The Korean National Ballet is mired in controversy over inappropriate behavior by some of its members while they were under home quarantine for COVID-19. The national ballet company told all members to go into self-quarantine Feb. 24-28, after the performance of “Swan Lake” at the Daegu Opera House from Feb. 14-15.  Though none of them showed signs of COVID-19 infection, the decision was made over concerns about the rapid increase in cases in Daegu and neighboring North Gye

With the COVID-19 alert level raised to the highest “red” level, the performing arts scene has been struggling, as theaters have sat empty of audiences and performances. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, managed by the Korea Arts Management Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, performing arts theaters’ ticket sales from Feb. 1 to Tuesday recorded 18.4 billion won ($15.15), nearly down to half of the same peri

With new artistic director Nam Jeong-ho at the helm, the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company has announced its 2020 season program, featuring dances inspired by diverse subjects, from primitive rituals to artificial intelligence. At “Opening,” the first production to open 2020, the national dance troupe will feature two dances -- “Beyond Black” and “The Rite of Spring” -- from April 17-19 at the Seoul Arts Center.   “Beyond Black,” cre

Kang Sue-jin has been reappointed as artistic director of the Korean National Ballet for the next three years, her third term after first taking the post in 2014. “We expect Kang to continue to interact with well-known national ballet groups and choreographers abroad to improve the level of our national ballet company. We also hope she will create original pieces based on Korean traditions for the development of Korean ballet,” Culture Minister Park Yang-woo said in a statement.

Despite unclear future, arts center unveils 2020 program

As entertainment industry urged to promote diversity, more roles open up for Asians

South Korean biopharma giant Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jeong-jin has been appointed the director of the board of the Korea National Opera.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Seo’s appointment Wednesday. His three-year term will run until Jan. 14, 2023.  Seo’s contributions to the cultural sector include a 3 billion won ($2.5 million) investment in the 2016 film “Operation Chromite” through Celltrion Entertainment as well as developing expertise a

The National Theater of Korea is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year by presenting numerous programs by various performing art troupes. The National Theater Center, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is the hub of Korea’s performing arts scene, with the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, National Dance Company of Korea and the National Orchestra of Korea under its wings. Founded in 1950, it is the oldest of its kind in Asia. To celebrate its 70 years of histor

In 2020, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts hopes to offer its audience cutting-edge stage art in a less rigid manner. The center released the program for its 2020 season Monday, featuring 54 shows and 393 performances. Innovative, low-barrier productions are what stand out most.“This year’s slogan is to ‘enjoy Sejong,’ meaning that everyone can enjoy more than just performances at the Sejong Center,” the center’s CEO Kim Sung-kyu said at a press event

The 2020 dance scene will be packed with productions that reinterpret well-known stories, offering fresh insights into time-honored tales. Eifman Ballet, led by Russian choreographer Boris Eifman, will perform “Beyond Sin” and “Anna Karenina” in May. Eifman is recognized for his reinterpretations of Russian novels with dramatic expression.“Beyond Sin” is a choreographic interpretation of Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov.” Eifman has disti

The National Theater of Korea is to bring three highly regarded British plays to the big screen in February. The three pieces are “One Man, Two Guvnors,” “The Lehman Trilogy” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” The works were filmed live and will be shown at the Daloreum Theater Feb. 6-16. Their arrival in South Korea is part of National Theatre Live, organized by the Royal National Theatre in Britain to bring the best of British thea

Though the musical “Big Fish” may seem to be from far away -- it is, after all, a story from the American South -- it is a tale of fatherhood with which audiences around the world can relate, the show’s scriptwriter said.The family musical is based on a 1998 novel of the same name written by Daniel Wallace. The novel was adapted into a film in 2003 starring Ewan McGregor. Screenwriter John August is the mastermind behind the film and the musical productions, having written the

The name Whitney Houston takes many straight back to the 1980s and ’90s. The US singer took the world by storm soon after her 1985 debut. Her first two studio albums, “Whitney Houston” and “Whitney” topped the Billboard charts for weeks. Enjoying a huge success in the music scene, the singer took a leap to the big screen, making her acting debut on the film “The Bodyguard” in 1992. She recorded six new songs, including the iconic track “I’ll

‘Aida’ bids farewell, ‘Mamma Mia!’ returns and ‘Jamie’ gets Asian premiereWith the year winding to a close, local production companies and theaters have been announcing the musicals set for the stage next year, with lineups including licensed international hits and locally brewed shows alike.Last month, Seensee Company launched a local production of “Aida,” which will continue through Feb. 23 at Blue Square in Yongsan, central Seoul. What is slated

Musical “The Phantom of the Opera” is set in the iconic Paris Opera House in central Paris, also known as the Palais Garnier. Built in the late 19th century by Charles Garnier, the establishment is one of the city’s must-see spots to this day. A mysterious figure referred to as the phantom lives beneath the opera house, away from others. He wears a mask to hide his scarred face. He falls in love with young soprano Christine Daae. Christine comes to believe the phantom is her &l