer / Reporter: Park Sooenn Web Designer: Kim Yong-joo/ Programmer: Kim Jung-wook Seoul Selection reserves all intellectual property rights on information provided in this newsletter. Some event information has been provided by the Korea Foundation. The IPRs are protected by pertinent laws.