Korean Foreign Ministry hosts festival, photo and painting exhibitions to introduce wide spectrum of African artJust in time for summer, events and exhibitions featuring African culture have arrived in South Korea. The “African Cultural Festival,” hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and organized by Seoul Selection of the International Dance Council, will offer a wide range of Afri

Gujeolpan is the name of a nine sectioned platter in which eight different vegetables and meats are placed in each compartment and wheat flour pancakes in the center. Gujeolpan was originally the name of the platter but it later became the name of the food. Gujeolpan is a good dish for travel or a picnic because it can serve several foods at the same time.Gujeolpan (Institute of Traditional Korean

Impressionists’ collection from Musée d’Orsay, Marcel Duchamp Prize-winners present wide spectrum of artArt aficionados here will be offered a comprehensive view of French art this summer, from 19th century realism to 21st century conceptual art. As Musée d’Orsay’s impressionists’ exhibition rooms went under renovation, GNC media, a South Korean exhibition organizer, grabbed the chance to get 134

Yoon Young-dal, CEO of Crown-Haitai Confectionary, has been selected the winner of this year’s Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, announced Euro Trading Co. on Wednesday. The foundation recognized Yoon’s contributions to developing and promoting “gugak,” or Korean traditional music, worldwide and his efforts to discover and foster young gugak musicians. Yoon established RaGeum Orchestra

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― The iconic black and red jacket worn by Michael Jackson in his “Thriller” video is to go under the hammer at a two-day Music Icons Exhibition in Beverly Hills.The jacket is among 600 items that will go on sale at Julien’s Auction Gallery, including memorabilia from musicians such as The Beatles, Madonna and Lady Gaga, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Justin Bieber on June 25 and 26.Jac

 

LACMA expands Korean art gallery and REDCAT Gallery showcases works by Kim BeomLOS ANGELES ― Four conservators were sprawled on the floor at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Korean art gallery, concentrating on their brush tips. They have been restoring “Buddha Shakyamuni Preaching to the Assembly on Vulture Peak,” an 18th century Korean Buddhist painting, since last August. “Since 2000, the

On the day of Floating Island’s international debut, 200 protest fur fashion show at the latest Seoul landmarkWith only a small bridge in between, two totally different worlds unfolded in the Banpo area in southern Seoul on Thursday night. On the Floating Island on the Han River, the venue of FENDI’s fashion show, about 1,000 guests chatted pleasantly over cocktails. Just a few hundred meters away

Jeungpyeon is a type of rice cake made by kneading rice powder with milky rice wine, garnishing it with jujubes, chestnuts, pine nuts and stone mushrooms, and then steaming it in a cake mold. Jeungpyeon is a good rice cake for the summer because it is fermented with wine, and does not spoil easily. It has a unique wine aroma, slightly sour taste and soft texture. It is enjoyed on Dano, the country

USC professor shares views on the United States’ N.K. policies and Korean StudiesLOS ANGELES ― David Kang, head of the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California, opened his laptop and showed several photos of North ― couples on bicycles, children waving at cameras and soldiers smiling. They are material for one of the talks he gives, entitled “They think they’re normal.” “I

UCLA prof. John Duncan says globalizing Korean Studies is key task for scholars outside peninsulaLOS ANGELES ― What is the point of telling John Smith in small town America that Korea is the fount of Japanese civilization? This was the question posed by John Duncan, director of the UCLA Center for Korean Studies. “I think it is really important to let the world know the strengths of your culture.

Events and rituals celebrate one of the biggest traditional festive daysSummer is kicking in, and the day of the nation’s biggest sun festival is soon approaching.Dano, one of South Korea’s most important festive days along with Seollal, or Lunar New Year, and Chuseok, or Thanksgiving day, will fall Monday. It comes every fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the day of the year on w

Animal rights group protests against FENDI's fashion show at the Han River Floating Island which will feature fur items Thursday evening. (Yonhap News)Chaos is expected at FENDI’s fashion show in Seoul on Thursday evening as animal rights groups gear up for a large-scale protest. Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth announced that it will hold a protest at 5:30 p.m. at Hangang Park, across a brid

Artist Ham Jin returns after six years with darker and more profound micro worldThe dark gray alien-like clods hanging from the ceiling and sticking on walls at PKM Gallery in Hwa-dong, central Seoul, are not lumps of dust, hair or eraser shavings.Look at them carefully ― really carefully ― and you can see tiny worlds made of polymer clay. With enough imagination, you may be able to spot some huma

King Sejong Institute, taekwondo classes in schools and LAPD Korean culture workshops well-received in L.A.LOS ANGELES ― “Maewoyo? (Is it spicy?) Anmaewoyo! (No, it is not spicy)” chanted around 80 students in King Sejong Institute Los Angeles’ Basic A Class this month, voices loud and clear. When they got the hang of the phrases, they were assigned to do a little dialogue at a Korean restaurant w

Exhibitions“Isabelle Huppert: Woman of Many Faces”: The photo exhibition shows the lesser known sides of Isabelle Huppert, France’s star actress. It features more than 110 portrait photos of the actress taken by around 70 photographers including Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Chun Kyung-woo and filmmaker Ronald Chammah, Huppert’s husband. The touring show was held in seven cities includin

Quality proven but without vital connections, Korean films struggle to crack HollywoodLOS ANGELES ― Cinema 2 of CGV in Los Angeles, U.S., was a full house on the night of the sneak preview of the South Korean movie “Late Autumn” this month. The English-speaking audience, about 70 percent of whom had Asian features, laughed and sniffled their way through the two-hour movie starring Korean heartthro

Award-winning French actress in town promoting new movie and photography exhibitionFrance’s star actress Isabelle Huppert showed up on Thursday at The Museum of Photography, Seoul in Bangi-dong, eastern Seoul, decked in a dark brown dress and a black leather jacket, flashing the cool “French chic” smile at the press crowded to see her. “This is my second time here since I visited the 1998 Busan In

Two South Korean historical records are to be granted “Memory of the World” status by UNESCO. Documents on the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju on May 18, 1980, and Ilseongrok, a diary-style chronicle of late Joseon Dynasty’s kings’ daily lives, will be listed on the Memory of the World Register, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO on Tu

Seoul Arts Center announced Wednesday that its revamped Towol Theater will be named “CJ Towol Theater.” CJ Group is providing 15 billion won ($13.6 million) for the renovation. “We were planning to confirm the name in December 2012 when the theater reopens but moved up the announcement of the new name in consideration of the theatrical world’s interest in the matter,” said Seoul Arts Center via an