Pop Music

“Audi Live 2012 ― Jamiroquai Korea Concert”: Jamiroquai, one of the world’s most famous acid jazz bands, is returning to dazzle Korean fans. For the first time in four years, the band will hold a concert on Aug. 22 at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul. For its Korean stopover, the “Audi Live 2012 ― Jamiroquai Korea Concert,” the band will perform with brass, percussion and keyboard instruments to create a perfect dance floor during the hot summer, which would entice the fans, the band’s promoter Access Entertainment said. Ticket prices are 110,000 won and 132,000 won. Tickets can be purchased starting 12 p.m. on June 20 through ticket.interpark.com or by calling 1544-1555. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488.

“Marketa Irglova Live in Seoul”: Marketa Irglova, Czech singer songwriter who rose to fame from movie “Once” holds her first solo concert in Seoul on Aug. 15 at AX Korea in Seoul. In 2010, Irglova with her ex-lover and music companion Glen Hansard, mesmerized Korean fans with their dramatic songs. The two starred in the critically acclaimed film as struggling musicians in Dublin and fell in love during the film’s shoot. The song they sang together “Falling Slowly” in the film won an Academy Award. Tickets are 77,000 won-88,000 won. For more information, (02) 3143-5156.

“Guro Indie Rock Festival”: The Guro Indie Rock Festival kicks off July 5-7 at the Guro Arts Valley near Daerim Station on Subway Line No. 2 and invites numerous groups particularly those who are based in Hongdae. Weekday tickets are 15,000 won for second floor seats and 30,000 won for first floor seats, with prices going up to 20,000 won and 35,000 won on the weekend. The shows kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Some of the bands gracing the stage this year are BigBaby Drive, The Moonshiners, Galaxy Express, Micro Kid, Baek Hyun-jin, Kim Mok-in and Lee Young-hoon. For more information or to reserve tickets in advance, go to the art center’s website at www.guroartsvalley.or.kr.

“Jisan Valley Rock Festival”: The annual Jisan Valley Rock Festival kicks off July 27-29 at Jisan Valley Ski Resort south of Seoul. It has already announced its headliners Radiohead and the Stone Roses. Also planning to take to the stage are Busker Busker, Beady Eye, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, James Blake, Nell, Apollo18, the Black Skirts and Hollow Jan. Tickets run at 250,000 won for a 3-day pass and 150,000 won for a 1-day pass at the gate. Starting May 30, there will be 1,000 one-day tickets available for 130,000 won. Official internet booking starts on June 5 and three-day tickets are 225,000 won while one-day tickets are 140,000 won. For more information, visit www.valleyrockfestival.com or call 1566-2226 or 1577-3363.

“Ultra Music Festival”: The electronic music festival is planning to stage six festivals worldwide this year on four continents, with the show to hit Seoul’s Jamsil Sports Complex Stadium on Aug. 3 and 4. Coming to Seoul are Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Carlox&Friends, John Digweed, Yousef, Jon Rundell, Sidney Samson, Elioriso, Shut Da Mouth, Freak Houze, Tokyo Big Boy, Chuckie, the Crystal Method, Ken Ishii, DJ Koo, Sander Kleinenberg and more to be announced. A Friday pass is 93,500 won while tickets for Saturday are priced at 112,200 won. A two-day combo is currently available for 153,000 won. Tickets on the day of the event are 110,000 won for Friday, 132,000 won for Saturday, and 180,000 won for both days. For more information, visit www.umfworldwide.com.

Theater

“Heotang”: Filmmaker and theater director Jang Jin is staging his 1995 play “Heotang,” meaning “labor in vain,” for the third time. The plot of the play develops as two male prisoners, who have been living comfortably in their unusual jail cell, greet a third member in the shared room. She turns out to be a young pregnant woman, who has lost most of her memory and suffers a minor speech disorder stemming from what seems like severe trauma. Unlike the two male prisoners, however, it is revealed that she used to know why she was being sent to the jail before losing her memory. Yearning for freedom and truth, one of the two men tries to get the troubled woman’s memory back by doing a therapy-like role-play. “Heotang” runs until Sept. 2 at Dongsung Art Center in Daehangno, Seoul. For more information, call (02) 747-5885.

