'Any emotion you may feel is the right one'

o Concerto No. 3 in the final round, released an album dedicated to the Russian composer on Tuesday. Sunwoo’s second album, titled “Rachmaninoff. A Reflection,” is meant to commemorate Rachmaninoff, who was born 150 years ago, and also to reflect on the 34-year-old pianist himself. “'Reflection' has various meanings. It can reflect me, and also signifies that I will examine myself through the album,” Sunwoo told reporters during a press conference held a

Sept. 12, 2023

Independence fighters' parenting saga comes alive in musical

During the Japanese occupation, a man and a woman find love and give birth to a child while in exile in China, anticipating the day when their homeland might regain its sovereignty. Like any other parents, they raise their child, evolving and learning from their experiences. This story is the real life story of Yang Woo-jo (1897-1964) and Choi Seon-hwa (1911-2003). Yang worked for the Korean Provisional Government, a government-in-exile based in China. Raising their first daughter, whom they n

Sept. 12, 2023

Violist Lee Hae-sue takes top prize at ARD competition

South Korean violist Lee Hae-sue took home the first prize and audience prize at the 72nd ARD International Music Competition Munich on Sept. 10 at Hercules Hall in Munich. The 23-year-old violist received 19,000 euros ($20,000) in prize money and an opportunity to perform with the Osnabruck Symphony Orchestra. The ARD International Music Competition covers harp, double bass, piano trio and viola. Some 50 musicians competed in the viola category, held Sept. 2- 10. For the final round, Lee pe

Sept. 11, 2023

World Pansori Association recruits singers for 20-hour pansori relay project

The World Pansori Association is seeking pansori singers to be part of its very first World Pansori Festival commemorating the 20th anniversary of pansori's UNESCO recognition. On Nov. 7, the date when pansori was inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list, the association will present the “20-hour Pansori Relay Project” over two days at Seoul's Namsan Gukakdang. The performances will be streamed worldwide on YouTube. The association is seeking 60 pansori singers, welc

Sept. 8, 2023

Musical 'Frida' continues as actor faces school bullying allegations

Amid allegations of school bullying made against her, Kim Hieora, best known for her role in Netflix series "The Glory," will continue to play her part in "Frida" as scheduled, according to the stage musical's production company EMK Musical on Friday. Kim, who has been accused of bullying in her middle school years, has denied all such allegations. Kim plays the titular role of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, as one of three cast in the role in "Frida," which start

Sept. 8, 2023

Art performance invites 100 participants to read newspapers on stage

Sung Neung-kyung, a 79-year-old conceptual artist known for his ongoing exploration of various mediums of communication like newspapers and photography, organized a unique performance art event on Wednesday. Sung invited a hundred foreigners to join him on stage at L'espace etnah's Lightroom Seoul hall in eastern Seoul, for a collective art performance project, where they jointly read newspapers aloud as a group performance. The Korea Herald newspapers were used for English-readers, al

Sept. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] From his fingertips, composer and conductor Choi Jae-hyuck brings music to life

Choi Jae-hyuck, winner of the first prize in composition at the Geneva International Music Competition in 2017, is set to unveil his first organ concerto next month. Choi has been working on the piece since 2020 when he first came up with the idea to create an organ piece, after feeling captivated by the instrument. "I spent one year redoing the first page several times. After that it got easier," Choi told reporters during an interview on Tuesday. Part of the challenge stems from the

Sept. 7, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Making harmony is the same' both for Korean and Western classsical music: Year Ja-kyung

South Korean conductor Year Ja-kyung recently ventured into a new sphere of music when she took the baton for the National Orchestra of Korea, a musical ensemble that specializes in traditional Korean music, on Sept. 1. Year was the inaugural artist in NOK's "Discovery," a series that delves into traditional Korean orchestral masterpieces from the perspective of accomplished conductors who have built their own unique musical worlds. "I realized gugak has become something quit

Sept. 7, 2023

'Grimento' explores shadows of school bullying through contemporary dance

A heavy sense of suspense hangs in the air. While everyone remains seated upright in their chairs, their gazes fixed straight ahead, one figure alone brazenly perches on a desk, scanning the room like a predator. He then reclines in the chair. With a casual flick of his arm, the other chairs collapse. He continues to contort his body with an impending threat. Titled “Grimento,” a contemporary dance performance is set to wrap up this year’s 12-part Sejong Center’s summer c

Sept. 6, 2023

Rediscover Gyeongseong's century-old hit songs

Popular hit songs of the 1920s and 1930s will be revisited for two days this week. The National Gugak Center is set to perform “Gyeongseong Hit Songs,” a collection of century-old tunes originally recorded on gramophone records, on Wednesday and Thursday at the center's Pungnyu Sarangbang. Gyeongseong is an old name for Seoul. The introduction of phonograph records the 1920s transformed how music could be experienced. Music, previously only heard on live stage performances, was

