Musical ‘The Merchant of Venice’ plays at Sejong Center

A musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic “The Merchant of Venice” is being staged until June 16 at the M Theater of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.The Korean-language production is directed by Park Geun-hyung and performed by the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theater.The piece follows the original storyline of the 16th century play, which takes off after Bassanio seeks a large sum of money for his expenses on the way to woo beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia.

May 28, 2019

Canadian director brings monodrama about Quebec childhood to Korea

Canadian theater artist, director and actor Robert Lepage is presenting the production “887” for the first time in Seoul. The piece sheds light on the Quebec separatist movement from his own experience of living as a member of a Francophone family. The production is a work of “autofiction,” Lepage said during a press conference Monday at the Embassy of Canada to Korea. “887” runs between Wednesday and June 2 at the LG Arts Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The arti

May 27, 2019

Jazz festival takes over Olympic Park

This year’s Seoul Jazz Festival drew nearly 40,000 music lovers for a weekend of fun, food and diverse music, though there appeared to be room for improvement. Running from Saturday to Sunday at the Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul, the 13th edition of the annual event featured 48 acts from Korea and abroad, such as 90-year-old Cuban jazz legend Portuondo and crossover band Clean Bandit. Live performances took place at five venues spread across the park.  Highlights of the event inc

May 27, 2019

Young Filipino-Korean dance group debuts on stage with K-pop stars

Dream Key10z, a group of 10 talented Filipino-Korean children aged 8-15, shared a stage with high-profile K-pop groups, demonstrating their talent in dancing that impressed the audience. They’re called “DK10z” for short, where D stands for “dream, dance and diversity” and K for “key, kids and Korea”. Dream Key10z was formed by Korea Cultural Diversity Organization (CDO-Korea) and FILKOHA (Filipino Korean Heritage Association), a group founded in 201

May 27, 2019

BTS wraps up US tour, drawing 320,000 fans

Global K-pop sensation BTS has drawn some 320,000 spectators on the U.S. leg of its world concert tour "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself," its management agency said Monday.BTS wrapped up the US edition of its global stadium tour with the final stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, over the weekend, according to Big Hit Entertainment. BTS at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on May 18, 2019. (Photo: Big Hit Entertainment)After opening with performances to sellout crowds at Rose B

May 21, 2019

Netherlands wins Eurovision as Madonna dancers spark flag controversy

The Netherlands won the 2019 Eurovision song contest early Sunday at a show in the seaside Israeli city of Tel Aviv that featured a performance from Madonna, plenty of glitz and some controversy.The oh-so-glamorous and famously kitschy finale gave Israel a chance to showcase its credentials as a culturally progressive nation, but politics lurked in the background as pro-Palestinian activists called for a boycott. Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the 2019 Eurovision Son

May 19, 2019

Maestro Chung, One Korea Orchestra hope to perform with NK artists

One Korea Orchestra, led by Maestro Chung Myung-whun, 66, will hold its third performance, amid hopes for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Chung and the orchestra will present Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B Minor at the Seoul Arts Center on Aug. 18. The pianist has yet to be confirmed, as the organizers are finalizing plans to invite a North Korean pianist. Maestro Chung Myung-whun (Jean-Francois Leclercq / Credia)For the performance, the organizers

May 16, 2019

Rock legend Queen to hold Seoul concert in January

Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen will hold a concert in Seoul on Jan. 18-19, marking the first solo concert by the legendary rock band.According to Hyundai Card, the latest artist to be featured in its Hyundai Card Super Concert project are the guitarist and drummer of Queen, who will be joined by singer Adam Lambert.Lambert has been touring with May and Taylor to fill the shoes of Queen’s famed lead vocalist, the late Freddie Mercury. The other original member of the band, bass guitarist Joh

May 16, 2019

Ultra Korea’s latest lineup includes Knife Party, Underworld

Ultra Korea recently revealed new headliners in the third phase of the lineup for the upcoming festival, slated for June 7-9. “Bass-fueled electronic outfit Knife Party and pioneering British luminaries Underworld have been added as headliners for the eighth annual edition, setting the tone for one of the biggest Phase 3 lineups in the festival’s history,” the organizers of the event said. Hot Since 82 will join the roster for the Resistance stage. Also added to the list were psychedelic duo Inf

May 16, 2019

2PM's Ok Taecyeon set for return to show biz after finishing military service

Ok Taecyeon, a member of K-pop boy band 2PM, completed his 20 months of military service Thursday, setting himself up for a return to show business."I still can't believe (I was discharged) after waking up to a morning bugle today. Maybe I could if I wake up to an alarm instead of a morning bugle tomorrow morning," the 31-year-old told reporters and fans at the 9th Infantry Division in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, just north of Seoul. He served the division as a training coach, earning the nicknam

May 16, 2019

BTS kicks off summer concert series by US TV show

K-pop boy band BTS kicked off this year's summer concert series by US TV show "Good Morning America," staging an outdoor performance at New York City's Central Park on Wednesday (local time).BTS was the first performer for the 2019 GMA Summer Concert Series, which will run from May 15 to Aug. 30 and feature a high-profile pop act every week, including Ellie Goulding, whose show is set for June 14, the band's management agency Big Hit Entertainment said. South Korean boy band BTS perform on ABC`s

