Around Town 2

Museums

The Fiftieth Anniversary Exhibition of MMCA Korea The Square: Art and Society 1900-2019
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Until Feb. 9, 2020

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) was established in 1969 to showcase the artwork of contemporary artists in Korea as well as bring in works of artists abroad. This year marks its 50th anniversary, and to commemorate, the MMCA is hosting this exhibition across its Deoksu Palace, Gwacheon and Seoul branches. The Seoul branch will focus on the theme of the "square," which represents a space for "solidarity, division, and utter confusion." The exhibition will feature various mediums of art including installations and photography.
Tickets cost 4,000 won. Visit mmca.go.kr for more information.

Architecture and Heritage: Unearthing Future
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Until April 2020

This exhibition will show how modern contemporary architects have envisioned the future of Korean architecture. While preserving Korea's traditional buildings, they have also included contemporary elements in their works, and depict the country in its potential future form. Space Popular, CL3, Bureau Spectacular, OBBA and Obra Architects are the five groups whose works will be featured in this exhibition.
Admission is free. Visit mmca.go.kr for more information.

Outdoor Project Cody Choi: Venetian Rhapsody ― The Power of Bluff
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Until May 2020

This exhibition draws inspiration from the bright and stimulating neon signs of Las Vegas. Taking that concept, Cody Choi transformed Korean streets in a similar fashion, creating an artful space in a business-oriented cityscape. Choi is a visual artist who has worked all over the world including in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Many of his works reflect his thoughts on society and culture, which will also be displayed in this exhibition through the themes of capitalism and advertising.

Admission is free. Visit mmca.go.kr for more information.

Art Exhibitions

Barbara Kruger: Forever
Amore Pacific Museum of Art
Until Dec. 29

Barbara Kruger is an American artist whose collages and caption-based pieces have garnered the attention of many. By writing powerful statements in bold print, Kruger has garnered the attention of both art lovers and social activists. Several of her most famous quotes include "Your body is a battleground," "I shop therefore I am," and "You are not yourself." She has been working for over 40 years and has not backed down in the face of controversy. For this particular exhibition, she has created a new piece which visitors will be able to view alongside her other works.

Tickets cost 13,000 won. Visit apma.com for more information.

The famous "Minions" animation characters will come to life at this exhibition./Courtesy of gncmedia

Minions
Insa Central Museum
Until Dec. 31

The famous minions from the "Despicable Me" series will be coming to life at this exhibition, where visitors will be able to witness their creation process. After the release of the first film, the minions have appeared worldwide and even had their own feature film "Minions," which was released in 2015. There will be life-sized 3D replicas of the characters as well as videos, interactive art and other minions-themed artwork.
Tickets cost 11,000 won to 15,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

What's Your Color
Idea Factory
Until Dec. 31

This is an interactive exhibition dedicated to giving visitors a colorful and dynamic experience. The exhibition is divided into five parts: Origin of Color, Color & Flower, Personal Color, Color & Media Art and Color Maker. Curators explain the fundamental theories and concepts of colors, allowing visitors to understand the science behind colors. Visitors will also be matched with their own personal color, view various media art, and create their own makeup.
Tickets cost 8,000 won to 25,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Eternal Now
PKM Gallery
Until Jan. 5, 2020

This exhibition is co-curated by Saskia Draxler, the president of Galerie Nagel Draxler (Germany), and Park Kyung-mee, the president of PKM Gallery (Korea). The title "Eternal Now" was derived from the term used by Kader Attia at the 2018 Gwangju Biennale, naming the collective memory and wounds that we share as an "eternal now." Six artists, both domestic and international, will be featured including Francis Alys, Kader Attia, Koo Jeong-A, Lee Bul, Martha Rosler and Hito Steyerl. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the artists' unique interpretations of social and cultural issues using different mediums.

Admission is free. Visit pkmgallery.com for more information.

