Conductor Teodor Currentzis’ Korean engagement canceled due to COVID-19

Conductor Teodor Currentzis and his MusicAeterna’s much-awaited performances in Seoul have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currentzis, a rising star conductor in the classical music scene, and MusicAeterna were to hold concerts at the Lotte Concert Hall on April 7 and 8.  “Teodor Currentzis and MusicAeterna have been strongly looking forward to their first ever concerts in South Korea, and to meeting with an audience that is well known for its appreciation of mu

March 17, 2020

National Ballet dancer dismissed for breaking self-quarantine rules

A dancer at the Korean National Ballet has been fired for traveling to Japan during a self-quarantine period amid the rapid spread of the infectious coronavirus, the KNB said Tuesday. The decision about the dancer, identified only as Na, was made during a disciplinary committee the previous day. Na, a member of the corps de ballet, or the group of non-soloist dancers, went to Japan in late February and uploaded some photos of his trip with his girlfriend on a social media account. All member

March 17, 2020

Hit musicals continue their successful run

Though COVID-19 has been pushing the performing art scene in South Korea to the brink, hit musical shows are continuing their run backed by avid fans. Popular musical show “Rebecca” wrapped up its four-month run at the Chungmu Art Center in central Seoul on Sunday. The show, now in its fifth season, opened in November and recorded sold out performances for 86 shows.   According to EMK Musical Company, an average of 92 percent of the 1,255 available seats were occupied for the

March 16, 2020

Sejong Center declares ‘brief halt’ to prevent virus spread

On Friday, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced a “brief halt” as part of the nation’s “social distancing” campaign to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  According to Friday’s announcement, most of the programs slated to run at the center between now and late March have been canceled or postponed. The Seoul Dance Metropolitan Theatre’s 2020 opening show, “N.O.T,” has been postponed. The Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus&rsq

March 13, 2020

Show must go on, even if it’s online

While coronavirus cases continue to climb around the world, the performing arts scene in Korea is turning to a different stage: online platforms. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Culture Ministry, performing arts theaters’ ticket sales in February recorded 20.9 billion won ($18.6 million), nearly down to half of the previous month’s 40.3 billion won. Since mid-February -- when Ko

March 11, 2020

Coachella postponed until October over coronavirus fears

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Organizers on Tuesday rescheduled the Coachella music festival until October over coronavirus concerns, following advice from local health authorities. "While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously," Goldenvoice, the company that puts on the event in the California desert, said in a statement. The two-weekend festival set for April will now take place over the weekend

March 11, 2020

Chart-smashing rookie band ITZY returns with new album 'IT'z ME'

Roaring rookie girl band ITZY on Monday returned with its new album "IT'z ME," a seven-track record led by the main song "Wannabe." The lead track has a fusion groove, mixing EDM with other trendy music genres. The song is another collaboration between the five-piece girl band and Galactika, the music production team that produced the band's breakout 2019 debut single "Dalla Dalla."    "The title song, 'Wannabe,' is a track that best represent

March 9, 2020

Park Yoo-chun makes surprise appearance on brother’s livestream

Singer and actor Park Yoo-chun made a surprise appearance on his brother’s livestreamed broadcast, Sunday night. The former member of K-pop boy band JYJ talked about his music with Yoo-hwan, also an actor, and sang along to some of his songs during the livestream on Twitch. In July last year, a local court ordered Park to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for the illegal purchase and use of methamphetamine. Park has continued to communicate with supporters and held a fan m

March 9, 2020

Two heads to lead Korea National Opera

With the court suspending the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism‘s dismissal of the former artistic director Yoon Ho-geun, the Korea National Opera will be led by two heads for now. According to the Seoul Administrative Court’s ruling on Friday, the ministry will have to revoke its dismissal of Yoon, the former artistic director of the national troupe. Yoon was dismissed in May for hiring a staff member who does not meet the qualifications in August 2018.   The ministry

March 8, 2020

Celebrities use livestreaming to communicate with fans

Many celebrities are turning to online fan meetings and concerts as ways to communicate with fans without physical contact to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Comedians Song Eun-yi and Kim Sook went live online on Feb. 29 in celebration of the fourth anniversary of Vivo TV, a podcast by the two comedians. The 1,200 seats for both Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 concerts sold out in less than three minutes but the events were canceled due to the spread of the new coronavirus. The comedians decided to h

