'Modern Boy': Reinterpretation of Japanese Colonialism?

``Modern Boy'' (모던보이, S. Korea)
Directed by Jung Ji-woo (정지우). Starring Park Hae-il (박혜일), Kim Hye-soo (김혜수).
Above photo: Actors Lee Han, left, and Park Hae-il.


Following the footsteps of ``Radio Dayz,'' ``Once Upon a Time'' and ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' comes ``Modern Boy,'' another purely entertainment-driven movie set during the Japanese colonial era (1910-45). Gyeongseong, the name of Seoul at the time, is home to flamboyant flappers (so-called ``modern boys and girls''), radio stars and charming bandits who aren't necessarily working for Korea's independence.

The symbolic power of cinema is extensive, as it often showcases a given country's aesthetics, technical achievements and entertainment factors, and moreover portrays to varying degrees its cultural, historical and social values. Period pieces in particular become the subject of scrutiny as they speak for the shared history of a people.


A Japanese newspaper made a misleading report about ``Modern Boy'' and the above-mentioned Gyeongseong movies in January this year. Katsuhiro Kuroda, managing editor of Sankei Shimbun's Seoul branch, announced ``the reinterpretation of Japanese colonialism'' in Korea ― how there was an effort to reexamine it as an era of modernization rather than one of exploitation, oppression and resistance, and that the conventional school manual ``dark period'' version has gotten a facelift and was drawing popularity among the younger generation.


``Modern Boy'' is about a rich, hedonistic playboy played by the fabulous Park Hae-il who cannot care less that his country was colonized and falls head over heals in love with a beautiful independence fighter, ingeniously brought to life by Korean sex symbol Kim Hye-soo. Director Jung Ji-woo crafts a dramatic femme fatale story that evokes ``Carmen'' and ``Original Sin,'' but which can also be compared to Ang Lee's ``Lust, Caution.'' It is essentially a love story, and the dynamics of the time period set the heartbreaking mood for the narrative.

The cheerful characters of ``Modern Boy'' deliver a colorful story, but by no means do they beautify history. It simply shows that life continued, and that there was love, friendship and fun even in oppressive times. Gyeongseong is another name for exoticism, and rich period details give way to a visually lush film. The film portrays a new side of Gyeongseong, brightly lit with neon signs, where swing dance and jazz music were in full swing.

One can argue that the moral distinction between ``courageous'' independence fighters versus pro-Japanese ``traitors'' and evil Japanese authorities has entered a gray zone. ``Modern Boy'' does indeed feature a sympathetic Japanese character (Lee Han) that suffers over his genuine friendship with a Korean. But this is because the area of central conflict has shifted.

Back in the day, Korean cinema had its fare share of political films. Director Choi In-kyu, for example, made a 180-degree turn away from movies propagating Japanese militarism in the 1930s into making ultra-patriotic ones after Liberation in 1945. Such ``nationalistic'' filmmaking is not unusual. Hollywood continues to demonstrate the political agenda du jour, as Middle Eastern and even North Korean ``axis of evil'' terrorists began replacing the public enemy role long held by scheming Russian communists, Neo-Nazis and the ruthless Vietcong.

For Korean cinema's quintessential bad Japanese imperialist, it's a different story. The new Gyeongseong films mark a role shift rather than a reinterpretation of history. The Japanese oppressor is still evil but has melted into the background rather than being a strictly dishonorable character. The bitterness over losing sovereignty remains intact. Some of the most affecting moments in ``Modern Boy'' are when the protagonist, wealthy but deprived of his country, recalls his childhood dream of becoming Japanese rather than a doctor or such, and how a talented artist cannot sing in her own language.

So whether it's Hollywood or Chungmuro, a common denominator is that no matter who plays the bad guy, movies shift their focus away from the political problem at hand. It's called entertainment.

In theaters Oct. 2. 121 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by CJ Entertainment.

(http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/)

Read about what the "Modern Boy" director and actors said about the film.

Sumi Jo Returns Home With Globetrotting Album

She was very upbeat on the phone, but I was a little irritated when her two dogs kept interrupting the conversation.

There’s no place like home for internationally feted soprano Sumi Jo. The lyric coloratura singer has been traveling the world for over 20 years, and makes a ``homecoming’’ through a new crossover, cross-border album of world folk music, ``Missing You.’’

``The most important thing in life is family, and I miss home the most when I travel,’’ Jo told The Korea Times, sounding cheerful over the phone from her Italian residence. The 45-year-old lives with her three pet dogs, which she had to shush in rapid Italian during the conversation. ``For me, voyages and airports are marked by loneliness and homesickness, rather than excitement and fun. This album is like returning home,’’ she said.

The Grammy Award-winning artist comes back to Deutsche Grammophon, a label under which she recorded her opera debut ``Un Ballo in Maschera’’ with maestro Herbert von Karajan in 1987. With 16 songs in 11 languages ranging from Nordic hymns and Mexican serenades to Yiddish tunes like ``Dona Dona,’’ the project embodies Jo’s past two decades of music making around the world.

``Are there too many tracks?’’ she asked, slightly concerned. Her personal motto being ``less expectation, more appreciation,’’ she is grateful for the small things in life, but her greed for perfection is boundless when it comes to work.

Jo has released a crossover album every now and then ``like a relaxing vacation,’’ but this recording, she said, was as demanding as a hefty opera compilation. Though versed in multiple languages, Jo had to employ tutors and visit cultural centers for the unfamiliar lyrics in Norwegian and Russian among others. Recent concert tours in Russia and Israel, as well as pronunciation tips from her Argentinean assistant helped, but she felt greatly pressured about capturing the tradition and sentiment inherent to each folk song.

The result is not a messy potpourri, but a collection of soulful love songs suffused with warmth and feeling that transcend the spoken word. ``It’s Sumi Jo’s love story, and the protagonist is music,’’ said the singer. Indeed, she makes each classic song her own, whether it be something serene like ``Cossack Lullaby’’ or sensual like ``Besame Mucho,’’ which is delivered in harmony with crossover tenor Alessandro Safina. There’s an endearing artlessness to it, where Jo’s vivid voice is not embellished by fancy techniques. ``I can’t sing in a calculated manner. For me, singing is natural like breathing or sleeping,’’ she said.

The album’s last and most important track ``Mother, Sister’’ brings her back home to Korea. Singling out just one Korean piece was extremely tough, but speaking to her mother made the decision easier. ``My mom reminded me of how I used to get in trouble for fooling around and not practicing the piano when I was young. She scared me by saying how she found me beneath the Han River bridge and I’d behave,’’ said the soprano with a laugh.

Jo chose this sad song evoking Korean War orphans even though she had envisioned something brighter. ``It moved me to tears,’’ she said. The soprano also colored the piece with haegeum, a traditional Korean two-string fiddle. ``I am just so Korean,’’ she said. You can take the Jo out of Korea but not the Korea out of Jo.

Looking back on her career, she said ``music was and is my reason for living.’’ But she cautions young singers about walking a similar path. ``I’d like to advise them to make music a companion in life and not necessarily life itself,’’ she said. To add to her roster of honors, she recently won the prestigious International Puccini Award. ``It was really unexpected. It’s a great honor but it also made it clear how much more there is to achieve,’’ she said. Besides continuing to explore the vast ocean of classical repertoire, the UNESCO Artist of Peace laureate wants to continue helping children and animals.

In December, Jo and Alessandro Safina will visit Korea to sing the beautiful folk songs. ``I’m actually thinking of having the conductor wear a pilot’s uniform,’’ she said with rhythmic laughter. ``I want the audience to travel the world through music.’’ The ``Dream With Us’’ concert will take place Dec. 5 at Seoul Arts Center. Call (02) 3461-0976.

Kwon Sang-woo, Sohn Tae-young Tie Knot

Actors Kwon Sang-woo, 32, and Sohn Tae-young, 28, tied the knot Sunday at a three-hour private wedding that drew a crowd including top Korean stars, reporters and fans from Japan.
Before the wedding, the elegantly dressed couple appeared in front of fans and photographers, smiling and holding hands.``I thank everybody for coming, even those who came all the way from Japan. We promise we will do our best to live happily,'' Kwon said.

This was almost as controversial as the Branjelina - Jenn Anniston affair; Kwon was dating actres Kim Ha-neul for a long time...