May 16, 2019

WINNER to drop new album fronted by cheerful breakup song

Four-piece K-pop boy band WINNER will release a new album, "WE," Wednesday, returning to the music scene with the band's full lineup.The title of the new album, scheduled to hit the shelves Wednesday evening, stresses "the synergy the four members with unique personalities create when they get together as the band WINNER," their talent agency, YG Entertainment, said. The album carries four new songs, including the main track, "Ah Yeah," as well as "Zoo" and "MOLA."It also has two bonus tracks --

May 15, 2019

‘Wedding Singer’ to kick off 18 days of musical festivities at DIMF

The largest musical festival in Korea is winding up for opening next month, with the organizers for Daegu International Musical Festival on Tuesday announcing that this year’s event will feature 23 musicals from eight countries.From June 21 to July 8, the 13th annual DIMF will be held at major theaters across Daegu. Set in the self-proclaimed “musical city,” the DIMF will be promoted by Suho of EXO, who has been selected as the promotional ambassador for the event.The K-pop star is himself a ren

May 14, 2019

Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon to pay homage to Schumann with ‘My Clara’ tour

Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon is embarking on a series of recitals in 10 cities. Titled “My Clara,” the nationwide tour begins Thursday and continues through June 1. The program, drawn up by the pianist himself, includes Clara Schumann’s Notturno in F Major, Robert Schumann’s Fantasie in C Major and Johannes Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor.  Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon performs the first movement of Robert Schumann’s Fantasie in C Major during a press conference for his nationwide tour “My Clara” held M

May 13, 2019

[Herald Interview] Clean Bandit supports ‘expandability’ of Seoul Jazz Festival

Clean Bandit’s Seoul performance is drawing near with the 2019 Seoul Jazz Festival slated to take place in late May. The British band’s performance is much anticipated by the South Korean audience, as last year’s appearance was canceled at the last moment. “Very excited. I have been to Korea once before, but we had to leave almost immediately after the show so I was disappointed,” Grace Chatto said via email, representing the trio of three siblings -- herself and brothers Jack and Luke Patterson

May 12, 2019

BLACKPINK becomes 1st K-pop group to have music video with over 800 mln YouTube views

BLACKPINK has become the first K-pop group to have a music video with more than 800 million YouTube views, its Seoul-based agency said Saturday.YG Entertainment said that BLACKPINK's "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" surpassed the threshold at around 4:16 p.m. Saturday, nearly 11 months after the music video was released last June. Excluding PSY, the South Korean solo artist whose mega-hit "Gangnam Style" has 3.3 billion views on YouTube, BLACKPINK is the first K-pop group to see one of its music videos reach 800

May 12, 2019

2019 UMTF kicks off with Teatr Biuro Podrozy’s ‘Macbeth’

The 2019 Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival kicks off Friday with Teatr Biuro Podrozy’s “Macbeth: Who Is That Bloodied Man?”Starting with the Polish theater company’s reinvention of “Macbeth” on Friday, the 18th UMTF will feature some 40 productions from May 10-19, coming to a close with Geoff Sobelle’s “Home.” A scene from Teatr Biuro Podrozy’s “Macbeth: Who Is That Bloodied Man?” (Tomasz Plaskowski)“Macbeth: Who Is That Bloodied Man?” returns to Uijeongbu 10 years after it was first performed at

May 9, 2019

Sales of BTS' latest album hit all-time high

K-pop superstars BTS' latest "Map of the Soul: Persona" has sold more than 3.22 million copies, marking an all-time high in number of albums sold, a market tracker said Thursday.The accumulated sales for the band's seven-track EP, released on April 12, came to a record 3,229,032 in April alone, according to data from Gaon Chart.It is the most copies sold for an album since 2011 when Gaon Chart started to compile such data. Gaon's earlier album sales record was 2.13 million copies set by BTS' pre

May 9, 2019

‘Fuerza Bruta Wayra’ revisits Seoul

“Fuerza Bruta Wayra” is back in Seoul with a few changes and upgrades after a successful run last year.The 70- to 80-minute show features eye-catching acrobatics, heart-thumping sounds, multicolored lights and projections, as well as wind machines.  A scene titled “Corredor” in “Fuerza Bruta Wayra” (Fuerza Bruta) “Salto” is a new segment in the scene titled “Corredor.” /Fuerza BrutaThe show is all about partying, the production’s team said during a press conference on April 30 at FB Theater, a t

May 8, 2019

Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s ‘Asylum’ to unveil at 2019 MODAFE

The world premiere of Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s “Asylum” will open the 38th International Modern Dance Festival (MODAFE) at Arko Arts Theater on May 16.The Israel-based dance company’s most recent work, “Asylum,” which touches on the on-going issues of refugees, immigration, and asylum seekers. Born to a family of Holocaust survivors in 1957, artistic director Rami Be’er has translated his own experience, troubled emotions and identity crisis into a dance.  A scene from “Asylum,“ a ne

May 7, 2019