Hanna is a lip sync vocalist for Ami, the famous Korean pop singer. Even though she is always ignored because of her appearance, she has been a bright and lighthearted girl until Amy humiliates her in front of Sang-jun, her secret love. At last she makes a decision of a lifetime to have plastic surgery all over her body. Her unrequited love gets any return?
"2 handbags in a pickle": John Bock's first solo exhibition in Asia is going on at Arko Art Center in Dongsung-dong and Insa Art Space in Insa-dong. Bock is a German artist who adopts various forms of not only visual art but also literature, music, film, architecture and fashion. He learns and expresses his thoughts by realizing the natural instinct of art, which is enjoying it, experiencing it and playing with it. In the Seoul exhibition, Bock performs - calling it a "lecture" - using various objects, then films it and shows the film, the costumes and objects he used during the performance. Arko Art Center shows "PARA-SCHIZO, ensnarled", Bock's newest film. Insa Art Space showcases eight short films and four cinematic films that have earned Bock today's international acclaim. The exhibition runs through Feb. 8, 2009. Closed on Mondays. Admission 2,000 won. For more information, call (02) 760-4563 or visit www.arkoartcenter.or.kr
The local performing arts industry this year was seriously affected by the economic meltdown with supply largely exceeding demand.
There were some bright spots, like the relative success of musicals. But they did not always turn out to meet fan or expert expectations, as production companies tended to depend on stopgap measures like using idol stars for short-term gains instead of pursuing perfection or novelty.
However, some production companies found ways to buck the recession, such as venture theater company Yeongeukyeoljeon2, which attracted nearly 200,000 patrons this year despite an overall slump in Seoul's theater mecca, Daehangno.
Classical music, meanwhile, enjoyed a steady year. This was in big part thanks to the success of classical music-themed television drama "Beethoven Virus". According to Auction, sales of classical performances has more than doubled year-to-year since September when the drama began airing.
In the dance circle, fans were blessed with a serie...| More
The economic recession that has affected almost every part of the world hasn't touched the local theater industry.
This year, musicals and plays have stayed afloat through their distinctive strategies.
The musical industry highly relied on producing movie-based musicals, called "movical" while the plays gained bigger popularity than ever through the success of "Yeongeuk Yeoljeon 2" (A Series of the Best Plays). The two genres also used a star-studded marketing strategy.
Musicals
The buzzword in this year's musical trend was "movical", referring to the combination of movies and musicals.
The boom in re-creating the cinematic arts on the musical stage draws from the success of hit films such as "Radio Star'", "The Harmonium in My Memory" and "200 Pounds Beauty".
It marks a big contrast from last year when homegrown blockbuster musicals such as "Dancing Shadows" and "Dae Jang Geum", were produced prolifically but without commercial su...| More
Among the many movicals -- musical adaptations of hit movies -- in Korea, "200 pounds Beauty" has probably been the most anticipated because of the huge success of the movie.
As it turns out, the musical, now playing, has hit the mark.
It has been singer/actress Choi Seong-hee, aka Bada from former hit girl group S.E.S., who has shined show after show, playing Hanbyeol, the main character. The actress again proved her abilities as a musical singer after starring in "Notre Dame De Paris", through which she made her successful musical debut last year.
Choi presents natural, effortless acting, while blowing the audience away with her powerful vocals.
The show last week began with the 300-pound-plus Hanbyeol being transformed into the perky-looking Choi. The actress skillfully presented the unconfident, introverted and faceless singer Hanbyeol doing silly things that caused constant laughter from the audience.
Later, Choi, back to her normal, slender self, captivated the aud...| More
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