Chung Chang-sup, one of Korea’s most famous Monochrome painters, died of natural causes Thursday at the age of 84. Born in 1927, Chung was one of the senior figures of Korean art. After his successful debut in 1952 by winning the special prize at the National Art Competition, he led some of Korea’s important art movements such as Art Informel. He was one of the first graduates of the College of Fi

Audience members eat snacks, drink beer and answer phone calls in wacky new productionsThere was still at least 15 minutes to go before the start of the play but two clowns in black raincoats and hats were already wandering around the stage and near audience seats, miming in slow-motion. People hurried in, bewilderedly whispering to each other, “Has it already started?” Well, it might have ― or mi

Park brothers’ iPhone-shot short film wins award at BerlinaleSouth Korea’s highly acclaimed director Park Chan-wook and his younger brother, media artist Park Chan-kyong, captured a Golden Bear at Berlin International Film Festival for their first collaboration. Director Park Chan-kyong receives the Golden Bear award of the International Short Film Jury for the film “Night Fishing,” which he co-di

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 18, 2011 (AFP) ― The world’s tango capital is dancing to a new beat at Latin America’s first museum devoted to the Beatles, displaying items from boots to wigs and even condoms stamped with John Lennon’s picture.Although none of the 2,500 articles on display actually ever belonged to a member of the Fab Four, thousands of visitors have already poured through the doors of the Buen

Mai Po and Wetland Park, one of best bird-watching destinations in winterHONG KONG ― The air was gratifying at Mai Po Inner Deep Bay, totally different from the dry, fume-filled atmosphere of the central city. It was refreshing and moist, just to the point where your skin feels comfortable and your lungs feel detoxified, finally having taken in a satisfying amount of pure oxygen. Who could have im

Rarely publicized artworks by world renowned artists are on display at the “Limited Edition” exhibition currently running at Opera Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. Opera Gallery is a leading gallery chain which first opened in Singapore in 1994. It has 11 branches all over the world, including its head office in Paris. The Seoul branch’s first exhibition of this year introduces ove

Around 650 buyers and press members, far more than the expected 250, gathered at the Lincoln Center in New York on Tuesday for the presentation of “Concept Korea III,” a Korean government-led fashion project. Subtitled “Cultural Treasures 2011,” the show was held at the David Rubenstein Atrium in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts during the city’s semi-annual Fashion Week from Feb. 10 to

Two Japan Foundation-organized exhibitions aim to draw Japanese culture closer to KoreaA smart choice for poor guitarists who have nowhere to practice but their tiny rented rooms: a Yamaha guitar whose volume can be adjusted and has a headphone output so that neighbors will not be disturbed. An electronic piano by the same Japanese company, which looks like a grand piano with at least two thirds o

CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) ― Labor pain is nothing to laugh at.Yet.The use of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, during childbirth fell out of favor in the United States decades ago, and just two hospitals ― one in San Francisco and one in Seattle ― still offer it. But interest in returning the dentist office staple to the delivery room is growing: respected hospitals including Dartmouth-Hitchcock M

Scott Schuman, blogger of ‘The Sartorialist,’ captures real street fashion in SeoulYou are nowhere close to fashion-savvy if these words mean nothing to you: The Sartorialist. It is one of the world’s most visited fashion blogs packed with photos of gorgeous fashionistas on the streets all over the world, spotted and captured by Scott Schuman. If you were snapped and posted by him, it means that o

The nation’s oldest art fair is back in Seoul and kicks off Friday at COEX in Samseong-dong, central Seoul. Launched in 1979 by the Galleries Association of Korea, Korea Galleries Art Fair marks its 29th year this year. Though the fair originally started in Seoul, it was held in Busan for the last three years to boost the surrounding region’s art market. From this year, the fair will be back in Se

Designers, companies and government put heads together to promote fashion biz abroadThe third “Concept Korea,” subtitled “Cultural Treasures 2011,” will open next Tuesday at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York during New York Fashion Week, Feb. 10-17, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday. The project aims to expand global recognition of Korean fash

Too much honesty often makes people uncomfortable. That is why photographers Photoshop their images, erasing pimples and adding extra sparkles to the eyes, and why artists beautify their subjects on the canvas. Artist Ahn Chang-hong, however, is not afraid of putting people at unease. In fact, he seems to enjoy revealing the ultimate truth by showing humans in their naked state, sometimes adding g

Concerns mount even as memorial services and exhibitions mark the fifth anniversary of Korean video artist’s deathThere is probably only one memorial service in the world where the mourners can smash up an electronic guitar to honor the deceased: video artist Paik Nam-june’s. Memorial services to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the renowned South Korean artist’s death were held at several pla

Affluent studies professor says inheritance is less important than everLunar New Year just around the corner, and one of the most frequently heard phrases during the holidays is “be rich!” Everyone wishes to become rich, though most do not have a clue where to start.So it is no surprise that Seoul Women’s University Professor Han Dong-chul has been in demand for talks ever since he first introduce

Asia’s first Master of Wine writes book on pairing wine with Asian mealsHONG KONG ― If anyone could perfectly understand and satisfy two totally different palates from East and West, it could be Jeannie Cho Lee, the first Asian Master of Wine.Lee was born in Korea but has lived in numerous cities in the world including New York, Boston, London and Kuala Lumpur. Such a life opened her mind to diffe

Hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal, a former child solider, raps for peace in SudanHONG KONG ― Barely 10, he was conscripted to kill anyone he saw ― any man, woman or child. For many years he saw homes burn down, men being beaten to death, hundreds of rolling dead bodies being pecked by vultures and fought hard against unbearable hunger that reached a point where human flesh smelled like meat ― all too m

Gana Art Gallery presents 80 pairings of poems, paintings by renowned Korean poets, artistsPoetry and art are like a couple meant to be. The two distinct genres have long complemented each other, as emphasized by the close friendships shared by famous artists and poets throughout history. In Korea, paintings accompanied with poems have been a popular type of art for a long time, and were especiall

Sitting in a stuffy office, you can start to lose concentration as the day drags on into the afternoon. The regular afternoon headache approaches, accompanied by that stifling feeling in rooms where the heater is turned on way too high. Things get worse if the air is tainted with streaks of cigarette smoke. Many people who spend a lot of time indoors suffer from severe headaches in the winter. Oft

Troubled TV celebrity Shin Jung-hwan who is accused of illegal gambling abroad, is expected to return to Korea on Wednesday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced Tuesday that 36-year-old Shin will arrive at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday morning and head to the police agency for investigation.  Shin Jung-hwanThe singer-turned-TV personality is accused of playing Baccarat at W