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PREVIEWS+

ADAM LAMBERT—LIVE IN SEOUL

Uniqlo AX Feb 17, 7pm 119,000 won T. 02-407-2589 Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

American singer-songwriter Adam Lambert performs for the first time in Korea in February. The runner-up in the eighth season of American Idol, Lambert’s career has blossomed with the release of his 2012 studio album Trespassing, featuring hits like the title track “Trespassing” and “Never Close Our Eyes.” The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart, a first for an openly gay artist in the United States.

PATTI SMITH—1ST LIVE IN SEOUL

Uniqlo AX Feb 2, 7pm 110,000 won
T. 02-563-7110 Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

The Goddess of Punk comes to Korea for the first time ever. The Chicago-born artist first gained attention in the 1970s when her creative combination of poet lyrics fused with rock lit the musical world alight. In 2011, she was even listed in TIME magazine’s “World’s 100 Most Influential People.” Even today she’s still going strong, releasing her 11th album, Banga, in June 2012.

THEE OH SEES—FIRST LIVE SHOW IN SEOUL

KT&G Sangsang Madang Feb 24, 6:30pm 40,000 won (35,000 won in advance) roundx2.net@gmail.com www.roundx2.net [ Map 7 E2]

The San Francisco-based pop band Thee Oh Sees is holding a concert in Korea for the first time on Feb 24. The band is noted for its prolific album releases as well as its energetic live shows, featuring Dwyer on guitar and vocals, Brigid Dawson on vocals and tambourine, Petey Dammit on bass, and Mike Shoun on drums. In 2007–8, the band released two hit albums under the German Tomlab label. Thee Oh Sees returned in September 2012 with Putrifiers II, an album combining Castlemania’s fractured pop sensibilities and Carrion Crawler/ The Dream's ferocious rock experimentation.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE—LIVE IN SEOUL

Uniqlo AX Feb 3, 7pm 110,000 won T. 02-332-3277
Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

Famous for its part in creating the “shoegazing” sound, My Bloody Valentine has had a long and illustrious history. Formed in Dublin way back in 1983, the band spent a long period being inactive from the early 1990s to 2007. Since then, the band has given several international performances, and it is even— allegedly— preparing to launch a third album. If My Bloody Valentine’s unique blend of digital reverb, pitch bending, and distortion is to your liking—or if you’ve never heard it before and want to find out more—make sure you book tickets to see them at Uniqlo AX (former AX-Korea) on February 3.

BEN FOLDS FIVE—THE 1ST LIVE IN SEOUL

Uniqlo AX Feb 24, 6pm 110,000 won T. 02-563-0595 Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

An alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Ben Folds Five is making its first appearance in Korea with a Feb 24 concert. Consisting of lead vocalist Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge, and percussionist Darren Jessee, the group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie, and pop music scenes. The band is best known for the hit single "Brick" from their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen, which gained airplay on many mainstream radio stations. Though disbanded in 2000, the trio reunited in 2008, releasing a new album titled The Sound of the Life of the Mind.

RACHAEL YAMAGATA—LIVE IN SEOUL

Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans Univ. Feb 23–24, 7pm 88,000 won T. 02-3143-5156 www.s2enter.com [ Map 6 C1]

American singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata is coming to Seoul, hoping to expand her fan base here following her notable success of concert tours in Korea last year. This time, she will cater to her younger, more devoted fans, performing at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall on Feb 23 and 24. Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago group Bumpus and spent six years touring, writing, and recording with the band before leaving in 2001 to begin a solo career. Her songs have appeared on numerous television shows and she has collaborated with other musicians, including Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals, and Ray Lamontagne.

