When Choi Hyun-woo, 41, began to learn magic in high school, he did it to overcome his shyness and impress girls. Choi didn’t get a girlfriend, but he became captivated by the wonders of magic. There weren’t many young Korean magicians back then, but he saw David Copperfield perform when the world’s most famous magician visited Korea in 1995. He was immediately shocked and eventually mesmerized. “I went to Copperfield’s house last year and I found the poster of

It is said that high heels were originally designed for men. Though they are more conventionally worn by women these days, the Korean-language musical “Jamie” blurs the line between men and women with a pair of bright red high heels. The successful West End musical “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” opened in Korea earlier this month under the name “Jamie.” It was the first time the show was staged outside the UK, and the first adaptation in a language

Universal Ballet successfully presented “Onegin,” the first full-length ballet to go on the stage in Korea in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Onegin,” a drama of tragic love, went onstage from July 18 to Sunday at the Chungmu Arts Center in central Seoul. The drama ballet created by celebrated choreographer John Cranko is based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel “Eugene Onegin.” Kurt-Heinz Stolze arranged the music for the production, editing various

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced its plans for the “Open Theater 2020” project, aiming to invigorate the theater scene. Instead of presenting a large number of plays, the project will run a diagnostic test on the current state of the country’s drama scene. “Open Theater 2020” will consist of 14 programs -- including seminars, talks and workshops -- all focused on creating a healthier theater scene. The project worth 2.1 billion won ($1.74 mi

Dance-focused musical delivers message that ‘show must go on’ at all costs

Head of Sejong Center suggests paid subscription-based streaming of performance content

Overseas-based artists are continuing to perform onstage in Korea, even if it means going through the two-week self-quarantine periods. Though rules on overseas travel have lately been relaxed -- allowing essential overseas trips -- still, crossing borders at a time like this is not easy. Many performances across the world have been canceled, with artists unable to travel around the way they used to. Here in Korea, some performances with foreign artists are carrying on, as the artists have b

The South Korean performing arts sector has gradually returned to life after a monthslong slump, but the lingering novel coronavirus pandemic is casting a dark cloud over the scene for the remainder of 2020. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS) on Thursday, aggregate ticket sales of musicals, theatrical plays, classical concerts and other performances reached 95.24 billion won ($79.3 million) in the first six months of the year. The system is managed by

Though the global musical scene has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international tour production of “Cats” will go on stage from Sept. 9 to Nov. 8 at the Charlotte Theater in eastern Seoul. 　 “Cats” is a musical created by iconic composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh, inspired by the 1939 poetry collection “Old Possum‘s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot. The musical has won numerous awards, including the

10th Ballet Festival Korea wraps up

Blockbuster musical takes off amid virus crisis　

The National Theater of Korea is collaborating with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), featuring contemporary gugak performances held against the backdrop of Korean calligraphy. The 2020 Yeowoorak Festival, an annual festival of traditional Korean music organized by the National Theater of Korea, is to kick off on July 3, featuring 12 performances over its 23-day run. Since March, the MMCA Seoul has been hosting its first calligraphy exhibition, titled “The

In his upcoming contemporary dance show, dancer and choreographer Kim Seol-jin offers a close look at the fine line between art and prank. Kim, who is well known for his modern dance works and has also appeared in many musicals, films and dramas, is to present his latest work at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, July 15-19. The show, “Japari,” is part of the theater’s Contemporary S project, launched last year with ballerina Kim Ju-wo

Artists, institutions search for sustainable growth model amid pandemic shock

Yeowoorak Festival to run July 3-25 at National Theater of Korea