Sept. 3, 2023

[Herald Review] Nuanced local adaptations, sound effects transplant suspense of '2:22 A Ghost Story' from West End to Seoul stage

The unidentifiable footsteps heard at 2:22 a.m. and the mysteries surrounding their origin intensify the suspense of “2:22 A Ghost Story,” the title of which captures the essence of the plot. The story revolves around Sam and Jenny, a couple who have newly moved, inviting Sam's longtime friend Lauren and her boyfriend Ben to their home. What starts as an ordinary evening meal takes a turn with Jenny’s confession. Jenny says she hears footsteps and sobs around her baby&rsqu

Aug. 31, 2023

Gugak welcomes autumn

Autumn is drawing near and the weather sets the stage for a harmonious indulgence in the sounds of gugak, or Korean traditional music. Major traditional music orchestras and troupes are gearing up for colorful programs this September. Taking the lead for the 2023-24 season is the National Orchestra of Korea, a traditional Korean music orchestra affiliated with the National Theater of Korea, set to grace the stage this Friday night with “Discovery” at the Haeoreum Theater. The inaugur

Aug. 30, 2023

Nodeul Island to turn into outdoor stage for 'Swan Lake' and 'The Barber of Seville'

Every Saturday and Sunday night from Oct. 14 to 22, a small island at the center of the Han River will be turned into a stage for spellbinding ballet and opera performances. Under the theme of “Timeless Classic,” the second edition of Hangang Nodeul Island Festival by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture will present one ballet and one opera, bringing together Korea’s top performers. After presenting “The Magic Flute” at the inaugural festival last year, this y

Aug. 29, 2023

Seoul International Dance Festival explores death and aging through movement

The 26th Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance), organized by the Seoul Section of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO, is set to kick off this Friday. A total of 23 dance troupes (196 dancers) from nine countries including Korea will showcase 26 works across Seoul until Sept. 17. As the curtains rise, the theme that will also carry over into the next year is “death and aging,” aiming to explore the profound dynamics of mortality and the human life cycle through the medi

Aug. 28, 2023

[Herald Interview] Musical actor Cha Ji-yeon hopes to tell her story in first solo concert

Korean actor Cha Ji-yeon made her debut on the musical stage in 2006 as Rafiki, the wise monkey and advisor to the king, in “The Lion King." She was working as an office worker when she got the role after years of discouraging auditions and falling victim to scams in her attempt to rekindle her passion for music and performance. As a child, she had performed alongside her maternal grandfather and uncle, both esteemed masters of "pansori gosu," the skilled drummers who perfor

Aug. 28, 2023

[Herald Interview] Proud Korean Peggy Gou aims to make 'timeless' music

Peggy Gou is a superstar DJ doing tours around the world year-round. Her shows are always sold out across mostly European cities. Gou’s latest single “(It goes like) Nanana” has been on the UK top 10 singles chart for 10 straight weeks, and topped the charts in the Netherlands and Belgium over the summer. Although she may not be as widely known as BTS in her home country, Gou is a proud South Korean, born and bred in Incheon. “When people see other Asian performers and as

Aug. 27, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim So-hyang has no room for regrets

For Kim So-hyang, the title role in the musical "Frida," was easy to resonate with. Compared to other roles that shaped her career like Marie Antoinette or Marie Curie, it was easy to find aspects of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo she could identify with. “I would say the roles of Marie Antoinette and Marie Qurie were more challenging for me, as I tried to seek common aspects with the characters,” Kim told reporters during an interview on Tuesday. “To embody Marie Antoin

Aug. 23, 2023

Musical 'Frida' paints empowering story of Frida Kahlo

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is well-recognized for expressing pain through her art. Based on her life, the musical "Frida" sings of her experiences, painting her story just as vividly as her painting "Viva La Vida" (1954), meaning "Long Live Life" in Spanish. Premiered in March 2022, the original production by the EMK Musical Company follows the life of Kahlo. The 110-minute show takes on the form of “The Last Night Show,” where Kahlo appears as a guest a

Aug. 21, 2023

Classical music concerts to take place at Cheong Wa Dae in Sept.

The 2023 Blue House Concert will take place on Sept. 9 and 10 at the heliport of the former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Monday. Cheong Wa Dae, the former residence and office site of South Korean presidents, opened its doors to the public after President Yoon Suk Yeol decided to move his office to the buildings of the Defense Ministry in Yongsan, Seoul, in May 2022. With Cheong Wa Dae as the backdrop in the early autumn season

Aug. 21, 2023

ChangMu festival showcases contemporary within tradition

The ChangMu International Performing Arts Festival, led by choreographer-dancer Kim Mae-ja, is set to take place from Wednesday to Aug. 31 at various venues in Seoul, including the Arko Arts Center, Seoul Namsan Gugakdang and the National Jeongdong Theater. Kim is the founder of the festival and a leading figure of changmu, a contemporary dance rooted in traditional Korean dance. Since 1993, the annual festival has been inviting dancers and dance groups from around the world who are committed to

Aug. 20, 2023