`Comfort Women' as Unfading Flowers

Raped, shamed and silenced, hundreds of thousands of women from Korea and other countries were forced to serve in Japanese military brothels during World War II. Who can be justly blamed for the woes of these so-called ``comfort women''?

While the usual answer is Japanese colonial authorities, a novel argues that in fact it is the cowardly men of the male chauvinistic Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) who were unable to protect their own women from imperial Japan (1910-45), and the Korean government, which neglected the victims for over 60 years, that should be chastised before others.

Wu Bong-gyu, whose novel ``Nunggot (Snow on the Branches)'' was selected by The Korea Times' sister paper Hankook Ilbo as the representing piece for Korea's 50th Liberation Day, has brought ``Chinese Pink: The Spirit of a Downtrodden Joseon Woman'' for the country's 63rd year of independence.

The book pays homage to the victims and their unimaginable suffering and courageous survival. They are likened to ``paeraengiggot''(Chinese Pink or Dianthus chinensis), a light purple flower shaped like the upside down paeraengi hats worn by lowly Joseon commoners. While trampled and exploited, the women persevered and keep their heads up like wild flowers that don't wilt.

But ``Chinese Pink'' goes beyond the scope of conventional works dealing with this particular subject, and scrupulously criticizes Korea's own disregard for the victims since 1945. The novel begins by pointing out that using the euphemism ``comfort women'' endorses colonial Japan's efforts to conceal the horrid nature of the institution.

The victims themselves understandably prefer the expression over the more precise ― and explicit ― term ``sex slave''. Yet the women's shame and that of the Korean bystanders who employ it to ease their own guilt, the author seems to argue, are two different things. Korean readers will find themselves feeling far less comfortable than perhaps Japanese ones.

The novel reads more like an allegorical fable or song than a graphic historical drama, and rings with ``Arirang,'' the quintessential Korean folk melody evoking ``han,'' or pervasive sadness ― bidding farewell to a loved one, and making the arduous journey across mountains and the road of life.

Images of cascading mountaintops and the smallness of man in the bosom of Mother Nature suffuses, yet the novel by no means beautifies the tumultuous period. In the center of it all stands a female protagonist, Ok-a, who, more saint than human, understands the secrets of the universe and maps out her own destiny.

Adopted by Hoe-san, a Buddhist monk, Ok-a grows up enjoying an independence, education and respect most Joseon women were deprived of. Ok-a's muse is none other than Nan Sul-hun (1563-89), an esteemed Joseon poet known for dying at the young age of 27 after an unhappy marriage to an intellectually inferior man. She, like Ok-a, perished, her towering talent unable to blossom because of her gender.

When Japanese officials begin ``recruiting'' youths for labor in factories, mines, etc., Ok-a, unable to stand her romantic feelings for Hoe-san, voluntarily leaves to work in a factory in Japan. There, she refuses to be saved by I-gu, a man desperately in love with her, and ends up getting sent to a military brothel as punishment for teaching other Korean women ``hangeul'' (Korean alphabet).

At the brothel, Ok-a's beauty strikes the fancy of high-ranking generals. While she could have avoided serving up to 100 men a day by accepting their advances, Ok-a refuses. What drives her is not the conventional force of Korean nationalism, but her own rules of transcending boundaries set by nations and people. She derides the Joseon men, who, preoccupied with continuing their own skewed Confucian legacy, had allowed their country to collapse and their women to be exploited. She even goes as far to admire the fierce loyalty of Japanese soldiers for their homeland.

Moreover, the book paints Korean modern history in a few lines about a remote Korean village: ``1940: A man clubbed to death a female tiger caught in a trap. 1945: Four women were sent to Manchuria by Japanese troops. 1950: Three North Korean soldiers were shot to death while eating. The village housed just three homes.'' Korea surrendered powerlessly to Japanese imperialism like a trapped tiger and had to helplessly watch its people be torn away from home.
``Chinese Pink'' continues on to the rise of ``Great Leader'' Kim Jong-il, another name for Joseon's male chauvinism, and Syngman Rhee, not as South Korea's first president, but as a nameless Hawaiian immigrant capitalizing upon desperation.

Demonstrators, including former "comfort
women'' or World War II sex slaves, take part in the 827th regular rally
demanding justice in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, Aug. 20. / Korea
Times File

Following Japan's defeat in 1945, the surviving sex slaves were abandoned and many, uninformed of forthcoming attacks by UN forces, died. Those who survived were often unable to find their way home or committed suicide. Those who did make it through the years have only recently dared to speak of the past.

Civil organizations on behalf of the women demand that the Japanese government acknowledge the sexual slavery and examine the truth; apologize in the form of a national assembly resolution; include facts in school history manuals; construct an archive center and a monument to console the spirit of the dead; and punish those responsible for the slavery.

Unbending the women may be, but flowers are bound to perish with time. Until just action is taken, habitual sadness will linger, clawing at an already downtrodden soul.

Pianist Lim Dong-min Turns New Page in Career

Mr. Lim is very talented, of course.... but very taciturn... it makes it rather difficult to interview him, but a musician's music speaks louder than a thousand words trying to describe it.

Pianist Lim Dong-min is opening a new chapter in his career, with the release of his first solo album and appointment to a teaching position at Keimyung University. The 28-year-old is going from student to associate professor _ skipping the usual six-year route _ and has painted his first self-portrait ``Beethoven’’ packaged nicely by Sony BMG.

One would expect such an artist would have much to say. Some musicians are vocal about their art, while others allow their work to speak for itself _ and Lim seems to be the latter.

``I don’t have any particular thoughts,’’ Lim commented about completing his album in an interview with The Korea Times. He brings Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31, Op. 110, Sonata No. 14, Op. 27 ``Moonlight’’ and No. 23, Op. 56 ``Appassionata.’’

``I felt at ease while recording,’’ he said about recording in New York, where he currently resides. Max Wilcox, a Grammy Award-winning producer who has worked on Beethoven recording with piano greats like Artur Rubinstein and Richard Goode, took charge. Lim received lessons from Goode himself while studying at Mannes Music School in New York. ``(Wilcox) was quite resolute about what he wanted, but I agreed that it was best to be faithful to the composer’s intentions,’’ he said.

Lim’s rendition of No. 31 _ beautiful, rollicking phrasings flowing freely within an austere traditional cadre _ seems to be the voice for the taciturn pianist.

The pianist’s choice of Beethoven marks a turn away from his reputation as a Chopin specialist. ``I wanted to try something new and not be trapped in the Chopin repertoire,’’ he said. He selected every pianist’s childhood favorites ``Moonlight’’ and its usual counterpart ``Appassionata.’’ He added No. 31 because he wanted to play one of Beethoven’s later works that foreshadow the Romantic period. Moreover, he simply plays what he likes. His will be recording a couple more CDs with Sony, perhaps Schubert or Beethoven, but he has no intention to do a full cycle of Beethoven’s sonatas. ``We’ll have to see,’’ he said. ``But I would like to give Bach a try since I have never played his pieces,’’ he added after a slight pause.

This isn’t Lim’s first CD. He has recordings of his 15th International Chopin Competition-winning performances (Victor, 2006). Sharing the third prize at the prestigious Warsaw event with his younger brother Dong-hyek elevated them both to stardom, and accepting the position at Keimyung University, which houses the Chopin Academy of Music & Performing Arts, was a natural choice. ``I don’t think of it as a big burden or anything. I simply want to deliver what I learned,’’ he said.

Having started the piano at a relatively late age of nine, Lim’s rapid development took him abroad to Russia’s Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and Germany’s Hanover Hochscule fur Music. ``I started playing the piano because everyone did at the time,’’ he said, and he didn’t dislike it. ``Music,’’ he said, ``is just one method of expressing yourself.’’

Lim in a way, almost demystifies the magical aura that often shrouds musicians and the creative process of music making. He doesn’t listen to classical music 24 hours a day _ in fact he doesn’t even have a stereo at his New York apartment. Having grown up as a fan of Michael Jackson, he spends his free time tuning into Korean drama soundtracks.

The media spotlight and attention of thousands of fans don’t bother him either. ``I don’t really pay attention to fans. I don’t mind the press, either,’’ he said, not with haughty or bemused indifference but unfaltering honesty _ perhaps a reflection of the instrumental clarity and clean, white sound of his ``Moonlight’’ sonata.

