Calendar

“Danton’s Death”: Seoul Arts Center is presenting “Danton’s Death,” the first play written by German dramatist Georg Buchner (1813-1837), set during the French Revolution. The play presents with the last few days of the French revolutionary leader, Danton. Korean artist Lee Ja-ram, who is known for her pansori works, is making her theater acting debut as a street performer in this play. The show is directed by Romanian theater director and teacher Gabor Tompa. “Danton’s Death” runs from Nov. 3 to 17 at Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater. English subtitles are provided. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 580-1300.

“Bungee Jump”: “Bungee Jump,” a musical adaptation of filmmaker Kim Dai-seung’s 2001 unusual romance “Bungee Jumping of Their Own,” is currently being performed in Seoul. The 2001 film featured the late actress Lee Eun-joo and hallyu heartthrob Lee Byung-hun, and deftly linked the themes of magic and curse of first love, reincarnation and even homosexuality. The show tells the story of a man who lost his first love to a car accident in the 1980s. The show runs until Nov. 17 at Doosan Art Center. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 80,000 won. For more information, visit www.doosanartcenter.com.

“Music Show Wedding”: Popular musical producer Song Seung-hwan, whose 1997 nonverbal piece “Nanta” became a global hit, has returned with another foreigner-friendly work. Titled “Wedding,” Song’s latest musical is also nonverbal; its actors and actresses sing, dance, act and play more than 20 musical instruments. The one-of-a-kind performance is specifically designed to draw foreign audiences. The show is a comical theatrical portrait of an ordinary Korean wedding, where the bride’s father isn’t particularly fond of his future son-in-law. Song follows the groom’s hilarious efforts to impress his father-in-law prior to the wedding ceremony, mixed with rhythmic music and dance. “Wedding” runs until Dec. 31 at Music Show Wedding Theater in Hongdae area in Seoul. For tickets and information, call (02) 739-8288.

“Notre-Dame de Paris”: The Korean rendition of the famous French-Canadian musical “Notre-Dame de Paris” is currently being performed in Seoul. Based on French writer Victor Hugo’s popular novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” the musical tells of Quasimodo, a deformed hunchback who dwells within the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and falls deeply in love with a beautiful gypsy dancer, Esmeralda. Local stars Yoon Hyeong-ryeol and Hong Gwang-ho are sharing the role of Quasimodo, while Bada and Yoon Gong-ju share the role of Esmeralda. “Notre-Dame de Paris” runs until Nov. 17 at Blue Square’s Samsung Electronics Hall. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Wicked”: After playing an unhappy Austrian empress (Elisabeth) and a mysterious, obsessive housekeeper (Rebecca), musical actress Oak Ju-hyun has now been cast to play the famous green-skinned witch in Broadway musical “Wicked.” The upcoming run, featuring an all-Korean cast, is the first Korean-language edition of the musical. The musical tells the story of two very different witches in the Land of Oz ― green-skinned, struggling and often-alienated Elphaba and beautiful and popular blonde Glinda. The show is a ravishing spectacle and fantasy, mixed with a touching account of one’s experience of a difficult youth, life-changing friendship and growing up. “Wicked” will open on Nov. 22 at Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, southern Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.

Pop music

“Parov Stelar Band”: DJ Parov Stelar, one of the pioneers behind the concept of mashing together new- and old-school music, will be returning to Seoul with his band in the group’s first solo concert in Korea. Although the band has performed in Seoul on a number of occasions as part of the lineup for various jazz festivals, including the annual Seoul Jazz Festival, this time the Parov Stelar Band is bringing its brass- and rhythm-infused electronic sounds in a full solo concert. With the band’s unique style of swing-time pop and electronica, Stelar is credited as creator of the “electro swing” genre. The Parov Stelar Band will be performing on Nov. 13 in the Olympic Hall at the Seoul Olympic Stadium at 8 p.m. Tickets to the show range from 99,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, visit www.interpark.com.

