Museums and galleries in Seoul are getting ready to excite art audiences with an impressive lineup of artists this year. Some of the most anticipated names include Korean art masters Lee Jung-seob, Yoo Young-guk, Chung Chang-sub and Nam June Paik, while international artists to be featured include Anish Kapoor and Olafur Eliasson.   “Work” by Yoo Young-guk. (MMCA)This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of two giants of Korean art -- Lee Jung-seob and Yoo Young-guk. The National Museum

Performance Jan. 6, 2016

British tenor Paul Potts is making his way back to Korea, performing an exclusive concert in front of exactly 99 select fans on Jan. 14 at the Stradeum concert hall in Seoul. In keeping with the concert theme of “99,” based on the idea that 99 fans plus Potts equals 100, tickets to the tenor’s upcoming performance will be sold in an auction. The bidding war for the concert tickets opened at m.allwin.co.kr Wednesday morning, with prices capped at 199,000 won ($166).According to concert promoter A

Performance Jan. 6, 2016

With the new year comes new beginnings, and with new beginnings comes a new season of ballet productions.From all-time classics to Korean originals and contemporary pieces, the 2016 season offers an array of revamped choreographies for local dance enthusiasts. Below are this year’s lineups from the country’s two biggest ballet companies. Korean National BalletThe Korean National Ballet company will be kicking off its 2016 season with Marius Petipa’s exotic tale of “La Bayadere,” which will be he

Performance Jan. 5, 2016

Vienna Boys Choir (Lukas Beck)The Vienna Boys Choir is holding auditions in Korea in search of local talents wishing to join the prestigious and historical ensemble, according to Credia, the choir’s local concert promoter.The announcement comes just a few weeks before the choir’s upcoming concert recitals in Korea, which are slated to be held later this month. Starting Wednesday, the Vienna Boys Choir will be accepting the first round of applications for boys aged 9 and older. Successful applica

Performance Jan. 5, 2016

To some, a night of musical theater could conjure up thoughts of kitsch song and dance numbers and enchanting fairy-tale love stories. Composer Tom Kitt and author Brian Yorkey’s “Next to Normal” has none of that.Brought to life by leading ladies Kolleen Park and Jung Young-ju, who alternately play the role of the struggling mother Diana, “Next to Normal” stretches the scope of musical boundaries by addressing often socially taboo topics such as suicide, substance abuse and questionable moral di

Performance Jan. 3, 2016

After 10 years at its helm, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s maestro Chung Myung-whun has decided to lay down his baton. Citing the ongoing public disputes plaguing the controversy-filled SPO and the continued legal battles regarding the alleged mistreatment of employees by its former CEO Park Hyun-jung, conductor Chung officially resigned as the music director of the country’s most prestigious orchestra.  In a letter sent to the SPO members on Tuesday, the conductor -- who has arguably establishe

Performance Dec. 29, 2015

Upheaval at the controversy-plagued Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra continued as its board of directors decided to postpone its decision on renewing maestro Chung Myung-whun’s contract as the city orchestra’s music director.Members of the orchestra’s board of directors met Monday morning to discuss whether to keep Chung, who has promised to fulfill next season’s conducting commitments with the SPO regardless of his contract status.  Conductor Chung Myung-whun (Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra)Earlier i

Performance Dec. 28, 2015

WONJU, Gangwon Province -- Very much overshadowed by the neighboring snow-filled scenes of bliss in PyeongChang, the site of the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, Gangwon Province’s Wonju seeks to attract the attention of travelers. The small-time city of Wonju, less than a two-hour drive from central Seoul, has always flown under the radar in terms of its tourism pull. While it does not have a reputation as one of the peninsula’s “must-see” destinations, it beckons a second look as an unlikely hav

Culture Dec. 28, 2015

Psy performs at his "All Night Stand" concert at the Seoul Olympic Park's Gymnastics Arena. (Yonhap)“Music, action! Lights, action! Your screams, action!”The first night of Psy‘s annual year-end concert “All Night Stand” began with a cue for the audience, and it was clear throughout the night that the fans would be an integral part to bringing the show together.Psy, who kicked off the show with the dance track “Right Now,” walked around the specially extended stage urging people to scream louder

Performance Dec. 25, 2015