July 10, 2015 / Issue No. 692
Translators Wanted: Seoul Selection is looking for translators in 10 languages – Vietnamese, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Bengali, Uzbek, Urdu, Sinhalese, Burmese, Khmer and Nepali – for a health-related translation project. If you’re interested, send a resume to atoz@seoulselection.com. Inquiries can be sent to the same address.
Kim Young Gap in Seoul
Don’t miss a rare chance to see the work of the late Jejudo photographer
Ara Art Center in Insa-dong is hosting a rare opportunity for Seoulites to appreciate the work of late photographer Kim Young Gap. Mainland-born and lacking formal photographic training, Kim settled in Jejudo in 1985 and spent the next 20 years taking stunning panoramic shots of Jejudo’s breathtaking natural scenery. His dedication to his craft was unparalleled – he would spend hours, and sometimes days, waiting in the elements for the perfect light. Nobody has captured the beauty of the island’s windswept volcanic landscape better.

In 2000, Kim was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Unable to pursue his craft any more, he spent the last five years of his life establishing the Kim Young Gap Gallery Dumoak in Seongsan, Jejudo.

Marking the 10th year of his passing, this exhibit features about 70 of his photos, from his early work to his later panoramic masterpieces. It is the first large-scale showing of his work in Seoul.

VENUE: Ara Art Center
PERIOD: Thru Sep. 28
ADMISSION: KRW 10,000
MORE INFO: T. 737-2505
GETTING THERE: Exit 6, Anguk Station (Line 3)


FROM SEOUL MAGAZINE

Keeping the Classics Alive
Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics Director Lee Myung-hak strives to make Korea’s classical canon both accessible and relevant
Your Summer Survival Kit
Keep yourself from melting into your linoleum floor this July with these weird and wonderful gadgets

AROUND THE WEB

A miscellany of high-quality hyperlinks from the week, courtesy of SEOUL editor-in-chief Robert Koehler

 


EVENTS

Experiment of Architopia

Architecture starts from a longing for certain places. The utopian imagination that dreams of a better place is the driving force of architecture. Historically utopia provided an alternative to overcome reality in architecture as well. This was maximized through the vision of architects who strived to create new modernized cities after the World Wars. Throughout the nooks and crannies of Korea, which had to reconstruct everything from scratch, this utopian method of experiment was implemented in a bizarre way at an extremely rapid pace. Architects and politicians were all in the same boat, heading toward the ideals for developing the country anew. Some 60 years later, now that we are in the “era of diminished expectations” where desires for countless things are emasculated, how is the utopia conceived by our own architecture work? With what form and content will “Architopia” be filled, born as an ideal for the architects? These are the questions being posed to initiate this exhibition.

The exhibition presents a layout to explore a specific reality that upholds a certain ideal called “architectural utopia”, rather than plainly introducing individual works. Hybrid elements like photos, drawings, videos, graphics and text are arranged with visual aptitude as if seeing a featured article in a magazine, emphasizing vivid reading experiences. Architects, photographers, critics and graphic designers who participated in the exhibition are image collectors and producers capturing the “Experiment of Architopia”, displaying the traces of utopia revealed at certain points in time.

VENUE: MMCA Gwacheon
PERIOD: Thru Sep. 27
MORE INFO: T. 2188-6000
ADMISSION: Free
GETTING THERE: Use the shuttle bus from Exit 3 of Seoul Grand Park Station (Line 4)

Korean Culture to the World’s FREE Hanji Class

Korean Culture to the World will be hosting a free class – yes, a FREE class – on natural dyeing of Korean paper, or hanji, and making traditional book bindings using dyed hanji. The non-profit organization Korean Culture to the World’s free classes provide the depth and subtlety long-term residents crave, but are fun enough for new visitors as well.

VENUE: Buddhist English Library
DATE: Jul. 14, 2PM to 5:30PM
COST: Free
MORE INFO: Send an application with you name, age, gender, job and telephone number to kctw2558@gmail.com. Also see this website.
GETTING THERE: Exit 6, Anguk Station (Line 3).

Rent Corea

Looking for a place to live, whether it’s an apartment or a villa in Seoul?

Look no further!

Rent Korea has worked for the past 15 years helping expats with their housing sales and rentals. They make the housing process easy so you can relax.

MORE INFO: this link.

Hyundai Card Culture Project 18_Young Architects Program 2015

“Hyundai Card Culture Project 18_Young Architects Program 2015” is the architecture show at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which is organised by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art and Hyundai Card. “The Young Architects Program” began in 1998 in the Museum of Modern Art, New York. It is a meaningful project that is committed to fostering young and emerging architectural talent by providing the opportunity to design and present their own projects. “The Young Architects Program” is a temporary outdoor installation that provides shade, seating, and water aiming to provide pleasant spaces for visitors during summer season. Since then, the project has expanded considerably with CONSTRUCTO in Chile joining in 2010 followed by the National Museum of XXI Century Arts of Italy the following year. The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, Turkey also joined the international network in 2013 and continues to collaborate on the program. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea joined the Young Architects Program international network in 2014. “Hyundai Card Culture Project 18_Young Architects Program 2015” will provide young architects with opportunities to enhance their capacity and let visitors enjoy creativity of young promising architects.