“Sensation: Wicked Wonderland”: “Sensation” is a live music and performance event that was first developed in Amsterdam 13 years ago. Over the years the event, which has been referred to as “the biggest club on Earth,” grew in popularity and has been brought all over the world to more than 30 countries and has been seen by millions. This year’s Sensation, with the theme of “Wicked Wonderland,” will be held on Nov. 30 at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online, with prices ranging from 99,000 won to 200,000 won. VIP packages are also available. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“2013 Psy Concert All Night Stand”: Psy will be ringing in the holiday season by holding a special four-day solo concert series in December. The upcoming performances will mark his first concert in Korea in nearly eight months after his globally broadcast “Happening” show in April, where he attracted around 45,000 concert goers and more than 130,000 fans who tuned in online for the live feed. The rapper has been busy this year promoting his single “Gentleman,” which was also nominated for the Video of the Year award at this year’s inaugural YouTube Music Awards. Psy’s special four-day solo concert series will be held from Dec. 20-22 and on Christmas Eve at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium. Tickets can be purchased online, with prices ranging from 77,000 won to 165,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“HotSechGodRG Concert: Legend Back”: The ’90s are making a return with the project group HotSechGodRG holding its first concert next month. HotSechGodRG is a collaboration group made up of some of the country’s most popular pastime idols Moon Hee-jun and Tony An from H.O.T, Sechs Kies’ Eun Ji-won, g.o.d’s Danny Ahn and NRG’s Cheon Myeong-hun. The group made its official debut through the release the group’s first music video ― a remake of NRG’s debut song “I Can Do It!” ―in May. The union of the ’90s rivaling stars both shocked and excited fans who have now been offered a rare opportunity at taking a live stroll down memory lane. HotSechGodRG first concert will be held on Dec. 24 and 25 at Central City Millennium Hall in Seoul. Tickets are 132,000 won and can be purchased online. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Dance

“Ballet Nacional de Espana”: The world-renowned Ballet Nacional de Espana (Spanish National Ballet) is once again in Seoul for visually captivating performances of the troupe’s most famous pieces. They are presenting “Grito” and “Suite Sevilla,” both of which include Spanish flamenco. Founded in 1978, the troupe is considered as one of the best-known ambassadors of Spanish culture. They performed in Seoul for the first time in 2011. The performance runs from Nov. 6 to 10 at LG Arts Center. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Schwanengesang”: Local troupe Lee Tae Sang Dance Project is presenting “Schwanengesang,” a dance that deals with young victims of sex abuse. Choreographer Lee’s works have been featured at the International Munchen Festival in Germany, International Kontakt Budapest Dance Festival in Hungary and ImpulsTANZ Vienna Dance Festival in Austria. “Schwanengesang” runs from Nov. 29 to 30 at Gangdong Arts Center in Seoul. All tickets cost 30,000 won. For more information, email ballet0639@hotmail.com.

“The Nutcracker”: Korea’s Universal Ballet Company is getting ready to attract fans with its popular rendition of “The Nutcracker.” First performed by UBC in 1986, the show is based on 19th-century German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann’s version of the story and French ballet choreographer Marius Petipa’s dance. UBC has cast some 10 of its finest dancers, including principal dancers Hwang Hye-min and Eom Jae-yong. The show, which tells the story of a young girl’s favorite Christmas toy coming alive and whisking her away to a magical kingdom, is one of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet compositions along with “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty.” The show runs from Dec. 20-31 at Universal Art Center in Neung-dong, eastern Seoul. Tickets range from 10,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, visit www.uac.co.kr.

Festivals

“Sokcho Abai Village Sailfin Sandfish Festival”: Sailfin sandfish, a seasonal Korean east coast delicacy, will be cooked in different recipes and served to visitors to the small Abai port village in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, from Nov. 8-17. The village, home to many with North Korean ancestry, holds the festival to celebrate its seasonal fresh ingredient and offer dishes grilled, stewed and cooked in diverse local recipes. The festival takes place at Seorak Geumgang Boulevard 43, Cheongho-dong, Sokcho, Gangwon Province. For more information, visit toursorak.com/dorumuk (Korean only).

“Seoul Lantern Festival”: Thousands of light installations inspired by the landscape and history of Baekjae (B.C. 18-A.D. 660), a kingdom known for its extravagant and opulent artifacts, will be on view along a 900-meter stretch of the Cheonggyecheon Stream in central Seoul from Nov. 1-17. The annual lantern festival, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will feature programs such as lantern-making sessions for adults and children and a make-a-wish event. An online lucky draw offers gifts such as North Face down jackets, drawings on Korean mulberry paper and coffee coupons to those who leave reviews of the festival on social media pages. For more information, visit www.visitseoul.net (Korean and English).

“The Garden of Morning Calm Chrysanthemum Exhibition”: More than 300 kinds of chrysanthemum are on view in the 33,000-square-meter outdoor Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. The garden is designed to reflect the beauty of a traditional Korean garden in harmony with its surrounding nature. The exhibition ends Nov. 30. For more information, call (031) 584-6701 or visit www.morningcalm.co.kr.

“Gunsan International Migratory Bird Festival”: Bird lovers will flock to Gunsan International Migratory Bird Festival from Nov. 22-24 to see migratory birds at the vast mudflats and reed fields in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. The festival offers a rare chance to observe more than 50 kinds of winter migratory birds, often flying in spectacular formation, at the bird-watching area built on the banks of the Geum River. The festival features hands-on programs such as craft-making sessions for children. For more information, call (063) 454-5680, or visit www.gmbo.kr.

