[Herald Interview] Theater Ganda marks 20th Anniversary with yearlong parade of original productions

In Korean, the word "ganda" means "to go." Yet, the name of this 20-year-old South Korean theater troupe also carries a dual meaning, signifying its commitment to creating compact ("gan" in Hanja) and diverse ("da" in Hanja) performances. Theatre Ganda is set to showcase a series of the company's most notable works, one after another, until early 2025, in a rare and precious moment for a theater group as it marks its 20th anniversary with a parade of

Feb. 19, 2024

[Indie spirit] Maktub on broadening spectrum, contemplating deeper emotions

In the 13 years since his debut, most of the songs that singer Maktub released have been about sweet, overwhelming love. The singer said he takes a bit of pride in his songs being chosen for romantic events such as proposals and weddings. "I'm a love enthusiast. I may have written countless love songs because I didn’t have particularly hard times dating. But I also believe that messages about love are the messages that the world needs." The 35-year-old singer-songwriter made

Feb. 19, 2024

Chanel meets ballet 'Modance' to come Korea in April

In a collaboration between the French fashion house Chanel and the world of dance, a ballet performance will get a Korean premiere in April. "Modanse" is scheduled to be staged at the Seoul Arts Center on April 17 and 19-21, starring the renowned ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, according to InArt Production on Wednesday. The title "Modanse" is a combination of the French words "mode," meaning fashion, and "danse," meaning dance. The 120-minute performance is

Feb. 15, 2024

[Herald Review] Kyugrockjeol mesmerizes audience with music, drinks and rock spirit

Audiences of various ages flocked to Musinsa Garage, the largest concert hall in Hongdae area, Seoul, on Tuesday night, to take part in the fourth day of Kyungrockjeol. Kyungrockjeol is one of South Korea’s largest annual indie rock music festivals, which started in 2005 as a birthday party for Han Kyung-rok, the bassist of the punk band Crying Nut. The festival soon became an opportunity for unknown musicians to present themselves to larger audiences. Tuesday's show featured five art

Feb. 14, 2024

[Herald Interview] Ji Pyeong-kwon’s gugak crossover resonates in ballet ‘Korea Emotion’

In a poignant duet of daegeum and pansori, vocalist Kwon Song-hee, a member of the alternative pop band Leenalchi, sings achingly. An orchestral blend of Western classical string instruments, daegeum and pansori plays out in a strangely harmonious manner with waltz-like rhythms that brighten the mood. Against this backdrop of crossover music, two ballet dancers gracefully move under the silvery moonlight. Acclaimed ballerina Kang Mi-sun, a principal dancer at Universal Ballet, earned the title o

Feb. 13, 2024

Universal Ballet opens season with ‘Korea Emotion’

Universal Ballet, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, kicks off its 2024 season with the original ballet production, "Korea Emotion," an artistic blend of traditional Korean music and ballet. The neo-classical ballet with gugak crossover scores is to be staged Feb. 16-18, at the Universal Arts Center. Choreographed by Universal Ballet Artistic Director Liu Bingxian, “Korea Emotion” is a collection of nine short episodes drawing inspiration from the complex and multi

Feb. 13, 2024

Maroon 5 to be first foreign act at Inspire arena

American pop-rock band Maroon 5 is visiting Korea in March and holding a concert at the country's first multipurpose arena. According to Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort, Maroon 5 will hold a two-day concert at Inspire Arena in Yeongjong-do, Incheon, on March 8 and 9. It will be the first performance by an overseas act at the venue. Inspire Arena, the first multipurpose arena in South Korea operated by Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort, opened in December last year. It is part of Ins

Feb. 13, 2024

What does J-pop revival mean for S. Korea?

Choi Mi-yeon, a 25-year-old college student, recently purchased a ticket for Japanese band King Gnu's upcoming concert in Korea. Among her friends who attempted to buy tickets, she was the only one lucky enough to get a ticket for the concert, which is set to take place twice in April. All 6,000 tickets quickly sold out. "It feels like more and more Japanese musicians are visiting Korea since last year, and it's getting really hard to get tickets. J-pop is certainly gaining streng

Feb. 12, 2024

ARKO Selection pushes theatrical boundaries

ARKO Selection's fourth set of productions, scheduled to kick off in mid-February, showcases five works -- three plays, one music concert and one ballet -- that stand out for notable directing techniques. The play "Teddy Daddy Run," slated to run Feb. 16-25, is a road trip action drama following 16-year-old Korean teen Yoon-seo and 15-year-old Korean Filipina Nina as the two search for their missing father across various locations in Manila, the Philippines. “We wanted to ad

Feb. 8, 2024

Enjoy night concerts at Deoksugung

The National Gugak Center, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Deoksugung Palace Management Office, is set to host nighttime concerts at Seokjojeon in the palace, Feb. 21-22 and 28-29, at 7 p.m. Built during King Gojong’s reign (1863-1907), Deoksugung’s Seokjojeon is the first European-style stone building built in Korea. Since 2015, several concerts have been performed at the historic venue. The one-hour-long nighttime concert, “Deoksugung Yayeon

