Sejong Center unveils new season that will defy growing competition

Facing increasing competition from business, The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will introduce more in-house productions and adopt innovative marketing and sales strategies, its CEO Ahn Ho-sang said during a press conference Tuesday. “Hotels and resorts have emerged as new competitors as they sell experiences rather than mere consumer goods. We are considering how to deliver meaningful experiences to our audience,” Ahn explained. The Sejong Center’s new season, which run

Jan. 9, 2024

Matthew Bourne’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Simon Stone’s Korean production in LG Arts Center’s stellar lineup

Opened in October 2022, LG Arts Center Seoul last year celebrated the first anniversary of its relocation to Magok, Gangseo-gu, from Gangnam, attracting audiences totaling 290,000 over the year. The center recently unveiled the lineup for its contemporary music and performing arts series, "CoMPAS24," featuring 12 shows in dance, classical music and theater, with world-renowned artists from around the globe. Among the standout names headlining the season are renowned choreographer Matth

Jan. 7, 2024

[Herald Interview] Conductor behind 'Maestra' explores new musical territory

ㅡ In the recent TV drama series “Maestra,” South Korea’s prominent actor Lee Young-ae plays a charismatic conductor. Based on a 2018 French thriller “Philharmonia,” "Maestra" centers around world-class conductor, Cha Se-eum, who returns home to lead a local orchestra after conquering New York. Chin Sol, a young South Korean conductor, was responsible for Lee's transformation into a charismatic conductor in a space of a few months. “Actors seem

Jan. 7, 2024

Park Eun-bin drops first single ahead of fan concert

Actress Park Eun-bin released her first digital single, "Present," on Thursday, ahead of her first fan concert. The new album consists of three songs, including the vibrant, catchy title song, “Do-re-mi-fa," a rhythmical electronic pop genre song, "Into The Light," and a heartfelt ballad, "Now." Park has released some songs from the TV series she had starred in, but this is the first official album of her career. While Park was already well-known for her

Jan. 5, 2024

ARKO Selection introduces 3 meditative music concerts, 2 plays, 1 opera

ARKO Selection's first set of six productions scheduled for early to mid-January include three meditative music concerts, two plays highlighting female independence fighters's activities, and one darkly reimagined opera. The productions are among the 28 new repertoires supported by Arts Council Korea, an organization committed to fostering diverse arts and cultural activities in the country. "Minyo Cello" will take place Saturday at the ARKO Arts Theater in Daehakro, Seoul, p

Jan. 4, 2024

DJ DOC to release new album for 30th anniversary

A legendary first-generation hip-hop group from the 1990s, DJ DOC, marks the 30th anniversary of its debut this year with a plan to release a new album, the first in 14 years. According to the group's agency Funky Town, DJ DOC unveiled a new song titled "Cheers," at a year-end party concert held in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on Dec. 30. The new song, which is a hip-hop song based on "newtro" funk and trot, will be included on the 30th anniversary album. The group released its

Jan. 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Jun-su performs last 'Dracula' with signature red hair

For a decade, whenever Kim Jun-su, the singer-turned-musical actor, has taken the stage as Dracula in the eponymous musical, it has been with his distinctive red hair. Now his trademark, the red hair was initially a serendipitous decision. Just a few days before its Korean premiere in 2014, he wanted to depict visually the white-haired Dracula who, drinking blood, became rejuvenated, so he proposed the idea of red hair to the director. "When I started in musicals, I was focused on faithfull

Jan. 3, 2024

Korean National Ballet, Universal Ballet unveil new season lineups

As the curtains rise on a new season, South Korea's two major ballet companies -- the Korean National Ballet and Universal Ballet -- have unveiled captivating lineups to enthrall audiences. From the highly anticipated Korean premiere of John Neumeier’s “The Little Mermaid” to distinct Korean and beloved classics, both companies are set to unleash the magic of ballet with a compelling blend of movement and emotion. KNB premieres ‘Little Mermaid’ in Korea The K

Jan. 2, 2024

Interpark’s annual ticket sales surpass W1tr

South Korea’s major performance ticketing platform Interpark Ticket has set a historic milestone in annual ticket transactions in 2023. The ticket sales from Jan. 1 to Dec. 17 reached an unprecedented 1 trillion won ($772 million), according to data provided by Interpark, the country's first-generation e-commerce platform, Friday. The figure represents an 18-percent increase compared to the previous record of 845.9 billion won set in 2022. The number of productions also saw a signific

Jan. 1, 2024

[Herald Review] Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon rings in New Year with fans

Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon bid farewell to 2023 and rang in the New Year with fans in his three-day concert, reminiscing that the past year has been "the peak of his life." Lee's solo concert, "Duikket," took place at the Blue Square MasterCard Hall in Yongsan, Seoul, on Dec. 29-31, with its final performance ending after midnight to welcome New Year's Day. "Duikket," a Korean word that refers to feelings that remain even after something is done, ref

Jan. 1, 2024

Celebrate year-end and welcome New Year with traditional concerts

As the year draws to a close, the cultural tapestry of traditional performances comes alive across national venues, offering a rich and diverse celebration through the year-end and New Year concerts to usher in the upcoming year. National Gugak Center revives traditional ‘Narye’ To ward off evil spirits on the eve of the year's end and welcome a peaceful new year, the traditional palace ritual known as "narye" has been reimagined as a grand-scale performance. Wrappin

Dec. 27, 2023

Will “Miss Trot 3” continue trot fever?