MARIO GIACOMELL—THE BLACK IS WAITING FOR THE WHITE

The Museum of Photography, Seoul Thru Feb 24 Free T. 02-418-1315 www.photomuseum.or.kr Mongchontoseong Station 몽촌토성역 (Line 8), Exit 2. The gallery is located on the 19th floor of Hanmi Tower

The Museum of Photography, Seoul is celebrating its 10th anniversary in a special exhibit featuring the late Italian artist Mario Giacomelli (1925–2000). Titled The Black is Waiting for the White. the retrospective show runs till Feb. 24. Giacomelli is often referred to as an artist who pursued poetry-like photography and wrote photo-like poems, too. The exhibit is the domestic premier of Giacomelli’s artwork and displays 220 photos spanning his entire career, as well as publications produced during his lifetime and the Museum's Giacomelli collection. The venue is located in Bangi-dong, southeastern Seoul.

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Feb 28, 8pm / Mar 1, 7pm R: 350,000 won, S: 250,000 won, A: 180,000 won, B: 120,000 won, C: 70,000 won T. 02-599-5743 www.sac.or.kr Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

Following its resounding success here in early 2012, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is returning to Korea for a two-day concert program dated Feb 28 and March 1. Under the skillful baton of Dutch maestro Bernard Haitink, the orchestra will present Benjamin Britten’s "Four Sea” interludes, Mozart’s piano concerto No. 17, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 on the first day. The second-day program will be devoted to Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 2 and Anton Bruckner’s symphony No. 9, featuring the seasoned pianist Maria Joao Pires as a collaborator.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Feb 6–7, 8pm R: 360,000 won, S: 280,000 won, A: 200,000 won, B: 130,000 won, C: 70,000 won T. 1577-5266 www.clubbalcony.com Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a hallmark American orchestra once headed by maestro Daniel Barenboim, will be invited to Korea for two concert engagements on Feb 6 and 7. Its current resident music director Riccardo Muti is set to captivate the local audience with a program that includes Busoni’s suite from Trandot, Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Verdi's Overture to I Vespri siciliani, Mendolssohn's Symphony No. 4 Italian, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 Eroica. Founded in 1891, the symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival.

ART ACROSS AMERICA

Charles Demuth, Welcome to Our City, 1921, Oil on canvas, 63.8 x 51.1 cm .
Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1993.3
Photography©Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago

National Museum of Korea Feb 5–May 19 12,000 won T. 02-2077-9000 www.museum.go.kr Take the underpass at Ichon Station 이촌역 (Jungang Line, Line 4). [ Map 8 A3]

This exhibition is organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the National Museum of Korea, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Terra Foundation for American Art. This exhibition is made possible by the Terra Foundation for American Art and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities.

A large collection of American paintings and decorative art will travel to Korea for a rare exhibition titled Art Across America. The showcase is designed to offer an in-depth look into America’s fine art tradition, which spans well over 300 years, since precolonial times. Drawn from the collections at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Terra Foundation, the show is due to open at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on Feb 5 and run until May 19. Afterwards, the exhibition will move to the Daejeon Museum of Art.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD WINTER GAMES

Pyeongchang (Alpensia Resort and Yongpyong Resort) & Gangneung (Indoor Ice Rink) Jan 29–Feb 6 T. 033-339-0000 www.2013sopoc.org * More details at www.korea4expats.com

The Special Olympics World Winter Games 2013 will take place Jan 29 through Feb 6 in Pyeongchang, the hub of Korea’s winter sports and the venue for the 2018 Winter Olympics. About 3,300 athletes and officials from some 120 countries will compete in seven events such as alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey. Targeting both children and adults with mental disabilities, the global sporting event has been held every two years since 1968 and alternates between summer and winter editions. The winter version was introduced in 1977. The Games aims to bring a number of important issues to the forefront of international discussion and provides invaluable support for intellectually disabled individuals throughout the world, making a positive impact in countless lives.

