As June has arrived, a lot of Kingos might be waiting for summer to come, so that they can enjoy the warmth of the sun. Some Kingos might be writing down their “to do” lists full of exciting challenges for the upcoming vacation. Then, how about fueling the passion while enjoying the arts? The Sungkyun Times (SKT) now introduces a movie and an exhibition recommended for Kingos to enjoy in June, along with a book and music that will stimulate their passions!
Movie: Shine
The movie Shine was released in 1996 and was re-released in 2016 in Korea to celebrate its 20th anniversary. It is a musical film that shows the life of an Australian pianist, David Helfgott. David Helfgott shows signs of genius in the field of music at a young age. Unfortunately, he loses his chance to go to the Royal School of Music in England and to be on stage abroad due to the firm refusal of his father. In the end, David leaves home to fulfill his dreams. After playing Rachmaninoff Piano Symphony No. 3, however, he becomes so into the music that he eventually loses his mind. Even when David is in a mental institution, he never loses his passion for music. At last, he is reborn as a true pianist after overcoming numerous adversities. Shine gives two messages to the audience. The first message is to have something to be passionately crazy about. David did everything he could do to pursue the music which he loved. The SKT hopes Kingos will have an opportunity to be crazy about anything that they love as well, even forgetting about being hungry or sleepy or about the time passing by while doing it. Another
message is that everyone has their own time to shine. As it can be inferred from the title, Shine shows the brightest moment in the life of David. The film sends out a message that everyone, just like David, can have a bright moment in their lives and must hold on tight to the thing that makes them shine.
Exhibition: The Art of Aardman Animation: Wallace & Gromit & Friends
The exhibition to visit in June would be The Art of Aardman Animation: Wallace & Gromit & Friends. Aardman Animations is a clay animation company in England that makes people reminisce about the sensitivity of analog in the middle of the digital era. With popular animations such as “Wallace and Gromit,” “Chicken Run,” and “Shawn the Sheep,” it introduced clay animation to the world and also to Korea. The exhibition will be held in Seoul, following its time in France, Germany, and Melbourne, with 372 works and various photo zones. At the exhibition, visitors can get a chance to take a look at the entire production process of clay animations, from drawing sketches to giving life to two-dimensional characters, which makes them three-dimensional. Furthermore, visitors can enjoy feature-length animations as well as short animations which were hard to find in Korea. Even unreleased video clips are screened for the visitors. For Kingos who have the experience of playing with clay as a child, The Art of Aardman Animation: Wallace & Gromit & Friends will surely take them back to their childhood memories.
Book: The Moon and Sixpence
The book The Moon and Sixpence written by William Somerset Maugham is motivated by the life of Paul Gauguin, a representative post-impressionist. After it was published in 1919, it was praised as an outstanding work of a genius artist who had pursued truth and artistic value. Even though there are some fictional settings, the main character Charles Strickland lives a life quite similar to that of Gauguin whose life was the inspiration for the plot. Charles Strickland is a wealthy stockbroker with a loving family. He is, however, in agony hesitating between his current life and his childhood dream to become an artist. Finally, he heads to Paris to make his dream come true. In Paris, Charles lives in poverty compared to his old life, but he meets a painter named Dirk Stroeve who recognizes his talent. With the support of Dirk, Charles finally gets closer to his dream. Interestingly, the words used in the title, the “moon” and “sixpense,” never appear within the book. This was perhaps to leave an opportunity for the reader to figure out the meaning of the title. There are lots of interpretations, but the most reliable one is that the moon symbolizes the passion in Charles for art, while the sixpence symbolizes the desire for a stable and affluent life. In The Moon and Sixpence, Charles struggles between his passion for dream and reality, and he ultimately decides to follow the “moon.” There is no answer as to whether the moon is the right choice or the sixpence is. The SKT recommends the book The Moon and Sixpence hoping that Kingos will not exclude the choice of “moon” just because it seems too far away to catch.
Music: Jump
Recommended music for Kingos in June is Jump by Kim Dong-ryul. Kim Dong-ryul is a singer who belongs to a group called Verandah Project and is known as a representative ballad artist in Korea. Since his debut in 1993, his unique songs have been loved for a long time because of his comforting mood and voice. Jump is loved by many people especially for its lyrics. Among others, the lyrics “Now, I want to wake myself up. Let us just run somewhere” appears most frequently and shows the theme of the song. Through these lyrics, Jump gives a message that even though there seems no obvious result ahead, it is important to set a goal and run for it. Moreover, there is a remake version by the Korean indie band J Rabbit, which is also loved by lots of people for being just as good as the original version. The lyrical voice of J Rabbit fits well with the mood of Jump, so the SKT recommends both versions. The SKT hopes the Kingos will fill their June with passion and joy by listening to Jump.
