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Arete Quartet: Korean ensemble shares Czech soul with the world
When the Arete Quartet, one of Korea’s most closely watched young chamber ensembles, began discussing their first recording, the choice of repertoire came almost instinctively. Rather than starting with the standard Beethoven-Mozart canon that they could have chosen, the group took an unconventional leap: Czech composers Leos Janacek and Josef Suk. Their affinity for Czech music did not develop out of curiosity alone. A defining moment came at the 2021 Prague Spring International Music Competiti
Dec. 1, 2025 -
Tale of blood, revenge endures as 'The Orphan of Zhao' marks 10th year
A landmark production for the National Theater Company of Korea, “The Orphan of Zhao: Seeds of Revenge,” is marking its 10th anniversary with a seventh run at the National Theater’s Haeorum Theater through Sunday. Adapted and directed by star director Koh Sun-woong, the play premiered in 2015 and has since become one of the company’s signature repertory works, drawing steady acclaim with an average seat occupancy of 93 percent and a cumulative audience of 36,000. The production is a rarity in Ko
Nov. 26, 2025 -
Bundang Youth Orchestra debuts 'Waterlight Garden' at UN Youth Environment conference
Members of the Bundang Youth Orchestra performed an original composition, Waterlight Garden, by 13-year-old composer Bang Seo-jun, at the closing ceremony of the 2025 UN Youth Environment Conference on Nov. 16 at the National Institute for International Education. Waterlight Garden was inspired by the transformation of a long-abandoned sewage treatment plant in Gumi-dong, Seongnam, into a cultural complex named “Seongnam Waterlight Garden,” which opened in June. The Waterlight Garden Music Hall
Nov. 26, 2025 -
Tributes pour in for Lee Soon-jae, including from Yoo Yeon-seok, Taeyeon
Tributes poured in from across the theater and entertainment industry following the news of veteran actor Lee Soon-jae’s death on Tuesday. Nah Yung-suk, the star producer behind the travel reality series "Grandpas Over Flowers" (2013-2018), in which Lee appeared, expressed his sorrow at a press event for a new program. “I hadn’t seen him in the past year due to his health," said Nah. "During our travels and in private, the thing he most often told us was that he wanted to stay on stage until the
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Obituary: Beloved ‘grandpa’ Lee Soon-jae’s life on stage, screen
Actor Lee Soon-jae, a towering figure in Korean entertainment and one of the nation’s longest-working performers, died Tuesday. He was 91. According to his family, Lee died early on Tuesday morning. Even in advanced age, Lee had continued to work across television, film and theater, remaining active until late 2024, when health problems forced him to withdraw midway through the run of the play “Waiting for Waiting for Godot.” His final screen appearance came in the KBS series “Dog Knows Everythi
Nov. 25, 2025 -
'My last chance': Eric Lu on overcoming pressure to win Chopin Competition on second try decade later
American pianist Eric Lu returned to the 2025 Chopin Competition 10 years after taking fourth prize, a move that fits a familiar story in classical music: artists coming back to one of the world’s toughest stages, pushed by ambition, pressure and a highly competitive field. “I felt that while my career was going well, it was not at the level that I have the ambitions for,” the 27-year-old pianist told reporters Monday in Seoul. But when the final results came out, Lu’s story took a turn. Instead
Nov. 25, 2025 -
After ‘Gat,’ Yunbyul Ballet Company brings holiday cheer with ‘Black & White’
For those seeking a festive night of dance and fresh new works, the upcoming ballet gala "Black & White" promises both, says Yun Byul, artistic director of Yunbyul Ballet Company. Co-produced by the Mapo Art Center and the ballet company as its 2025 year-end celebration, the gala invites audiences to enjoy a night of dance with the festive spirit of a holiday party on Dec. 10 and 11. The program features eight works — from classical pieces such as "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote" to four original c
Nov. 24, 2025 -
‘Yakiniku Dragon’ revisits Korean Japanese family caught between wars, borders