The sensational audition program series "Miss Trot" returned with its third season on Thursday. After countless trot music shows that tried to hop on the trot fever train -- started by "Miss Trot 1" (2019) -- "Miss Trot 3" hopes to make another breakthrough to continue the nationwide trot craze without boring viewers. Returning with a wider range of participants, the third season includes teenage contestants and overseas participants, to provide freshness to viewers

Dec. 24, 2023

[Herald Review] 'Chopin, Blue Note': Lyrical journey through theater, live music

“What color could encapsulate the essence of your enigmatic music?” asks Sand. “I don’t know. It is just faint strokes and shadows,” answers Chopin. Amidst a pivotal moment of emotional revelation between Chopin and Sand, the backdrop of their confession becomes a stage where a pianist, in the quietude of the night, weaves the melodic tapestry of Nocturnes, Op. 9 No. 2. The lyrical notes permeate the small theater, and a warm, cerulean glow blankets the surroundings

Dec. 22, 2023

K-pop, trot stars to star in 'Sharing & Together Concert' in 2024

From K-pop star to trot singers, various musicians across genres will appear in "Sharing & Together Concert" at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium on Jan. 12 and 13, 2024. The charity performance will donate all of its profits, excluding production costs, to help the underprivileged. Popular K-pop idol groups and singers, including Highlight, BamBam, Hwasa, Cravity, Vanner, N.SSign, Zerobaseone and Riize, are scheduled to perform on Jan. 12, the first day of the two-day concert. Korean

Dec. 22, 2023

Younha to mark 20 years of singing with album, concerts

Singer-songwriter Younha will return with her seventh full-length album and perform multiple solo concerts next year. Celebrating 20 years since her debut, Younha held the online event “Y” to share her plans for a new album and concert schedule on her official YouTube channel on Thursday night. The seventh full-length album will mark the second stage of the "Theory" trilogy, which kicked off with her sixth album, "End Theory," in 2022. Younha is scheduled to hold

Dec. 22, 2023

‘A Ghost Day’ blends Korean traditions with contemporary circus

The new dance production “A Ghost Day” blends traditional Korean dance with a contemporary circus, featuring the theme of Korean ghosts. Choreographed by artistic director Kim Ju-bin of Jubin Company, "A Ghost Day" is set to be performed at the Arko Arts Theater on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. Drawing inspiration from historical accounts found in "Dongguksesigi" -- a book that compiled events and seasonal customs in the late Joseon era, the dance drama

Dec. 22, 2023

Lucid Fall to hold exhibition for essay book

Singer-songwriter Lucid Fall will hold a special exhibition to share experiences beyond the limits of the senses, commemorating the publication of his book of essays. "Everybody Hears," a collection of prose written during the time Lucid Fall was creating his second ambient album "Being-with," released on Dec. 12. In commemoration of the publication of this essay collection, the exhibition, designed to share Lucid Fall's sensibilities with the audience, offers opportunit

Dec. 20, 2023

Top musical stars compete for best actor honors at Korea Musical Awards

In a highly competitive selection process this year, musical stars Kim Jun-su, Cho Seung-woo, Choi Jae-rim, Hong Kwang-ho and Park Kang-hyun were nominated for the best actor award at the 8th Korea Musical Awards. The Korea Musical Theatre Association unveiled the final nominees for the awards during a press conference held at Seoul’s Hongik Art Center, on Monday. In the grand prize, "22 Years and 2 Months," "The Devil: Eden,” “The Secret Garden,” “Su

Dec. 19, 2023

'Silent as the grave' gets new meaning in Korean theaters

Most people can agree that it is ideal for audience members to make as little noise as possible during plays or musicals. But South Korean theater fans have been divided over the widespread policy that takes it to another level: the so-called "siche-gwangeuk," which refer to the practice of watching while being "still as a corpse." Last week, a controversy broke out when a reporter wrote a critical article on a production of the musical "Lee Jin: The Woman of Light.&qu

Dec. 19, 2023

Hip-hop trio Epik High rides high on 20th anniversary concerts

Legendary hip-hop trio Epik High held three packed, back-to-back concerts marking the group's 20th anniversary, proving that the group is as strong as ever. “Epik High 20th Anniversary Concert,” held at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, drew a total of 15,000 concertgoers over the three days. Two concerts were originally planned for Friday and Saturday but a third was added for Sunday as all seats sold out immediately upon ticket opening. During the three-hour concert, Epik High pe

Dec. 18, 2023