Feb. 6, 2024

Jung Il-woo breaks sexual mold with Molina in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'

The Korean production of the play “Kiss of the Spider Woman” kicked off its fourth run on Jan 21 with Jung Il-woo stepping into the role of Molina, a trans woman. Adapted from the 1976 novel by Argentine author Manuel Puig, the play revolves around two prisoners -- Molina and Valentin, a political prisoner. The two inmates with differing ideologies share a cell in the prison and gradually come to accept each other. Also cast in the role of Molina are Yi Youll and Jeon Bak-chan. Jung

Feb. 5, 2024

[Indie spirit] Band Lucy aims to expand spectrum, with music full of childhood reminiscence

A bosom friend from childhood. This is the phrase that best represents the color and tone of Lucy, a four-member band that has quickly become one of the leading acts in the Korean band scene. "Our motto is ‘childhood.’ Childhood friends are the only ones who allow us to act immature even after we've grown up," said bassist and producer Cho Won-sang, 27. "I hope listeners feel that way whenever they play our music, just being themselves and free from anxieties,&rdq

Feb. 5, 2024

Traditional performances for Lunar New Year festivities

The Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays are a time when there is more than the usual offering of traditional performances. The National Dance Company of Korea, National Gugak Center and Seoul Namsan Gukakdang are set to create special ambiances which capture the essence of the traditional holiday. 'Festival' with National Dance Company The National Dance Company of Korea, affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, is ushering in the Year of Blue Dragon with a special holiday produc

Feb. 4, 2024

SG Wannabe to celebrate 20th anniversary with concert

One of the representative South Korean R&B groups, SG Wannabe, will return with a concert to celebrate their 20th debut anniversary. The trio’s upcoming concert will be held under the title “Our Song,” keeping the name of the group’s concert last year. The title "Our Song" became the concert brand of the trio, starting with a concert in March last year at SK Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park and Seoul. The first "Our Song," was SG Wannabe's f

Feb. 2, 2024

YB returns with nationwide tour

Leading rock band YB returns with a national concert tour, "2024 YB Tour Lights: Infinity." The legendary band kicks off its tour on March 9 at the Chunma Art Center of Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, for a two-day run. The band will visit 10 cities in total, also including Suwon, Ansan and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, Busan, Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, Incheon, Wonju in Gangwon Province and Gwangju. "Lights&

Feb. 1, 2024

Playlists reveal what inspired top classical musicians

Soviet-era pianist Vladimir Sofronitsky, who passed away 1961, has been brought back to the spotlight in South Korea recently thanks to playlists compiled by top musicians. The pianist is on the playlists of two star Korean pianists -- Cho Seong-jin and Lim Yun-chan -- unveiled on Apple Music Classical last week. In addition to Lim and Cho, another celebrated pianist, Son Yeol-eum, and composer and music director June Jae-il have partnered up with the stand-alone app dedicated to classical m

Jan. 31, 2024

Seoul Jazz Festival returns to Olympic Park with diverse lineup

The schedule and initial lineup for the 16th Seoul Jazz Festival 2024 have been revealed. In its 16th year, the Seoul Jazz Festival will be held at four venues located in Seoul's Olympic Park from May 31 to June 2, featuring around 60 diverse artists from home and abroad. Singer-songwriter Lauv, who is popular for his dynamic performances and emotional music, and French artist FKJ, who is known for his bold fusion of soul, jazz and electronic music, will visit Korea for the festival. Legend

Jan. 31, 2024

Hyolyn, Kai to go on world tour

Hyolyn, who occupies an unrivaled position in K-pop with her charisma and powerful voice, is to embark on a world tour. “2024 Hyolyn Show World Tour Concert" will kick off at the Taipei International Convention Center, Taiwan, on Feb. 25. The next destination of the world tour is yet to be unveiled. The upcoming world tour is Hyolyn's second. Her first world tour, "True," took place in 2019 and had her perform eight concerts in seven countries including England, Germany

Jan. 30, 2024

[Herald Review] Ateez kicks off world tour with dramatic performance

Boy band Ateez completed a two-day concert in Seoul, marking the beginning of the group’s second world tour, “Towards The Light: Will To Power," last weekend. From Saturday to Sunday, 15,000 fans gathered at Jamsil Indoor Stadium to support the eight-member group with enthusiastic cheers. The group’s second world tour follows the group’s 8th mini album, “The World Ep.1: Movement,” 9th mini album, “The World Ep.2: Outlaw,” and second full-lengt

Jan. 29, 2024

Captain Rock leads 70 indie artists in biggest Kyungrockjeol ever

One of South Korea’s largest annual indie rock music festivals, Kyugrockjeol, on Tuesday kicks off 2024 Rock and Roll Paradise, in its largest iteration ever. Kyungrockjeol, considered one of the top three festivities in Seoul's indie enclave of Hongdae, along with Christmas Eve and Halloween, started in 2005 as a birthday party for Han Kyung-rok, the bassist of punk band Crying Nut. The event became one of the biggest festivals for South Korean indie musicians and took place at the l

Jan. 28, 2024