Sitting outside in a cold and windy night on an uncomfortable plastic chair for 100 minutes might be challenging, but witnessing a musical centered on King Sejong the Great with the majestic hall, Geunjeongjeon, National Treasure No. 233, as the backdrop at Gyeongbokgung truly felt like a privilege. At 7:30 p.m. on May 2, night had already fallen and the show began by illuminating a spotlight on a pansori performer who introduced the historical background of the story. As pansori singer Lee Bong

Culture May 10, 2023

Renowned American violinist Joshua Bell will make his debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra with two very special "old fashioned violin pieces" as he returns to Korea in May for the first time in five years to meet his favorite audience in the world. The 55-year-old chose Vieuxtemps’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor, Op. 37, a piece not frequently performed over the past 40 years, he explained in an email interview with The Korea Herald. Chausson’s Poeme for Violi

Performance May 10, 2023

Musical actress Choi Jung-won made her debut as Donna in "Mamma Mia!" on Jan. 18, 2007 -- the beginning of a remarkable journey that is 16 years in the running, encompassing more than 1,033 performances. Choi holds the record for the longest stint as Donna and has the second highest number of total performances in the role. Nowadays, the 53-year-old proudly identifies herself as "Choi Jung-won, born to play Donna," a statement that few would challenge. However, it wasn't

Performance May 8, 2023

People often overlook the fact that even the most talented musicians are still human beings, and we tend to remember only their most notable accomplishments. The naming of classical music pieces labeled with vital information such as the form, key and chronological order in which they were composed is not enough to convey the stories behind their masterpieces. Only those with a great curiosity and the willingness to explore beyond these labels will ever discover the stories of their creation.

Performance May 3, 2023

Producer and playwright Oh Se-hyeok's musical, "The Brothers Karamazov," based on the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, ended its run at the Shanghai Grand Theater on April 16. By coincidence, on the same day, the Korean version of the same musical, which premiered in 2018, happened to be midway through its fourth run in Daehagno, Seoul. Set in 19th-century Russia, the musical covers the conflict between the children of Fyodor Karamazov: the abandoned sons of his f

Performance May 3, 2023

South Korean musical theater producer OD Company has announced plans to create at least three original works, as it aims to expand to Broadway and beyond. Led by CEO and chief producer Shin Chun-soo, the company is working on two musicals -- "The Great Gatsby," based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same title, and "Il Tenore," a story about three college students who fall in love with opera in the 1930s. "For genuine success in the global market, it is essen

Performance May 2, 2023

On a warm spring day, foreign exchange students at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies gathered in their traditional costumes and held up their respective country flags to introduce their cultures during the 17th Culture Expo event hosted by the Korean Language and Culture Education Institute at HUFS in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, on Friday. Students operated booths introducing regional cultures, and conducted traditional music and dance performances.

Culture April 28, 2023

In a meeting that highlights a growing interest in the Korean content industry, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met major players in the US entertainment industry on Thursday before leaving Washington. Yoon attended the Global Video Content Leadership Forum, organized by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA) held at its headquarters. The forum brought together media giants such as Paramount, Warner Brothers, Discovery, NBC, Universal, Sony Pictures, The Walt Disney Company and Net

Culture April 28, 2023

Watch sci-fi classics in CGV Arthouse Two epic sci-fi films -- “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) and “Blade Runner: The Final Cut” (1982) -- are set to entertain moviegoers at 15 CGV Arthouse branches across South Korea. Screenings of the films, which started Wednesday, will run through May 9. Celebrating the beloved American films and Warner Bros’ 100th anniversary, CGV, the country’s largest multiplex operator, is offering the opportunity to experience two sci-

Culture April 28, 2023

In the state dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and the first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday evening, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol did not just sit back and enjoy the performance offered by Broadway stars. Yoon took the spotlight to sing "American Pie" -- one of his favorite songs -- in front of some 200 government officials, business leaders and sports, arts and entertainment stars who were invited to the White House. Three Broadway performers -- Norm Lewis of "Phantom

Foreign Affairs April 27, 2023

The upcoming 14th edition of the Korea Opera Festival will feature a mix of old and new repertoires, extending beyond Seoul for the first time to include performances in Daejeon, in an effort to bring opera to different parts of the country. The Daejeon Opera, with the DCMF Orchestra, will stage Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana" and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” in one performance from June 9 to 11 at the Daejeon Art Center in Daejeon. “The fes

Culture April 26, 2023

German opera singer Diana Damrau will returned to South Korea with a tour titled "Royal Affairs – Kings and Queens of Opera" together with her husband, French opera tenor Nicolas Teste. The program introduces a selection of arias of the most famous kings and queens in opera. “What is really interesting to see is what happens behind or under the crown. We see and feel these men and women struggle with their feelings and normal private human problems like we all do. Some co

Culture April 23, 2023

When the "Mamma Mia!" musical's associate producer, Paul Garrington, and associate choreographer Leah-Sue Morland first came to Korea, it did not occur to them that the trip would foster a connection that would last more than 20 years. Garrington vividly remembers his first visit to Korea in 2002, when his company was putting on a production in Japan. They were still exploring possible production opportunities in Korea, where the musical industry was in a very early stage. Garri

Culture April 15, 2023

Pianist Lim Yun-chan's US concerts scheduled for this month have been canceled due to the artist's health issue, according to management company Moc Production on Friday. "We regret to inform you that the US tour schedule for the Cliburn Winners Concert, which was supposed to begin in Scottsdale, (Arizona,) USA from next week, has been canceled due to the performer's circumstances," the production said. Lim has been diagnosed with an ear infection caused by a cold, and i

Culture April 14, 2023

Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, who is considered the top authority on Beethoven, is embarking on a seven-day journey with Korean audiences, performing all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas. In his eighth visit to South Korea he will take the stage for seven days, kicking off the series with Sonatas Nos. 1, 4, 10, 13 and 14 -- the famed "Moonlight Sonata" -- on June 28. The sonatas will be grouped together across the different performances, with each concert featuring a selection of five

Performance April 14, 2023