“Hairspray”: Broadway musical “Hairspray” is returning for its third run in Seoul. Having premiered in Seoul in 2007, the musical had another successful run in 2009. ”Hairspray“ has won a total of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003, since it first opened in Broadway in 2002. It takes place in the early 1960s, and tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight yet optimistic teenager who dreams of becoming a star dancer by appearing on a dance-themed TV show. The role of Tracy is shared by rising musical star Oh So-yeon (Next to Normal, Lovers in Paris) and Kim Min-young, who appeared as the dowdy girl in filmmaker Kang Hyung-chul’s retro flick “Sunny.” “Hairspray” runs until Aug. 5 at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 90,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2230-6601.

“Chicago”: Veteran singer and musical star Insooni (Cats) and heavyweight musical actress Choi Jung-won (Mama Mia, Guys and Dolls) are returning as Velma Kelly, the vaudevillian and murderess in “Chicago.” First opened in 1975, the “celebrity criminal” musical, which delves into the corruption of the authorities surrounding a murder case and a cabaret singer in Chicago in the 1920s, is Broadway’s fourth-longest-running show. The Seoul production’s music is directed by popular conductor and actress Kolleen Park, who will also conduct a 14-member band that performs llive along with the cast. ”Chicago” runs until Oct. 7 at the D-Cube Art Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 110,000 won. For tickets and more information, call 1544-1555.

“Wedding”: Popular musical producer Song Seung-hwan, whose 1997 non-verbal piece “Nanta” made a global hit, has made a comeback with another foreigner-friendly work. Titled “Wedding,” Song’s latest musical is also non-verbal; its actors and actresses sing, dance, act and play over 20 musical instruments. The one-of-a-kind performance is specifically designed to draw foreign theatergoers. The show is a comical theatrical portrait of an ordinary Korean wedding, where the bride’s father isn’t particularly fond of his future son-in-law. Song follows the groom’s hilarious efforts to impress his father-in-law prior to the wedding ceremony, mixed with rhythmic music and dance. The show features a number of popular folksongs of many different countries, including Japan’s “Sakura,” the old American folk piece “Yankee Doodle,” and the Scottish piece “Annie Laurie.” “Wedding” runs from June 14 to July 29 at PMC Daehangno Theater in Daehangno, Seoul. All seats are 40,000 won. For tickets and information, call (02) 736-8289.

“La Cage aux Folles”: Award-winning musical star Jung Sung-hwa (“Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Hero: the Musical”) is returning as a gay man in the first Korean run of the 1983 Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles.” The six-time Tony Award-winning musical pivots around the story of gay couple Georges, who owns a nightclub called “La Cage aux Folles,” and Albin, the star drag queen of his partner’s club. Its plot develops as Jean-Michel, Georges’ son from an affair with a woman some 20 years before, gets engaged. Things get complicated as Jean-Michel wants to bring his fiance Anne and her extremely conservative parents to meet his father Georges and Albin. Jung, who previously starred as a gay character in “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” is returning as the drag queen Albin, while another musical heavyweight, Nam Kyung-ju, stars as his partner Georges. The role of Jean-Michel is being performed by K-pop band 2AM member Lee Chang-min and rising TV actor Lee Min-ho. “La Cage aux Folles” opens July 4 and runs until Sept. 4 at LG Arts Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 130,000 won. The show is restricted to those aged 13 or older. For more information, call 1566-7527.

