Taking a break from work is a must in everybody's life. A boring lifestyle or a hectic one, loaded with assignments and part time jobs, makes everyone crave for an exit where she or he can relieve stress and have some fun. But this urge is not enough to make things happen without money, a lack of which always stands in the way. Since 2004, EBS Space, has tried to put an end to such worries and offers Seoulites a quality cultural life for free.
EBS Space, located on the 1st floor of the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) Building, is a space to satisfy the visual and audio senses.
There is a concert hall for performances (opened in April 1, 2004) which holds concerts from Monday through Friday and features both domestic and foreign musicians of diverse genres like New Age, Classical, Jazz, Crossover, and World Music. Musicians who have performed previously include The Indigo, a Japanese Pop Duo, and Yiruma, a New Age pianist.
There is also an open art exhibition in the building lobby which changes its theme every three weeks. "With the purpose of promoting pure art, we exhibit art pieces with themes that the public can easily become friendly with," says Park Jae-kyung, the director of Naraspace, who is also involved in the EBS Space exhibition.
EBS Space was created with the purpose of bringing culture and art closer to the public, and also bringing pop culture up to a higher standard. Since the concerts are free of charge, EBS Space serves as a partial solution to the chronic problem in show business of under-the-table-negotiations and the exchange of money leading to decisions on the staging of artists. With commercial purposes absent, various artists can have the opportunity to play their music and the audience can have the opportunity to taste the diverse colors of music.
Check out what kind of concerts are on stage by visiting the website, (http://www.ebsspace.com) and sign up for the concerts you are interested in five days in advance. You will receive a text message if you are invited to the concert. Yoo So-young (Law, 3) says, "The concerts at EBS Space are of very high quality, which is why I trust them and sign up for them. Also, since the concert hall is small and cozy (with 150 seats), I love the way how the musicians and the audience can become one." With programs such as that of EBS Space, money does not have to be an obstacle that stops you from swaying to the flow of music at a concert or absorbing art work at an art exhibition. To get to EBS Space, take subway line 3 and get off at Maebong Station, Exit 3.