Lim celebrates the release of his first solo album with a recital at Seoul Arts Center, Sept. 28. He will play Sonatas No. 31 and 23 as well as Listz’s Sonata in B Minor, S. 178. Tickets cost from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. Call (02) 599-5743.

Lang Lang, Less Than Stellar

I don't consider myself a harsh critic; but I felt strongly compelled to write this terrible review of Mr. Lang's performance in Seoul because fans like myself have been lured to big concerts with big names, only to be disappointed like recieving an empty gift box with a fancy wrapping. It angers me that poorly organized yet painfully expensive performances can sell like hotcakes. I personally think Mr. Lang is a fabulous artist and I how his whole Mozart-meets-MTV appeal attracts non-fans to classical music, but his chemistry -- or complete lack thereof -- with the La Scala Philharmonic was exasperating.




When a major concert hall, fully packed with some 2,500 people, rumbles with an explosive ovation complete with bravos, you may wonder if something is wrong with you for not wanting to do the same. The majority of the audience, in this reporter's humble opinion, heard what they wanted to hear ― that their $200 ticket was well worth it.


Three stars ― maestro conductor Chung Myung-whun; pianist Lang Lang, who became even more famous when he graced the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics; and La Filarmonica della Scala (La Scala Philharmonic) of the revered Italian opera house. Hearing these three giants together in concert was naturally expected to be stellar. Yet, Tuesday and Wednesday's performances in Seongnam and Seoul, respectively, were disappointing to say the least.


Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the most frequently played works in Seoul, was disastrous. The structured playing and tempered whimsicality Lang demonstrated in his live recording with the Valery Gergiev-led Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater (Deutsche Grammophon) was nowhere to be found.

Lang's vulgar expressivity was baffling, particularly the self-indulgent manner in which he walked ― or tickled, rather ― the melodic lines of the second movement. This reporter does not criticize the pianist's dreamy head tilting and full body demonstrations of each note. Though some people dismiss him as a ``hammy actor'' for it (The New York Times), how can one not feel like waltzing to the ringing bells and whispering winds of the concerto? Some of the pianissimos were finely crafted ― subtle, sweeping and balletic, but Lang's touches throughout the first two movements were far too light, completely disregarding the weighty color of the Russian piece.

In the third movement, the crowd-pleasing pianist went completely solo ― caring very little to harmonize with the orchestra, and the rhythm faltered throughout. When pianist Lim Dong-hyek recently performed Tchaikovsky's First Concerto with Vladimir Ashkenezay's EU Youth Orchestra, a mismatched tempo in the third movement was immediately corrected. Such spirit of mutual music making was completely absent in both of Lang's performances.

In Tuesday's program, La Scala continued with a dispirited rendition of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. The orchestra seemed better fit for sensuous Puccini or Verdi tunes, and lacked the capacity to paint the full, bursting colors of the Russian piece. The tempo was tortuously slow throughout the first half of the work, and the orchestra members seemed more preoccupied with catching up and playing it safe.


Mahler's ``Titan'' the following evening, which required even more voluminous sounds, was enervating to hear. Maestro Chung, who is much loved in France and Korea for his masterful rendition of Mahler's entire symphony repertoire, seemed very lonely up on the stage, fighting a failing battle with all his might with an unprepared troupe.

A concert in which the audience, conductor, orchestra and soloist respire together, at times taking long, meditative breaths and other times taking one's breath away, seems to have become a rarity. The audience appeared pleased nevertheless, and Lang's CDs and the newly published Korean translation of his memoir were selling furiously in the concert hall lobbies. A personal autograph from the world media's favorite pianist apparently serviced the star-struck audience.
(The Korea Times)

Read the interview with Mr. Lang

Korean-Japanese Singer's Rebel With a Cause

Mr. Pak is one of the kindest, goofiest and talented people I've inteviewed. He's awesome!

Korean-Japanese rocker Pak Poe /Courtesy of film festival organizers

A rough, coarse voice pierces through the crashing of the electric guitar. Listening closer, one recognizes Memphis blues jazzed up with reggae rhythm, janggu (Korean drum) beats and bangs of ggwaenggwari (Korean gong). The lyrics, sung with a heavy Japanese intonation, are actually Korean. The dissonant sounds ultimately form overarching melodies suffused with feeling and warmth.

Korean-Japanese rocker Pak Poe defies convention, ironically, by sticking to tradition and roots. Born in Japan to a Korean immigrant father and Japanese mother, he was the first Japanese singer to croon Korean lyrics. This was in the 1980s ― ``long before Bae Yong-joon and hallyu (Korean wave),'' the 54-year-old told The Korea Times. ``People laughed at me,'' he said.

According to the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center, nearly half of all registered foreigners in Japan are Korean, as a result of Japan's occupation of Korea (1910-45). Despite generations of residence in Japan, many have maintained Korean citizenship and thus lack many political rights. Early efforts to assimilate with mainstream society included ``soshi-kamei'' or adopting Japanese names.

While it would have been easier for Pak to continue using his Japanese name Hirose, he insisted on adopting a Korean one ― and rebel with a cause. ``Rock 'n roll means being against something and sometimes complete abandonment. If there's no strong message, it ain't rock,'' he said. Despite his political songs, this ``Japanese Bob Dylan'' was constantly coughing up hearty laughter. ``Have you seen (the movie) `Kung Fu Panda'? The panda and I have the same name, Poe,'' he grinned.

In order to succeed in Japan with a Korean name he left. After a stint in San Francisco singing about racial discrimination against Native Americans, he returned to establish a reputation as an eclectic Bob Marley, mixing up reggae and rock. He also inspired a film, ``Across Borders, Pak Poe: A Korean Japanese Singer'' (2003) by Yukio Tanaka. The documentary brought him back to Korea as a special guest at the Corean Network Film Festival, a Korean Diaspora-themed event.

``My (song) theme is always something `arirang,''' said Pak. The term, most familiar as a quintessential Korean folk melody, evokes ``han,'' or pervasive sadness _ bidding farewell to a loved one, making the arduous journey across mountains or the road of life.

Pak lived a modern day Romeo and Juliet romance when he fell in love with a beautiful Japanese girl in high school. But his girlfriend's elite family would never approve of a son of a bulgogi (Korean barbeque) restaurateur. ``It was shocking and sad,'' he said. Yet his story is a familiar one, and is shared by many other Koreans living in Japan. It coincides with the popular Japanese movie ``Go,'' which was inspired by the autobiographical novel by award-winning Korean-Japanese novelist Kazuki Kaneshiro.

While society endorses political correctness, racism is still there, he said. ``One may be friends with a Korean but won't marry one.'' Historically, racial minorities ― Koreans, Ainus and Okinawans ― maintained close relations and married one another.

``We (Japanese) need to educate the young generation, and teach them history. A lot of things are kept secret like the truth about comfort women (World War II sex slaves). We need to be responsible,'' he said. As for the current controversy over Dokdo, he said, ``It's land, it shouldn't belong to anybody… But maybe we should rename it Dokdo-Take,'' he said, combining Dokdo with the Japanese name Takeshima. As much as he sings in Korean, he makes music about Hiroshima.

``We don't think we're going to change the world right away, but make a foundation for the next generation and start little things,'' he said. And he only knows one way: music. ``My songs are essentially love songs,'' he smiled.

Rising 'Maestra' Sung Returns

A generation after maestri Marin Alsop and Simone Young took the baton to the glass ceiling there is still no consensus on how to properly address a female master conductor. While ``maestra'' may sound like a logical female form of maestro, it really denotes schoolteacher in Italian.

This issue may become more relevant in the years to come, with promising young assistant conductors like the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Sung Shi-yeon and the New York Philharmonic's Xian Zhang.

This points to a more general question: Does gender still matter?

``I do not think of my gender when I conduct, because it is my idea that colors my music,'' Sung told The Korea Times in a telephone interview. The statement seemed more like pensive introspection than an aggressive objection. The 33-year-old, tall, charismatic and almost fiercely energetic onstage, had a delicate, feminine voice bouncing with laughter throughout the conversation.