The exhibition consists of three parts: the first part showcases winners and the finalists of 2015 YAP International; the second part shows the work of the four shortlisted teams and one winning team; the third part displays the works of architects who have been nominated for this year’s “Hyundai Card Culture Project 18_Young Architects Program 2015” at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.

VENUE: MMCA Seoul
PERIOD: Thru Sep. 30
MORE INFO: T. 3701-9500
ADMISSION: KRW 4,000
GETTING THERE: Exit 1 of Anguk Station (Line 3)

Seoul Pops Orchestra’s “Korea Fantasia”

The Seoul Pops Orchestra, the oldest pops orchestra in Korea, will hold a performance in celebration of the 70th anniversary of Korea’s Independence from Japanese colonial rule at Seoul Arts Center on July 14. Under the stewardship of chief conductor Ha Sung-ho, the orchestra will play a program that mixes genres of Western and Korean classical music, including Tchaikovsky Sym. No.4 Pops (I, II, IV mov.), “My Heart Will Go On” from the “Titanic” soundtrack, selections from “The Barber of Seville” and “Korea Fantasia,” a mashup of folk song Arirang and the Korean national anthem. Pop singer So-hyang and three classical vocalists will make guest performances as well.

VENUE: Seoul Arts Center
DATE: July 14, 8 PM
ADMISSION: KRW 50,000-170,000
MORE INFO: T. 593-8760
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station, (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival

The old Baekje of Buyeo is renowned for the beautiful lotus blossoms that grow at Gungnamji Pond, a lovely old pleasure garden that dates from the Baekje era. If you’re going to visit this blissfully bucolic country town, this is the time to do it.

As an added bonus, the historic sites of Buyeo were recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list. And be sure to try Buyeo’s famous yeonipbap – rice steamed in a lotus leaf – while you’re down there.

VENUE: Buyeo, Chungcheongnam-do
PERIOD: Thru Jul. 19
MORE INFO: T. 041-830-2921
GETTING THERE: Buses to Buyeo depart from Seoul’s Nambu Bus Terminal (travel time: 2 hours)

RASKB Excursion: Gyeongju: Relics of the Silla Kingdom

Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla dynasty, is without a doubt one of Asia’s most important and historic and archaeological sites. Known as the “museum without walls,” Gyeongju has been selected by UNESCO as one of the world’s most important ancient cultural sites, attracting visitors from all over the world to experience its wealth of legends, art, temples, and archaeological remains, along with its beautiful natural scenery.

VENUE: Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
DATE: Jul. 18-19
COST: KRW 299,000 for members and KRW 359,000 for non-members (subject to change)
MORE INFO and GETTING THERE: See link.


EVERYDAY KOREANS

Choi Pyung-gon’s “Calling Unification” at Pyeonghwa Nuri Park, Paju. Photo by Robert Koehler.

NOTIFICATIONS

Seoul Selection’s Free Book Giveaway – Our free book give-away continues! Check out the list in last week’s newsletter here.

Seoul Selection Offline Bookshop Sale  One of the greatest repositories of Korea-related English-language books anywhere, Seoul Selection is offering a 10% sale on any and all books published by Seoul Selection purchased from our OFFLINE bookshop next to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Looking for Translators – Seoul Selection is looking for a few good translators (Korean to English) for general translation work. Those interested should send a resume and cover letter to Kyehyun at atoz@seoulselection.com. Experienced translators only.

Seoul Selection eBooks – You can purchase some Seoul Selection titles in ebook format via Amazon.com (for Kindle) and Apple’s iBookstore. Titles include Ask a Korean Dude, Moon Tides, Doing Business in Korea, Once Around the Sun, and seven volumes of our Korean Film Directors series: BONG Joon-ho, IM Kwon-taek, KIM Jee-woon, LEE Chang-dong, LEE Man-hee, PARK Chan-wook, and SHIN Sang-ok.

Send Your Event Info – If you would like to advertise any upcoming events you are organizing, please send us the press release material at pubco@seoulselection.com by the preceding Friday in order for it to appear in the following Tuesday’s issue.

Freelance Contributors Wanted – SEOUL Magazine needs writers who are fluent in both Korean and English. Writers should have a strong interest in Korean culture and be able to interview Koreans. Send your resume and writing samples to english@seoulselection.com.

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SEOUL (July 2015)


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