For Choi Minho, stepping onto the theater stage was not about hiding behind a character — it was a deliberate choice to reveal himself more fully. "I wanted to show more of myself without hiding," said singer-actor Choi, who recently returned to the theater for his second play. After making his theatrical debut last year in "Waiting for Waiting for Godot," the SHINee member is back in the spotlight, this time starring in the romantic comedy "Rendezvous." Like his first project, "Rendezvous" is a

The American Ballet Theatre will mark the opening of the GS Arts Center in Seoul with a sweeping program of classical and contemporary works, highlighting the company’s wide-ranging mixed repertoire and artistic versatility. ABT has brought a company of 104 members, including 70 dancers — 16 of whom are principal dancers — to Korea for this highly anticipated engagement. The lineup also includes five Korean dancers: principal dancers Seo Hee and Ahn Joo-won, soloists Han Sung-woo and Park Sun-mi

Pianist Lim Yunchan swept the three most prestigious categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards in London -- recording of the year, newcomer of the year and the instrumental award -- all for his debut studio album “Chopin: Etudes,” released last year under the Decca Classics label, according to the organizer on Thursday. It marked the first time since the award's inception in 2006 that a single album has claimed all three titles. Even more unprecedented: a first-time winner in the newcomer cate

For the musical “Once,” 16 different types of instruments -- including guitar, mandolin, violin and drums -- are used on stage. This show demands 12 performers who can not only act and sing, but also play musical instruments. In fact, the difficulty of assembling a cast of skilled actor-musicians is one reason the show is returning to the stage a full decade after its Korean premiere in 2014. While more musicals featuring actor-musicians — such as Great Comet and Zorro — are appearing domestical

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, "The Ballads for Roxanne," a Korean adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s "Cyrano de Bergerac," is being staged at the National Theater Company of Korea’s Myeongdong Theater through this Sunday. Directed by Seo Chung-sik, the production breathes new life into the beloved classic -- this time, through the eyes of Roxanne. While the original play is famed for its swashbuckling poet Cyrano and his poetic subterfuge to help the handsome but tongue-tied Christian woo Roxann

“The Great Gatsby” Broadway musical is off to a strong start in London’s West End, with its nine preview performances from April 11 to 19 grossing 4.75 million pounds ($6.4 million). The musical, produced by leading Korean production house OD Company, is set to officially open on Thursday after its preview run at the London Coliseum. Marking its first anniversary on Broadway this month, the production is gaining momentum for a global rollout, with a stop planned in South Korea this July, accordi

"Simcheong" is a story every Korean child grows up with — a tale of devotion, sacrifice, filial piety and transformation, told and retold in countless variations. Among them is "Simcheongga," the pansori version — Korea’s traditional form of musical storytelling accompanied by a "gosu," or drummer. Even within pansori, multiple versions exist, each offering its own take on the enduring narrative. This year, the story of Simcheong is being reimagined as something entirely new: a pansori theater p

After a difficult year marred by criticism of its live singing, girl group Le Sserafim kicked off its first world tour with an all-out, two-day show. On Saturday and Sunday, Le Sserafim held its first world tour, “Easy Crazy Hot,” at Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the group. Opening the show with “Ash,” Le Sserafim quickly amped up the energy with performances of its latest main track “Hot” and the B-side “Come Over.” The tour title, “Easy Crazy

Two moments changed the course of Korean baritone Park Jusung's life. The first came in his freshman year of high school, when he saw the opera “Carmen” for the first time. At the time, Park dreamed of working in media as a producer or film director, but after watching the performance he was deeply drawn to the world of opera and hoped to be involved in some way -- even though he never imagined himself as a singer. “I didn’t think I had the voice for it,” said Park, who is the 2025 artist-in-res

Coldplay is currently in South Korea as part of its "Music of the Spheres" world tour, performing six shows in total. After completing three performances on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, the band will return to the stage on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. With an estimated 50,000 attendees per show, the tour is expected to attract a combined 300,000 concertgoers -- the most ever for a foreign musical act visiting Korea. From record-breaking attendance numbers to unexpected jokes about Korean pol

This spring, theatergoers will witness a rare theatrical coincidence: two productions of "Hedda Gabler," both starring major stars, are opening just one day apart. The National Theater Company of Korea will revive "Hedda Gabler" at Myeongdong Theater for the first time in 13 years, beginning May 8. The play was a critical and commercial success when it premiered in Korea in 2012, with Lee Hye-young’s portrayal of the title role earning her best actress honors at both the 5th Korea Theater Awards

Ballerino Jeon Min-chul is on the cusp of a major career leap. In June, he will join the Mariinsky Ballet -- only the second Korean to do so after Kim Ki-min. Before that, he takes the final stage this week in Korea in two sold-out performances of "Giselle" with Universal Ballet's principal dancer Hong Hyang-gee, on Friday and Sunday. This is his second full-length ballet after Solor in "La Bayadere" last September. “Giselle was the very first ballet I ever saw, actually,” Jeon said in a separat

Few works in the classical ballet canon are as enduring or as emotionally charged as “Giselle.” A quintessential romantic masterpiece, the ballet tells the story of a beautiful peasant girl named Giselle, who falls in love with a nobleman in disguise, Albrecht, only to die of heartbreak upon discovering he is betrothed to another. While the first act is filled with youthful first love, celebration and a radiant atmosphere, the second act marks a dramatic shift, unfolding at Giselle’s grave, stee

British rock band Coldplay kicked off the Korean leg of its “Music of the Spheres” tour with a vibrant show at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. This marks the band’s second visit to Korea since 2017 and its largest-ever show in the country. With 50,000 audience per concert over six days, the band is set to perform for a total of 300,000 fans. For two and a half hours, the concert, part of the band's on-going eighth world tour, unfolded in four themed sect

Unlike many musicians who celebrate the anniversary of their public debut, South Korean cellist Yang Sung-won is marking something more personal: 50 years since a life-altering performance inspired a 7-year-old to trade the piano for the cello. That moment dates back to March 10, 1975, when Hungarian American cellist Janos Starker gave a performance in Seoul — one that would set the course of Yang’s life. Years later, he became not only his student, but also his assistant, entrusted to teach in