After winning first prize at the 2006 International Conductors' Competition for Sir Georg Solti, she was invited by James Levine to join the American ensemble. Her success was followed by another top award at the Bamberg Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition last year. '

``I've just started my career, so I haven't been everywhere'' ― she said humbly but not without confidence ― ``but I did feel each country has a different mood. I just got back from Sweden, and my gender didn't seem to matter at all. But I do feel a bit pressured when I perform in musically conservative countries like Germany and Austria, where the legacies of great conductors live on.''

The Busan native made her conducting debut in her homeland by opening the 2007 season for the Seoul Philharmonic. She will return for her second concert Sept. 19. ``In Korea, where age and gender matter, both the audience and musicians do seem to be amazed,'' said Sung. ``But I think that odd factor will disappear, just like how discrimination against female instrumentalists have. Today, women make up half, and in many cases more than half, of orchestras,'' she said.

Born in 1975, Sung started playing the piano at age four. She was an accomplished young player who won several competitions. After making her solo concert debut when she was 13, she studied abroad in Germany. Local reports said Sung turned to conducting after an injury terminated her piano career, but she said this was a misunderstanding.

``It is true I got injured. But I wanted to explore other areas of music, and conducting happened to be one of them,'' she said. She undertook conductor and orchestral conducting studies with Prof. Rolf Reuter at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin. Her teacher, she said, was essential for her growth as a musician and individual. When asked if she ever misses the piano, she said she plays from time to time. She enjoys the immediacy and intimacy of piano playing, but exploring the vast ocean of musical literature as a conductor consumes her artistry in the meantime.

What is the beauty of conducting? ``A group of musicians can play any given piece. Of course a conductor can help them harmonize and bring about a sense of unity. But I love how a single person's personality and interpretation ― I suppose what you could call charisma ― can change the sound of an orchestra,'' she said. While continuing to split her time between Boston and Germany, Sung wishes to challenge herself with the opera genre. She already has some experience under her belt, having led ``The Magic Flute'' in the Mozart in Berlin Festival and other projects with German theaters.

Sung returns to conduct the Seoul Philharmonic for the second of its serial ``Classical Concerto'' series, Sept. 19 at Seoul Arts Center. Versatile pianist Dejan Lazic, known for his beautiful phrasing and dynamism, will join the ensemble for Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58. ``I believe No. 4 is the most beautiful of Beethoven's piano concertos,'' she said.

Also included in the program are Sibelius's ``Lemminkainen's Homeward Journey'' and Mussorgsky's ``Pictures at an Exhibition.'' The conductor said she prepared for the pieces by studying the paintings that accompany the music. For inquiries about the concert, call (02) 3700-6300.

The concert is expected to be a picturesque musical feast. But it is hoped that the visual stimulation, if any, would be within the realms of the imagination inspired by the vivid music, rather than the unfamiliar presence of a woman gracing center stage with a baton.

'Adrift in Tokyo': Unsentimental Yet Touching

Last November, Japanese heartthrob Jo Odagiri (``Tokyo Tower'') caused a traffic jam in Seoul as local fans flocked from one theater to another to catch a glimpse of him. Before the Oct. 9 release of his South Korean film debut, Kim Ki-duk's ``Sad Dream,'' he visits the big screen through the brilliantly manic film, ``Adrift in Tokyo.''

Odagiri can, in Hollywood parlance, be compared to Johnny Depp with his mass appeal despite (or perhaps because of) his eccentric outfits and unusual roles in independent or experimental genres. ``Adrift'' is no exception, and the unshaven actor sports wild curls that make him look like an aging Elvis who has just rolled out of bed. Joining him is the veteran actor Tomokazu Miura (``The Taste of Tea'').

Odagiri and Miura play roles they could easily have done with their eyes closed, but bring that magical combination of tragedy and comedy, calamity and zaniness. Takemura (Odagiri) is a lonesome orphan who, after eight years in college, is still unable to graduate. He studies law but has no idea what he wants to do with his life and to make matters worse he has an enormous debt to pay off. The prickly debt collector Fukuhara (Miura) terrorizes him in the middle of the night and gives him an ultimatum: he must prepare 840,000 yen (around 8.4 million won) in four days or face painful consequences.

Takemura can't think of anything better than to hit the pachinko parlor. But just before the deadline, Fukuhara comes back to make an unbelievable offer: take a walk with him through Tokyo and he will give him 1 million yen. Takemura, puzzled yet in no position to argue, accepts, and so begins the promenade of their lifetime.

Director Satoshi Miki, the creative brain of hit Japanese TV programs and comedy movies, displays his signature style of placing quirky characters in unusual situations. ``Adrift'' is essentially a male bonding road movie, with two characters that start off as strangers, but meandering paths leading to unforeseen places in Tokyo ― and the heart.

The film is woven together like snapshots of scenic, wacky and quotidian scenes as it walks the audience to different corners of the city. They travel to a temple where Fukuhara and his wife shared their first kiss and a jelly dessert shop they'd visit after a fight; end up at a ``cosplay''-themed nightclub (where you ``costume-play'' or dress up like animation and cartoon characters) to track down Takemura's childhood sweetheart; stop at an amusement park; and roll in a pile of trash.

One is never sure what will happen next throughout the movie. ``Adrift'' is, however, far from fragmented and is marked by an overarching conception of the narrative as a whole. The movie may be about an orphan who has never felt true familial love meeting a middle-aged man who journeys through his memories, but it is surprisingly unsentimental. The tragicomic drama is subtle and the emotions are restrained, but something warm seeps into the heart steadily and unexpectedly. It might inspire you to stroll aimlessly and discover the beauty of small things passed by unnoticed.

In theaters Sept. 11 under the title ``Tenten.'' 101 minutes. 12 and over. In Japanese with Korean subtitles. Distributed by Sponge.

Violinist Chen Xi Leads Classical Music

This is the 20th and last in a series of interviews with the next-generation of classical musicians. ― ED.

The 1981 Academy Award-winning film ``From Mao to Mozart'' documented the Western classical music scene in China as it emerged from the Cultural Revolution. The last 15 minutes of the movie showed an earnest 10-year-old playing the cello before Isaac Stern. This was none other than esteemed cellist Jian Wang.

Now a generation later, China is becoming a major market for almost everything, and it seems classical musicians are one of its hottest exports. If Wang represented a changing China, here are the faces of ``new'' China, pianist Lang Lang and violinist Chen Xi.

>>Read about Mr. Lang Lang here.

Chen Xi's Ongoing Musical Journey

It came as a small surprise when the soft-spoken, unassuming professor Hyo Kang personally recommended a young man for the ``next generation'' series. But it seemed only natural the artistic director of the Great Mountains Music Festival and School would bring attention to Chen Xi. Kang is teaching the 23-year-old violinist at Yale beginning this fall, but Chen was already introduced in Korea last yedar as a ``genius with gorgeous tones and colors.''

The Korea Times spotted Chen conversing animatedly with Jian Wang and other musicians at the music festival. Chen looks up to Wang and Lang Lang like older brothers, but he is fast building his own reputation as one of the most promising artists of his generation.At 17, he became the youngest top prizewinner in the history of the International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition, finishing second where no first prize was awarded.

This was despite an unfortunate hand injury before the semi-finals. The Moscow event coincided with the 2002 World Cup, and hooligans who weren't happy with the match against Japan attacked Asians including Chen. He couldn't play for three days. While this handicap would have been enough to devastate anyone, Chen relaxed.

``I was here for the experience,'' he said. He was no stranger to injuries. When he was 10, he hurt his neck from excessive practicing. Fortunately, he was able to recuperate, and has been a firm believer in moderation ever since. It also reaffirmed his passion for music.

It's hard not to draw more similarities between Chen and his ``older brother'' Lang Lang. Like the pianist, the violinist fulfilled the musical ambitions of his father, who had to submit to the Cultural Revolution. ``When I was born, he checked to see I had all 10 fingers. Then he checked my face to see how I looked,'' he said laughing.

Growing up in Shenyang, he was already naming Mozart and Beethoven pieces at age two and was fiddling the violin for fun as a five-year-old with his neighbor, pianist Lang. When he was 12, he became the youngest student at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Following the advise of Lang, he moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute.

