Top ballet stars to grace Seoul stage in gala performance this January

Some of South Korea’s brightest ballet stars who have captivated audiences on the world’s top stages are set to unite for a special gala performance in Seoul in January. The Global Ballet Star Gala, organized by the K-Global Ballet Institute, will be staged at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 11 and 12, bringing together a constellation of top-tier dancers who have risen to prominence in the world’s leading ballet companies. At the forefront of the lineup is Park Sae-eun, an eto

Dec. 27, 2024

'Again Turandot,' never again?

Italian director's departure, frequent cast changes raise questions and audiences demand refunds, but ambitious W20B production continues amid turmoil Despite the sudden departure of its director and ongoing tensions between the creative team and the Korean production company, the ambitious opera project "Again 2024 Turandot" pushes forward. However, frequent cast changes and growing audience dissatisfaction continue to overshadow the production's progress. An avid classical concertgoer, surname

Dec. 26, 2024

With Gumi concert canceled, singer Lee Seung-hwan mulls playing Gwangju

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung suggests Lee hold concert in Gwangju instead Days after Gumi City Hall canceled singer Lee Seung-hwan's Christmas Day concert in the city, prompting criticism that the decision was politically motivated, Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung stepped in to suggest Lee hold a gig in his city. In response, Lee said he "looks forward to performing in Gwangju," referring to the city as a "holy land of democracy." This comes after Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho on Monday announced that the sin

Dec. 25, 2024

Opera in turmoil: Director Davide Livermore withdraws from 'Turandot' hours before premiere

In a dramatic turn of events, Italian opera director Davide Livermore withdrew from the production of “Again 2024 Turandot” just nine hours before its opening Sunday night in Seoul, citing creative and contractual disputes with the production team.

Dec. 23, 2024

‘Stage Fighter’ champion Choi Ho-jong says best is yet to come

In Korea’s dance scene, the name Choi Ho-jong is already one to reckon with. Recently, he added another jewel to his crown by claiming the top spot in Mnet’s dance survival program “Stage Fighter,” the fourth installment of the popular Street Fighter TV franchise. However, Choi said that he doesn’t yet feel he’s reached his prime. In fact, he described himself as being in a slump.

Dec. 21, 2024

Wrap up 2024 with annual year-end K-pop festivals

K-pop fans worldwide are gearing up for the grand spectacle of Korea's major year-end music shows — "KBS Song Festival," "SBS Gayo Daejeon" and "MBC Gayo Daejejeon." Each festival has a unique concept and star-studded lineup, offering a glimpse into the past, present and future of K-pop. From legendary reunions to first-time collaborations, these year-end stages promise unforgettable moments to close out 2024 and welcome 2025 in style. Cross-generatio

Dec. 19, 2024

World-class opera stars including Placido Domingo, unite for ‘Turandot’

World-renowned opera singers and artists are coming together to revive the grandeur of large-scale opera productions in Korea, a rarity outside dedicated opera theaters. Park Hyun-joon, artistic director of the “Again 2024 Turandot project,” aims to deliver a production that echoes the success of it

Dec. 17, 2024

K-pop stars to broaden spectrum with world tours in 2025

As 2025 approaches, K-pop artists are setting their sights on global stages. SHINee’s Taemin will continue the momentum of his first solo world tour, “Ephemeral Gaze,” which began on Dec. 15 with sold-out shows, into early next year. According to his agency Big Planet Made Entertainment tickets for the US leg of the “Ephemeral Gaze” tour — covering New York, Chicago, Houston, Oakland and Los Angeles — sold out immediately. This follows previous sellouts

Dec. 17, 2024

[Herald Review] BoyNextDoor launches first tour with refreshing energy

BoyNextDoor held the group's first stand-alone concert “Knock On Vol.1” and announced a January comeback. The two shows at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Dec. 14-15 mark the group’s first solo concert since debuting in May 2023. The six members, dressed in blue jeans and black jackets, made a dramatic entrance by leaping up from the stage floor amid fireworks. They kicked off the show with “Earth, Wind and Fire,” followed by “Dangerous,” where the stag

Dec. 16, 2024

Deaf trio Big Ocean to hold first solo concert next year

Big Ocean, the world's first idol group composed of members with hearing impairments, is set to hold its first solo concert. The trio -- Chanyeon, Hyunjin and Jiseok -- announced via the group's official social media channels that they will hold the first solo concert under the banner of “Follow” on March 9, 2025, at the Toyota City Cultural Hall in Nagoya, Japan. “Follow” is also the name of Big Ocean’s first mini album. The group is preparing not only to

Dec. 12, 2024

Ahn Eun-jin returns to stage as astronomer in ‘Silent Sky’

Trust in director Kim Min-jung, the Myeongdong Theater, the single-cast format and the compelling script were actor Ahn Eun-jin‘s key reasons for choosing “Silent Sky” for her long-awaited return to the stage. “I was nervous about getting back on stage after so long, unsure how I would even manage r

Dec. 10, 2024

GFriend to reunite after 4 years, marking 10th debut anniversary

The girl group GFriend is making a highly anticipated return after four years with a special album and concert. GFriend will reunite to release a special album, "Season of Memories," on Jan. 13, commemorating the group's 10th debut anniversary. This marks their first group activity since the members' contract with Source Music ended four years ago. According to Source Music, the six-member group’s special album "Season of Memories" will drop on Jan. 13 at 6 p.

Dec. 2, 2024

[Herald Review] NCT Dream wraps up 3rd world tour with grand finale

NCT Dream successfully wrapped up its third world tour with all seven members onstage, including Renjun who returned from hiatus. The final performance of "The Dream Show 3: Dream Scape Finale in Seoul" took place Sunday at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Throughout the three-show finale concert series, which ran from Friday to Sunday, a total of 60,000 fans attended, showcasing the group’s immense popularity. As the central stage screen opened like a massive door and the members

Dec. 2, 2024

Korea's performing arts scene soars past 1.4 trillion won in post-pandemic surge

Pandemic-era social distancing rules that once left theaters empty and concert halls silent are now a fading memory, with South Korea's performing arts sector reporting record-breaking revenue of 1.4 trillion won ($1.08 billion) in 2023, up 46 percent from the previous year. The figure represents a 67 percent increase over 2019, before COVID-19 began to spread. The numbers in the latest report released Thursday by the state-run Korea Arts Management Services paint a picture of an industry t

Nov. 29, 2024

[Herald Review] Aladdin: The Korean Genie is out of the bottle in magical adaptation

The Genie is out of the bottle in Korea, a decade after the hit musical "Aladdin" hit Broadway. The Korean edition of "Aladdin," which debuted on Friday, delivers a winning combination of Disney’s beloved story and tunes, standout performances by Korea’s top actors, and humor that resonates with local audiences. The role of the Genie is shared by three actors: Jung Sung-hwa, Kang Hong-seok and Jeong Won-yeong. Aladdin is played by Kim Jun-su, Park Kang-hyun -- kno

Nov. 27, 2024