“Bungee-Jump”: “Bungee-Jump,” a musical adaptation of filmmaker Kim Dai-seung’s 2001 unusual romance “Bungee Jumping on Their Own” is to be staged next month. The 2001 film featured the late actress Lee Eun-joo and hallyu heartthrob Lee Byung-hun, and deftly linked the themes of magic and curse of first love, reincarnation and even homosexuality. The show, which tells the story of a man who lost his first love to a car accident back in the 1980s, is directed by Adrian Osmond, who previously orchestrated the Korean production of “Sweeney Todd.” American Broadway composer Will Aronson is taking charge of music. The show promises a one-of-a-kind musical theater experience this summer. “Bungee-Jump” opens on July 14 and runs until Sept. 2 at Blue Square’s Samsung Card Hall in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 80,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Wicked”: Popular Broadway musical “Wicked” is being performed in Korea for the first time. The musical is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” which is a parallel novel of the classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” It tells the story of the two witches in the Land of Oz ― green-skinned Elphaba and beautiful Glinda. The upcoming show is an Australian production, with actresses Jemma Rix and Suzie Mathers taking the leading roles. The show is also a part of the Australian team’s first Asian tour, which kicked off in Singapore in December. The show runs May 31-June 30 at Blue Square in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 160,000 won. For tickets and information, call 1577-3363.

Classical Music

“Duo Charis’ 1st Recital”: Acclaimed Korean pianists Lee Jin-ah and Cho Sang-eun will give their first recital as a duo on June 30 at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Lee, a professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton, and Cho, a professor at Baekseok Arts University in Korea, have been exchanging their musical talents and built a strong friendship over many years. As part of their project “Four Hands: A Musical Journey,” the two will play repertoires by Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saens, Bach and Bennett. Tickets are 20,000 won. For more information, call (02) 391-9631 or visit www.buamart.co.kr.

“Great Mountains International Music Festival & School”: The Great Mountains Festival, now in its ninth run, will kick off July 21 and will run through Aug. 11 at the Alpensia Resort in Gangwon Province. The festival will focus on the inseparable relationship between music and dance. To highlight its theme, the festival will invite two stars from the American Ballet Theater, Maxim Beloserkovsky and Irina Dvorovenko as well as Kim Joo-won, guest principal dancer for Korean National Ballet. Korean music for dance performances “Chohi and Her Imaginary Dance” and “Hang-Sang V,” both composed by Korean composer Park Young-hee, will be introduced for the first time at the festival. For more information on the festival, call (02) 725-3394-5 or visit www.gmmfs.com.

“La Boheme”: An outdoor production of Puccini’s “La Boheme” featuring two world stars ― opera diva Angela Gheorghiu and maestro Chung Myung-whun ― is coming to Seoul this summer. The opera will be staged at the Amphitheater at Yonsei University in Seoul on Aug. 28- Sept. 2. Based on Henri Murger’s novel “La Vie de Boheme,” the opera in four acts portrays young artists living in the Latin quarters in Paris in the mid-19th century. The opera mainly tells the unfortunate love story between young poet Rodolfo and Mimi, which ends with Mimi’s tragic death. In addition Gheorghiu, and other famous European opera singers such as Fiorenza Cedolines, Vittorio Grigolo and Marcello Giordani will play the title roles. Tickets range from 30,000 to 570,000 won. Call 1544-1555 or 1544-6399, for reservation. 

“Salon Concert Namsan”: A small concert for gugak, or traditional Korean music, is currently being held every Monday and Tuesday evening at Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater near Mount Nam, Seoul. It runs through July 31. Featuring the country’s famous gugak musicians, the concert takes place in a hanok room, a part of the theater that fits only 20 audience members. The concert is a reenactment of Joseon’s pungnyu culture or the cultural events appreciated by Joseon’s high society. The audience will get the chance to talk to gugak musicians while drinking tea after the concert. Tickets are 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2261-0511~2 or visit sngad.sejongpac.or.kr.