Chen and Lang would later tour together in Taiwan with the China Youth Symphony Orchestra.There weren't many quality concerts where he was growing up, he said. He admitted being a rather ``snobby'' soloist who got ``bored'' during rehearsals with orchestras. Moving to the U.S. and meeting passionate musicians changed his life. He discovered his love for chamber and orchestral music.In Beijing alone, there are some 300,000 violin players and 1 million pianists, including professionals and amateurs, said Chen.

Does he have any advice for those who want to follow a similar path? ``It's important to know what you want before studying abroad,'' he said. No matter how far from home, he always remembers what his teacher back in China told him. ``There are three things to keep in mind: history, the composer and nature,'' he said. Man is part of nature and music is a means of expressing human emotions, he explained.

The violinist looked surprisingly young offstage, wearing a T-shirt and boyish grin. But his gaze remained steady and the confidence in his voice was unwavering as he spoke about music. Winning a prize, let alone the top prize, at a tough competition was a big surprise. He had tried his best and was happy, but always keeps looking ahead: ``the competition was not my final goal. It's not my final destination,'' he said.

His journey has just begun.

Lang Lang: Mozart Meets MTV

Mr. Lang wearing the Adidas sneakers bearing his name

This is the 20th and last in a series of interviews with the next-generation of classical musicians. ― ED.

The 1981 Academy Award-winning film ``From Mao to Mozart'' documented the Western classical music scene in China as it emerged from the Cultural Revolution. The last 15 minutes of the movie showed an earnest 10-year-old playing the cello before Isaac Stern. This was none other than esteemed cellist Jian Wang.

Now a generation later, China is becoming a major market for almost everything, and it seems classical musicians are one of its hottest exports. If Wang represented a changing China, here are the faces of ``new'' China, pianist Lang Lang and violinist Chen Xi.

Lang Lang: Mozart Meets MTV

At 26, Lang Lang already has a ``best of'' album, and recently performed before 5 billion viewers at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

It was ``unbelievable,'' he said about the opening ceremony in an email interview with The Korea Times. ``My heart is still pumping fast when I think about it. It was a miracle opening night, and representing the new generation of China this way was a really big honor.''

But Lang is more than just a Chinese star pianist. He's been like the big bang of the international classical music scene ― the Mozart of the MTV generation ― with maestros giving him the highest praise, Netizens not getting enough of him on YouTube and Adidas naming a sneaker after him.

``I can't describe him as a pianist, because you will only hear in my sentence the jealousy that I and all his colleagues feel,'' Daniel Barenboim said once. ``I'm sure he didn't show you, but you know, he has 11 fingers. He plays the piano like a cat with 11 fingers.''

Lang said music was the most natural thing for him: ``The piano happened to be the instrument I loved the most from the beginning. I think this is what you call instinct.'' The Shenyang native began playing at age three and moved to Beijing to enter the country's most prestigious conservatory ― bidding farewell to his mother to live in an unheated apartment. He had to hit the piano keys to keep warm and endure his austere father who would tell him to kill himself when he didn't measure up to expectations. This story, of course, is already familiar, and has inspired his two memoirs in English, ``Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story'' and ``Lang Lang: Playing With Flying Keys.''

He said he wanted to inspire people through his books. ``I think that there are many things in the world you can dream of, but you are always afraid that it's a dream. I try to inspire people that everything is possible, and if you believe, you will eventually get it.''But the pianist's ultimate method of communication is, naturally, music. ``It's like you are talking to people or to yourself,'' he said. ``The amazing thing is, it is through that conversation between you and the music, between the composers' creation and your recreation, that you learn a new life… All of those things connect to your soul and help you to cross the barriers. Music is a very powerful art.''

He said he wants to paint different ``music colors'' and moods in each piece. ``Sometimes I like to start with lighter colors and go really light or go in the opposite direction,'' he said. He will be showcasing one of his favorites, Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2, with the La Scala Philharmonic led by maestro Chung Myung-whun in Seoul, Sept. 10.

Read about violinist Chen Xi, Mr. Lang's childhood friend.

Movies Feed on Raw Action

"Rough Cut"

Action movies celebrate the human body twisting in unimaginable ways and engage the audience in the art of primal combat. Here come two films, one about the making of an unconventional action movie, and another that documents stuntmen who help make such films possible.

`Rough Cut’: Stranger than Fiction

Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris’s famous fight scene has made the 1979 film ``Way of the Dragon’’ an action classic. Onscreen duels between top actors sell well, as demonstrated in this year’s box office hits like ``Public Enemy Returns’’ starring maverick actors Sul Kyoung-gu and Jung Jae-young. Another visible trend here is the ``toughening up’’ of melodrama heroes. It seems to have become a rite of passage set by Jang Dong-kun, who proved he’s more than just a pretty face by adopting a thug persona in ``Friend.’’ Joo Jin-mo (``A Love’’) and Song Seung-heon (``Fate’’) followed.

``Rough Cut’’ combines these two marking points, and features two handsome stars kicking and punching each other. So Ji-sup makes a comeback as Gang Pae (which sounds similar to the Korean word for ``thug’’), a gangster that once dreamed of being an actor (the movie doesn’t forget to include a snippet of So playing an extra in the Korean classic ``Green Fish’’). Opportunity comes knocking at the door when he crosses paths with Su Ta (which literally means ``hit with the hand’’ and played by Kang Ji-hwan), a movie star with a reputation of being a thug. After sending another one of his co-stars to the emergency room, desperate Su Ta asks Gang Pae to star in his movie. The real-life thug accepts, but on the condition that the action sequences be real.

Unlike Catherine Breillat’s film about filmmaking ``Sex is Comedy,’’ the two’s off screen animosity fuels the filmmaking process: Su Ta reprimands Gang Pae’s acting skills and calls him a low life scum, while Gang Pae knocks out Su Ta on the set and teases him of making a living mimicking others. Will Su Ta be able to realize the script and beat Gang Pae in the final scene?

The film really tests the fine line between fiction and reality. The tumble in the mud at the end had the two male leads, who are actually really good friends, really punching each other. Despite action schooling, the actors were unable to stick to choreography in the slippery mud.

The fighting aside, the combat in terms of screen presence is also worth watching. So is unforgettable in his role as a gangster who is scary but also very soulful and sexy in his black Armani suits. Kang also brings a freshness from his TV breaks, but So’s radiating charisma outshines him.

After working as assistant director for Kim Ki-duk (who wrote the screenplay), Chang Hoon makes his directorial debut with this fun, experimental film about real action.

``I was like the assistant director to director Bong,’’ joked the director in a recent press preview about the film’s characters, director Bong. Bong wishes to make a believable action movie, but ends up getting one that’s all too real. The movie pokes fun at just about everything in the entertainment business, from the greedy producers to senseless directors and stuck up actresses. But it also sympathizes with stars who are able to enjoy dates and other small pleasures in life.

``Rough Cut’’ has the jarring entertainment factor of ``Fight Club’’ and the crude humor of ``Sex is Comedy,’’ but not without its own original color. It will be interesting to see the future works of director Chang. In theaters Sept. 11. 113 minutes. 15 and over. Distributed by STUDIO 2.0.

`Action Boys’: Art of Stunt

In 2003, ``Ong Bak’’ brought a new martial arts style to the big screen -- Muay Thai without wires. Tony Jaa’s raw, bona fide action redefined how a martial arts movie could be crafted. New in theaters is a film about the nameless men who help make movies like ``Rough Cut.’’

``Action Boys’’ documents the lives of five men, who are among the eight who make it through the hell training of action school. Se-jin must pay off a debt from getting a tattoo of a tiger on his back -- a fortuneteller had told him that his future depends on ``piggybacking a tiger.’’ Jin-seok had become a hair stylist after falling in love with Winona Ryder in ``Edward Scissor Hands’’ but now his best asset is his six-pack abs. Gwi-deok, who is skilled in making freefalls and cars flip over, is constantly collapsing from bridges and horses and recreating car accidents. While his high kick isn’t perfect, Seong-il makes the cut because of his good looks. Moon-cheol, while the youngest of the five, boasts the best skills.

They are action heroes. This documentary that inspires more laughter than reality TV shows and more touching drama than fiction, as the camera follows around the five eccentric men from auditions to dangerous shoots, and moreover, the quiet time of the day when they reaffirm their love for action, which makes the life-risking acts worth it.

