The Korean National Ballet is set to present separate productions of modern and classic ballet in August, with a back-to-back schedule. Kicking off on Aug. 25, “Triple Bill” features three distinct works within a single program, while “Ballet With Commentary, Le Corsaire” is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 3. Both productions will be staged at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. In “Triple Bill,” the audience will experience

The musical "Memphis" presents the story of the white disc jockey Huey Calhoun, who was one of the first in the 1950s to play music by Black artists, and how his love for rock 'n' roll became the catalyst for a groundbreaking chapter in the history of US music. This story takes place in 1950s Memphis, Tennessee where the racial divide was pervasive everywhere, in the night clubs and restaurants, as well as in music and romantic relationships. In its Broadway run from 2009 to

Seoul’s iconic Gwanghwamun Square is gearing up for a remarkable transformation into a space for dancing, DJ parties and an opera performance later this month. The outdoor Sejong Summer Festival will be held under a “Groove” theme from Aug. 11 to Sept. 9, according to the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Monday. This is the first outdoor event organized by the Sejong Center in four years and the first since the pandemic. Five performances are scheduled, with seating cap

As Liberation Day approaches, a creative ballet performance titled "An Jung-geun: A Dance in the Heaven" is scheduled to take place at the Mapo Art Center on Aug. 11-12. The performance draws its inspiration from the last words of An, a Korean independence activist who, moments before his execution at Lushun Prison in China in March 1910, declared, “When the day comes that I hear of Korea’s independence, I will dance and shout ‘Hurrah!’” The story of An&rs

The National Theater of Korea is set to host a series of outdoor screening events on the first-floor balcony of the Haeoreum Theater, starting at 7:30 p.m. over three consecutive Wednesdays. Live performance recordings of three productions from the 2022-2023 NTOK Repertory Season will be screened. The event will kick off on Aug. 9 with the National Changguek Company’s innovative production of “Rabbit's Eight Sufferings.” This reinterpretation of the traditional pansori &ld

The National Theater of Korea is in full-swing preparations to showcase captivating works that blend novelty with tradition for the upcoming season, including a grand-scale musical cantata featuring 300 artists and a traditional concert accompanied by liquor. The artistic directors of three national troupes affiliated with the theater -- the National Changgeuk Company, National Dance Company and National Orchestra -- unveiled the lineup for the 2023-24 program scheduled for Sept. 1 to June 30, 2

This summer the stage is set for a series of thrilling arts festivals, starting with the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival on Friday. As the season unfolds, various other festivals will return every week through the end of August. The 23rd edition of the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival will run until July 29 at Miryang Aria and other venues in the small city located in South Gyeongsang Province. The city has a population of about 100,000, but it will temporarily become the nation

K-Musical Market was launched in 2021 with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts Management Service to promote Korean original musicals internationally. The Korean government's hope is that Korean musicals might replicate the achievements of K-pop, movies and dramas. And that hope is not groundless. Musicals account for 75 percent of ticket revenue in the country's performing arts industry and the musical scene is burgeoning with countless big an

Kazunori Nakamura, director of Takarazuka Revue Company, has been observing South Korea’s musical industry over the past three decades. This was his first time at K-Musical Market and he was impressed by efforts put on by the Korean government. "I am surprised that there is a systematic effort for international expansion. And it's not just for the sake of overseas expansion. I felt that the quality of the creative teams, the productions and script writing were at a high level,&

K-Musical Market was launched in 2021 with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts Management Service to promote Korean original musicals internationally. The Korean government's hope is that Korean musicals might replicate the achievements of K-pop, movies and dramas. And that hope is not groundless. Musicals account for 75 percent of ticket revenue in the country's performing arts industry and the musical scene is burgeoning with countless bi

[Herald Interview] Yoo talks about 10 years with “The Days" and Korean musical fans

South Korean actor Son Suk-ku, who emerged as one of the biggest stars of 2022 with the TV series “My Liberation Notes” and action blockbuster “The Roundup,” has made a comeback with the play “Army on the Tree.” All tickets to the play, which was to run June 20-Aug. 5 at the LG Arts Center, have been sold out. The play has been extended by a week to Aug. 12, and the tickets for the extra shows have yet to go on sale. When asked about the difference between act

Both “Everything OK” and "Two Eyes" are set to feature mix of gugak, retro and contemporary culture

The National Theater of Korea's summer music festival Yeowoorak Festival kicks off Friday, featuring collaborations across generations, cultures and genres that seek to redefine traditional Korean music. Under the theme of “Homo Festivus,” the festival presents 12 performances until July 22 at the Daloreum Theater, the Haneul Round Theater and the Cultural Plaza. Master pansori singer Yun Jin-cheol and shaman Kim Dong-eon will perform “Break a Common Law” on Friday.

It has been a week since Kang Mi-sun won the top prize at the Benois de la Danse, yet she said the surreal feeling of her win has yet to fully sink in. “I still find it hard to believe that I received such a huge honor,” said Kang during a press conference held to mark her win at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul on Tuesday. The principal dancer at the Seoul-based Universal Ballet shared the best female dance award with China’s Qiu Yunting at the awards ceremony held at the Bo