[Highlights] Arts and entertainment calendar

“Treasures from Afghanistan”: The National Museum of Korea is holding an exhibition that showcases more than 230 rare Afghan artifacts. The exhibition, started in Paris in 2006, has been hosted by 18 museums in 11 countries around the world, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and British Museum in London before arriving in Seoul. The featured artifacts, dating from the Bronze Age to the third century, offers a comprehensive understanding of the birth of civilization in the center of Eurasia, its ancient culture and foreign influences. “Treasures from Afghanistan” runs until Sept. 4. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr.

“New Structure and Relief”: Artist Gwon O-sang, known for his sculptures made with photographs, is presenting his new series in a solo exhibition at Arario Gallery Seoul until Aug. 21. The artist presents his reinterpretation of Alexander Calder’s iconic stationary sculpture “Stabile” in his new series of photograph sculptures “New Structure” that consist of printed images and aluminum sheets. Another new series “Relief” features collages of images posted on wooden panels. For more information, visit www.arariogallery.com.

“Wellknown Unknown”: Kukje Gallery is holding a group exhibition featuring seven young artists whose works cover a wide range of genres in contemporary art. Curated by Kim Sung-won, an independent curator, critic and art professor, the exhibition introduces seven artists and teams, including Kim Hee-cheon, Nam Hwa-yeon, Oh Min, Kim Young-na, Yi Yun-yi, EH and VERYTHINGS. They explore different and opposite sides of contemporary society such as appearance and disappearance, emergence and withdrawal, and celebrity and anonymity. The exhibition runs through July 31. For more information, visit www.kukje.org. 

“Middle of Nowhere”: Salon de H is holding a solo exhibition of artist Woo Kuk-won until Aug. 12. The artist’s paintings, which appear to be random scribbles and spontaneous texts, are the results of the artist’s exploration of his inner mind. His desire for freedom is portrayed in the “Bluebird” and “Somewhere” presents ideas on his bucket list as well as his hope and longing. For more information, visit www.salondeh.com.

“Big: Kids and Design”: More than 200 pieces of 20th-century vintage furniture designed for children by renowned designers are on view at Kumho Museum of Art until Sept. 11. The exhibition sheds light on the point in the 20th century when specific needs of children started to be considered in designing furniture. It also introduces chairs, tables, toys and other objects created by leading designers of the period such as Peter Keler, Luigi Colani, Jean Prouve and Renate Muller whose designs are intended to stimulate children’s creativity and imagination. For more information, visit www.kumhomuseum.com.

“Artspectrum 2016”: Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, is holding its biennial exhibition that introduces emerging young Korean artists until Aug. 7. The exhibition features some 40 works of art across diverse mediums such as painting, photography, video and installation. It explores a variety of topics ranging from personal accounts to Korea’s modern history. The exhibition attempts to show the expanding boundaries of art by combining graphic design, statistics and sound. For more information, visit www.leeum.org or call (02) 2014-6901.

Lee Jung-seob: The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is presenting a solo exhibition of Korean art master Lee Jung-seob to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth. The exhibition showcases some 200 paintings and 100 pieces of related documents on loan from some 60 museums and collectors, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Divided into major periods of his artistic career from the 1930s to 1940s, the exhibition guides viewers through Lee’s tumultuous personal life and the early modern history of Korea. The Lee Jung-seob exhibition runs until Oct. 3 at the MMCA’s Deoksugung Palace museum. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.

“Three Jewels: Buddhist Art of Korea”: Ho-Am Art Museum is holding an exhibition that highlights Korean Buddhist art until Nov. 6. The exhibition, which is divided into three sections, presents Buddhist paintings, sculptures and craftworks that portray teachings and lives of two major subjects of worship in Korean Buddhism -- the Sakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha. The museum, located near Everland, operates a shuttle bus from the Everland ticket office to the museum every hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are priced at 4,000 won for adults and 3,000 for teenagers. For more information, visit www.hoammuseum.org.

Dance

“Romeo and Juliet”: Universal Ballet will be presenting Kenneth MacMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet” from Oct. 22-29 at the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater. This is the first time in four years that the group is performing the iconic Shakespeare piece about the tragedy that unfolds between two star-crossed lovers.

The performance will begin at 8 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets range from 10,000 won to 120,000 won and are available at sacticket.co.kr or ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (070) 7124-1737.