Since its appearance at Jeonju International Film Festival this year, the documentary is drawing ticket sales at a fast rate. It will also appear in film festivals in Vancouver, New York and Japan. 110 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by Sang Sang Madang.

`Modern Boy' Opens in October

Director Jung Ji-woo, center, and actors Park Hae-il, left, and Kim Hye-soo appear at a promotional event for the film "Modern Boy" in Seoul, Wednesday. /Yonhap

``Modern Boy'' (모던보이, S. Korea)

Directed by Jung Ji-woo (정지우). Starring Park Hae-il (박혜일), Kim Hye-soo (김혜수).

The critically acclaimed director of ``Happy End'' (starring ``Old Boy'' hero Choi Min-sik and ``Secret Sunshine'' heroine Jeon Do-yeon) brings a dramatic love story set in 1930s Gyeongseong or old Seoul, when Korea was under Japanese colonization (1910-45). With years of pre-production for the period detail, the film also utilizes the most blue screen shoots for computer graphics imagery(CGI) used in a Korean movie.

``In trying to recreate the period, I realized how little remains of the past because Korea was so focused on economic development,'' director Jung Ji-woo told reporters. The film resurrects via CGI the recently burnt down Sungnyemun and other landmarks.

``Unlike the black and white documentaries we're familiar with, 1930s Gyeonseong was a thoroughly modern city, very colorful with neon lights,'' he said, explaining that while it was a time of tragedy, it was also very dynamic with culture thriving and modernization in full gear. Like recent success ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird,'' which is set in the 1940s, this particular period, which had in the past been the subject of depressing documentaries, becomes a backdrop for crafting rich, exciting drama.

``The point here is not making a story about the colonial era but taking a character who could well exist in 2008 and displacing him in the past,'' he said. Park plays the role of a ``modern boy,'' a suave, rich young man who is unaffected by the fact his country was colonized. With his Japanese best friend, he struts around with his fashionable perm and customized linen suits, womanizing while flirting with a civil servant position. One day, however, he becomes mesmerized by a sexy singer/dancer (Kim), and becomes implicated in this mysterious woman's schemes to bomb a building. >>More

Violinist Daishin Kashimoto, Maestro Chung to Take Stage

This is the 18th in a series of interviews with the next generation of classical musicians. ― ED.


A soaring number of Asian musicians can be spotted in major world orchestras, but only a handful of star soloists like Japanese violinist Midori shines through. The future seems bright, however, with the next generation of promising artists like pianist Kim Sun-wook, cellist Han-na Chang and violinist Daishin Kashimoto ― the latter being ``a jewel-like presence,'' according to music critic Lee Chang-song (Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Magazine, September 2007).

Born in London in 1979, Kashimoto started playing the violin at age three. He entered the Juilliard School pre-college in New York as its youngest student (age seven) and continued his studies in Germany, where he is currently based. His accomplishments include winning, the youngest ever in history, of both the 1996 International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition in Vienna and the Marguerite Long-Jacque Thibaud International Competition for Piano and Violin in Paris.

The 29-year-old appears in major concert venues with such conductors as Chung Myung-whun and Lorin Maazel and artists like Mischa Maisky and Yuri Bashmet. He revisits Korea July 29-30 to perform with the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra (APO). Joining him are Maestro Chung, as pianist, and esteemed Chinese cellist Wang Jian for Beethoven's Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C Major, Op. 56.

The Korea Times conducted an email interview with Kashimoto to discuss his thoughts about music.

Q How did you fall in love with the violin?

A ``The reason why I started violin was because of my mother, a pianist. She gave me toys of various instruments when I was small and I chose a toy violin, as it was more fun for me to have things in both hands (bow in one and the instrument in another). My mother loves music and she went to concerts when she was pregnant. So, in a way, I was listening music from that time and unconsciously music has been a part of my life.''

Q What is music to you?

A ``Music is, for me, the only method to deliver all of the human emotions to others beyond differences of culture and languages. It is a precious way to communicate with people without words. Even with the same piece, every time I play the music, I cannot feel the same. Music is a living thing in a way and is essential for humanity.''

Q How does heritage affect your musicality, if any?

A ``I feel that Asian (musicians) have a sensitivity that is unique to Asian people, and I think that it reflects in the music we play. There are many musicians with great talent from Asian countries. This is already becoming recognized in Europe, and I think that people are now paying a lot of attention to Asian musicians. I believe that there will be a time when all this talent will become active on the international stage.''

Q: Welcome back to Korea. What is your impression of the audience here?

A ``I am always inspired by the great energy and power of the Korean people. I think that people in Korea are very passionate and the audience listens to music with great enthusiasm.''

Q The APO brings together top musicians from Asia and the Asian Diaspora. It must be exciting to play with the ensemble.

A ``It is the first time for me to perform with APO, but I have heard from friends it is an excellent orchestra, and that Maestro Chung has been working with them regularly. Therefore, I am very much looking forward to playing with them at the concerts. The most interesting thing for me is the fact that people from different countries in Asia with different backgrounds, education, language and culture are working together to make the music. It is, indeed, a wonderful idea.''

Q What is it like to collaborate with Maestro Chung again?

(photo with maestro Chung, Courtesy of Matthias Creutziger)

A ``I have had opportunities to work with him both at orchestral concerts and chamber music concerts. My recent CD released from Sony BMG was a live recording from a Brahms concert in Dresden (2006) with Staatskapelle Dresden under Maestro's baton. It had been a dream for me to record this repertoire with Maestro Chung. As a conductor, Maestro has incredible concentration.''

Q What are your future plans and dreams?

A ``Personally, I want to have a family someday. Whenever I meet with Maestro Chung, I realize how he is placing importance on his family. It seems to me that the family is a source of passion and a great support for Maestro. I am always touched by his (regard) for his family, and I want to be like him in the future.''

Tickets for the concert at Incheon Multiple Arts Complex, July 29, cost 30,000 won and 50,000 won. Tickets for the performance at Seoul Arts Center on the following night cost from 30,000 won to 100,000 won. Call (02) 518-7343.

After the concerts with APO, Kashimoto will appear at the Salon de Province Music Frestival in France and give a recital in Denmark. In October, the violinist will assume music directorship of a chamber music festival in Himeji, Japan. He hopes musicians from Korea will attend the festival.

Kwon, Sohn to Wed in Sept.

Hallyu star Kwon Sang-woo, 32, announced plans to tie the knot with actress Sohn Tae-young, 28, in an outdoor ceremony at the Shilla Hotel, Sept. 28. Kwon appeared before reporters Friday night at the Seoul Plaza Hotel to confirm the news that had fans and the actors' own management companies in confusion.

Kwon expressed great surprise at the influx of reporters at the press meeting that took place at 9 p.m. at short notice. The actor rose to hallyu stardom through his tough guy role in the TV soap ``Stairway to Heaven'' opposite Choi Ji-woo and recently appeared as a gangster in ``The Fate.'' But in real life, he said he was the one who shed tears after proposing to Sohn with an engagement ring. His fiancee hugged him warmly.

The ``My Tutor Friend'' star met the former Miss Korea earlier this year at a small party with mutual celebrity friends. News of their romance started circulating Wednesday and became the most searched topic on major domestic portals like Naver. Before the press meeting, Kwon verified the engagement through his fan Web site and apologized for the belated announcement. ``Sohn Tae-young is my haven,'' he told reporters, but kept silent to inquiries about a pregnancy.

Sohn is known through several TV melodramas and received acclaim for her role in the film ``The Railroad.'' Netizens are once again gossiping about the screen beauty's dating history. In 2001, she made headlines for dating actor Shin Hyun-joon shortly after splitting with famed songwriter Joo Young-hoon. A so-called love triangle among the three drew much public attention. Sohn again became the talk of the town in 2006 when she got involved with music video director Cool K. She openly expressed the pain of breaking up on a TV talk show last year, saying ``I have lost faith in love.''

Meanwhile, Sohn's sister Hye-im, also a former Miss Korea, was also in the media spotlight after giving birth to a daughter July 9 with her husband, popular pianist/composer Yiruma. The two were married at the same venue Kwon and Sohn plan to marry.

