Festivals

“The Great Battles of Hansan Festival”: A reenactment of a heroic sea battle during the Hideyoshi Invasion of Korea more than four centuries ago will be conducted from Aug. 14-18 in the waters off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. In the Hansan Daecheop, or Great Battle of Hansan, Korean naval ships led by Adm. Yi Sun-sin destroyed an invading Japanese armada. Over 100 ships will take part in the reenactment, which will be the highlight of the commemorative Hansan Daecheop Festival. For more information, call (055) 644-5222 or visit www.hsdf.or.kr. (Yonhap News)

“Seoul Fringe Festival”: The Seoul Fringe Festival will provide a showcase of independent artists. Individual artists or groups can freely perform drama, dance, mime, music and arts at the festival, which will allow the performers and the audience alike to enjoy the freedom of expression and selection. A total of 140 individual artists and teams will put on performances in various indoor and outdoor venues like small theaters, live clubs, galleries and streets near Hongik University in western Seoul from Aug. 29-Sept. 14. For more information call (02) 325-8150 or go to www.seoulfringefestival.net. (Yonhap News) 

“Bucheon International Comics Festival”: The international event for cartoons will be held in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, from Aug. 14-18, introducing Korean and foreign cartoons and contests for cartoonists and aspiring cartoonists. It will exhibit winning pieces from the local Bucheon Cartoon Award and the International Children Comic Artist Awards. Other events include a concert featuring original soundtracks of famous cartoons and a cartoon characters parade. The exhibition will be held at the Korea Manwha Museum in the Bucheon Media and Culture Complex. For more information, visit www.bicof.com (English available).

Exhibitions

“Dancers Among Us”: Jordan Matter, a New York-based photographer, has been shooting dancers in everyday settings ― out in a park, on a pedestrian walk, in a subway and restaurant. The dancers’ bodies in motion against the mundane backdrops create images that people have never seen before. The photographs are currently on exhibit at Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in Anguk-dong, Seoul, until Sept. 22. Admission is 8,000 won for adults and 6,000 won for children and teenagers. The exhibition opens from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call (02) 736-4371.

“Calder”: Leeum presents a retrospective of works by Alexander Calder (1898―1976), the American artist who transformed the history of art with his use of unconventional materials and his dramatic re-imagining of space. Co-organized with the Calder Foundation in New York, the exhibition at Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Itaewon showcases over 100 works by the artist, spanning from the 1920s through the 1970s. The exhibition continues through Oct. 20. The museum is open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Mondays. Admission is 8,000 won for adults and 5,000 won for students. English-language docent-guided tours are available on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. For more information, call (02) 2014-6901.

“A Dream I Dreamed”: Daegu Art Museum presents 118 works of Yayoi Kusama, including 30 new works, at the biggest-ever Kusama exhibition held in Asia outside Japan. The exhibition welcomes visitors to the fun, strange world of Kusama with large red balloons covered in white polka dots hanging in the museum lobby. Other signature installations and new painting series are on exhibit. The exhibition runs through Nov. 3 at Daegu Art Museum, which opens from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closes on Mondays. Admission is 5,000 won for adults, 3,000 won for teenagers and 2,000 won for children. Guided tours are offered twice a day, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.daeguartmuseum.org, or call (053) 790-3000.

“Takashi in Superflat Wonderland”: PLATEAU, Samsung Museum of Art presents a solo exhibition of pop artist Takashi Murakami from July 4 to Dec. 8. As the first retrospective of Takashi Murakami held in Korea, this exhibition allows one to experience and examine the artist’s oeuvre by featuring a broad panorama of his creative endeavors including his anime-inspired figures and paintings that reflect his theory of “Superflat” ― a combination of elements of Japanese traditional painting, manga culture, fine arts and commercialism.

Classical Music

“Korean Song Concert”: Seoul Arts Center is holding a series of special free concerts at Shinsegae Square Outdoor Stage every Saturday in August starting at 7:30 p.m. On Aug. 10 the concert will have the theme “War and Peace,” featuring sopranos Oh Mi-seon and Shin Della, and five-member ensemble Klang performing songs “Seonguja,” “Boribat” and variations of “Arirang.” There will be a special performance by members of the Korean Air Force who became famous after uploading a parody of “Les Miserables,” titled “Les Militaribles” in 2012. Aug. 17 will feature performances by soprano Kim Eun-gyeong, tenor Chung Eui-geun and baritone Kang Hyeong-gyu. The finale concert on Aug. 24 will include soprano Shin Ji-hwa and baritone Kim Dong-seop who will perform songs “Star,” “Thoughts of Hometown” and others. For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr. 

