Exhibition

“The Art of Dansaekhwa”: Kukje Gallery in Seoul brings together the works of key Dansaekhwa artists from the 1970s and 1980s in the exhibition “The Art of Dansaekhwa,” which runs through Oct. 19. Curated by Yoon Jin-seob, art curator and promoter of the term Dansaekhwa in the global art world, the exhibition showcases some 18 monochrome paintings, offering insight into the Korean Dansaekhwa movement and its distinctive style. For more information, call (02) 735-8449. 

Ma Liuming: Hakgojae Gallery is presenting a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Ma Liuming until Oct. 5. The exhibition showcases paintings, photographs, sculptures and video works that explore the freedom of the body. A series of photographs shows his nude performance “Fen-Ma Liuming,” about his alter ego. The artist has attracted attention through radical performances such as walking naked on the Great Wall of China. The artist stopped doing performances in 2000 and has since taken images of his performances onto canvas. For more information, call (02) 720-1524.

Mediacity Seoul: Korea’s largest showcase of media art will be held at the Seoul Museum of Art from Sept. 2 to Nov. 23. The eighth media art biennale, titled “Ghosts, Spies and Grandmothers,” brings together 452 teams of media artists from 51 countries. The exhibition explores several themes: ghosts stand for the forgotten history and traditions of Asia, spies symbolize memories of the Cold War, and grandmothers are a metaphor for women in the colonial era. On Sept. 1, the Seoul Saenam exorcism, registered as an intangible cultural property of Korea, will be performed to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.mediacityseoul.kr.

Gwangju Biennale: The 10th Gwangju Biennale kicked off on Sept. 5 with 413 works by 111 artists from 38 countries under the theme of “Burning Down the House.” The biennale examines the potential of art as a movement by exploring contemporary artists’ efforts to address personal and public issues, according to Jessica Morgan, artistic director of Gwangju Biennale 2014. The exhibition will continue through Nov. 9 at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall and other venues throughout the city. For more information, visit www.gwangjubiennale.org.

Festival

Sancheong Medicinal Herb Festival: This Oriental medicine festival takes place in Sancheong, known for the quality of its medicinal herbs, from Oct. 2-9. The village on Mount Jirisan is also where the renowned doctor and author of the ancient Korean medical book “Heo Jun” conducted his medical practice. This year’s festival showcases the latest Oriental medicine trends, treatments and health information. Visitors will also get the chance to receive free consultations and treatments at the festival. Activities will be held at Donguibogam village and the festival plaza in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province. For more information, call (055) 970-6000.

Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival: This festival celebrates lantern customs in the region that date back to the Japanese invasion of 1592. Lanterns were used as a military ploy to prevent Japanese troops from crossing the Namgang River and also as a means of conveying personal wishes. The festival has celebrated the custom since 2000 with a variety of programs including a lantern parade, a lantern float on a lake and lantern exhibitions. The festival will take place from Oct. 1-12 along the Namgang River. For more information, visit www.yudeung.com.

Suncheon Bay Reeds Festival: An annual reed festival will be held at the well-preserved wetlands of Suncheon Bay from Oct. 17-19. The festival at Suncheon Bay Garden and other venues throughout the city offers visitors a chance to walk along the popular reed path and appreciate the serene landscape. During the festival, craft-making classes using reeds will be held and visitors will be able to stay in a reed hut. Other highlights include a cooking competition for local chefs and a party where visitors are invited to try a variety of local dishes. For more information, visit http://reeds.suncheon.go.kr.

2014 Andong International Mask Dance Festival: The biggest celebration and showcase of South Korea’s traditional mask dance will be held in Andong Hahoe Village from Sept. 26-Oct. 5. The festival has showcased traditional mask dance performances from the Andong region of North Gyeongsang Province since it started in 1997. This year’s festival will feature lion-themed performances under the theme of “Jumping! Pumping! Lion.” International mask dance troupes are invited as well. The Chinese and Japanese teams will hold a collaborative lion performance with a Korean team. Other programs include outdoor mask dance performances and more than 500 performances held throughout the festival period. For more information, visit www.maskdance.com (English available).

Dance

“The Seventh Symphony & The Rite of Spring”: The Korean National Ballet is prepping for its upcoming staging of the “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky and Uwe Scholz’s “Seventh Symphony.” The performance combines the dance performance of Beethoven’s famous Symphony No. 7 and the classic choreography of “The Rite of Spring,” which was originally created by the American dancer and choreographer Glen Tetley in 1974. The KNB’s upcoming performance of “The Seventh Symphony & The Rite of Spring” will be staged from Oct. 16-19 at Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater. Tickets range from 5,000 won to 80,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com. 