Kim Dong-won, Daxun Zhang Travel New Road With Yo Yo Ma

The double bass and pipa (Chinese lute) bring spontaneous combustion, and the unmistakable quivering of ``chang'' (Korean opera) resounds with the rhythm of Brazilian shakers and dumbeck. It's indefinable, yet deeply rooted with a sense of belonging and culture. It's the Silk Road Ensemble helmed by cellist Yo Yo Ma.

The term ``fusion'' or ``crossover'' is inadequate to describe this international music group, which claws at something deeper and thoroughly intuitive, deconstructing our concept of music and culture. ``Man could hear how the lively dialogue between ancient folklore and contemporary music came together,'' wrote music critic David Koch.

The Korea Times recently met two members of the group who participated in the Silk Road Ensemble's second album ``New Impossibilities'' (Sony BMG): South Korean ``gugak'' (traditional music) artist Kim Dong-won and Chinese double bassist Zhang Daxun.

Kim got involved with the project through Korean composer Kang Joon-il. Kang gave Ma a piece for cello, piano and ``janggo'' (Korean double-headed drum) and specifically asked that Kim play the drum.

A disciple of ``samulnori'' founding father Kim Duk-soo, the 42-year-old teaches at Wonkwang Digital University. One has to wonder how such an artist of wondrous caliber was hidden from the Korean public for so long.

While unable to meet due to scheduling conflicts, both Kim and Zhang spoke affectionately of each other and the Silk Road project.

``Daxun is such a warm, humble person. He really resembles the double bass ― you know, those kind of people that make you feel good just by being around,'' said Kim. ``He pours so much affection into his playing, and I am truly proud of him as a fellow Asian.''

Ma invited Zhang to join the Silk Road Ensemble after hearing him play for just ten minutes backstage. Violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, a founding member of chamber group Ditto, also asked the 26-year-old to join after falling in love with his playing.

If one has the chance to hear him, it is strongly advised to sit by stage left, where the jumbo string is usually found. One can marvel as Zhang's luscious tunes fill in the hollows of the Earth and allow the sound of other instruments to take flight.

``He's wonderful,'' said Zhang, smiling, about Kim. He then did an impression of his ``gugak'' friend's unique vocal technique.

``To share and learn each other's music was really, really eye-opening. All music is folk music,'' he said. Born into a family of double bassists in China, Zhang moved to the United States because its diverse cultures would help him better understand the ``universal language'' of music.

``If you think about the essence of ethnic music, its peculiarity is, ironically, both its source of beauty and hindrance,'' said Kim. The latter is because music becomes set in a traditional pattern that often makes it an acquired taste. But the Silk Road Ensemble, he said, achieves something ``beautiful and extraordinary.''

``It's a liberation of music. These people who don't look like they'll get along come together and make music,'' he said. The Silk Road Ensemble, while still preserving the essence of each culture, establishes a new means of communication. Along the way the artist breaks down his or her own preconceptions of music. ``The classical cello usually delivers soft vibrato, but Yo Yo Ma said he used `crazy vibrato' to create sounds that the cello was not meant to make,'' he said.

Exploring New Horizons

Zhang got to improvise for the first time through the ensemble. ``If the bass is finally to produce a headliner, the instrument can have no better champion,'' wrote the Washington Post regarding the first ever double bassist to champion the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He is very open about music ― he likes tuning into the latest Chinese pop music and plays whimsical jazz pieces on the piano.

While the Silk Road project was something new, Zhang is no stranger to innovation. The scarcity of music for his instrument doesn't seem to be a problem and he is always paving a new path for himself by rearranging string pieces originally written for violin and cello. But fortunately there is an increasing number of contemporary classical music for the double bass, he said.

Kim is also busy making something of his own. In his newly released first solo album ``On the Way'' (Sony BMG), traditional percussion beats are spiced with psychedelic bass guitar tunes and soulful Korean narratives take on a new color when delivered in English.

``One can live comfortably as a traditional musician, by feeding upon what our mothers gave us. But I wanted to do something of my own,'' he said. ``It's like I've finally let go of 20 years' worth of luggage,'' he said about the slim CD that wraps up his entire musical career thus far.

The album was fashioned in a way reminiscent of the hit Irish movie ``Once.'' His good musician friends based in Europe offered to make an album in their spare time and many were impromptu creations. While the music is distinctively Korean, it is fluid enough to seep into the hearts of non-Koreans. "It's an inspiration to make music with him," wrote Ma in the album jacket.

``When we talk about a Silk Road experience, we don't mean simply the cultural exchange brought about by caravans traveling across deserts, but something much broader,'' Ma was quoted as telling The Guardian in September 2007. ``Whether the intercultural development of the tang in Argentina or the transport of indigo dye from India to Cape Verde to the Caribbean, to the term blues to the jeans we wear today, the collaboration and creativity of mini Silk Roads have given birth to some of the most extraordinary cultural evolutions,'' he said.

Asia has seen exciting cross border endeavors like the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra led by maestro Chung Myung-whun, which will perform July 29-30 in Korea.

Another venture delves deep into Asia's colorful cultural identity. In December, the Korea-ASEAN (Assoc. of South East Asian Nations) Folk Orchestra will be officially launched at the summit meeting in Thailand. The state-sponsored project is hoped to give way to more artistic activities in the tradition of the Silk Road Ensemble.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/07/135_27605.html

Indulge in Imaginative Operas on Small Stages

The Seoul Opera Ensemble is staging “Mozart and Salieri” as part of its opera festival at the National Theater of Korea through July 27. / Courtesy of Seoul Opera Ensemble

Last month, the Seoul Opera Ensemble Company staged a hip version of Verdi's ``Rigoletto'' at the Towol Theater, Seoul Arts Center. Such small stages will continue to host operas that flirt with experimental structures and bring audiences closer to the genre.

The Small Theater Opera festival, currently ongoing through July 27 at the National Theater of Korea, features rare-to-see pieces such as Rimsky-Korsakov's ``Mozart and Salieri.'' The work dramatizes the supposedly fatal rivalry between the two composers in 18th-century Vienna, and inspired the critically acclaimed Milos Forman movie ``Amadeus'' (1984).

Accompanying the show are works by the Mozart and Salieri themselves, ``Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario)'' and ``Prima la musica e poi le parole (Music Comes Before Speech),'' respectively. At the time, it is said that the emperor assigned the two to write an opera about the birth of opera, and Salieri's piece was preferred over Mozart's satirical criticism of the corrupt music scene.

Tickets for each opera cost from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. Call (02) 6223-5312 or visit www.seoulopera.org. Located near Dongguk University station, line 3, exit 6.

While Seoul Arts Center prepares for its Opera Theater's reopening in mid-December with ``The Nutcracker,'' the Towol Theater will continue to resound with operatic arias. The National Opera of Korea invites first-time opera-goers and avid fans to watch Bizet's Spanish love story ``Carmen'' July 23-Aug. 1.

Tickets cost from 10,000 won to 50,000 won Students and children can receive special discounts up to 50 percent, with the lowest reservation price costing 5,000 won. Call (02) 586-5282.

In August, Seoul Arts Center presents Mozart's ``The Magic Flute'' from Aug. 9 to 24. This is part of the center's annual best-selling summer vacation treat for families. The fantastic visuals and storyline featuring nymphs and singing flutes will captivate children and adults alike. Under the baton of Christopher Lee from Austria, the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra and the country's top singers will deliver a night of magic with the stellar Queen of the Night aria.

Tickets cost 30,000 won to 50,000 won. Call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr (Korean and English). The center is located near Nambu Bus Terminal station, subway line 3, exit 5.

Chin Unsuk's "Alice in Wonderland" on DVD

In the meantime, local fans will finally be able to appreciate an original opera at home. South Korea's feted composer Chin Unsuk's ``Alice in Wonderland'' is now available on DVD (Eklasse).

Lewis Carroll's classic story is brought to life with Chin's dreamy music, Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang's poignant libretto and Kent Nagano's fine-tempoed interpretation. It debuted last year at Munich's Bayerische Staatspoer (Bavarian State Opera) with maestro Nagano at the baton, and now everyone can experience the performance. The opera was listed in the Los Angeles Times' ``Best of 2007'' and named ``World Premiere of the Year'' by European critics in Opernwelt magazine.

