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안녕하세요 Claire Lee 기자입니다.

Articles by Claire Lee

New biography of C.S. Lewis explores the man behind ‘Narnia’

BooksApr 11, 2013

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Mere Christianity” and “The Screwtape Letters,” was far from a perfect human being, and, Christian that he was, would have been the first to admit it.Nonetheless, in a new biography of the writer and scholar, Alister McGrath quickly piles up good reasons for a reader to like Lewis. The writer disliked denominational squabbling and literary theory; he stood in favor of animals, alcohol and reading old books.To the tip the scales e
Lev Dodin shares passion for Chekhov

BooksApr 11, 2013

It’s been more than a century since Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) died, but his works dominate the life of Russian theater director Lev Dodin. “I don’t think of Chekhov as a dead man,” said the Russian director at a press conference on Tuesday, promoting Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” he brought to Seoul. “I always talk to Chekhov. His works are what give me the joy of creating art. I feel like he is still very much present in the contemporary world.”This is Dodin’s second time staging Chekhov’s work in
Poet Ko appointed honorary fellow at Italian university

PeopleApr 11, 2013

World-acclaimed poet Ko Un has been appointed an honorary fellow at Ca’Foscari University of Venice, the Italian university announced on Thursday.The school, founded in 1868, has been offering courses in Korean studies since 1997, and launched the King Sejong Institute ― Korea’s state-run language institute operating overseas ― on campus last year.The Buddhist monk-turned-poet is the third person to be appointed an honorary fellow for the university, and the first Asian to receive the honor. The
William Forsythe on Foucault’s ’space of otherness’

TheaterApr 10, 2013

The “space of otherness” is what iconoclastic choreographer William Forsythe is bringing to Korea this week with the Korean stage debut of his 2006 work “Heterotopia.”A site-specific dance which requires the audience to move between two rooms on stage, “Heterotopia” explores the theme of language and its interpretation, as well as the meaning of theater as a space. The title of Forsythe’s work is derived from French philosopher Michel Foucalt’s essay “Des Espaces Autres,” which uses the term “He
Korean publishing houses head to London Book Fair

BooksApr 9, 2013

A total of 14 local publishing houses and literary organizations are participating in this year’s London Book Fair, according to the Korean Publishers Association.The participating publishers and organizations include Literature Translation Institute of Korea, Kong & Park, Inc., YeaRimDang Publishing Co., Ltd. and Sakyejul Publishing. The publishers will be exhibiting their books during the festival and seeking opportunities to publish them overseas.LTI Korea and the British Council are also joi
Mishmash of dances comes to Gangdong

TheaterApr 8, 2013

Seoul’s Gangdong Arts Center, one of the major venues for dance, is holding its annual festival featuring a total of 19 works of diverse genres ― including ballet, modern, and traditional Korean dance.The festival celebrates its second edition this year, featuring the works of more than 45 local dance companies. The participating troupes include the Universal Ballet Company, Kook Soo-ho’s Didim Dance Company and the Seoul Ballet Theatre.Three performances open this year’s edition. One of the thr
Socially-conscious plays dominate theater fest schedule

TheaterApr 7, 2013

The annual Seoul Theater Festival unveiled its line-up for this year’s edition, featuring a number of works delving into socially-conscious subject matters including bullying, poverty, and the experiences of migrant women. First established in 1979, the performing arts bash celebrates its 34th anniversary this year. A total of eight works have been included in its official line-up this year, while 36 works have been featured in four different unofficial sections.Among the eight works in the offi
‘Evil Dead’ remake is a humorless gorefest

FilmApr 5, 2013

Relentless, pitiless, bloody and intense ― that’s the remake of Sam Raimi’s “The Evil Dead.”But is this “Evil Dead” (they dropped the “The” in the title) any good? Yes and no. It has several genuinely hair-raising moments and presents, for your edification and enjoyment, some of the most graphic horror violence ever presented on the screen.But Fede Alvarez’s homage to the original “Cabin in the Woods” tale lacks the offhanded goofiness, the brittle jokes ― visual and otherwise ― of young people,
Book builds on masterful world

BooksApr 4, 2013

AngelopolisBy Danielle Trussoni(Viking)John Milton, the 17th-century writer and poet, is perhaps most responsible for giving Satan and his rebel angels celebrity status. In “Paradise Lost,” Milton imagines the fallen angels as “all monstrous, all prodigious things,” presenting them as the heroes of his epic work explaining humanity’s fall from grace and justifying “the ways of God to man.” From the novels in Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series to films like “The Matrix,” Milton’s masterp
Americans caught in Great Recession undertow

BooksApr 4, 2013

In the official estimation of government economists, the Great Recession ended in 2009. But in Barbara Garson’s new book, it lives on. And for the people whose stories she tells, the Great Recession may never die.“They didn’t retire, and they didn’t find jobs,” Garson writes, describing the four New York professionals whose stories open “Down the Up Escalator: How the 99% Live in the Great Recession.” They call themselves “The Pink Slip Club.” It’s a group that never loses any members, because n
Poet finds new muse

BooksApr 4, 2013

Atlanta poet Collin Kelley was at a London gallery in 2010, taking in a retrospective of photographer Sally Mann, when he was gobsmacked by something in the Virginia-born artist’s otherworldly, black-and-white images. He saw eerie parallels to his own work ― the poetry he’d set aside years earlier to focus on writing fiction.He had a collection of poems that had been “kind of floating around” since 2008, enough for a book. He’d given it a couple of titles, combined different poems, changed the s
Bolshoi Ballet Academy to open Korean branch

TheaterApr 4, 2013

The Bolshoi Ballet Academy plans to open its Korea branch in Songdo International Business District, a new city built on reclaimed land on the west coast of Incheon.The Russian institution, one of the oldest and best-known schools for classical ballet, reportedly signed an MOU with Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority in Moscow to open a Korea branch. Local ballet troupe Universal Ballet Company told The Korea Herald that it was collaborating with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in creating the progr
Ballerina beguiling as Hindu temple dancer

TheaterApr 4, 2013

Ballet dancer Lee Eun-won achieved a lot of things early in her life. Undoubtedly one of the most stellar dancers in the local ballet scene, Lee was only 18 when she joined the Korean National Ballet as an apprentice in 2010. She made her lead debut as Marie in the “Nutcracker” in the same year, and was promoted to prima ballerina in 2012 ― just two years after her debut. In spite of her principal dancer title, the 21-year-old is still the youngest member of the company. Her talent was obvious t
Herald Webtoon Contest announces winners

TheaterApr 3, 2013

A webtoon about a young woman and her domestic helper has won the top prize at the first Herald Webtoon Contest, organized by the Herald Corporation. The winner, Seung Jeong-yeon, will receive 15 million won ($13,000) in prize money.Titled “Your House Helper,” Seung’s piece tells the story of Mi-rae, who lives in her boyfriend’s house while he’s on a long-term business trip to New York. She is insecure about their relationship and is afraid that he’ll leave her for his attractive ex. The story d
Webtoons in process of evolution

TheaterApr 3, 2013

Aspiring webtoon artists should be conscious of future smart devices and how they work, famed cartoonist Lee Doo-ho said. The artist, best known for his 1984 iconic work “Taoist Mutul,” was the chief judge of the first Herald Webtoon Contest, organized by the Herald Corporation. He selected a total of 14 winners among the 160 contestants.“I’ve been working with hard copies and books for most of my life,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. “But those who are working in today’s cartoo