Classical music

“Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens Du Louvre Grenoble”: Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens Du Louvre Grenoble (The musicians of the Louvre) will perform Rameau’s “Une Symphonie Imaginaire” and Gluck’s “Le Festin de Pierre-Don Juan” on March 5 at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province at 8 p.m. The French bassoon player-and-conductor known for his interpretation of French Baroque music excerpted some arias ― which are, surprisingly, dance music ― from 11 of Rameau’s operas and rearranged them into a medley. The Gluck piece was composed for a ballet performance and promises to deliver the dynamic sound of Baroque music. Tickets are priced between 50,000 won and 150,000 won and reservations are available by calling 1544-8117. For more information, call (031) 783-8000.

“Sergio Tiempo recital”: Venezuelan pianist Sergio Tiempo is holding a recital in Seoul on March 2 at the Seoul Arts Center IBK Chamber Hall at 7 p.m. He will perform Alberto Ginastera’s “Danzas Argentinas,” Ravel’s “Gaspard de la Nuit,” Chopin’s “Nocturne No.4” in F Major and Piano Sonata No.3, in B Minor; Liszt’s “Consolation” and “Mephisto Waltz No.1.” Tiempo debuted in international classical music at age 14 and gained attention through collaboration with renowned orchestras and artists. Tickets are priced between 80,000 won and 180,000 won. Reservations are available at www.sacticket.co.kr and interpark.com. For more information call (02) 553-6879.

“SPO Symphony Series”: Maestro Chung Myung-whun, who had to cancel his Jan. 25 concert with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the last minute due to a severe backache, will start the SPO Symphony Series featuring Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and Symphony No. 7 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on March 15 at 8 p.m. Violinist Svetlin Roussev and cellist Song Young-hoon will appear as guest players. Tickets are priced between 10,000 won and 120,000 won and for more information, visit www.seoulphil.or.kr.

“2013 Pianist Son Yeol-eum Recital”: Pianist Son Yeol-eum will her first major recital at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul on March 7. She will perform pieces by Alkan, Chopin, Prokofiev and Kapustin. Son rose to international fame when she was placed second at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Tickets are priced between 30,000 won and 70,000 won. For more information, call 1577-5266.

Theater

“Those Days”: Late folk rock singer Kim Kwang-seok’s (1964-1996) music is being made into a musical. The piece, titled “Those Days,” features a total of 30 songs written by the late artist, while telling the story of the president’s daughter, who goes missing on the day of the 20th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations. It features popular musical and TV actors Yoo Jun-sang and Oh Man-seok, as well as actresses Kim Jeong-hwa and Bang Jin-ui. The show runs from April 4 to June 30 at Daehangno Musical Center in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul. Tickets range from 55,000 won to 99,000 won. For more information, call (070) 7016-2470.

“Sweet, Come to Me Stealthily”: Korea’s first original musical, “Sweet, Come to Me Stealthily,” is being revived with newly arranged music this month. The show premiered at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in 1966, starring popular singer Patti Kim. The musical is based on Korean novel “Baebijang-jeon,” which takes place on Jeju Island during the late Joseon period (1392-1910). It tells the story of a courtesan who tries to seduce the island’s new minister. Musical actress Kim Sun-young, who starred as the beautiful yet unhappy empress in last year’s hit “Elisabeth,” stars as Aerang, the driven and ambitious courtesan, in the upcoming show. “Sweet, Come to Me Stealthily” runs from Feb. 19 to March 31 at the newly renovated CJ Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. Tickets range from 44,000 won to 99,000 won. For information, call 1588-0688.

“Rebecca”: German-language musical “Rebecca,” based on Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel of the same title, is being staged as a Korean adaptation in Seoul this month. It is written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, who also wrote the musicals “Elisabeth” and “Mozart!” ― both of which enjoyed much popularity in Korea last year. The original novel was also made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940 as the director’s first American project. The gothic tale is about an aristocratic widower and his memory of his dead wife, which keeps haunting him and his new bride. “Rebecca” runs at LG Arts Center in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Shear Madness”: The Korean adaptation of the popular German play “Shear Madness” is back for its second run in Seoul. The play is one of the longest-running ones in the world, premiering back in 1963. The play takes place in a hair salon, which is owned by a gay hairdresser named George. After George and his flirty assistant Suji welcome two customers, one a wealthy housewife and the other an antique dealer, the landlady of the shop is murdered upstairs. The audience is asked to participate in the process of solving the crime, trying to figure out who is the murderer among the four characters in the salon. “Shear Madness” is currently on an open run at Daehangno Culture Space Feeling 2 in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul. All tickets cost 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 744-4334.