Set in a shantytown along the railway tracks of Japan’s Kansai region in the 1970s, “Yakiniku Dragon” centers on the family of Kim Yong-gil, a Zainichi Korean who lost his left arm in the Pacific War and his first wife in the 1950-53 Korean War. Zainichi refers to Koreans and their descendants who have lived in Japan for generations, many of whom arrived — either voluntarily or by force — during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea. With no home left to return to, Yon-gil's life is shaped by displacem
Nov. 23, 2025 -
Korean dance legends bring their signature works back in 'Living Legacy'
Works by master choreographers who have shaped the course of Korean dance are set to round off the year at the National Theater of Korea’s Haeorum Theater. Opening next month, the “Living Legacy” program reunites signature performances by four former artistic directors of the National Dance Company of Korea: Cho Heung-dong, 84; Bae Jung-hye, 81; Kim Hyun-ja, 78 and Guk Su-ho, 77. “This project connects the history of these four masters from the past to the present,” said Lee Seung-yeon. Lee, bor
Nov. 22, 2025 -
Four young Korean classical stars land ICMA nominations
Four prominent Korean classical musicians have been nominated for the 2026 International Classical Music Awards, underscoring the growing global profile of Korean performers across major categories. Recordings by pianists Cho Seong-jin and Lim Yunchan, along with violinists Kim Bomsori and Park Sueye, were named among the 307 audio and video productions selected this year. The nominations span 18 countries and 101 labels, with the final list including productions that were proposed by at least t
Nov. 21, 2025 -
Leenalchi vocalist on what it means to be modern pansori singer
When Korean students sat for the college entrance exam last week, many found themselves grappling with an unexpected challenge: trying not to hum along to the passage in front of them. A section from the pansori epic Sugung-ga appeared on the Korean-language test, and students immediately recognized the line “The tiger is coming down, the tiger is coming down” — the irresistible hook from Leenalchi’s viral 2020 hit. The lyric, originally a relatively minor moment in the epic, became a near–natio
Nov. 19, 2025 -
Sound of Slovenia reverberates in Korea for first time
The Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra — one of Europe’s oldest ensembles, with a history stretching back more than 300 years — makes its Korean debut this week with a three-city tour visiting Daegu, Seoul and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Although Slovenia and South Korea have maintained diplomatic relations since 1992, exchanges between the two countries remained limited until recently. The opening of the Slovenian Embassy in Seoul in 2022, followed by Korea’s establishment of its own mission in Lj
Nov. 19, 2025 -
Wagner’s epic 6-hour ‘Tristan und Isolde’ makes its long-awaited Korean premiere
With a total running time of 340 minutes, including a 40- and 30-minute intermission, Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” will make its long-awaited Korean premiere through a rare collaboration under Jaap van Zweden. The production brings together the Korea National Opera and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as a roster of Wagner specialists, for a music drama that turns the universal themes of love and death into a transcendent musical experience through heavy use of chromatic harmony and th
Nov. 18, 2025 -
Maestros, emerging talents converge for KBS Symphony's 70th anniversary season
The KBS Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 season unfolds as a celebration of its 70-year musical journey, bringing together world-renowned maestros with a powerful lineup of international guests and rising Korean talent. With maestros' offerings ranging from Mahler and Shostakovich to Bruckner, and Sibelius, the season runs under the theme of "70 years of Melody, an Everlasting Resonance." Kicking off the new season is Chung Myung-whun, one of Korea’s most revered conductors and the orchestra's first "h
Nov. 17, 2025 -
This, too, is Korean pop
Korean traditional music, or gugak, has many faces. Even within its vocal traditions, it can be broadly divided into three regional lineages: Gyeonggi minyo from the central provinces, Seodo minyo from the North, and the narrative art of pansori mainly from the South. Each carries its own rhythm and emotional tone. Today, a new generation of artists is reimagining how these traditions can speak to contemporary audiences. Rejecting the easy labels of “fusion” or “crossover,” they define their own
Nov. 13, 2025