“Giselle: A Death-defying Love Story”: Universal Ballet will kick off a local tour with “Giselle” at the Chungmu Arts Hall from Aug. 12-14. “Giselle,” choreographed by Jean Coralli and Marius Petipa, is a romantic ballet in two acts which premiered at Universal Arts Center (previously Little Angels Art Hall) in 1985. The ballet depicts the tragic love story of a peasant girl Giselle trying to save her lover from a group of supernatural women despite his betrayal.

The performance will begin at 8 p.m. on weekdays and at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends. The ballet company will perform in Gunpo from Aug. 19-20 and in Suwon from Sep. 23-24.

Tickets range from 20,000 won to 80,000 won and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (02) 2230-6600.

“Tchaikovsky Ballet Fantasy”: Wise Ballet Theater will present Tchaikovsky’s ballet performance at the National Theater of Korea KB Haneul Youth Theater at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Aug. 12-14. The performance aims to provide children and adolescents on summer vacation with a chance to enjoy a classical ballet performance. The program will feature parts of Tchaikovsky’s three renowned ballets -- “The Sleeping Beauty,” “The Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker.” Commentary for children will also be provided.

Tickets range from 25,000 won ($22) to 30,000 won and are available at www.ntok.go.kr or ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (02) 547-9851 or (02) 547-9853.

“Spartacus”: Korean National Ballet will perform Khachaturian’s “Spartacus” at the National Theater of Korea from Aug. 26-28. The three-act ballet chronicles Spartacus’ fight for freedom after he and his wife are captured by Roman consul Crassus.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 3 p.m. on weekends.

Tickets range from 10,000 won to 30,000 won and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (02) 587-6181.

Theater

“Peste”: A musical based on the tragic tale of French author Albert Camus’ “The Plague” combined with the sounds of legendary K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji, new local musical “Peste” is hitting the stage this summer. The musical that tells the horrifically graphic tale of the deadly plague that sweeps the Algerian coastal city will star Son Ho-young of g.o.d., Kim Da-hyeon, Park Eun-seok, Kim Do-hyun, Oh So-yeon, Linzy of Fiestar and Jeong-min of Boyfriend. “Peste” will be staged from July 20 to Sept. 30 at the LG Arts Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.

“Bare, The Musical”: The critically-acclaimed Off Broadway production, “Bare, The Musical,” has once again returned to Seoul. The musical follows the story of the secret romantic relationship of two high school students at a Catholic boarding school, Peter and Jason. While Peter wants to make their relationship public, Jason is reluctant for fear of losing his popular social status. The local rendition of the performance stars Jung Won-young, Kim Seung-dae, Seong Du-seop and Suh Kyung-soo. “Bare” will be staged at the Doosan Art Center’s Yongkang Hall in Seoul until Sept. 4. Ticket prices are listed at 66,000 won and 88,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.

“Sweeney Todd, The Musical”: The gruesome tale of a man filled with vengeance, the musical tale of the demon barber of Fleet Street is hitting the Seoul stage. Sweeney Todd follows the life of Benjamin Barker, who, after being wrongfully accused of a crime, takes his vengeance on the people of London by murdering the patrons of his barbershop. Starring Ock Joo-hyun, Cho Seung-woo, Yang Jun-mo and Jeon Mi-do, the musical will be staged at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa-gu until Oct. 3. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.

“Wicked”: The Korean version of the top grossing musical on Broadway for 12 years, “Wicked” is returning to the musical stage this summer. The production tells the untold stories of the witches of Oz with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. This year’s cast will include Cha Ji Yeon, Park Hye-na, Jeong Sun-ah and IVY. The musical will be staged from July 12 to Aug. 28 at the Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.

“Notre Dame de Paris”: Set in the backdrop of 1482 Paris, Notre Dame de Paris,” follows the life of a young and irresistibly beautiful gypsy girl named Esmeralda. Her allure and charm captures the hearts of countless men, including Quasimodo -- a hunchback harshly crowned as the ugliest man in all of Paris -- and the sinfully sly and soon-to-be-married Phoebus, leading to a spiral of painful drama. The Korean remake of this musical classic will be staged at the Blue Square in Hannam-dong this summer from June 16 to Aug. 21 and will star K-pop ballad king K.Will and Yoon Gong-ju. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-6236.