Exhibitions

“Infinite Interpenetration”: Gana Art Center is holding the solo exhibition of Park Dae-sung, one of the few artists in Korea maintaining the principles and spirit of traditional Korean paintings. His delicate, sometimes energetic portrayal of Korean landscapes and cultural assets has received acclaim overseas, including his September exhibition in Turkey and several other showcases in China and Taiwan. In his exhibition at Gana Art Center in Seoul, Park presents his new classical style of painting and a more modern style that captures the spiritual qualities of his paintings. Some of the landscape paintings feature scenes he observed in the historical city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province. The exhibition is on view until Nov. 24 at Gana Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul. For more information, call (02) 720-1020 or visit www.ganaart.com.

“Seoul Photo Festival”: The Seoul Photo Festival unveils a rare compilation of portraits of Seoul citizens dating back to 1883, as 2013 marks the 130th year since the introduction of photography in Korea. The photo exhibition features more than 600 portraits showing scenes behind major historical and social events in Seoul from the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), rapid economic development (1960-1980) and diverse social aspects of today such as the shift to a multicultural society. The photo exhibition is on view until Dec. 1 at Seoul Museum of Art in Deoksugung-gil, Seoul. For more information, visit seoulphotofestival.com.

“Jesus and Deaf Lamb”: One of the most famous biblical scenes ― baby Jesus in the arms of Mary surrounded by Wise Men from the East ― doesn’t feature the usual Western biblical representation in the late artist Woonbo Kim Ki-chang’s Jesus paintings. At a thatched-roof house, home for commoners in the Joseon period (1392-1910), Jesus appears as a happy child in the arms of Mary, wearing a rainbow-striped jeogori ― the traditional Korean children’s jacket. The Eastern Wise Men worshipping the newborn are dressed in official robes of Joseon ministers. Such paintings interpreting Jesus in Korean culture are on view at Seoul Museum’s “Jesus and Deaf Lamb” exhibition that marks the centennial birthday of the artist Kim Ki-chang (1914-2001) at Seoul Museum in Buam-dong, Jongno, Seoul, until Jan. 19, 2014. For more information, call (02) 395-0100 or visit www.seoulmuseum.org.

“Video Vintage”: An extensive video art collection is on exhibit at the Gwacheon Museum of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. A total of 72 video works that date from the early 1960s to 1980s examine the birth of video art, its expansion into other media in art and connection with the television era. Highlights include “Button Happening” by Nam June Paik, “The New Wave” by Fred Barzyk, “The Eternal Frame” by ANT FARM and T.R. Uthco. The exhibition continues through Dec. 31. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.

Classical music

“Berliner Philharmoniker”: The world’s top Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra led by Sir Simon Rattle will perform at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Nov. 11-12 featuring Schumann’s Symphony No. 1; Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1; Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps,” Boulez’s “Notations pour orchestra” and Brukner’s Symphony No. 7. Established in 1882, the orchestra has remained one of the most reputable orchestras under the helm of legendary maestros including Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, currently, Rattle. Tickets are priced between 70,000 won and 450,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6303-1977.

“Magdalena Kozena’s Private Musicke”: Mezzo soprano Magdalena Kozena will perform at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. Dubbed the “First Lady of Classical Music” for her skillful vocals and her marriage to Sir Simon Rattle, Kozena will perform 18 pieces including Vitali’s “O bei lumi,” Marini’s “Con le Stelle in Ciel” and Monteverdi’s “Si dolce e il tormento.” Kozena garnered international attention when she won the International Mozart Competition in 1995 and became a member of Vienna Volksoper. Tickets are priced between 50,000 won and 150,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743.

“Jean-Guihen Queyras Cello Recital”: Famed cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras will hold his first recital at the LG Arts Center on Nov. 13. He will perform Witold Lutoslawski’s “Sacher Variation”; Magnus Lindberg’s “Stroke”; Kurtag’s “JelekII Op. 5b,” “Arnyak,” “Az hit,” “Pilinszky Janos: Gerard de Nerval” and “In memoriam Aczel Gyorgy”; Bach’s Suite for Cello No. 3 in C Major; and Kodaly’s Sonata for Solo Cello Op. 8. Queyras has previously performed with the internationally acclaimed Paris, Philadelphia, Netherlands Philharmonic and Tokyo Symphony orchestras and has released several recordings on Bach, Elgar, Haydn and others. Tickets are priced from 40,000 won to 80,000 won. Reservations can be made at www.lgart.com. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114.

“Lang Lang Piano Solo & Concerto”: Chinese piano sensation Lang Lang returns to the Korean stage on Nov. 20 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall at 8 p.m. He will be performing with the Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra led by maestro Kim Dae-jin in a program that includes Chopin’s Ballades Nos. 1-4 and Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major Op. 15. Known for his flamboyant yet technically impeccable playing, Lang Lang performed at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and many other internationally renowned stages and events. Tickets are priced between 60,000 won and 170,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-3183.