“American Night”: The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kwam Ryan and joined by pianist Joyce Yang, will perform in “American Night,” the fourth of five concerts in the Platinum Series that first began in February 2013. The program will include Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis,” Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini,” Bernstein’s “Candid Overture,” Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and classic American composer Gershwin’s “An American in Paris.” The concert will take place on Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. in Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall. Ticket prices range from 10,000 won to 60,000 won.

“La Fantasia”: The Sumi Jo Park Concert “La Fantasia” will take place at the 88 Lakeside Stage in Seoul’s Olympic Park on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. The acclaimed Korean soprano will perform along with two-time Grammy Award-nominee violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill and Vocal Ensemble Rottini. Conductor Ariel Kim will lead the Ditto Orchestra. The program will include a mix of classical songs, pop songs and movie soundtracks such as Ennio Morricone’s “Nella Fantasia,” Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Waltz No. 2,” John Williams’ “Star Wars” and more. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 80,000 won while family seats for four cost 200,000 won. Inquiries and ticket purchases can be made at www.clubbalcony.com or 1577-5266.

“BACH for SOLO” and “Code Name: BACH”: Ensemble Ditto will be holding two additional performances, on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 in response to the popularity of last month’s seventh “Ditto Festival.” “BACH for SOLO” on Aug. 31 will feature solo pieces by Bach, including Partita No. 3 for violin in E major, BWV 100 and Partita No. 1 in B flat major, BWV825. The program for the next day’s “Code Name: BACH” includes works that are thought to have continued Bach’s musical style such as Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 22 in A major, K. 305, and Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66. Ensemble Ditto is a project chamber ensemble that started performing in 2007, with Richard Yongjae O’Neill on the viola, Stefan P. Jackiw and Daniel Jung on the violin, Michael Nicolas on the cello, and Ji-yong on the piano. The concerts will be the final performances for Ji-yong. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 80,000 won and can be purchased at www.clubbalcony.com. For more information, call 1577-5266.

Pop music

“Hyundai Card Super Concert 19 City Break”: Joining the club of blowout summer music festivals, this year the Hyundai Card Super Concert 19 City Break two-day music festival is bringing some of the hottest bands in the rock music industry. The lineup for the City Break rock fest includes headlining acts Metallica, Muse, Iggy and the Stooges, Limp Bizkit, Rise Against as well as popular local bands Jang Ki-ha and the Faces, Kwon Soon-kwan and much more. The two-day music Hyundai Card Super Concert will be held on Aug. 17 and 18 at Jamsil Sports Complex. Ticket prices range from 250,000 won for a two-day pass and 165,000 won for a one-day pass. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

“YB Garage Concert ‘Garage Chaos’”: In honor of the band’s latest album “Reel Impulse,” the five rockers of YB Band will be hosting a special three-day garage concert performance from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at Daelim Garage in Seongsu-dong. “Garage Chaos” is a 19-and-older restricted, hard-core warehouse rock show in celebration of the band’s long-time comeback album. YB Band, also known as the Yoon Do-hyun Band, released its ninth studio album, “Reel Impulse,” on June 25, more than four years after releasing its eighth album “Coexist.” Tickets to the band’s upcoming garage show rock performance are 88,000 won and can be purchased online at www.interpark.com or Yes24 at www.yes24.com.

“One Hiphop Festival”: The One Hiphop Festival is an all-night hip-hop music extravaganza featuring some of the nation’s biggest names in hip-hop as well as several world-renowned international rap stars. This year’s hip-hop fest will feature American rappers Nelly and Tyga and local hip-hop artists Jay Park, Bae Chi Gi, Verbal Jint, Bumkey, San E, P-type, Dok2 and many others. The Grammy Award-winning Southern rap icon Nelly rose to fame straight from his debut in 2000 with his first album “Country Grammar,” which went on the top the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The One Hiphop Festival will be held on Sept. 7 at the Kintex 8 Hall in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. Ticket prices range from 99,000 won to 121,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com. 