Dance

“Poise”: Korean National Ballet presents “Poise” in collaboration with fashion designer Jung Kuho, from June 29-July 1. The contemporary ballet production is part of the company’s 50th year anniversary project and has been drawing interest for blending fashion and classical music on stage. Choreographed by Ahn Sung-soo, the production talks about all sorts of “balance” by presenting unconventional movements with classical music from composers including Bach and Shostakovich. This is also the last performance by ballerina Kim Joo-won with KBC. Tickets are 50,000 won -80,000 won. For more information or ticket reservation, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sacticket.co.kr.

“Romeo and Juliet”: Universal Ballet Company presents “Romeo & Juliet” choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan from July 7-14 at the Seoul Arts Center. MacMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet,” famous for its dramatic impact, has been staged by the world’s major ballet companies but not by Korean companies until now. The former artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London has allowed the Korean ballet company to stage his production for the first time in Korea, according to UBC. The ballet company will collaborate with Gangnam Symphony Orchestra led by Paul Connelly. Tickets are 10,000 won-100,000 won. For more information or ticket reservation, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sacticket.co.kr.

“Korea World Dance Stars Festival 2012”: A number of Korean dancers active on U.S. and European stages will come together to perform not only classics, but their latest creations at the Korea World Dance Stars Festival 2012. The four-day festival kicks off at Theater Yong of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on June 28-29, at Inje Cultural Complex in Gangwon Province on June 30 and Yeoncheon Sureul Art Hall in Gyeonggi Province. The annual festival features Jun Eun-sun, now a soloist with the Royal Swedish Ballet; Cho Soo-youn, principal dancer for the Tulsa Ballet in the United States; Lee Sang-eun of Dresden Semperoper Ballet in Germany; and ballerina Chae Ji-young of the Washington Ballet in the U.S. Tickets for the festival are 30,000 won-100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3674-2210 or visit www.ipap.co.kr.

“Giselle by American Ballet Theater”: The American Ballet Theater, one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, will stage one of its representative works “Giselle” at the Seoul Arts Center on July 18-22. The ballet troupe will feature a Korean ballerina Seo Hee as its title role. Seo, now an ABT member, made her Metropolitan Opera House debut in “Romeo and Juliet” in 2009, impressing the audience with her excellent technique as well as her delicate portrayal of the role. Tickets are 16,500 won-400,000 won. For more information, call (02) 598-3119 or visit www.thehent.com.

Festivals

“Hamyang Wild Ginseng Festival”: Hamyang in South Gyeongsang Province holds a wild ginseng festival from July 26-30. The county is historically known as the area where wild ginsengs are discovered frequently and has a wild ginseng plantation. The festival will feature a variety of hands-on activities including harvesting and cooking ginseng and making crafts using natural materials. The festival will also showcase a variety of wild ginseng as well as other medicinal herbs. Music concerts are also held throughout the five-day festival period. For more information, visit sansam.hygn.go.kr or call (055) 960-5174.

“Hwang River Leisure and Sports Festival”: Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province holds a festival featuring a variety of fun sports activities ranging from a water marathon and catching fish with your hands to a volleyball contest. The 2012 Hwang River Leisure and Sports Festival will take place July 28-29 at Hapcheon Hwang River Leports Park in line with other local festivals including the Hapcheon Hope Village Festival, which presents a variety of local food and agriculture products. With its fun sports events, the festival has recently become popular among foreign residents in Korea. The festival’s water marathon consists of three courses ― 2K, 5K and 10K ― and offers the best photo opportunities. For more information, call (055) 930-3877.

“Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival”: Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province holds the annual lotus festival from July 26-29 at Seodong Park. Buyeo is the old capital of the ancient Korean kingdom Baekjae. The 10th festival will hold craft-making events with lotus flowers such as face painting, lotus soap making and making lotus flowers with paper.
The festival will also feature performances of local arts groups as well as traditional Korean music throughout. For more information, call (041) 830-2921.

