Theater
 

“Gone with the Wind”: After a Seoul run, the Korean rendition of the French musical “Gone with the Wind” will tour major cities including Busan, starting March 17 at Busan Citizen’s Hall. Based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel of the same name and its 1939 film adaptation, the musical premiered in Paris in 2003. The touring production stars Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and singer-turned-musical actress Bada as Scarlett O’Hara, opposite actor Joo Jin-mo and musical star Kim Bap-lae as Rhett Butler. For details, call 1577-3363.

“Kyung-sook, Kyung-sook’s Father”: Set in the post Korean War, the award-winning play centers on a family, consisting of the father, who leaves the family at the outbreak of the war, the mother, who loves and hates her husband, and their daughter Kyung-sook. The heartwarming narrative, helmed by award-winning director Park Geun-hyung, was also broadcast as four-episode TV drama series six years ago. The play runs from March 6 to April 26 at the Soohyunjae Theater in Daehangno, Seoul. Tickets are 40,000 won and 25,000 won for students. For more information, call (02) 766-6506.

“Phantom:” An American musical based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel “Phantom of the Opera” is getting a Korean premiere in April, with singer Park Hyo-shin and international soprano Im Sun-hae in the lead roles. Produced by Seoul-based EMK Musical Company, the Korean rendition of “Phantom” will first raise the curtain on April 28 at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul. It will continue through Aug. 2. Ticket costs from 50,000 won to 140,000 won. For details, call (02) 577-6478.

“Dreamgirls”: Korea-U.S. joint production musical “Dreamgirls” is back for its second run in Seoul since 2009. The musical has been adjusted from the original 1981 Broadway version to include famous melodies such as “Listen,” which was also in the 2006 eponymous cinema hit, starring Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson. It’s a story of a young African-American singing trio in the 1960s reaching stardom, overcoming obstacles. “Dreamgirls” runs through May 25 at Charlotte Theater in Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 14,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.

“Notre-Dame de Paris”: The original French production of the musical “Notre-Dame de Paris” is currently touring Korea, marking the 10th anniversary of the show’s Korean premiere in 2006. Based on French writer Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” the musical tells the story of Quasimodo, a hunchback who dwells within Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and falls in love with the beautiful gypsy dancer Esmeralda. The touring show will stop by Ulsan and Gwangju before heading to Busan, where it will run until March 20 at Sohyang Theater. For details, visit www.mastent.co.kr.

“Das Musical: Robin Hood”: The story of Robin Hood, one of the most popular English folk heroes, will be staged as a musical in Korea. Based on the original German production by Andrea Friedrich and Hans Holzbecher, Korean director Wang Yong-beum helms the star-studded musical starring actor Yoo Joon-sang, Yoseob of K-pop idol group Beast, Kyuhyun from idol group Super Junior and musical actor Um Ki-joon. The Korean rendition runs through March 29 at D-Cube Arts Center, which is connected to Sindorim Station. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-7857.

“Once”: The Korean production of “Once” is being staged at Seoul Arts Center. Based on the 2006 film of the same title, the original Broadway musical won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical of the year. For its Korean version, veteran rocker Yoon Do-hyun will play the lead role. He will play Guy, an Irish street musician and vacuum cleaner repairman who falls in love with Girl, a Czech flower seller. Both Yoon and musical actor Lee Chang-hee will play the role, while two emerging musical actresses, Jeon Mi-do and Park Ji-yeon, will play Girl. “Once” continues through March 29 at the 1,000-seat CJ Towol Theater in Seoul Arts Center. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 120,000 won. For details, call (02) 577-1987.

