South Korea's stage musicals have joined hands with gukak, or Korean traditional music, to meet the rising demand of Korean people for diversified cross-genre shows. Musical "Pan" has been gaining more-than-expected popularity since it premiered in July at Jeongdong Theater, a state-run venue that stages traditional performing arts. Set in the late 19th century of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910)...

KNB ballerino Lee Young-cheol to give retirement gala show

“Child actors are doing their best for a better performance. I am proud of them,” producer Park Myeong-seong, the artistic director of Seensee Company, said at an online press event Wednesday. “Watching the rehearsal clips, I was proud of myself. But I also felt that there are also some details to be improved,” Jeon Kang-hyuk said. “The training was not easy as I started Billy School without le...

Rock musician Yoon Do-hyun has been able to reminisce about the old days while starring in the musical “Gwanghwamun Sonata.” The musical, produced by CJ ENM, tells the story of middle-aged musician Myungwoo. In a coma on his deathbed, Myungwoo travels back to his past in the ‘80s and ‘90s, guided by Weolha. Yoon plays the title role of Myungwoo along with stage actors Um Ki-joon and Kang Pil-se...

The musical “Wonder Ticket” is to take the stage near the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas in hopes of spreading a message of peace. The musical, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, will run from Sept. 17 to 26 at Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park in the Imjingak area, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The musical was inspired by an abandoned steam ...

A year and a half in, the performing arts scene is adapting to the prolonged COVID-19 crisis

“Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” will take the stage at the Seoul Arts Center from Friday to Sunday, in celebration of South Korea’s Liberation Day on Aug. 15. The ballet, which premiered in 2015, tells the story of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910). This year marks the 111st anniversary of his death. Ahn is one of Korea’s most honored independence fighters. He assassi...

The musical “Hades Town” has postponed its opening for a week after 23 members of its cast and crew tested positive for COVID-19. S&Co, the producer of the licensed Broadway show, announced Tuesday that the opening would be postponed from Aug. 24 to Sept. 7. On Thursday Xiumin of EXO, who plays Orpheus in the show, tested positive, which put a halt to rehearsals. Staffers and actors then went i...

More than 20 works will be performed at the upcoming concert, including beloved musical numbers such as “Could We Start Again Please” from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” along with pop songs. The exact set list has yet to be decided. “I just wanted to sing with him more,” Lee said when asked why he’d chosen to do a concert with Karimloo. “He has a certain charisma and electricity that you want to be ...

The Korea National Opera will present Verdi’s celebrated opera “Nabucco” at the Haeoreum Grand Theater at the National Theater of Korea from Aug. 12-15. It will be the first time for the troupe to present the full-act opera in 16 years, since the last production in 2005. The 1842 opera portrays the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the forced detention of Jews as they are exiled from their homel...

The nine troupes under the wings of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts are to gather together for the musical play “For Forgotten Heroes” from Sept. 17 to 19. According to the theater, the musical set in the Joseon era tells the story of three friends -- historical figure Hong Gyeong-nae, who instigated a rebellion in 1811, legendary con artist Kim Seon-dal and fictional character Cho Jin...

‘Welcome K-Stage’ will broadcast subtitled videos of five performing arts shows, interviews

According to Jung, the musical, which is almost like a stand-up comedy show hosted by Beetlejuice, is delicately mapped out. Actors’ movements have to be exact -- they have to be at the exact spot at the exact time for the play to work. “In the musical, I try to appeal to the audience as the character Beetlejuice, not as actor Jung Sung-hwa. I can make the audiences laugh when I pull off my char...

Park Sae-eun has already risen to the top dancer position at the Paris Opera Ballet (POB) when she was promoted to the principle dancer, or "danseuse etoile" in French, last month. But the 31-year-old South Korean aims higher: she wants to be the brightest star in the French ballet scene. "I think I've reached the highest position on my resume," she said in a press conference in Seoul on Monday...

Though most festivals have been canceled or have gone online amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Seoul Fringe Festival will be held as an in-person event across the Sangam-dong area in western Seoul from Aug. 4 to 29. The 24th Seoul Fringe Festival will feature some 300 performances by 72 artist acts of diverse genres from drama, performance, dance, music, visual art, photography to ind...