Exhibitions

“The Civilizations of Turkey: Emperors in Istanbul”: National Museum of Korea’s special exhibition, “The Civilization of Turkey: Emperors in Istanbul” offers a rare opportunity for Seoulites to see exquisite collections of Turkish relics. A total of 184 artifacts are showcased in four different sections, categorized by the time periods: The ancient Anatolian civilizations, the Greek and Roman Civilizations, the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923). The most fascinating of the exhibits are, undoubtedly, the relics from the Ottoman Empire. The culture of the Ottoman Empire was deeply rooted in Islam and the items from this time period show off vivid colors and splendid use of jewels and stones, revealing the sultans’ absolute power and their lavish lifestyle. Sultans’ everyday items, including colorful garments, a silver ashtray, a crystal ladle, and a turban ornament decorated with colorful gems, including rubies, pearls, diamonds and emeralds, are on display. The exhibition runs until Sept. 2 at the Special Exhibition Gallery of the National Museum of Korea. For more information, call (02) 2077-9000.

“Korean Art from the United States”: The National Museum of Korea’s current exhibition, “Korean Art from the United States” features a total of 86 artifacts that are currently housed in nine U.S. museums and their Korea-themed galleries, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Honolulu Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The show offers an interesting overview of how the exhibited pieces ended up on foreign soil since the late Joseon period. It introduces some of the key American figures who had the very first opportunity to collect Korean artifacts ― mostly earthenware and ceramics ― and bring them to the U.S. during the 19th century. Notable items include a 12th-century Goryeo celadon piece, which was donated to the Cleveland Museum of Art by John L. Severance (1863-1936) in 1921. Severance is the son of Louis H. Severance (1838-1913), one of the founding members of today’s Severance Hospital in Seoul.“Korean Art from the United States” runs until Aug. 5 at the National Museum’s special exhibition hall. For more information, call (02) 2077-9000.

“SeMA Gold 2012: Hidden Track”: The Seoul Museum of Art showcases artworks of Korean mid-career artists in their 50s and 60s as part of its generational series, which the museum started last year with emerging artists. The exhibition features about 50 works by 19 artists including drawings, photographs, installations and videos. The exhibition unfolds in the lobby of the museum with a black pavement by Hong Myung-seop intended to create a red carpet atmosphere that leads viewers to the world of artists’ hidden secrets. The exhibition continues through Aug. 26 at the museum located next to the Seoul City Hall. For more information, call (02) 2124-8924. 

“A Brief Suspension of Disbelief”: The Miami-born Cuban-American artist Hernan Bas holds his first exhibition in Korea at PKM Trinity Gallery in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul until July 20. Bas is one of the most prominent young artists in the contemporary art world and has attracted worldwide attention lately with his dream-like paintings with expressive and bold brushwork. The exhibition features five paintings, 14 photographs and a film, all put together under the theme of “a brief suspension of disbelief.” For more information, call (02) 515-9496.

“De quoi s’Agit-il? (What are we Dealing With?)”: The photographs of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the co-founder of the photography agency Magnum, are on exhibit at Sejong Arts Center in Seoul until Sept. 2. The Seoul exhibition titled “What are we Dealing With?” is the 11th retrospective of Cartier-Bresson held worldwide since starting in France in 2003. The photographer died shortly after his retrospective started. The exhibition features Cartier-Bresson’s earliest photographs, including one perfectly-timed shot of a man jumping over a puddle of water behind the Saint Lazare train station in Paris and scenes of historical upheaval in the early 20th century. For more information, call (02) 735-4237.

“Move: Art and Dance since the 1960s”: The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon presents an exhibition combining art and dance. The exhibition features installations and sculptures complemented with live dance performances and continues through Aug. 12. The exhibition is a reinterpretation of the showcases that drew much attention to the mix of art and dance at renowned galleries in England and Germany in 2010 and 2011.
It also holds performances by professional dancers throughout the exhibition period from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call (02) 2188-6114.