“The queen of violin” Anne-Sophie Mutter will be in Korea on June 14 with a troupe of her protgs to show off the essence of violin virtuosity. From the very classic of classical music to contemporary, the German native is expected to demonstrate once again her “strictly classical but original and careful” bowing. At the June 14 concert at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, Mutter and her 14 protgs selected from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation will perform Sebastian Currier’s “Ring tones,” Men

April 24, 2013

Leading Korean comic artist Huh Young-man put a price tag on his work, which he said was rejected by both established newspapers and online portals. With nowhere to go to publish his work in a commercially viable way, he opted to sell his comic series directly to readers via a newly launched mobile platform amid a flurry of conflicting reactions about his move on social networks. Huh, 66, is widely deemed the godfather of comics here as he has produced more than 100 comic book series including h

April 24, 2013

The subculture of K-pop fandoms giving expensive gifts to their favorite stars, so-called “jogong,” is becoming more common, raising concerns among the general public about how much is too much. “Jogong” is a Korean word for a gift that colonies pay as a tribute to their ruling states. In Korean fan culture, however, the word is widely used for a present fans give to their favorite stars. Some hardcore fans jokingly consider themselves the “weaker ones” who are to pay jogong to an “upper person”

April 24, 2013

Ceramic artist Choi Jae-hun is holding his 10th solo exhibition from Wednesday to April 30 at Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art in Seoul. The exhibition showcases moon jars created by an exclusive method the artist developed over years, which involves collecting and scraping clay, molding it into a moon jar and then plopping the jar in terra alba, a white soil powder. The final product is white slip ceramic ware, or buncheong, in natural silhouettes with random cracks that are the features of Choi’s p

April 23, 2013

Throughout May until early June, the Korea National Opera and four private opera companies are staging three signature works of Verdi and two Korean operas at Seoul Arts Center as part of the fourth Korea Opera Festival. Aimed at enhancing the overall quality and the public’s appreciation of opera, which is widely perceived to be limited to a specific demographic, the organizers are gearing up to offer familiar yet fresh repertoires.“It is not an easy job to stage an opera since it is a comprehe

April 23, 2013

Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently became a topic of heated discussion online after a picture of his handshake with President Park Geun-hye was released by media.Park and Gates held a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Monday and discussed various topics including alternative energy sources, nuclear reactors and Seoul’s drive for economic growth.Controversy arose from an unexpected element of their meeting; their handshake. As Gates shook Park’s hand, he had the other hand in

April 23, 2013

Playing basketball, going swimming, dancing to his favorite music, or just walking up a flight of stairs is not what an average 12-year-old boy would call “his dream.” But for Luka, doing such simple everyday activity is possible only in his imagination. He is suffering from a muscular dystrophy, a degenerative disease that deprives his ability to move his body over time.Right now, the only parts of his limbs that he can move at his will are his fingers, which allow him to control the joystick o

April 22, 2013

As the name would suggest, Wanderer Trio has been wandering around the world to refine their repertoire of chamber ensemble music for the past 25 years. Inspired by the lives of Schubert and some German romanticist composers, the members have been concentrating in the life and soul of the love and pain leading to a constant search for something special in chamber music. “The great thing about piano trio pieces is that the composers were usually great pianists and they knew what exactly they were

April 21, 2013

The Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 opens its doors to the public on Saturday, marking the first time that Korea is hosting the international garden event with a 15-year history. The Garden Expo, which is organized by the International Association of Horticultural Producers, is located in Suncheonman Bay, in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province and will run through Oct. 20.  The expo stands as an example of natural beauty and an eco-friendly environment with three sections including the 564,000-square

April 19, 2013

Theater“Les Miserables”: The all-Korean production of Cameron Mackintosh’s legendary musical “Les Miserables” is being performed in Seoul. Based on 19th-century French writer Victor Hugo’s timeless novel of the same title, the musical tells the story of Jean Valjean ― a hapless French peasant who serves 19 years in prison for stealing a piece of bread for his starving family in turbulent 19th-century France. After being released, he manages to assume a new identity and becomes mayor of a town. W

April 19, 2013

It is said that handwriting reflects a man’s character. Korean calligraphy using a brush and ink is said to be the epitome of self-discipline and academic achievements as it demands patience and self-control.At the National Museum, an exhibition highlighting the calligraphy works of two of the greatest Buddhist monks of the modern Korea is held through June 16.A total of 80 works and artifacts of Ven. Hanam (1876-1951) and Ven. Tanheo (1913-1983) are on display, including nine calligraphy pieces

April 18, 2013

From May 10 through 12, major Buddhist temples and the Cheonggyecheon Stream neighborhood in central Seoul will be filled with colorful lotus lanterns to celebrate the 2,576th birthday of Buddha that falls on May 17 this year. The Celebration Committee for Buddha’s Birthday, the Yeondeunghoe Preservation Committee, on Wednesday said that the annual “Yeondeunghoe,” or lotus lantern festival, will be back this year with more hands-on experiences for visitors. On the first day, traditional lanterns

April 18, 2013

More than a thousand ancient Korean books of academic value in a U.S. university and a Japanese library are now available on the Internet as a South Korean university has recently begun an online scanning service.Korea University’s Center for Korean Studies Materials said Wednesday it has recently opened a website (http://kostma.korea.ac.kr/riks) that provides the scanned images of some 1,000 books and 50 volumes of printed material from Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) that are now in the possession

April 17, 2013

Pianist-turned-conductor Chung Myung-whun will record his first solo piano album, local media reported Wednesday. The 60-year-old musician has built up a career as a maestro by leading orchestras around the world, including the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio France Philharmonic and the Opra Bastille Orchestra.Chung is now arranging the details for a solo piano album with German label, ECM, according to industry insiders. His second son, Jeong-seon, the first Korean producer at ECM, is e

April 17, 2013

In 1867, opera master Verdi was commissioned to write a piece marking the Paris International Exposition that year. Having been impressed by German author Friedrich Schiller’s “Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien,” the Italian composer decided to stage the story of the Spanish royal family originally written by Schiller. The opera follows the tragic story of Prince Carlos, whose father, King Filippo II, marries his son’s fiancee for political purposes. The prince, who was already famous for his tempe

April 16, 2013

A total of 110 journalists from 74 countries on Monday called for inter-Korean peace and worldwide cooperation at the World Journalist Conference that kicked off earlier the same day. “There is serious concern over the recent increase in tension on the Korean Peninsula, accompanied by fear of a crisis situation, raising the need for immediate dialogue to seek a viable solution,” they said in the World Journalists’ Declaration for Peace on the Korean Peninsula.  The conference, hosted by the Jour

April 15, 2013