The Muse
The Seouliteum
Until Feb. 16, 2020

This large-scale exhibition will bring together the works of several of the most prominent artists from the 19th to 21st centuries. Seurat, Mondrian, Gaudi, Matisse, Degas, Millet, Gogh, and Mucha will be the featured artists. Their genres range from post-impressionist paintings to theatrical posters. Several of them have become legendary figures of art history, influencing generations of art students and curators to this day. Due to its comprehensive timeline and range of styles, this exhibition will be appropriate for art lovers of all backgrounds.
Tickets cost 15,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Seven individual artists are participating in the exhibition titled "Modern Rose," derived from roses that had bloomed in the Belgian consulate./Courtesy of Nam-Seoul Museum of Art

Modern Rose
Nam-Seoul Museum of Art
Until March 1, 2020

The title of the exhibition "Modern Rose" was derived from an article about roses in the Belgian consulate building in the early 20th century. The former Belgian consulate constructed during the Korean Empire is transformed into the Nam-Seoul Museum of Art, treasuring the historical moments and original structures. The roses that had bloomed in the Belgian consulate back then were moved to Chosun Hotel and became a symbol of modernity. Displayed with 22 works of art, the historical architecture of the Nam-Seoul Museum of Art will present complex ideas about modern and contemporary history.
Admission is free. Visit sema.seoul.go.kr for more information.

Well-known for his paintings, illustrations, and other graphic art, Alfons Maria Mucha created over 240 works, many of which will be displayed in the exhibition./ Courtesy of My Art Museum

Alphonse Mucha
My Art Museum
Until March 1, 2020

Czech artist Alphonse Maria Mucha (1860-1939) was known for his paintings, illustrations and other graphic art. He also produced many commercial posters, advertising anything from food to cigarettes. Many of the subjects depicted in his works were women, portrayed lavishly and with intricate details. Throughout his career, he created over 240 paintings, many of which will be on display at this upcoming exhibition. Visitors will get a glimpse of his art as well as the influence he had over commercialization and fashion.
Tickets cost 10,000 won to 15,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

go-hyang: home
Seoul Museum of Art
Until March 8, 2020

The exhibition titled "go-hyang: home" is the third edition focusing the Non-West, hosted by the Seoul Museum of Art. The previous series of exhibitions approached Africa in 2015 and Latin America in 2017. This time, "go-hyang: home" is featuring contemporary compositions from the Middle East. Considering the stereotypes and social prejudices against Middle Eastern people, Koreans may have many misconceptions about Middle Eastern culture and society. The exhibition, therefore, aims at introducing diverse artistic practices from the Middle East and showcasing their values, which Koreans could share and relate to.
Admission is free. Visit sema.seoul.go.kr for more information.

Museum of Colors
S Factory
Until March 15, 2020

This exhibition is a celebration of the colors we see in the sky, the ocean and the forests as well as the busy urban landscape. Many different artists have contributed to this exhibition, which is divided into nine main sections including Aurora Forest, Sky Island and Red Castle. Visitors will be able to see art in diverse mediums including paintings, sculptures and photographs.
Tickets cost 8,000 won to 15,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Kids

Children's Museum
National Museum of Korea
Throughout 2019

The Children's Museum, located in the National Museum of Korea, is an activity-oriented museum where children can appreciate history. The museum exhibits reproductions of artifacts on display in the permanent exhibition hall so as to enable children to gain a deeper understanding of their cultural heritage. Through the exhibition, children can learn about the ways of life and wisdom of people in ancient times through various experiential exhibits. The museum also provides educational programs that allow children to observe and touch cultural artifacts by themselves and develop their interest in history and culture. The educational programs are only provided in Korean. Tickets are free. For more information, visit ntok.go.kr or call (02) 2777-6090.

Sports
Basketball

Saturday, Dec. 21

Men's game
Wonju Dongbu Promy vs. Changwon LG Sakers
Wonju Gymnasium

Anyang KGC vs. Incheon ET Land Elephants
Anyang Gymnasium

Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs. Seoul SK Knights
Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium

Women's game
Asan Woori Bank Wibee vs. Yongin Samsung Blueminx
Yi Sun-sin Gymnasium

Sunday, Dec. 22

Men's game
Wonju Dongbu Promy vs. Busan KT Sonicboom
Wonju Gymnasium

Goyang Orions vs. Jeonju KCC Egis
Goyang Gymnasium

Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs. Seoul Samsung Thunders
Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium

Changwon LG Sakers vs. Incheon ET Land Elephants
Changwon Indoor Gymnasium

Women's game
Incheon Shinhan Bank S-Birds vs. Bucheon KEB Hana Bank
Dowon Gymnasium

Horseracing

Let's Run Park Seoul

Let's Run Park Seoul holds races from 10:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. It is located near exit 3 of Seoul Racecourse Park Station on Line 4. For more information, visit kra.co.kr or call (02) 509-1114.