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This Week's Cultural News

Spring has come to the galleries of Seoul. The National Art Studio has opened an exhibition titled "INTRO" which features the works of resident artists recently accepted to the studio.

[Interview : Sim Gyu-hwan, Program manager] "A feature of this exhibition is that the works are of a variety of genres. We have provided artists who specialize in different genres a chance to experiment with different types of media and provide an opportunity for everyone to see the results".

The exhibition features the representative and experimental works of each of the 30 new resident artists. Visitors can see the experiment-oriented mindset and potential of the artists through a variety of pieces, be they paintings, sculptures, installation media or flat and three-dimensional photographs and videos.

[Interview : Lee Ye-seung, New resident artist
Changdong Studio] "This work is about 3 artists based in Chicago who sought out and provided cultural benefits to lower-class residents while sharing emotions among themselves and asking how they can contribute to society as artists".

Many of the pieces make visitors wonder about the conception of each piece.

[Interview : Qui Ping, New resident artist from China Changdong Studio] "I put the hand together. It's a human being. It's a hand from a human being, but it looks like [that of an] animal and insect".

The National Art Studio has fostered such artists for 9 years.

[Interview : Sim Gyu-hwan, Program manager] "The National Art Studio is currently run by the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The Changdong Studio was established in 2002, and the Goyang Studio, located in Deokyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, was established in 2004. We prepare a variety of programs in order to sponsor and advertise artists".

We visited the studio of one such resident artist.

[Interview : Lee Eun-sil, New resident artist Changdong Studio] "As you can see, my pieces are big and tall, but there are no restrictions in that matter. The studio is also very accommodating in terms of amenities, and unlike most conventional exhibitions, all of the artists including myself live together, and as we work together, we grow closer and more tight-knit".

[Interview : Lee Ye-seung, New resident artist Changdong Studio] "This exhibition is like a stepping stone for new artists that have been picked to be resident artists. The exhibition will determine what kind of works the artists will create, and how they will develop as artists after a year".

The play festival "I Love the Stage" was highly complimented by the Korean performing arts field for its variety of genres and featured actors.

"The Bald Soprano", the sixth in the list of plays from 2010, is popular even now. It is the first play that actor An Seok-hwan is directing.

[Interview : Ahn Suk-hwan, Director & Role of "Fire Chief" ] "Irrationality is not hard to achieve. People can watch it without thinking. That's why I picked "The Bald Soprano ""

The play is special in that it goes against everything we know about common sense.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "The kimchi-jjim was really delicious. It isn't easy to find in Daehangno".

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "Were you hit

French playwright Eug
[Interview : ] "Welcome. She's our housekeeper".

The housekeeper wears the most fabulous clothes and orders her boss to bring her food. On top of that, the boss simply follows the housekeeper around. In the play, irrationality is the rule rather than the exception.

[Interview : Choi Gwang-il, Role of "Mr. Ma"] "Because the characters communicate with phrases that make no sense, there is no sense of shock when something wrong is said. When something like that happens as easily as flowing water, it is irrationality".

There are many meaningless lines as well.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "Then we"

[Interview : ] "Definitely"

[Interview : ] "Have met before. You are"

[Interview : ] "Definitely"

[Interview : ] "My wife, Da-jeong! We are reunited!"

[Interview : ] "Do-jeong!"

Other features of "The Bald Soprano" are unexplainable random incidents and seemingly odd arrangements. Even the curious title "The Bald Soprano" only appears once as a dialogue line.

[Interview : Ahn Suk-hwan, Director & Role of "Fire Chief"] "This play is not fun if the audience tries to find a deeper meaning behind the characters' actions or figure out the plot. No thinking is required for this play".

Director Ahn Suk-hwan also played the role of "fire chief".

[Interview : Kim Na-mi, Role of "Mr. Ma's wife"] "Our play is more fun the more it's seen. Seeing it once is not enough. Please come and see it again".

[Interview : Lee Ju-won, Role of "Mr. Ma's wife"] "I think that the audience will have fun only if we have fun. We will do our best and perform joyfully".

We look forward to the next "I Love the Stage" and its continuing streak of success .

"Come Rain Come Shine"

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "I've made up my mind. I've decided to break up with you".

What man would react this quietly when his wife tells him she has another lover and wants to leave
[Interview : ] "Is this the only room left to clean up[Interview : ] "You're really nice, helping your unfaithful wife pack up".

[Interview : Lim Soo-jung] "My character is part of a couple who has been married for 5 years. One day, she suddenly decides to move out of the house and leave forever. That's how the movie starts".

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "It's me. Is there still something holding you back
[Interview : ] "What needs to be thrown away, has to be thrown away. Throw this away".

[Interview : ] "What's wrong with you
[Interview : Hyun Bin] "My role was that of a man who carefully looks after his wife. I don't know how he should feel. He doesn't even have a name. I was simply acting the role of "he"."

"Come Rain Come Shine" does not use any dramatic music, and its only soundtrack is the rain falling in the background. Enthralled, both Hyun Bin and Lim Soo-jung decided not to receive any payment and went on camera featuring an exquisite and detailed acting.

[Interview : Lim Soo-jung] "The movie makes one wonder about each of both the main characters who go back and forth between loving and not loving one another".

[Interview : Hyun Bin] "I think this movie will calmly remain in the viewers minds for a long time".

While the characters look fine from the outside, they are tearing up inside. Let's meet in theaters the intimate world of emotions that only this man and this woman share for each other.

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