“Justin Bieber”: Canadian teenage pop star Justin Bieber, 19, who rose to superstardom after being discovered on YouTube, will be making his way to Korea for his first local concert on Oct. 10 at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium. A year after being discovered on YouTube, Bieber went on to release his debut seven-track EP titled “My World,” which went certified platinum in the Untied States. Bieber has released three full studio albums, including his most recent “Believe” which debuted at the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 music chart and recorded record sales of around 374,000 copies in its first week, giving the artist yet another certified platinum album. Ticket prices for upcoming concert range from 99,000 won to 132,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Dance

“Don Quixote”: The Korean National Ballet is presenting “Don Quixote,” a ballet based on an episode taken from the world’s beloved novel “Don Quixote de la Mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes. The piece, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus, was re-choreographed by local artist Moon Byung-nam. Moon is the associate artistic director for the national ballet troupe. “Don Quixote” runs from Aug. 28 to 31 at Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater. Tickets cost 5,000 won to 30,000 won. For more information, call 1566-1369.

“This is Modern”: Korea’s Universal Ballet Company is staging its contemporary dance repertoire “This is Modern” this October. The piece is a collection of three contemporary ballets ― “Petit Mort,” “Six Dances” by Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian and “This is Your Life” by Korean choreographer Huh Yong-soon. Compared to classical ballets, the show is said to spotlight the different dancing styles and flair of each dancer. “This is Modern” runs from Oct. 24-27 at Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 580-1300.

Theater

“Mr. Onjo”: Homegrown musical “Mr. Onjo” is currently being performed for the first time in Seoul. Based on the historical account of Onjo, the founding monarch of Baekje (B.C. 18 ― A.D. 660), the musical features a love story of the young Onjo and his fictional love interest Dalggotmuri. Popular singer Hong Kyung-min plays the young Onjo, while opera singer Park So-yeon and popular girl group Jewelry member Park Se-mi share the role of Dalggotmuri. “Mr. Onjo” runs until Sept. 1 at Hongik Daehangno Art Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 70,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 582-1089. 

“Elisabeth”: Korea’s EMK Musical Company is once again staging “Elisabeth,” a German musical about the real-life 19th-century legendary Austrian Empress Elisabeth (1837-1898). Starring former girl group FIN.K.L. member-turned-musical actress Ok Ju-hyun, singer and actor Lee Ji-hun, singer Park Hyo-shin, and JYJ member and musical star Kim Jun-su, the musical portrays the life and death of the beautiful yet unhappy empress seduced by the spirit of death. Its first Seoul run, which took place last year, was enormously successful, sweeping many awards including Best Musical at the Musical Awards. “Elisabeth” runs at Seoul Arts Center’s Opera Theater in Seoul from July 26 to Sept. 7. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6391-6333.

“The Scarlet Pimpernel”: Broadway musical “The Scarlet Pimpernel” is being staged in Seoul featuring local musical stars including Han Ji-sang and Park Gun-hyung. Set in England and France during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, the musical is based on the adventure novel of the same title by Hungarian-born British novelist Emma Orczy (1865-1947), and tells the story of Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy and often silly man in London who in fact is the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel, a hero who rescues French aristocrats from death in Revolutionary France. Musical actress Kim Sun-young and former girl group S.E.S member Bada share the role of Percy’s love interest. The musical runs from July 2 to Sept. 8 at LG Arts Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.

“Avenue Q”: American adult puppet musical “Avenue Q” has its Seoul premiere this summer. The show is a coming-of-age tale featuring the anxieties and struggles associated with entering adulthood. The show, which also features “Sesame Street”-inspired puppets along with the actors and actresses, is famous for its adult-themed subject matter, such as pornography, racism and homosexuality. “Avenue Q” runs from Aug. 23 to Oct. 16 at Charlotte Theater in Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.

“American Idiot”: Broadway musical “American Idiot,” an adaptation of punk rock band Green Day’s seventh studio album of the same title, will be staged for the first time in Korea. Green Day’s 2004 studio album enjoyed enormous popularity worldwide, selling over 15 million copies with more than 6 million sold in the U.S. alone. The rock musical album tells the story of three young men and their struggles to make sense of the world and find meaning in their lives post-9/11. The musical follows the album’s plot; its script was co-written by Billie Joe Armstrong and director Michael Mayer. “American Idiot” will be performed from Sept. 5 to 22 at Blue Square’s Samsung Electronics Hall in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 150,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.