Popular Korean TV series will return to the stage as musicals to meet the rising demand from fans who long to enjoy their favorite shows in diversified formats. The smash-hit rom-com "Crash Landing On You" (2019) with Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin in starring roles will come back in the form of a musical in September at COEX in southern Seoul. The 16-episode "Crash Landing On You," which aired simult...

Broadway-born musical “Hadestown,” which made its first landing in Korea in September last year, was honored with the grand prize at the sixth Korea Musical Awards, hosted by the Korea Musical Theatre Association, on Monday. Korea Musical Awards are given annually to selected musicals among those that premiered over the previous year. For this year, the performance of “Hadestown” beat prominent ...

The Korea National Contemporary Dance Company will offer eight programs, ranging from new creations to its signature repertoire, this year. KNCDC’s first performance is set to kick off in April with “Writing Using,” which is created by renowned choreographer Ahn Ae-soon, KNCDC’s second artistic director, according to the state dance company Tuesday. The production will show the story of the feel...

”The Brothers Karamazov,” an original musical produced by a South Korean production company, will hit a major theater in Shanghai in June, Orchard Musical Co. said Tuesday. The Korean musical is the first original musical licensed to take the stage at the Shanghai Grand Theater. “The Brothers Karamazov” is a small-budget musical that is based on Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel of the s...

South Korea’s performing arts sector grew almost 80 percent in terms of revenue in 2021, despite the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, but insiders said uncertainty still looms over the industry in 2022. In 2021, revenue from theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances stood at 307 billion won ($258 million), jumping 78 percent from 172 billion won recorded in 2020, data fro...

Despite the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the South Korean performing arts sector saw a steady recovery this year, data showed on Wednesday. In this month so far, revenue from theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances stood at 47.7 billion won ($40.21 million), surpassing the 40-billion-won mark for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according ...

The opening of the musical version of “The Lion King” will be delayed, as performers and crew face difficulties in flying into Korea after several airlines abruptly canceled flights bound for the country, according to S&Co, the production company of the international tour. “Our performance team members’ entry (into Korea) has been delayed due to COVID-related travel problems,” S&Co said in a sta...

Story of iconic filmmaker Park Nam-ok brought back to life in National Theater’s ‘Apres Girl’

Edwards and Tabhiha were both drawn to the show because of the main actor -- Jung Taek-woon, better known as Leo of boyband VIXX, who appeared as Anri in the show. Edwards admitted that she probably wouldn’t watch a musical that didn’t feature a well-known idol. It’s no exaggeration to say that one of this show’s primary lures is its headlining K-pop idols, a tactic that has been used by musical...

In 2011, when a sprawling 29,492-square-meter, eight-story building opened its doors near Itaewon, Seoul’s vibrant nightlife district, not many could have imagined what was in store for Korea’s musical scene. Fast forward to a decade later, the building, Blue Square, has welcomed more than 10 million visitors coming to see 7,743 performances of 1,031 musicals, according to Interpark Group, which...

National Theater of Korea invites overseas production for first time in five years

With the local performing arts scene excited for a return to normalcy under South Korea’s “living with COVID-19” strategy, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced its winter lineup, from a Vienna Philharmonic concert to “The Nutcracker” ballet. One of the most anticipated highlights of the center’s winter schedule is a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic and maestro Riccardo Muti on N...

NTCK opens ‘online theater,’ offering performances with extra features such as barrier-free services, director’s cut

The Samilro Changgo Theater, which is managed by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, is to run a three-week program in November for drama creators under the theme “Meetings and Hospitality.” Founded in 1975, the Samilro Changgo Theater in central Seoul was the first private small theater in Korea. Since 2018, it has been managed by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture under the Seoul...

The LG Arts Center is gearing up to begin a new chapter in the district of Magok, western Seoul. The art center, managed by LG’s nonprofit organization the LG Yonam Cultural Foundation, is to move to the Magok area in October 2022, joining the LG Group’s R&D complex LG Science Park. In July, the center wrapped up its era in Yeoksam, Gangnam -- where it had been situated for some 20 years since ...