“The Goddess is Watching”: One of the most anticipated homegrown musicals of the year, “The Goddess is Watching” is currently on its first run in Seoul. The show takes place on a remote island during the Korean War. It tells the story of six different soldiers, some belonging to the North Korean army, who end up living together on the uninhabited island after a shipwreck. The plot develops as a soldier named Soon-ho, the only member of the group who knows how to fix the ship, suffers from severe PTSD after witnessing his brother’s death in a battle. Another member of the group named Young-beom creates a story of a beautiful goddess to console Soon-ho and ease his fragile condition. The show runs until March 10 at Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul. For tickets and information, call (02) 744-7090.

Dance

“Kim Joo Won Marguerite & Armand”: Freelance dancer Kim Joo-won, who used to dance for the Korean National Ballet as a principal, is holding her first show after leaving her position with the troupe last year. She is presenting “Marguerite & Armand,” a 1963 ballet danced to Franz Liszt’s piano sonata in B Minor. Choreographed by famed artist Fredrick Ashton, the piece was inspired by the 19th century writer Alexandre Dumas’ “La Dame aux Camelias.” The show runs from April 5 to 7 at LG Art Center in southern Seoul. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555. 

“Swan Lake”: Korea’s Universal Ballet Company is showcasing the Tchaikovsky classic “Swan Lake” as its season opener this year. The famous ballet tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. She tries to break the curse with her love interest Prince Siegfried, but fails when her man gets tricked. The troupe has been performing the 1895 Mariinsky Theater version of the piece since 1992, while developing its own forte in the dancing of its corps de ballet. The show runs from March 8-12 at Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. For more information, visit www.universalballet.com.

Pop music

“Twenty One Pilots Live in Seoul”: Twenty One Pilots is an up-and-coming pop duo that was named one of the “2013 Artists to Watch” by MTV. The boys started out playing small-time shows in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. After a large local fan base began to boom, the two ended playing numerous sold-out shows and grabbing the attention of dozens of record labels across the country. Twenty One Pilots recently released their first full-length album titled “Vessel” and will perform their first solo concert in Seoul at the Walkerhill Hotel’s Walkerhill Theater on March 1 at 10 p.m. Tickets for the show are 66,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Shinhwa 15th Anniversary Concert”: The country’s longest-running boy band Shinhwa are celebrating 15 years together with a special anniversary concert. The six-member group first debuted in 1998 and have since released more than 10 albums and made a name for themselves as one of the nation’s most successful music acts. The group came back to the music scene last year after a four-year hiatus with the album “Return.” “Shinhwa 15th Anniversary Concert” will be held in the Gymnastics Stadium at Seoul Olympic Park on March 16 and 17 at 6 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively. Tickets range from 66,000 won to 143,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“The Script Live in Seoul”: The Irish alternative rock band “The Script” first formed nearly 12 years ago, but didn’t hit international fame until they released their first studio album “The Script” in 2008. The break-out album went multi-platinum, selling more than half a million copies worldwide and included the hit singles “We Cry,” “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “Breakeven.” The group has since released two other studio albums, including their latest album titled “#3,” which was released last year. The Script will be performing its live show at the Uniqlo-AX hall on March 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Julio Iglesias”: Legendary Latin sensation Julio Iglesias, who has 80 albums to his name, has sold more than 300 million copies worldwide, will perform in Seoul. In 1983 the Guinness Book of Records awarded him the only Diamond Disc it has ever issued for selling the most records in the most languages, 20 in total. Iglesias will be singing live at the Gymnastics Stadium at Seoul Olympic Park on April 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show range from 90,000 won to 220,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Festivals

“Gwangyang International Maehwa Festival”: Gwangyang, home to many Chinese apricot trees, called maehwa in Korean, hosts its annual maehwa festival in Seomjin village. Visitors to the festival, taking place from March 23-31, will have the chance to enjoy various music and dance performances surrounded by maehwa trees. Along with the festival, the city government runs a city tour to Gwangyang and various hands-on experiences for tourists. For more information, visit, www.gwangyang.go.kr/gymaehwa. 

