Korea World Dance Stars Festival gala to introduce two world premieres

When asked to recite a line from his latest play, Shin Gu adjusted his posture and transformed himself into Freud. “When I was a child, the two of us were walking down the street. When a man knocked his hat off, the man shouted at him, ‘Jew! Get off the sidewalk!’” Starting his lines quietly, the 86-year-old's voice crescendoed into a bellow, stunning the audience. Returning for the third season, following previous runs in 2020 and 2022, Shin is set to play Freud in

HJ Culture, a South Korean musical theater production company, embarked on its musical journey with an enchanting production of "Vincent van Gogh" in 2014. This inaugural musical set the stage for the company's commitment to introducing historical figures through musicals, bringing to life the stories of legendary artists and other luminaries in musicals "Rachmaninoff," "Farinelli," "Paganini," "Egon Schiele," "Modigliani" and &q

Musical "Mozart!" has returned for its seventh run in South Korea since its premiere in 2010. The musical follows the struggles of the genius composer and pianist until his death. EXO member Suho, musical actor Lee Hae-jun, N.Flying member Yoo Hwe-seung and singer Kim Hee-jae, who makes his musical theater debut, will take turns in the role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. All four actors portraying Mozart are making their debut in the role. "The director and I expected a lot of work

Kang Mi-sun, a principal dancer at Universal Ballet in Seoul, has won the top prize at the prestigious Benois de la Danse, an annual ballet competition held in Moscow. Kang, along with China's Qiu Yunting, jointly received the best female dancer award at the awards ceremony held at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on Tuesday, according to the organizing committee. Kang was honored with the award for her role as a widow who bids farewell to her husband in "Mirinaegil,” an original pr

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, recently wrapped up a 16-day run of “King Lear” on Sunday at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The 88-year-old -- the oldest actor still active in Korea -- commanded the stage for 200 minutes, in captivating performance as Shakespeare’s tragic ruler. Having completed the 16 performances from June 1-18, Lee expressed his gratitude through a statement released by the production company, Theater Yeonwoo, Monday: “I would like to thank all t

For those unfamiliar with Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and the genre of Changgeuk, the combination of the two might not sound so appealing. After watching such an attempt, "The Merchants of Venice" by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, one might change their mind. Changgeuk is akin to a Korean version of opera. It derives from pansori, Korea's traditional narrative singing form that is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. “Chang&r

Assembly founder and artistic director William Burdett-Coutts shares more than 40 years of experience with Fringe

French modern ballet choreographer Angelin Preljocaj brings his new take on the canonical classical ballet “Swan Lake” to the LG Arts Center from June 22-25. Preljocaj’s rendition of “Swan Lake” premiered in France in October 2020 as the visionary choreographer’s third production of narrative ballet, following “Romeo and Juliet” (1996) and “Snow White” (2008). Dancer-choreographer Preljocaj has been at the forefront of contemporary ball

The National Dance Company of Korea is set to perform “Sanjo” at Haeoreum Theater from June 23-25. “Sanjo” reinterprets the beauty of “sanjo” -- traditional Korean music involving an instrumental solo -- in a modern perspective, expressing melody through dance and mise-en-scenes. Sanjo music is characterized by a blend of formal beauty and spontaneity, as the melody is crafted freely within a structured framework. Similar to Western jazz, the genre allows for

Recently staged musicals "Red Book" and "9 to 5" share a common underlying theme: Women finding their own voice through hardship. Despite their different origins and settings, both musicals highlight the journey of women overcoming obstacles and asserting their strength. "Red Book" centers around Anna, a female writer born during the Victorian era. She bravely confesses her first sexual experience to her fiance only to be abandoned. Seeking solace, Anna moves to the

The National Theater of Korea is set to premiere its production of the heartwarming play “Our Town” at the Daloreum Theater from June 22-25. The Korean adaption of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by American playwright Thornton Wilder explores the beauty and significance of everyday life, weaving a narrative around a family with a disabled member. Im Do-wan, who directed the National Theater Company of Korea’s production of “Scarpin,” took the helm of the adaptation

The 20th Busan International Performing Arts Festival kicked off in Busan on Friday with 41 productions by artists from 11 countries presenting their work over the 17-day festival. A special performance titled "1945," presented by theater company Dongnyok, will be staged at Busan Citizen's Hall from Friday to Sunday. "1945" tells the story of forgotten individuals who embark on a return journey to Korea after the country’s independence from Japanese colonial rule

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre wrapped up its four-day performance of “One Dance,” or “Ilmu” in Korean, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from Thursday to Sunday. Directed by Jung Ku-ho, the iconic performance presents a modern reinterpretation of a traditional dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, a royal ceremonial performance encompassing singing, music and dance that took place during the royal ancestral rites at Jongmyo Shrine. Jung, a fashion designer-turned-

Eight Korean dance groups have been invited by the American dance company the Bang Group to perform in New York next month. Titled “All of Seoul,” the event will be held at Arts on Site Studio 3R, in Manhattan, on June 15-16. The Bang Group, established in 1995, is a contemporary theatrical dance troupe. The company is hosting a performance series for the first time this year, and has invited Korean dancers for a program dedicated to Korean contemporary dance. On June 15, Unplugged B