March 6, 2020

National Ballet under fire for members’ inappropriate behavior

The Korean National Ballet is mired in controversy over inappropriate behavior by some of its members while they were under home quarantine for COVID-19. The national ballet company told all members to go into self-quarantine Feb. 24-28, after the performance of “Swan Lake” at the Daegu Opera House from Feb. 14-15.  Though none of them showed signs of COVID-19 infection, the decision was made over concerns about the rapid increase in cases in Daegu and neighboring North Gye

March 5, 2020

[Newsmaker] Former Big Bang member Seungri to start military service March 9

Seungri, formerly of boy band Big Bang, will begin his mandatory military service on Monday. According to reports, Seungri will go through a five-week training program at the 6th Infantry Division in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. This is the same training facility bandmate Taeyang began his enlistment at in March 2018. Due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, enlistment ceremonies have been suspended until further notice. Some of Seungri’s close associates posted pictures of what seemed to

March 5, 2020

TIMF 2020 canceled over virus outbreak

This year’s Tongyeong International Music Festival, one of Korea’s biggest classical music events, has been canceled amid the rapid spread of COVID-19. This year, the annual music festival that takes place in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, was to be held from March 27 to April 5 under the theme of “Reality,” featuring 26 main performances and 363 artists from 23 countries.  Although the festival had set off to a robust start with five of its programs sold

March 4, 2020

Maestro Chung Myung-whun in home quarantine

Maestro Chung Myung-whun has canceled performances in Italy after going into home quarantine in France upon returning from a trip to Tokyo. Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, based in the Italian city of Florence, announced that Daniele Gatti, music director of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, would conduct the orchestra’s Saturday concert instead of Chung. Chung was to lead the orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor on Saturday. The orchestra exp

March 3, 2020

Hop aboard the DMZ Peace Train

DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2020 will be held June 12-14, across Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas. Launched in 2018, the popular music festival takes place at five venues in Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, promoting peace between South Korea and North Korea.  As in previous editions, the festival will feature Goseokjeong, a pavilion in Cheorwon, as the main venue, and will welcome a diverse selection of musicians

March 2, 2020

Green Day pushes back dates for Asian tour

Green Day has postponed its Seoul show originally slated for March due to mounting fears over the coronavirus outbreak. The American rock band is pushing back the dates for the Asian leg of its “Hella Mega” tour, including the March 22 show in Seoul, local organizer Live Nation Korea said in a statement on Friday. The band was to return to Korea in more than a decade, since its last concert here in January 2010. “Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to pos

Feb. 28, 2020

Tribute bands continue Beatles’ legacy

From the outside, Space the Beatles is just another establishment in the cool entertainment district of Hongdae in Seoul. But a step inside reveals a shrine where Beatles records, posters, artwork and books adorn the walls. Owner Seo Kang-seok counts himself as one of Korea’s biggest Beatles fans. “I listened to the song ‘Yesterday’ for the first time in my life (in 1984) and thought, ‘Wow, it’s very good,’” he said. The pub, opened in 2016, of

Feb. 28, 2020

Original shows turn the page for opera

Opera is often considered far-off from reality -- featuring aristocrats, princesses and talking animals. But the Korean opera scene is striving to produce original shows that resonate with a wider audience. Usually written in German or Italian, operas can be difficult to understand, even with translated lyrics, as they often feature stories that premiered in the 1700s and 1800s. However, more opera productions are tackling contemporary topics these days. Original productions written in Korean

Feb. 27, 2020

Hit by coronavirus, stages sit empty

With the COVID-19 alert level raised to the highest “red” level, the performing arts scene has been struggling, as theaters have sat empty of audiences and performances. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, performing arts theaters’ ticket sales from Feb. 1 to Tuesday recorded 18.4 billion won ($15.15), nearly down to half of the same peri

Feb. 26, 2020

With new director at helm, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company announces 2020 program

With new artistic director Nam Jeong-ho at the helm, the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company has announced its 2020 season program, featuring dances inspired by diverse subjects, from primitive rituals to artificial intelligence. At “Opening,” the first production to open 2020, the national dance troupe will feature two dances -- “Beyond Black” and “The Rite of Spring” -- from April 17-19 at the Seoul Arts Center.   “Beyond Black,” cre

Feb. 25, 2020