“Jeju Deulbul Festival”: The Jeju fire festival brings an old custom of the island of Jeju ― setting fire to the fields in the mountains to destroy old grass and kill harmful insects in the late winter to early spring ― into modern life. The tradition called “Bangae” has turned into an annual festival offering tourists a chance to experience the traditional lifestyle of the people of Jeju and folk games. This year’s festival titled “Hello 2013, Healing in Jeju” takes place from March 8-10 at Saebyeol Oreum (Jeju dialect for a small volcanic mountain) in Bongseong-ri, Aewol-eup. For more information, call (064) 728-2751, or visit www.buriburi.go.kr.

“Guryongpo Seafood Festival”: Visitors to Pohang can shop for fresh seafood at discounted prices at the port of Guryongpo from Feb. 15 to March 31. The Guryongpo fish market boasts some of the favorite winter delicacies of Koreans, including snow crab and dried gwamegi fish. The festival offers a more than 15 percent discount on a diverse selection of fish and operates stalls that cook and serve them to visitors.
The local government office expects the seafood market will boost the local economy. It raised 320 million won ($300,000) during last year’s festival attended by 250,000 visitors. For more information, call (054) 270-2853.

“Five-color Light Festival”: The Garden of Morning Calm, a serene flower garden located in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, decorates its vast garden with lights during the cold months of January through March. In the evening, the five gardens will be transformed into fairytale-themed parks with lights in various colors and forms. Visitors can enjoy the view of snow-covered gardens during the daytime. The garden has over 5,000 kinds of plants, including 300 varieties native to Baekdusan Mountain in North Korea. The flowers are in bloom from March to November. The lights are turned on from sunset to 9 p.m. until March 3.

Exhibitions

“A Great Mission of the 20th Century Comics”: Artsonje Center holds an exhibition with the focus on modern Korean comic books. The comic books are categorized into six periods reflecting the social and political changes of each period in the 20th century. The exhibition includes the first Korean cartoons of Lee Do-young, published in 1909 and popular cartoons in the 1970s such as “Robot Taekwon V” and “Dokgo Tak.” The first part of the exhibition which focuses on the developing period of Korean comics from 1970 to 1979 closes on March 17. The second exhibition that sheds light on the early period from 1945 to 1961 will run from March 21 to April 7 at the Lounge of Artsonje Center in Jongno, Seoul. Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 733-8945.

“Gentle Disturbance”: The new exhibition at the Nam June Paik Art Center sheds light on Paik’s political and ideological side, as well as his attempts to bring about various social and political changes in the 1960s and 1970s. The exhibition features some of Paik’s artworks with political content such as the 1977 “Guadalcanal Requiem,” and the sensational nude performance “Opera Sextronique” created in 1967. Ten contemporary Korean and foreign artists pay tribute to Paik’s legacy of challenging the social order through their own socially conscious works. The “Gentle Disturbance” continues through June 30 on the first floor of the center and “Tireless Refrain” runs through June 16 on the second floor. For more information, call (031) 201-8500.

“Art Across America”: The “Art Across America” exhibition has 168 artworks on display spanning phases of American art history from George Washington to Jackie Kennedy, and from Columbus’ landing to today’s America. It gathered some of the most representative artworks in the history of American art from four major U.S. art institutions: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Terra Foundation for American Art. The exhibition runs through May 19 at the National Museum of Korea and from June 18 to Sept. 1 at Daejeon Museum of Art. Admission is 12,000 won for adults, 10,000 won for teenagers and 8,000 for children. For more information, call 1661-2440 or visit www.artacrossamerica2013.com.

“The Jeju National Museum”: The museum is holding a “Jeju Culture in the Airport” event at Jeju International Airport every Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. at the departure terminal on the third floor. The event is designed to promote Jeju’s local culture through activities such as making one’s own calendar, pop-up cards or mobile phone charms about their stay in Jeju, making knots, and painting pottery and magnets. There is also an exhibition of old maps, paintings and other items. For more information, call (064) 720-8107.

“The Buyeo National Museum”: The museum will hold a tutorial program for children to experience Baekje culture at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday till March 3. The program leads children to explore the Baekje Kingdom era (B.C. 18-660 A.D.) by learning about an incense burner made during that era, copying a character inscribed on the burner, and making an ink rubbing of a brick from the Baekje era. For more information, call (041) 830-8434.

“Memory of Landscape I Have Never Seen: Collections from National Gallery in Prague”: The art of the Czech Republic is less renowned than its literature or music, but the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea and the National Gallery in Prague have worked together to break the mold by bringing a selection of 107 paintings by 28 modern Czech artists for an exhibition in Korea. The exhibition continues through April 21 at Deoksugung Museum of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea. English guided tours are provided on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. The exhibition closes on Mondays. For more information, call (02) 6273-4242.