Deliciously surreal and hypnotizing, Alice's adventure is thoroughly deconstructed through multimedia creations inspired by pantomime, theater and musical. It is at once fascinating and thought-provoking as our protagonist asks the undying question: ``Who in the world am I?'' Soprano Sally Mathews delivers arias with restrained drama and deep tones while she speaks the lines with a childish purr.

Particularly striking is the scene with the smoking Caterpillar, brought to life by a bass clarinet soloist. The opera production seems to be an audiovisual materialization of the composer's musicality ― her greatest muses being dreams, light and color.

In English with Korean, French, German and Italian subtitles. Chin herself spent six months translating the libretto into her native tongue. On sale at major record shops and bookstores. Call (031) 911-5613.

Boy Soldier's Diary Testifies Human Strength

This book gave way to a most beautiful "inyeon" or friendship with the author, Dr. Park.


"Diary of a Boy Soldier"
"소년병의 일기" (문학)
Munhak: 230 pp., 10,000 won

Various works in literature depict the reality of war in modern history. But rarely do we see such a vivid and thorough record such as Park Myung-kun's ``Diary of a Boy Soldier'' (Munhak: 230 pp., 10,000 won), a journal he kept on a day-to-day basis as a teenage corporal during the Korean War (1950-53). More than just a valuable historical record, it is a testimony to the human spirit and its strength to survive.

Before taking us to the battlefield, Park introduces early 20th-century Korea under Japanese colonial rule. The joy of liberation (1945) and finally being able to read and write in Korean at school were short-lived, however. The inter-Korean conflict broke out in the summer of 1950, and Park was forever separated from his family, ``not knowing it would be my last farewell… not having had a chance to hold their hand or hug goodbye like they would nowadays.'' After surviving the war, he would fulfill his childhood plans to become a doctor and immigrate to the United States. Now, aged 73, the retired professor lives in Texas.

Doctor Park Myung-kun, top left, was 17 years old when he served in the South Korean armed forces 1950-52. He chronicled the 20 months in a diary./ Courtesy of Munhak

Park's story stretches across important moments and places in modern Korean history, from colonization all the way to the Korean Diaspora. Moreover, it is an extraordinary tale of endurance ― both physical and moral.

Born in North Korea in 1934, Park was ``the baby of the family,'' he told The Korea Times in a recent e-mail interview. Communists took away his eldest brother and his family had no news of his other brother who was studying in Seoul. As the only son at the time, Park said he felt a ``duty to take revenge'' and voluntarily joined the 6th division of the South Korean army at the tender age of 16. They were recruiting North Korean youths who could speak the northern dialect, and one entry shows how soldiers sometimes had difficulty communicating.

Park and others joined the armed forces completely untrained, except for some basic knowledge of handling rifles. ``I was in a way forced to be brave, although deep in my heart, I was scared most of the time,'' he explained in the interview. The harsh reality of war was omnipresent, and four comrades were killed just a few days into his military life. No one is to be trusted at the front, where the enemy hired toddlers to poison soldiers.

He said one of the most terrifying moments was when he had to flee an attack barefoot on a snowy day ― his boots were too large and were more of a hindrance. Fortunately, he had an extra pair of socks.

Surviving on the Front

Early entries trace the route of Park's infantry. He smartly kept track by locating the address signs of abandoned houses. We see how these young men made their way through rough times, taking whatever they could, like toothpaste in abandoned houses, and catching fish using grenades. The helmet doubled as washing bowls, food bowls and even pillows. Unable to bathe or change, lice would add to the discomfort.

While striking in factual detail, the diaries are marked by a sense of detachment. About six months into warfare, Park writes about being bothered by the stench of rotting corpses. When asked if the sight shocked him, he said: ``Perhaps I had become insensitive about death... I got used to seeing dead bodies. I knew that if I died, my body may become like one of these bodies but I did not want to think about it much.

``This was when I was on the very front line where life meant very little. Frankly, I did not feel many emotions those days. Having an emotion or deep thought was a luxury. When you know you may disappear from this world at any minute, the only thing you have is the basic instinct of survival,'' he said, adding that emotional detachment is perhaps a ``protective mechanism'' that enables people to ``endure unimaginable hardships.''

What is most remarkable about the diary is that Park managed to write almost everyday. ``I did not want to stop (writing the diary), because even though I was not certain if I would be alive the next day, there still was a thin line of hope that I could survive the war and show my parents the diary,'' he said.

He further explained in the interview that he had a good fountain pen and was able to obtain good quality paper from an empty house. ``There was always a quiet moment even on difficult days,'' and he often grabbed a minute before dark using candlelight.

Doctor Park, top left, poses with fellow soldiers near Nakdong River in Gupo, Busan, May 1952. Courtesy of Munhak

The diary entries chronicling his 20 months as a soldier (1950-52) are laid out with additional notes. Archaic or dialectic terms were changed, and some names were switched, in which case there are explanations.

Less than a year on the frontline, Park suffered a wound below his knee and was hospitalized for several months in what used to be a school building. The entries become more introspective as he spends each day listlessly, reading novels or watching movies to chase away the loneliness.

His longing for family would peak on holidays like Chuseok (Thanksgiving) and when other patients would have visitors. Occasionally Catholic nuns would stop by on an evangelistic mission. One touching entry is about mouth-watering persimmons. Usually visitors would share food with neighboring patients, but Park was unfortunately two beds away. Ever since, he would indulge in the sweet fruit whenever he could and even grew a persimmon tree in the yard of his U.S. home.

Meanwhile, fear of being crippled by the knee seized him, but the possibility of being discharged from military service also boggled him: what lay ahead for an ``orphaned'' 17-year-old? But he would recover and return to the army. Yet the ruthless cruelness from senior soldiers would strengthen his determination to leave and become a doctor. As a young boy living in a Stalinist state, he realized early on that doctors had comparatively more freedom.

Becoming an American Doctor

But all was not lost for Park. Though devastated to learn that his parents and nephews were unable to cross down to the South, he reunited with his sister and brother. He went back to school and made what he calls a ``miraculous'' entry to Seoul National University medical school. During his residency, he was encouraged to apply for the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates program, which granted him residency in America.

When asked about pursuing medicine, he said, ``I thought my experience in the army would pull me through the long duration of medical school. I believe my experience of hardship during my military service gave me confidence, taught me to be patient, and to work hard for whatever I chose to do.''

The doctor arrived in the United States in 1962, and obtained his pediatrics degree after years of struggling with English and a tight budget. He met his Korean wife, a schoolteacher. In 1991, he won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and in 2005 he received a special honor from the Seoul National University medical school alumni association.

Park wishes to tell young people one thing: ``Do not be disheartened by reality, but don't be satisfied by reality, either. Always dream big and make constant effort to achieve it. Heaven helps those who help themselves.''

'Red Cliff': Megastars Bring Mega Action

"Red Cliff" ("Chi Bi 적벽대전," South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan)

Directed by John Woo. Starring Tony Leung (양조위), Takeshi Kaneshiro (금성무), Chang Chen (장첸).

Finally. Asian cinema sees the birth of a movie with the grandeur ― in both budget and inspiration ― of epic franchises like ``The Lord of the Rings.'' ``Mission Impossible II'' and
``Face/Off'' helmer John Woo brings ``Red Cliff'' (``Chi Bi'' in Chinese), a pulsating, two-part battle flick based on the historical tome ``The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.''

To drive up the heat, it stars not one but three iconic actors: Tony Leung (``Lust, Caution''), Takeshi Kaneshiro (``House of Flying Daggers'') and Chang Chen (``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'').

This $80 million co-production by South Korea's Showbox/Mediaplex is yet another story about the three warring ancient Chinese states. Recently, there was another domestic production geared for a pan-Asian audience, ``Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon'' with Andy Lau and Maggie Q. ``Red Cliff'' not only satisfies those who grew up reading the novel, but will also appeal to a wider audience.

One thinks of the term: ``man's reach exceeds his grasp.'' The efforts of the director to push on ― even after surpassing the original budget halfway through the shoot and pouring every penny of his own funds into the project ― bear fruit because the movie is built upon a strong foundation. A classic story comes to life through a beautiful, well crafted mise-en scene with memorable characters and a believability that stems from a delicious mix of realism and fantasy. >>More

Read about "Red Cliff 2"
Read about the film's Asian Premiere in Seoul