The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul will present two shows this month for 1,000 won, in an effort to promote the arts and lower the barriers for the public.

Since the center’s “A Whole Rest” program began in 2007, it has offered diverse shows, crisscrossing genres from classical music and musical theater to dance and gugak, traditional Korean music, for 1,000 won (83 cents) per ticket.

The musical “Spring Dream” will be staged at the center’s S Theater on Tuesday and Wednesday. The show will include gugak-inspired numbers based on local folk songs. The Seoul Metropolitan Youth Traditional Music Orchestra produced the show, which depicts the experience of falling in love for the first time, with the aim of introducing a wide spectrum of traditional Korean music.

“Serenade in Midsummer” will follow at the M Theater on Thursday and Friday. Palladio, an operatic pop band founded by members of the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus, will present a wide-ranging repertoire featuring classical music, musical theater and pop music.

Tickets can be purchased at the center’s website under a lottery system. The theater will leave every other seat empty to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The July 22 and 24 shows will be streamed live via the center’s channel on Naver TV at (tv.naver.com/sejongcenter).

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)