Changgeuk ‘Lear’ director Jung Young-doo nominated for Laurence Olivier Award

South Korean director Jung Young-doo has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award, Britain's highest honor in theater, for his direction of the changgeuk production "Lear." Jung was nominated in the outstanding achievement in opera category for his work on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s superlative "The Tragedy of King Lear" (1606). The adaptation was staged at London’s Barbican Theatre from Oct. 3 to 6, 2024. Changgeuk is akin to a genre of Kore

March 10, 2025

K-pop stars to shine at Wango Tango 2025 in US this spring

From Xikers to Hearts2Hearts, several K-pop acts join lineup Several K-pop artists are set to take the stage at the Wango Tango music festival in California in May. On May 10, 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango will be held at Huntington City Beach, California. Hosted by iHeartRadio, the largest radio network in the US, Wango Tango began in 1998 and has since featured world-renowned musicians, delivering spectacular performances that have captivated fans of popular music. This year's event marks the fi

March 9, 2025

Interview: Gong Seung-yeon thought her male disguise 'quite handsome'

Actress Gong Seung-yeon shared her thoughts on making her stage debut in the play "The Secret of Flowers" during a recent interview with reporters. "It feels surreal to finally be on a stage I’ve long dreamed of performing on," she said. "I’ve always admired the theater because it’s a genre I never imagined myself doing. Actors on stage always seemed to shine." Gong, 32, who began her acting career in 2012, has starred in series such as "The Master of Revenge," "Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agen

March 7, 2025

Lee Seung-chul to kick off nationwide tour

58-year-old singer to captivate audience with high-quality sound system Singer Lee Seung-chul returns with his nationwide “Orchest’rock 2” tour. Lee, 58, will be kicking off the tour at Sejong Art Center in Sejong City, Saturday. The tour will stop at 13 cities across the country, including Yeosu, Busan and Icheon, through June. This concert will feature the "flying sound system," a signature element of Lee's shows, designed to provide an immersive sound experience. The system strategically plac

March 6, 2025

Veteran singer Lee Mi-ja to hold last major concert

83-year-old singer to pay tribute to 'traditional Korean pop' in two-day concert Veteran singer Lee Mi-ja, a defining figure in 1960s South Korean pop music, is set to hold a special concert celebrating her musical journey. At a press conference Wednesday at Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Lee, 83, announced her final concert "Lee Mi-ja Traditional Song Tribute Concert ‘Maek.’” The concert will take place April 26-27 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. "I've been sin

March 6, 2025

Years after tragedy, can those left behind finally find peace?

National Changgeuk Company's ‘Boheoja -- The One Who Paces the Void’ walks the path of consolation The story of King Sejo (1417-1468), the 7th king of Joseon, is one of blood, ambition and political intrigue. Ruthless power struggles and their far-reaching consequences inspired many adaptations, including the series “The Princess’ Man” (2011) and the film “The Face Reader” (2013), in which “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae portrayed Grand Prince Suyang before his ascent to the throne. Born the seco

March 5, 2025

National Gugak Center to recreate royal processional music with AI-generated lyrics

Court Music Orchestra uses AI to restore court music's lost lyrics A traditional music performance will recreate the pomp and circumstance of the processions of Joseon-era kings as they departed from and returned to their palaces. The National Gugak Center’s Court Music Orchestra is set to stage a performance centered on haengak, or the music traditionally played during royal processions, as well as for governors and foreign envoys during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Titled “Haengak and Boheoja:

March 4, 2025

Opposition grows against ministry’s plan to integrate national arts organizations

Following the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s announcement of its plan to establish an integrated secretariat to manage five national arts organizations, opposition is growing among cultural civil organizations and national arts institutions. On Friday, Cultural Action, a civic organization dedicated to culture, called for an immediate withdrawal of the plan, stating that it is being unilaterally pushed forward without discussions or public discourse within the arts community, raising

March 3, 2025

Lim Yunchan to perform for young audiences

21-year-old pianist will perform recitals to 'give through music' The last week of March will see internationally acclaimed pianist Lim Yunchan dedicating his performances to young people. From March 23 to 25, Lim, 21, will hold three special recitals in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, with all proceeds donated to pediatric cancer patients. On March 28, as the artist-in-residence for the Tongyeong International Music Festival, he will give an exclusive performance for local students in Tongyeong, Sou

Feb. 27, 2025

Spectacular music shows for the long weekend

Electrifying DJ sets, rock and K-pop performances signal end of long winter As Korea enters the Samiljeol holiday weekend -- commemorating March 1st Independence Movement Day -- music fans can look forward to an exciting lineup of shows from top international and Korean artists. On Friday, Norwegian DJ and producer Kygo will take the stage at Inspire Arena in Incheon’s Yeongjongdo. Kygo debuted in 2013 and rose to global fame with "It Ain’t Me," his 2018 collaboration with Selena Gomez that reac

Feb. 26, 2025

Novus Quartet takes on another challenge with complete works of Brahms

The 19-year-old quartet presents its sixth international album, fourth one dedicated to single composer Now in its 19th year, South Korea’s leading string quartet, Novus Quartet, continues its ambitious musical journey with the release of a new album, "Brahms: The Complete String Quartets." The group’s sixth international release under the French classical label Aparte, and their fourth dedicated to a single composer, debuted digitally on Friday, with a physical release set for Thursday. Violini

Feb. 19, 2025

Inspire Arena reflects on first year, unveils plans for 2025

Inspire Arena aims to improve accessibility to attract more attendees Inspire Arena, South Korea's first arena built for concerts, entered its second year with some successes and some concerns. Since its opening in December 2023, Inspire Arena, located in Yeongjongdo in Incheon, hosted international artists such as Maroon 5, Westlife and Linkin Park, as well as major K-pop acts like Taeyang, SHINee and Day6. In 2024, Inspire Arena hosted 69 events, attracting a total of 519,000 attendees. About

Feb. 18, 2025

Performing arts market sees 14.5% revenue growth in 2024

Revenue growth outpaced increases in performances and tickets sold South Korea’s performing arts market saw a 14.5 percent increase in total ticket sales revenue in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The 2024 Annual Report on Ticket Sales, based on data from the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System, revealed that total ticket sales revenue reached 1.45 trillion won ($1 billion). While the number of performances increased b

Feb. 18, 2025

Kakao Entertainment to support indie music

Company to provide support for Live Club Day festival Kakao Entertainment has announced plans to continue supporting indie music culture by hosting an indie music festival. Through the Kakao Creation Foundation, Kakao Entertainment said it will hold the Live Club Day music festival six times this year. The Kakao Creation Foundation is a cultural and sports foundation established by Kakao Entertainment under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, running programs such as an online creative

Feb. 18, 2025

Busan sets eyes on becoming Asia’s classical music hub with new concert hall

Korea's second-largest city has brand new concert hall and maestro Chung Myung-whun BUSAN - Soon, Busan will be known for more than just films -- it’s on track to become a major hub of classical music with the opening of a world-class concert hall in June and an opera house set to debut in 2027. Busan, Korea’s second-largest city with a population of 3.28 million, on Monday unveiled its artistic vision and plans for Busan Concert Hall opening festival set to take place June 20-28 and more. After

Feb. 17, 2025