Interview: Tall and assured, Lee Sang-eun finds freedom in contemporary ballet

Dancers move tirelessly to the gradually intensifying beat of Ravel’s "Bolero" -- climbing over, crashing into or vanishing behind a large wooden wall. In the midst all this seeming chaos, one dancer stood out: tall, assured and unmistakably at home. At 181 centimeters tall, Lee Sang-eun, lead principal dancer of the English National Ballet, is impossible to miss. Lee is in Seoul to perform as a guest artist in the Asian premiere of “Walking Mad,” part of a double bill with “Bliss” by acclaimed

May 7, 2025

Explore emotional duality of high-profile choreographer at Asia premiere of double bill

Acclaimed Swedish dancer-turned-choreographer Johan Inger says he is impressed with Korea’s growing commitment to contemporary dance and sees a bright future for the newly established Seoul Metropolitan Ballet. The 57-year-old artist is in Seoul for the Asia premiere of his double bill, “Walking Mad” and “Bliss,” set to run Friday through May 18 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Following Ohad Naharin’s “Decadance” in March, Inger is the latest high-profile figure in the company’s bo

May 7, 2025

Sold-out final run of 'Godot' by two veteran stars

It’s not every day a theater production sells out instantly in Korea -- let alone one headlined by two octogenarian actors. But Shin Gu, 88, and Park Geun-hyung, 84, have done it again. Tickets for their final run of “Waiting for Godot” were snapped up the moment they went on sale. The production runs from Friday through May 25 at the National Theater of Korea’s Daloreum Theater. This farewell staging marks the end of a landmark collaboration that has captivated audiences since its 2023 premiere

May 6, 2025

Cozy grill, sweet pudding and urban circus

For this weekend, check out a neighborhood Japanese yakitori restaurant, a pudding cafe and a circus festival — all in Seoul's central neighborhoods. Few things are as comforting as a simple meal paired with a cold drink after a long day. For those seeking a relaxed yet satisfying dining experience, the Japanese yakitori restaurant, Toriaejeu, in Jung-gu, Seoul, offers a warm retreat just 80 meters from Yaksu Station. With its understated wooden interiors and the savory aroma of grilled skewers

May 2, 2025

Yoo Seung-ho returns to stage as Brutus in reimagining of 'Julius Caesar'

Actors Yoo Seung-ho and Son Ho-jun, who last shared the stage in the Korean production of "Angels in America," are reuniting for "Killing Caesar." The new theatrical project will run from May 10 to July 20 at Sogang University's Mary Hall in Seoul. The actors shared that their return to the stage — less than a year after their last performance — was driven by what they described as “a longing that overpowered the fear of the stage.” "The stage is a place of learning for actors. And I wanted to e

May 1, 2025

Unflinching Spanish stage performer dares audiences 'to confront their demons'

Spanish multidisciplinary artist and theater director Angelica Liddell has come to Korea with her searing and provocative play, “Liebestod. The Smell of Blood Does Not Leave My Eyes. Juan Belmonte.” “Liebestod,” which premiered at the 2021 Avignon Festival, marks the third installment in Belgian director Milo Rau’s “History of Theatre” series. The work draws on the legendary Spanish bullfighter Juan Belmonte and the “Liebestod” (Love-Death) from Wagner’s opera “Tristan und Isolde.” Death, blood,

May 1, 2025

Neumeier’s ‘Camellias’ to bloom again in Seoul as its ‘best version yet’

Legendary choreographer John Neumeier’s “The Lady of the Camellias,” with which ballerina Kang Sue-jin became the first Asian dancer to win the Benois de la Danse award in 1999, will take the stage at the Seoul Arts Center, May 7-11. Neumeier and Kang, artistic director of The Korean National Ballet, have come together to create “the best possible version of this ballet that we can see right now.” “Ballet is an art of life,” said Neumeier during a press conference held Tuesday at the Seoul Arts

April 30, 2025

Interview: The dance, the company are 'truly one of a kind,' says BNE dancer Youn Sou-jung

When Youn Sou-jung first stepped into the audition room for the Ballet Nacional de Espana, artistic director Ruben Olmo knew immediately that she was special. “I fell in love. She has her own magnificent style. She’s one of the proud dancers of our company,” said Olmo during Monday's press conference for "Afanador." And for Youn, it was her dream come true, now a member of the corps de ballet, who started dancing at the age of three. "Since I was young, it was my dream to join BNE. I used to wat

April 29, 2025

‘Afanador,’ flamenco reinvented, comes to Seoul

When we think of flamenco, certain images spring to mind: a dancer in a vivid, ruffled dress with skirt flying outward in a whirl of motion; sharp, dramatic arm movements and hands twisting elegantly through the air; heeled shoes striking the wooden floor in a rapid-fire rhythm of castanets. But the Ballet Nacional de Espana’s "Afanador," created in high-profile collaboration with Spanish contemporary choreographer Marcos Morau, offers a stark departure from these familiar images. Premiered in 2

April 29, 2025

Jeon Min-chul wins top prize at ballet's Youth America Grand Prix

South Korean dancer Jeon Min-chul won the Grand Prix title at the 2025 Youth America Grand Prix, the world's largest student ballet competition in Tampa, Florida, on Friday. Jeon competed in the senior men's division held April 21-27 and was named the overall Grand Prix winner -- the highest award given across all divisions and age groups. Jeon performed a variation from "La Esmeralda" in the finals and Albrecht’s variation from "Giselle" in the semi-finals, a piece he had recently danced with t

April 28, 2025