STOKER

Dir. PARK Chan-wook Release date: February

Park Chan-wook broke out of his comfort zone for his English-language debut Stoker. He is widely known for plumbing the depths of human depravity in the cult classic Oldboy and the vampire tale Thirst. His films definitely have an unsettling factor, but they’re so captivating. Based on a script penned by actor Wentworth Miller (Prison Break), Stoker is complete with some creepy and stark imagery, evoking a feeling of Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. Stoker follows the story of an eccentric teen, India (Mia Wasikowska). After India’s father dies in a car crash, her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). Soon after his arrival, she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

THE LAST STAND

Dir. KIM Ji-woon Release date: Feb 21

Korean director Kim Ji-woon’s first English-language feature The Last Stand is to be released in Korea on Feb 21, following its US opening last month. Written by Andrew Knauer, The Last Stand is an action thriller about a US sheriff trying his darndest to stop the leader of a drug cartel from reaching the Mexican border. Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger takes the lead for the first time since Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Kim has found success with a variety of films and film genres, including A Tale of Two Sisters (horror), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (western), and I Saw the Devil (revenge).

PINK MARTINI CONCERT

Seoul Arts Center Mar 20, 8pm R: 120,000 won, S: 90,000 won, A: 50,000 won T. 02-599-5743 www.sac.or.kr Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

Pink Martini, the famed “little orchestra” group from the US, will give a concert in Seoul on March 20. The 12-member band draws inspiration from music from all over the world, thus creating a repertoire that skillfully blends classical, jazz, and old-fashioned pop. Likewise, the band performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. The Portland-based band is characterized by its signature eclectic, acousticoriented sounds and is often associated with the neoswing trend of the 1990s. While most neo-swing acts favored a combination of jump blues and early rock & roll, the diverse Pink Martini have offered a risk-taking blend of jazz (mainly swing), world music, cabaret, lounge, and classical film music.

GRIMES CONCERT

Rolling Hall Mar 23 54,000 won (45,000 won in advance) scstickets@gmail.com http://supercolorsuper.com [ Map 7 F1]

Toronto native Claire Boucher, who goes by the stage name Grimes, will steal the limelight in a Seoul concert. Her music has been noted for its atypical combination of vocal elements as well as a wide array of influences, ranging from industrial and electronic to pop, hip-hop, R&B, noise rock, and even medieval music. The experimental Grimes draws upon vastly different influences and creates a mystical sound and feel with her haunting vocals. Grimes’ live show is sonically and visually appealing, with infectious beats, dancers, and improvisation. Don’t miss her live concert in Korea, where she will be appearing with her new setup, a full band.

THE SCRIPT—LIVE IN SEOUL

Uniqlo AX Mar 27, 8pm 110,000 won T. 02-332-3277 Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

The biggest Irish band since U2 comes to Korea for the first time ever. So much has changed for the Script since they released their first album four years ago. First they broke into Ireland and Britain; then the States; then everywhere from Asia to South Africa. Along the way, they toured with U2, Take That, and Paul McCartney, sailed through the second-album syndrome that sinks so many bands, played to a 55,000-strong crowd at an historic hometown show in Dublin, amassed almost four million followers on Facebook and 1.5 million on Twitter, and saw their singer star on TV talent show The Voice. Their music has been featured in popular television programs such as 90210, Ghost Whisperer, The Hills, Waterloo Road, East Enders, Made in Chelsea, and The Vampire Diaries.

JULIO IGLESIAS CONCERT

Gymnasium No. 1, Olympic Park Apr 9, 8pm VIP: 220,000 won, FR: 190,000 won, R: 160,000 won, S: 120,000 won, A: 90,000 won T. 02-407-2589 www.ehyundai.com Olympic Park Station 올림픽공원역 (Line 5), Exit 3

Globally-touted Spanish singer Julio Iglesias is returning to Korea for a concert in April. Blessed with a powerful voice and a gift for communicating with the audience, Iglesias is one of the most popular and enduring figures in the history of Latin music. He has sold over 300 million albums worldwide and remains a popular concert draw and chart-topping recording artist with a long-spanning career. The height of his success was during the 1970s and 1980s. Among his best-known songs are “Hey”, “Non Stop”, “Starry Night”, “Calor”, and “Crazy”. His duets with Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder all topped the charts.

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