Pop music

“Naturally 7 Live in Korea”: Naturally 7 is an American seven-member male a cappella group that performs a style which the members refer to as “vocal play” ― mimicking instruments with their voices. The group formed in 1999 in New York City but remained relatively unknown before it caught a break, being selected as the opening act for Michael Buble’s ongoing Crazy Love Tour. Naturally 7 will be performing live in Seoul at Blue Square in Yongsan-gu on March 4. Ticket prices range from 77,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Christina Perri The Head of Heart Tour in Seoul”: Christian Perri is an American singer-songwriter known for her 2010 debut single “Jar of Hearts.” The song appeared on the popular dancing reality show “So You Think You Can Dance,” and went on to sell more than 3 million copies worldwide. A year later she released her debut album “Lovestrong” and went on to release her hit single “A Thousand Years.” The song was featured in the Blockbuster film “Breaking Dawn Part 2” of the Twilight Saga. “A Thousand Years” went quadruple platinum. Last year Perri released her second studio album, “Head or Heart.” The singer-songwriter will be giving a special performance, which includes a meet-and-greet session for VIP ticket holders, on March 10. General standing ticket prices are listed at 99,000 won with VIP tickets listed at 154,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Ed Sheeran: Up-and-coming English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is making waves in the music industry as one of the decade’s notable breakthrough artists. In 2011 he released his debut album, “+,” which went certified quintuple platinum in the U.K. The album featured the hit singles “The A Team” and “Lego House” and helped him snag the Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act awards at the 2012 Brit Awards. Earlier this year he released his second album, “X,” and landed himself a Grammy nod for Album of the Year. Sheeran will be performing his first concert in Korea on March 8 at Seoul Olympic Park’s SK Olympic Handball Stadium. Ticket prices are listed at 121,000 won and 143,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Bobby McFerrin: Bobby McFerrin, a 10-time Grammy Award winning jazz and classical vocalist and conductor, is returning to Korea for two solo concerts on March 10-11 at LG Arts Center in Seoul. He will sing songs from his latest album ‘Spirityouall’ as well as some of his hit songs including “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Tickets cost 40,000 to 130,000 won. For details, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

Exhibitions

“The Story of Bohemian Glass”: A special exhibition titled “The Story of Bohemian Glass” features a collection of some 340 glasswork items on loan from Prague National Museum and Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. The rich history of the Czech Republic and Bohemian glass art can be traced through an eclectic series of vases, stained glass, tea sets, jewelry, and sculpture, all crafted from multicolored glass over decades. The display is available at the National Museum of Korea from Feb. 10 until April 26. Admission is free. For inquiries, call (02) 2077-9000.

“Roaming in Nature”: Opera Gallery Seoul is holding a solo exhibition of French artist Andre Brasilier, featuring 20 paintings inspired by nature, horses and women. The 86-year-old has brought together his major works from the late 1970s and eight paintings created in 2014. Born in the historic town of Saumur, western France, Brasilier rose to fame after receiving the Prix de Rome de Peinture at age 23. In 2005, he became the first French artist to hold an exhibition at Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, one of the oldest and largest museums in the world, and founded in 1764. In his paintings, he has attempted to depict the close bond between humans and nature. The exhibition runs from March 4-31 at Opera Gallery Seoul. For more information, call (02) 3446-0070.

“Shooting the Elephant/Thinking the Elephant”: Yang Haegue’s first exhibition in Korea in five years is centered around her thoughts on nature and community. The exhibition features woven straw sculptures in the form of a Mayan pyramid, Russian Islamic mosque and various structures that represent indigenous cultures ― a way for the artist to highlight the disappearance of folk culture in the modern world. Other works include “Storage Piece,” a pile of boxes containing Yang’s earlier works. The exhibition runs through May 10 at Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul. An English guided tour is available at 2 p.m. on weekends. For more information, call (02) 2014-6901.

“New Wave: The Road of Memories”: A group exhibition of internationally recognized Asian artists will run at and.n gallery from Feb. 3-21. The 20 or so paintings on display portray the memories of six emerging artists ― from South Korea, China, Taiwan, India and Indonesia. South Korean artist Shim Bong-min depicts childhood memories in gray concrete apartment settings. Chinese artist Liu Xia captures his memories in still-life paintings. U.K.-based Hong Kong artist Stephanie Ho portrays busy modern lifestyles with edited images of people in different poses. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, call (02) 542-7710.

Portraits of independence activists: The Independence Hall of Korea is presenting a special exhibition of portraits in celebration of 70 years of Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule. The images of 11 key independence activists, including Kim Gu and Kim Chwa-chin, have been restored through traditional Korean portraiture techniques and put on display. Until now, independence activists have been difficult to research due to the Japanese’s obliteration of many of their pictures. The exhibition runs from Feb. 24 to March 29. For inquiries, call (041) 560-0114.

“Young Korean Artists 2014”: The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is holding an exhibition showcasing eight emerging artists in their 20s and 30s whose work reflects the ironies of today’s society. On view are experimental installations, videos and paintings. The exhibition runs through March 29 at the Gwacheon branch of the MMCA. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.