Enjoy luminous night view at Seokchon Lake With the days getting shorter, more light festivals illuminating the long dark nights of winter are on their way. Seokchon Lake -- a popular destination for watching cherry blossoms in spring --- in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul, seeks to become a beautiful night view spot. The lake’s 4.17-kilometer circular walking trail is decorated with various lamps, lanterns and media art, entertaining those who stop by. While strolling along the path, you can s

Pianist Kim Jun-hyung, the second prize winner of the 2022 ARD International Music Competition’s piano category, is Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for the next year, according to the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation Wednesday. Born in 1997, Kim took his first piano lesson at age 10 and made his debut as Kumho Prodigy Concert Series in 2012. He is currently pursing a master's degree in New Music at The University of Music and Performing Arts Munich where he studies with Ant

Charging admission at state-run museums could be considered through public discussion, Yu In-chon, the minister of culture, sports and tourism, said during a meeting with 29 members of the art community at the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Tuesday. He made the remarks in response to a request by Savina Lee, director of the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art, who said, "Due to the free admission policy of national museums

The successful premiere of "Rent" in South Korea in 2000 set the stage for seven subsequent revivals, extending until 2011. Over the course of about a decade, the Korean production garnered adoration from enthusiasts -- though not necessarily from the masses -- and served as a launching pad for emerging talent in the musical theater scene. When Seensee Company decided to bring it back in 2020 after a nine-year hiatus, it sought to revive the vibe of the original Broadway production. It

The full Mahler cycle, collaborations with diverse genres and arts groups as well as fostering talented new musicians -- especially conductors -- will take center stage at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, which will kick off its first season with music director Jaap van Zweden. Beyond that, the new music director and the orchestra will strive to raise quality to the top level, which, according to van Zweden, is “the best promotion for an orchestra.” “The weeks that I was her

JANGSEONG, South Jeolla Province -- The trees surrounding Baekyangsa, a temple in Jangseong County in South Jeolla Province, boasted their crimson and yellow leaves on a quiet Friday in November. Everyone at the temple, however, including the monks, remarked that the weather has been strange this year, lamenting how unfortunate it is that visitors won't be able to see the best of the fall colors. Nonetheless, for a first-time visitor, the temple, whose origin goes back around 1,400 years ag

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s project to bolster the renewed popularity of changgeuk, which is akin to a traditional Korean version of opera, continues for the second year with four selected participants set to unveil their works next month. During a press conference on Tuesday, the project participants gave a sneak preview of the creations they have been working on for the last 10 years as part of the Pansori Composer Project. Lee Youn-joo, Lee Bong-geun, Kang Na-hyun and Sh

Jung Jae-il, music director, composer and instrumentalist, admits that Korean traditional music -- gugak -- is not an easy genre. "I was exposed to the genre at a young age thanks to my friends. Like all forms of art, contemporary music may seem unconventional or different at first, but as you develop an affection for it, you come to realize that there is a depth and richness that unfolds over time," Jung, 42, said during a press conference on Monday, adding that one might find the c

Pianists from three Asian countries are set to join forces for a special concert series called “3 Peace Concert” next month in Mapo-gu, Seoul. From Dec. 5-7, pianists from Korea, Taiwan and Japan will have their recital at Mapo Arts Center in Daeheung. The series will kick off with Kim Do-hyun, who won the second prize and the special prize for the best interpretation of contemporary piano music at the Ferruccio Busoni Competition 2021. Kim, the inaugural Artist of the Year for Mapo

Youn Kwang-chul, a renowned South Korean bass opera singer who has performed on the world's major opera stages, has recently released an album dedicated to gagok, or Korean art songs. “I debuted in Europe almost 30 years ago and for those 30 years overseas, I made a tremendous effort to live alongside their works, music and culture, interpreting them and making efforts to inspire them with their music. At the same time, however, there have been moments of confusion about my own identi

Last week, pianist Sohn Min-soo took the stage with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 at the opening concert of Music Festival Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province. On Oct. 27, Sohn, the artist of the year of the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra, performed Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with the orchestra in Busan. In 2017, Sohn began performing and recording Beethoven's complete piano sonatas, a project that would take five years to complete. In 2022, he offered the

POHANG, North Gyeongsang Province -- When the Music Festival Pohang was launched in 2020, the timing could not have been worse. The world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the majority of music festivals -- both old and new -- were canceled. The music festival, which aims to promote classical music, continues to stand strong as it returns for its third year, taking place in the port city known for its steel industry. The festival's opening concert took place Friday evening at the Pohang

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- A weeklong competition for young pianists ended in Tongyeong Saturday evening with five winners. At Isangyun Competition 2023, Chung Kyu-bin was announced the first prize winner, beating four other finalists who each performed a piano concerto with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra led by conductor Samuel Lee. Chung received 30 million won ($23,000) in prize money. Chung was the second to perform and grace the stage with Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.

During the second week of November, Seoul will be the stage for three of the world's top orchestras, offering classical music enthusiasts a splendid treat. In addition to the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Vienna Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, returning after six years, will grace the stage at Lotte Concert Hall on Nov. 11 with a repertoire of Beethoven, Liszt and Tchaikovsky. The orchestra will perform Beethoven's Overture "Leonore" and Liszt’s Piano

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and piano sensation Lim Yun-chan will take the stage together in January, according to MOC Productionon on Thursday. The SPO, under the new music director Jaap van Zweden, will kick off its new season in January next year. The collaboration with Lim will take place Jan. 25 at the Seoul Arts Center and Jan. 26 at the Lotte Concert Hall as part of the SPO's regular concert. Before the January concerts, Lim, who won the prestigious Van Cliburn International Pia

When Ji-won Yeo took to the stage in the title role for Bellini's opera "Norma" on Oct. 26, she might have been nervous. After all, despite performing just about every major role possible overseas, it was the 43-year-old's first lead role in her motherland. But the South Korean soprano, better known overseas as Vittoria Yeo, proved why she has been only taking main roles since her debut despite some doubts earlier in her career. When she decided to go study abroad in 2005,

Yu In-chon, the new minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, called for a wide-ranging revamp of the ministry’s support programs for artists and the role of its affiliates. “The environment has changed so much that you can take it to mean building the government support from scratch," Yu said on his planned changes during a press conference Monday at the Modu Art Theater in Seoul, the country’s first disability arts performance venue. "I want the programs to be effe

The "Selected Works of Korean Buddhism" collection is displayed at Daewoongjeon Hall at the Buddhist temple of Jogyesa in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 27. The Educational Institute of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, held a ceremony to celebrate the publication of 10 volumes of selected Korean Buddhist scriptures, representing Korean Buddhism from the Unified Silla Kingdom to the modern era. The English translation of the collection took six ye

The remake of the musical "Sister Act, which is getting ready for its world premiere on Nov. 4 in Busan, caused a buzz when it showcased its diverse cast at an open rehearsal at Dongseo University in the southern port city on Wednesday. The production house behind the musical is South Korea's EMK Musical Company, known for its success in turning international productions into popular musicals here. "Sister Act" is a blend of Korean and American talent, including cast members