Two ballet troupes present different versions of timeless classic 'The Nutcracker'

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon unveiled a plan to remodel the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, turning the cultural complex into a global cultural icon like the Sydney Opera House or New York's Carnegie Hall. The mayor announced the plan, which includes a new concert hall dedicated to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, during his visit to Philharmonie de Paris, a complex of concert halls in Paris that opened in 2015, Sunday. "Philharmonie de Paris, which has an exceptional exterior desi

"Alegria," a long-running contemporary circus production by Cirque Du Soleil, unveiled its brand-new version on Thursday in Seoul under the Big Top set up at Seoul Sports Complex in Jamsil, eastern Seoul. "Alegria: In a New Light" is the seventh production of Canada-based Cirque Du Soleil to be introduced in South Korea, following "Quidam" in 2007 and 2015, the previous version of "Alegria" in 2008, "Varekai" in 2011, "Michael Jackson: The

Korean traditional dance is something that comes out “naturally” in the everyday life of Koreans, says Park So-young, a 28-year-old dancer of the National Dance Company of Korea. Park specializes in Korean dance at the national dance troupe, performing works inspired by traditional dances. She focuses on displaying the features of Korea’s traditional emotions and lifestyle into dance while seeking ways to share the tradition with contemporary audience. The young professional da

The 43rd Seoul Dance Festival is set to kick off on a one-month journey on Oct. 27, showcasing various dance genres. Titled “A Wind of Change with Seoul Dance Festival,” this year’s event consists of pre-festival events, the main festival, a dance competition and a closing ceremony. While the event will begin in earnest on Nov. 11, pre-festival events highlighting performances by dance and performing arts students will take place from Oct. 27 to 31. On Nov. 11, four seasoned da

A group of guests board a replica hot air balloon. Performers dressed as expeditioners serve pork sausage rolls and biscuits with tomato chutney, while dancing and miming. Guests are invited to take part in the preparation for a takeoff. After a hearty Victorian-style picnic, the guests set off on a journey to surprise destinations led by Sylph, the spirit of air. An immersive dining show “The Grand Expedition” kicked off on Sept. 30 at Blue Square, in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. A un

The Seoul Performing Arts Festival, in its 22nd edition this year, will explore changes in our times with domestic and overseas projects that test the boundaries of performing arts, the organizers said during a press conference on Tuesday. The SPAF is an annual festival held in the Daehangno neighborhood of Seoul, considered the mecca of performing arts in Korea. It is co-organized by the Korea Arts Management Service under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Seoul Foundation for

Actor Im Chang-jung's worst nightmare came true when he returned to the musical stage for the first time in 10 years: He forgot his lines. Im, who played the role of Daniel in the musical "Mrs. Doubtfire," called it the "mistake of his life" over and over again during an interview with reporters on Thursday. “I’d never made that kind of mistake in my life. Forgetting an entire line of a scene. I felt terribly sorry for the audience and still think about h

The musical version of "Crash Landing On You," based on the 2019 megahit TV series of the same title, was unveiled Friday. The musical features familiar names from both the TV and theater scenes in the iconic lead roles of Ri Jung-hyuk and Yoon Se-ri. Lee Jang-woo, Lee Kyu-hyung and Min Woo-hyuk take the role of Ri, the North Korean officer, while Im Hye-young, Kim Ryeo-won and Na Ha-na portray Yoon, the heiress to a South Korean conglomerate. The actors and the creative team alike s

After four-day Circus Cabaret over Chuseok, Circus Caravan kicks off Saturday

The previews of the musical adaptation of “Mrs. Doubtfire” opened on Broadway at an unfortunate time -- on March 9, 2020 -- right as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in New York. 　Like most theaters and productions around the world, it only ran three performances before going on an uncertain hiatus. 　The previews returned in October last year, but had to close again in January. In May, the show was closed again, just one month after reopening, due to the spread of the omicron vibran

In a tumultuous industry where careers are short-lived, K-pop idols are finding new paths in musical theatre

World-class ballet dancer Kim Ki-min from Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet has returned for performances in Korea for the first time in four years. The principal dancer of the prestigious Russian ballet troupe will perform with 18 other dancers from international ballet companies at the “Ballet Supreme 2022” taking place at the National Theater in Seoul, from Thursday to Saturday. Current and former ballet dancers who are members of overseas companies such as the Royal Ballet of Eng

What if a rusty train that had stopped its operation between the two Koreas for over 70 years can move back in time through a wish that transcends generations? The musical “Wonder Ticket” centers around such plot, with a young girl listening to her grandfather’s love story and reminiscing on his days before the division of the Korean Peninsula. The musical, which debuted in 2020 during the pandemic, is making its third run outdoors at the Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park in the Imjingak

  French writer Victor Hugo’s 1869 novel, “The Man Who Laughs,” went onstage in South Korea as a musical in 2018. Best known for “Les Miserables” and “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” Hugo’s works have inspired many musical and film adaptations. Hugo’s lesser known “The Man Who Laughs” inspired the EMK Musical Company to create a musical version of the story and in its third production this year, the musical shows the power of