Classical Music

“San Francisco Symphony”: The world-renowned San Francisco Symphony will be performing at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. The concert will be conducted by the symphony’s music director Michael Tilson Thomas, who has been lauded by the San Francisco Examiner as “an enthusiastic ambassador for classical music.” The performance will be accompanied by award-winning classical pianist Lim Dong-hyek.

Tickets range from 60,000 won to 280,000 won and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call 1577-5266.

“Gabriele Carcano Piano Recital”: As the fourth performance of the Italian pianist series, Gabriele Carcano will be playing at the Tongyeong Concert Hall in Gyeongsangnam-do at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11. Currently an instructor at Accademia di Musica in Pinerolo, Italy, Carcano is known to be the last understudy of the late Italian-French pianist Aldo Ciccolini. Carcano will be performing pieces by Mozart, Brahms and Liszt.

Tickets range from 20,000 won to 30,000 won and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (055) 650-0400.

“Happy Birthday Debussy”: As part of the “Happy Birthday” lecture-concert series, Korean pianist Jeon Yoon-han will be leading a special tribute to French composer Claude-Achille Debussy’s 154th birthday at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall at 2 p.m. on Aug. 21. In addition to Jeon, there will be performances by pianist Cho Jun-young, violinist Yoon Dong-hwan and cellist Lee Ho-chan. The program will feature some of Debussy’s most prominent works, including Arabesque No. 1, Suit Bergamasque No. 3 and more.

Tickets range from 35,000 won to 45,000 won and can be reserved at www.sacticket.co.kr. For more information, call (02) 2658-3546.

“Sumi Jo -- My Songs”: World-class soprano Sumi Jo will hold a concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of her international debut performance at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall at 5 p.m. on Aug. 28. Jo first appeared in the international scene as the prima donna in Verdi’s three-act opera “Rigoletto” at the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi in Italy on Oct. 26, 1986. The program will feature songs from well-known operas, including “Caro Nome” from “Rigoletto,” along with Korean songs, and pianist Jeff Cohen will accompany the performance.

Tickets range from 50,000 won to 150,000 won and can be reserved at www.sacticket.co.kr or ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (02) 3461-0976.

Pop Music

“Pentatonix World Tour 2016”: Texas-based American a cappella group Pentatonix will be holding a concert in Seoul at the Jamsil Arena at 8 p.m. on Sept. 27. The five-member group came to recognition when it won the 2011 NBC a cappella audition program “The Sing-Off.” The concert is part of the group’s first world tour, which will take place in 50 cities throughout the world until November. Pentatonix will be singing songs such as “Can’t Sleep Love” and “Sing,” listed in the group’s 2015 album, and previous hits such as “La La Latch.” Ticket prices range from 88,000 won to 132,000 won. Tickets can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com.  

“Melody Forest Camp”: The 2016 Melody Forest Camp, an outdoor music festival hosted by K-pop agency Mystic Entertainment, will take place at the Jarasum Island in Gyeonggi Province on Sept. 10-11. Though largely focused on acoustic and folk music, the festival will feature a wide array of Korean musicians from the whimsical pop duo Akdong Musician to veteran songstress Sim Soo-bong, ballad trio Urban Zakapa and K-pop star IU. Ticket prices range from 88,000 won to 121,000 won. Tickets can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. 

“2016 Jisan Valley Rock Music & Arts Festival”: The seventh installation of the rock festival is taking place July 22-24 at the Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. This year’s lineup will feature world-class acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, the iconic American rock band set to return with its 11th album in June; Russian-German DJ Zedd; and English electronic duo Disclosure. Local indie-rock acts Kiha & the Faces, Guckkasten, Hyukoh and others will be performing as well. 

Tickets range from 136,000 won to 221,000 won and can be purchased at ticket.interpark.com.

“2016 JYP Nation Concert”: The biggest talents from JYP Entertainment, one of Korea’s largest entertainment companies, will gather for two days for the agency’s biennial concert from Aug. 6-7 at Jamsil Arena in Seoul. The lineup includes some of the most renowned names in K-pop: Wonder Girls, GOT7, Twice, 2PM and many others. Tickets range from 110,000 won ($96) to 99,000 won, and can be purchased at ticket.interpark.com.