As the busy summer season unfolds for musical theaters, an array of high-quality productions beckon audiences. While many attendees might find their pockets not particularly deep, these Korean-language shows promise to offer unparalleled experiences that are worth every penny. Here are three standout musicals that should be on everyone’s radar before summer ends. "Hero": A timeless tribute to a national hero Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the musical "Hero" stands a

Culture Aug. 1, 2024

The Georg Solti Accademia, a prestigious institution dedicated to nurturing the next generation of operatic talent, has finally come to Korea, a decade after the initial concept was conceived. Korean soprano Park Hae-sang, also known as Hera, participated in the Italy-based organization’s master class at The Juilliard School 10 years ago while pursuing a master's degree there after graduating from Seoul National University. Park was later invited to attend the institute's Bel C

Culture July 31, 2024

The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture is offering a series of art and cultural events, including performances, exhibitions and film screenings, throughout the month of August on Nodeul Island for those seeking a vacation destination within Seoul. The foundation, a pivotal organization under the Seoul city government, tasked with implementing cultural policies, announced that Nodeul Island -- an entertainment hub located in the middle of the Han River featuring a concert hall, bookstore, loun

Culture July 30, 2024

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha, a pioneer in Korean classical music, and star pianist Lim Dong-Hyek will hold a duo performance at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on Sept. 6. The recital will mark their first as a duo act. The two were previously part of a quintet performing Schubert's "Trout" Quintet in 2017. Chung chose Lim as the pianist for her fall recital tour, having recognized his talent early on and supporting him musically for many years, according to Credia, the recital&#

Culture July 29, 2024

The London Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to perform at Lotte Concert Hall on Oct. 3 with Sir Antonio Pappano, who will begin his tenure as principal conductor starting with the 2024/25 season. The concert will be part of the first Asian tour by the London Symphony Orchestra with Pappano, as well as the conductor’s first visit to South Korea in six years. In his visit to the country in 2018 as the music director of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, he performed with Korean pianist Ch

Culture July 29, 2024

One of the most anticipated concerts at the annual festival Music in PyeongChang was the PyeongChang Dream Team concert. The PyeongChang Dream Team, consisting of emerging and established musicians from world-renowned orchestras, performed Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 on Thursday at the Alpensia Concert Hall and again at PyeongChang Woljeongsa Museum on Sunday as part of the festival's outreach program. In addition

Culture July 28, 2024

With all the hype surrounding the K-pop industry, how much does it actually earn? The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute sought to answer this question with data, which revealed that the K-pop industry raked in nearly $900 million from overseas last year. In 2023, the estimated overseas sales of K-pop amounted to 1.24 trillion won ($893 million), exceeding 1 trillion won for the first time, according to the government-run organization's report on Wednesday. Compared to the previous year, K

Culture July 24, 2024

The first-ever licensed musical from China, "The Butterfly on the Bund 1939," premiered Saturday at TOM Theater in Daehangno, marking a milestone for Chinese production companies and fulfilling the collaborative aspirations of the two countries' creators. The musical, a joint effort between Shanghai-based Focustage and Seoul-based Never Ending Play, revolves around two women living in turbulent 1939 Shanghai. “I think the script and music of ‘The Butterfly on the Bun

Culture July 23, 2024

On the stage of the S Theater at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, two actors stand on a simple stage set. Their conversation in Persian may sound unfamiliar to many here but as the play evolves, the premiere of “Blind Runner,” by Iranian playwright and director Amir Reza Koohestani, captivates the audience with unconventional directing techniques, such as using a live camera feed on a screen, and actors running through the stage. Although “Blind Runner” was

Culture July 20, 2024

The Korea National Symphony Orchestra is broadening its reach by sending young members of the Korea National Symphony Orchestra to perform in innovative spaces. KNSO's new quartet consisting of violinists Kim Jeong, Kim A-hyun, violist Yoon Jee-hyun and cellist Choi Jung-woo took the stage Saturday at Concino Concrete, a popular place for listening to vinyl music in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The quartet, still unnamed, performed Czech composer Bedrich Smetana’s String Quartet No. 1 i

Culture July 16, 2024

Chinese baritone Li Zihao, 22, was announced as the overall winner of the inaugural Sumi Jo International Singing Competition, launched by renowned South Korean soprano Sumi Jo. Out of the 500 participants aged 18-32, 24 vocalists advanced to the main competition that took place for a week at the Chateau de la Ferte-Imbault in France's Loire Valley. The winners announced Saturday also included Romanian tenor George Ionut Virban, 29, and Korean tenor Lee Ki-up, 31. First place awards a prize

Culture July 15, 2024

Since his debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1993, renowned bass singer Youn Kwang-chul has performed over 150 times at the Bayreuth Festival and been awarded the title of "Kammersanger,” which is given to distinguished singers of opera and classical music in German-speaking countries. Even with a mountain of achievements and awards, the past 30 years as a bass singer feel like the blink of an eye, Youn told reporters during an interview last week. “Thirty years was just three

Culture July 15, 2024

After nearly 30 years as a horn player in South Korea and abroad, Kim Hong-park released his first album, "Schumann & Brahms," last Friday. The 42-year-old musician, who is also a professor at Seoul National University, discussed his inspiration to produce an album highlighting the instrument, which is pivotal in an orchestra due to its versatile contributions to melody, harmony, dynamic range, rhythmic support, color, texture and signaling cues. “Despite its significance a

Culture July 11, 2024

Clara-jumi Kang, a violin virtuoso, will embark on a nationwide recital tour in September with a new instrument and a program that holds a significant meaning to her. Kang is set to blend technical mastery with lyrical expression with a program consisting Tartini's "The Devil's Trill," Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 1, Chausson's "Poeme," and Franck's “Violin Sonata.” Regarding the program, Kang said, “I've chosen pieces that I p

Culture July 10, 2024

The 18th Daegu International Musical Festival concluded its 15-day run Monday with the DIMF Awards at the Daegu Opera House. The grand prize went to the Chinese musical "Flying Apsara," which uniquely and immersively combines traditional Chinese art and modern musical elements. The Jury Award went to "Missing Link," co-produced by DIMF and the Daegu Municipal Theatre Company. Based on the infamous scientific fraud known as the "Piltdown Man" hoax, the musical creati

Culture July 9, 2024