“The Love of Chunhyang”: Korea’s Universal Ballet Company is staging its original ballet “The Love of Chunhyang” in September, in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Based on the famous Korean folktale “Chunhyangjeon,” the ballet tells the story of Chun-hyang, a low-class courtesan’s daughter who is rewarded for staying faithful while imprisoned for refusing to be a governor’s mistress during her husband’s absence. The show runs from Sept. 27-28 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. Tickets range from 10,000 won to 80,000 won. For more information, call (02) 399-1114.

“Cross Cut”: The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company is slated to stage its upcoming return performance of “Cross Cut.” The show is a modern, subjective dance piece that will feature sets of Korean traditional dance, contemporary, ballet and street dancing. This year’s production of “Cross Cut” will be held for one day only at the Bupyeong Arts Center in Incheon on Oct. 1. Ticket prices are listed at 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Pop music

“Let’s Rock Festival”: The upcoming “Let’s Rock Festival” is gearing up to feature some of the country’s most notable indie bands in a two-day outdoor rock fest. The festival will include headlining acts Clazziquai Project, Peppertones, Zitten, Sister’s Barbershop, Crying Nut, No Brain, Guckkasten and Rose Motel as well as more than 30 other acts. The two-day indie music festival will be held at the Nanji Hangang Park on Sept. 20 and 21. Ticket prices are listed at 66,000 won for a one-day pass and 99,000 won for a two-day pass. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Mamas Gun: Returns 2014”: The London-based electro-funk band Mamas Gun is slated to return to Korea for another solo concert in September. The five-piece English rock band made its debut in 2008 and has released two albums: “Routes to Riches” (2009) and “The Life and Soul” (2011). Although the band has not yet reached the mainstream in the U.K., the bandmates have managed to find success in the Asian market. The solo concert will be held at the Uniqlo AX Hall in Seoul on Sept. 26. Tickets are listed at 77,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“John Legend: The All of Me Tour”: The globally renowned U.S. R&B singer John Legend is making his way back to Seoul for an intimate acoustic solo concert in September. The nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has released countless hits over his illustrious 13-year musical career, including his most recent single “All of Me.” In 2007, Legend was honored with the Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The R&B artist will be performing live at the Uniqlo AX Hall in Seoul on Sept. 28. Tickets for the show are listed at 132,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Grand Mint Festival”: This year’s annual two-day Grand Mint Festival will feature veteran rock band Sister’s Barbershop, popular acoustic duo 10cm, Glen Check, Romantic Punch, Verbal Jint, the Peppertones, Peterpan Complex and many more. The upcoming festival will be held at Olympic Park in Seoul, and will have five different stages. The 2014 Grand Mint Festival will be held on Oct. 18 and 19. Ticket prices are listed at 88,000 won for a one-day pass and 140,000 won for a two-day pass. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Theater

“Medea”: The National Changgeuk Company of Korea is staging a “changgeuk” version of Euripides’ Greek tragedy “Medea” in an effort to make changgeuk, a form of Korean traditional opera, more accessible to the public. The epic tale centers on Medea, a princess of Colchis, who takes revenge after her husband Jason betrays her by killing people he loves, even their kids. “Medea” will run from Oct. 1-5 in Seoul at the National Theater of Korea, near Dongguk University Station on Line 3. Tickets range from 20,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2280-4114 or visit www.ntok.go.kr. 

“Sad Play”: A play directed and written by Min Bok-ki, president of the Chaimu Theater Company, “Sad Play” returns to the stage for the third time since 2004. The play centers on a married couple preparing to say goodbye to each other, as the husband is slowly dying and the wife is trying to avoid the saddening reality. They listen to an old pop song together, reminisce about the first time they met and reconstruct old memories together while searching for hope and joy amid tragedy. “Sad Play” will run through Nov. 2 at Daehakro Art One Theater, near Hyehwa Station on Line 4. Ticket prices are 35,000 won. For details, call (02)762-0010.

“The Devil”: An original Korean musical based on the theme of the Faustian bargain, “The Devil” will premiere at Doosan Art Center on Aug. 22. Set in 20th-century New York, it tells the story of three characters ― John Faust, his girlfriend Gretchen and the devilish character “X.” Directed by Lee Gina, with music by Woody Park and Lee Ji-hye, the production stars Michael Lee and Han Ji-sang as X and Cha Ji-youn as Gretchen. “The Devil” will run through Oct. 12 at Yonkang Hall of Doosan Art Center near Exit 1 of Jongno 5-ga Station on Line 1. Tickets are 50,000 won and 80,000 won. For details, call 3444-0677.

“Priscilla”: A jukebox musical from Australia, “Priscilla” is getting a Korean premiere. Full of well-known pop songs including “It’s Raining Men,” “True Colors,” “Material Girl” and “I Will Survive,” the show tells the story of two drag queens and a transsexual who travel from Sydney to a remote town in the Australian desert aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla, to put on a drag show. The cast includes Cho Sung-ha, a TV actor making his musical debut, Korean-American musical actor Michael Lee, 2AM member Jo Kwon and singer-turned-musical actor Lee Ji-hoon. “Priscilla” runs through Sept. 29 at LG Arts Center near Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on Line 2. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. For details, visit www.musicalpriscilla.co.kr or call 1577-3363.

