Korean divas of the ’80s and ’90s have embarked on a new journey as a girl group, with a new single to be dropped Friday. "Golden Girls" on KBS2 follows four divas -- Insooni, Park Mi-kyung, Shin Hyo-beom and Lee Eun-mi -- who debuted as solo vocalists more than 30 to 40 years ago as they "re-debut" as a K-pop girl group named Golden Girls. Park Jin-young, also known as J.Y. Park, leads JYP Entertainment, one of the country's top three entertainment agencies.

The story reads like a movie script where the protagonist, after 10 attempts, finally clinches a grand prize. Such is the story of classical guitarist Deion Cho, who emerged triumphant at the 56th Francisco Tarrega International Guitar Competition in Spain this September. Previous winners of the prestigious competition established in 1967 in honor of Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909), the composer of “Memories of the Alhambra,” includes world-renowned guitar virtuoso David Russell. Cho,

Korean, Welsh choreographers work with dancers from counterpart dance companies

The iconic ballet “The Nutcracker” is set to make a festive return for year-end magic on the stage, as major ballet companies gear up for the holiday season. The classic Christmas spectacle wraps up the year with a colorful stage, glittering costumes and familiar melodies from Tchaikovsky’s score. Based on children’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” (1816) by German writer Ernst Hofmann, the heroine (Marie or Clara in different renditions) receives a

Pianist Kim Jun-hyung, the second prize winner of the 2022 ARD International Music Competition’s piano category, is Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for the next year, according to the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation Wednesday. Born in 1997, Kim took his first piano lesson at age 10 and made his debut as Kumho Prodigy Concert Series in 2012. He is currently pursing a master's degree in New Music at The University of Music and Performing Arts Munich where he studies with Ant

Jeongdong Theater’s latest production ‘Am-deok’ brings UNESCO-listed traditional circus onstage

Dutch conductor aims to raise orchestra's quality to top level, nurture talented new musicians

The National Theater Company of Korea is set to captivate audiences once more with its signature production, "The Orphan of Zhao: Seeds of Revenge," returning with its sixth run at the Myeongdong Theater in central Seoul from Nov. 30 to Dec. 25. Premiered in 2015, “The Orphan of Zhao” is a reinterpretation of the Chinese "Zaju" drama script of the same title, written by the Yuan Dynasty playwright Ji Junxiang. Among the six Zaju plays he wrote, “The Orphan o

Fuerza Bruta Wayra, the renowned Argentinian theater production known for its captivating dance performances and circus-like acrobatics, has made its return to Seoul. The show is set for its first run on Friday and will continue until Feb. 15. This marks the fourth appearance of the Argentinian spectacle in Korea, following its previous presentations in 2005, 2018 and 2019. The show means "brutal force" in Spanish, and its signature "360-degree performance" uses not only the

Jung Jae-il, music director, composer and instrumentalist, admits that Korean traditional music -- gugak -- is not an easy genre. "I was exposed to the genre at a young age thanks to my friends. Like all forms of art, contemporary music may seem unconventional or different at first, but as you develop an affection for it, you come to realize that there is a depth and richness that unfolds over time," Jung, 42, said during a press conference on Monday, adding that one might find the c

When traditional Korean instruments such as gayageum, haegeum and daegeum meet electronic music, what kind of harmony will emerge? The Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra is set to perform the second stage of its 2023 Mixed Orchestra series on Dec. 7 at the Sejong Grand Theater. Breaking free from convention, the Mixed Orchestra series seeks to push the boundaries of Korean traditional music by intertwining it with various genres, this time turning its attention to electronic music. The tri

The National Orchestra of Korea, a traditional Korean music orchestra under the National Theater of Korea, is set to deploy a cutting-edge exhibition to help the audience to explore the roots of Korean music. Titled “The Origin of Orchestra,” the exhibition featuring virtual reality technology is scheduled for Nov. 23-24, with a concert of the same title at the Haneul Round Theater on Nov. 26. Building on the momentum initiated in the 2022 concert with media artist Lee Lee-nam's

In a mesmerizing display of cultural harmony and melodic beauty, a haegeum player in traditional Korean hanbok and an erhu player in a purple gown graced the stage together side by side. Performing the double concerto for erhu and haegeum titled “Two Strings,” the two string musicians from Taiwan and Korea exchanged eye contact and melodies, creating a harmonious fusion. The joint performance was held at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, featuring the Contemporary Gugak Orchestra a

The Berliner Philharmoniker is set to perform at the Seoul Arts Center in Seoul on Saturday and Sunday, marking its first tour in six years. Under Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko's lead, the Berliner Philharmoniker will present a captivating program featuring Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 on Saturday. Sunday's repertoire includes Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and will be joined by South Korean pia

'Farewell My Concubine' blends traditions in spectacular revival