Lee Ho-jae, head of Gana Art Center, one of the most prominent art galleries in South Korea, donated 128 Korean artifacts to Seoul Arts Center last week. The donated items ― 74 rubbed copies of epigraphs from the ancient and medieval times and 54 calligraphy works done with Chinese black ink from the Joseon Dynasty ― were purchased by Lee in Korea or overseas, or handed down to him in the family...

Co-director Ai of China unable to attend biennale; Korean director selects Chinese artist’s work for 10 most important exhibits GWANGJU ― A day may be too short to enjoy everything the 4th Gwangju Design Biennale has to offer. The nation’s biggest design biennale kicked off its 52-day run on Thursday at the Biennale Exhibition Hall and throughout the Gwangju Metropolitan City with new and unexp...

Insooni to play the famous cat Grizabella along with Park Hae-mi and Hong Ji-min Korea’s diva Insooni is certainly a multitasker. And an amazing one. On top of singing the theme song for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu and appearing on MBC TV’s “I Am a Singer,” (better known as “Nagasu”) the 54-year-old singer is once again coming back to the musical scene this month as Grizabella in Andr...

LONDON (AP) ― Fake rhino horns, anyone? That’s all thieves who broke into a British museum have to show after a misguided robbery early Saturday. The thieves were seeking valuable rhino horns that can be sold in illicit markets for their purported aphrodisiac and medicinal use, but they left with worthless replicas instead. Officials at the Natural History Museum at Tring had replaced the real ...

Japanese artist Takashi Kuribayashi explores borders The surreal experience could best be explained as a moment experiencing a bugs’ eye view. Everything was mystically white at beyond museum in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. Stepping in under the large, thin and uneven sheet of Japanese traditional paper horizontally dividing the first floor, it felt like entering an unidentified underground ...

“2011 Ensemble DITTO Encore Recital”: Male ensemble group Ditto will hold an encore recital tour to thank fans for coming to their annual summer festival. Violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill, violinist Stefan Pi Jackiw, pianist Jiyong and cellist Michael Nicolas will hold the concert on Sept. 4 at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on 2 p.m. The program includes Mozart Duo for Violin and Viola in ...

“Why We Fail”: Singer-songwriter Lee Sung-yol will hold a month of concerts to mark the release of his third album “Why We Fail.” His latest album was released after a four year hiatus, and it is the first time that he has held a month of concerts, his agency said. The stage will be in the center so that the audience can see him from all directions. The concert will take place through Sept. 24 a...

“Yiso Bahc ― Lines of Flight”: Artsonje Center holds a retrospective exhibition on Bahc Yiso’s drawings. Known as a conceptual and installation artist, Bahc ceaselessly recorded his ideas and views with notes and drawings. The exhibition provides an insight into the South Korean artist’s works by presenting 230 drawings and early paintings that resemble drawings. The exhibition runs through Oct....

Gallery Hyundai showcases 60 pieces of Joseon Dynasty wooden furniture, including renowned artists’ possessions The wooden surface was smoothened over time until it shone like glass. The 18th-century book chest owned by Lee U-fan is among the 60 pieces of Joseon-period furniture on display at Dugahun Gallery. “When I look at the Joseon Dynasty wooden furniture like tables and book chests, a smi...

NEW YORK (AP) ― Non-Korean-speaking theatergoers attending Lincoln Center’s production of “Hero: The Musical” might find themselves occasionally skipping some of the English supertitles projected high above the stage to devote more visual attention to the exorbitant onstage attractions in this lavish, $6 million production. It would be understandable considering the elaborate set and ornate cost...

South Korea has more entries nominated for this year’s Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize than any other nation. This is the first time Korean artists are participating in the award. Founded in 2008, the prize identifies artists for outstanding work, recognizes significant recent creations coming from Asia-Pacific countries, and encourages the development of contemporary art i...