“Chicago”: The Korean rendition of the timeless Broadway hit “Chicago” is currently being staged at D-Cube Art Center, located near Exit 1 of Sindorim Station, Lines 1 and 2. Singer Ivy plays Roxie Hart, the wannabe cabaret star, opposite charismatic Choi Jung-won as Velma Kelly. It runs until Sept. 29 and ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, call (02) 577-1987 or visit www.d3art.co.kr.

“Rebecca”: A suspenseful musical from Austria, “Rebecca” will be staged in Korea for the second time from Sept. 6 to Nov. 9 at Blue Square in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Based on the 1938 gothic novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier and the movie by Alfred Hitchcock, the musical is written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, a duo well known in Korea for their works “Mozart!” and “Elisabeth.” The tragic tale revolves around Manderley, a stately mansion owned by Maxim DeWinter, who lost his wife Rebecca in an accident. Memories of his beautiful dead wife keep haunting him, his new bride and the mansion’s mysterious and obsessive housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. The cast features some big-name musical actors and actresses including Oh Man-seok, Oak Joo-hyun and Shin Young-sook. Tickets run from 60,000 won to 130,000 won. For details, call (02) 6391-6333.

“Wicked”: A Korean rendition of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked” is being staged at Charlotte Theater in Seoul. It tells the story of two different witches in the Land of Oz, the green-skinned, struggling and often-alienated Elphaba and the beautiful and popular blonde Glinda. Kim Sun-young and Park Hye-na play Elphaba opposite Kim So-hyun and Kim Bo-kyung as Glinda. “Wicked” runs until Oct. 5. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363 or visit www.wickedthemusical.co.kr.


Classical music

Tetzlaff Quartet: The string quartet led by world-renowned violinist Christian Tetzlaff will hold its debut concert in Seoul at LG Arts Center on Oct. 2. Consisting of two violinists (Elisabeth Kufferath and Tetzlaff himself), violist Hanna Weinmeister and cellist Tanja Tetzlaff, the ensemble will play a recital of quartets by Mozart, Widmann and Beethoven. Tickets cost from 40,000 won to 80,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

German Radio Philharmonic: Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, or the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, will perform at Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 25. Led by British conductor Karel Mark Chichon, the orchestra will play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Korean pianist Sohn Yeol-eum and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call 1577-7766 or visit www.artgy.or.kr.

“The Rheingold” in concert: Maestro Chung Myung-whun and his Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will perform “The Rheingold,” the first of Richard Wagner’s monumental four-scene music drama “The Ring of the Nibelung” in a concert at Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 26. The masterpiece, which requires a 110-member orchestra and more than a dozen singers, has never been performed in Korea in a concert format. Thirteen world-renowned singers will participate in the concert, including baritone Christopher Maltman and baritone and tenor Daniel Kirch. Tickets are sold out. For details, call 1588-1210.

“Romeo et Juliette”: The Korea National Opera will present nightly performances of the French opera “Romeo et Juliette” at Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul from Oct. 2-5. Based on William Shakespeare’s play of the same title, the opera by French composer Charles Gounod is most recognized for its four beautiful duets between the lovers, as well as Juliette’s waltz. The upcoming production is directed by Elijah Moshinsky, who helmed the KNO’s “Don Carlos” last year. Renowned tenor Francesco Demuro will sing opposite Russian soprano Irina Lungu as Romeo and Juliette, with the other pair being Korean singers Kang Jung-woo and Anna Sohn. Julian Kovatchev will conduct the Korean Symphony Orchestra. Tickets run from 10,000 won to 150,000 won. For details, visit www.nationalopera.org.

Soprano Suh Ye-ree recital: Germany-based soprano Suh Ye-ree, renowned for her wide repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary music, will perform at LG Arts Center on Oct. 3 in her first solo recital in her home country. In the concert, titled “‘Alte & Neue,” she will perform compositions of a wide range of composers: Frederic Handel, Gyorgy Ligeti, Chin Unsuk and Isang Yun, with Holger Groschopp from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on piano and Markus Markl on organ and harpsichord. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. For details, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

Lim Dong-min and Lim Dong-hyek recital: Brother pianists Lim Dong-min and Lim Dong-hyek will hold their first joint recital in nine years to present the complete Chopin concertos at Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 4. Dong-min, the older brother, will play the first concerto, while Dong-hyek will take on the composer’s second concerto, both with Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor Sung Shi-yeon. Tickets cost from 30,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, call 1577-5266.