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Park Chun-hue on Tony win: 'Maybe Happy Ending' wasn’t supposed to succeed -- until it did
“Maybe Happy Ending,” the Broadway adaptation of the Korean musical, emerged as the season's breakout success, earning six Tony Awards, including best musical, on June 8. The creative duo behind the show are Korean lyricist and book writer Park Chun-hue, also known as Hue Park, and American writer and composer Will Aronson. In a press conference with Korean media Tuesday in Seoul, Park reflected on the historic achievement of becoming the first Korean to receive a Tony. He spoke candidly about h
June 24, 2025 -
Arko launches Sum Festa to bring performing arts festivals together
Arts Council Korea (Arko) seeks to foster collaboration across genres and regions with the launch of its new umbrella brand, “Arko Sum Festa,” bringing together 17 of the 45 performing arts festivals it supports nationwide. The initiative aims to connect theater, dance, music and traditional arts festivals under one banner, while preserving each event’s distinct character and local roots. This summer’s lineup includes events such as the Arts in Tank Dance Festival (July 1-27), the ChangMu Intern
June 23, 2025 -
Busan Concert Hall opens with finest talent, advanced infrastructure
BUSAN — After Maestro Chung Myung-whun concluded Sunday evening’s concert at the new Busan Concert Hall, he traced a circle in the air with his finger before gently tapping his heart — a gesture that seemed to acknowledge not only the musicians on stage but also the audience, who responded with a standing ovation. It was a moment of gratitude and recognition, shared by all present at a historic milestone in Busan’s classical music journey. The city’s long-awaited concert hall finally opened its
June 23, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook wants to film 'Human Acts' by Nobel laureate Han Kang
Filmmaker Park Chan-wook would like to adapt “Human Acts” by Nobel laureate Han Kang into a film if given the chance. “Just reading the first chapter, I thought, ‘Wow, this is just masterfully written.’ It struck me as a masterpiece from the start,” he said. The comment came during a session titled “Park Chan-wook’s Literary Anchors” with literary critic Shin Hyoung-cheol, held Friday at the Seoul International Book Fair at Coex. When asked whether there are any Korean novels he dreams of adapti
June 23, 2025 -
La Scala's Ortombina on maestro Chung Myung-whun, Verdi and opera's future
BUSAN -- During the opening weekend of Busan’s much-anticipated new concert hall, conductor Chung Myung-whun -- artistic director of Classic Busan, the municipal office overseeing the Busan Concert Hall and the upcoming Busan Opera House -- led a series of inaugural concerts that signaled a new chapter in the city’s cultural ambitions. Among those in attendance was Fortunato Ortombina, artistic director of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, one of the world’s most storied opera houses. Ortombina, who ha
June 22, 2025 -
Hungarian musical 'Nikola Tesla' opens 19th Daegu International Musical Festival
DAEGU — The 19th edition of the Daegu International Musical Festival, Korea’s premier celebration of musical theater, opened Friday with the Hungarian production “Nikola Tesla: Infinite Energy.” At a press conference held before the musical’s first of ten performances at the Daegu Opera House, running through June 28, communication required double translation: from Hungarian to English, and then from English to Korean. It was a symbolic moment, highlighting the rarity and significance of such cr
June 20, 2025 -
Lim Yunchan reimagines Tchaikovsky’s 'The Seasons'
Celebrated pianist Lim Yunchan's recording of "June: Barcarolle" was released on major streaming services Friday, ahead of the release of his new album, “Tchaikovsky: The Seasons," Decca Classics announced Friday. "June: Barcarolle" is the sixth track in the album scheduled to be released Aug. 22. The album will be Lim's second album this year, and was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, England, on July 31 and Aug. 1, 2024. The recording presents a bold reinterpretation of the Russian compo
June 20, 2025 -
Legends convene: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Krystian Zimerman, New York Philharmonic return to Seoul
After 11 years, the New York Philharmonic returns to Seoul. And after 22 years, pianist Krystian Zimerman finally steps back onto the stage of the Seoul Arts Center. These two long-awaited returns will be joined by Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, making for one of the most anticipated events in Korea’s classical music calendar this year. From June 26 to 28, audiences will witness performances that span from Beethoven’s transcendence to Berlioz’s hallucinatory vision, as these m
June 19, 2025 -
Berlin Philharmonic to return to Seoul for three concerts
The Berlin Philharmonic will return to Korea after a two-year absence, this time under the leadership of Kirill Petrenko. For the first time, the orchestra will give three performances in Korea, Nov. 7-9. Korean pianist Kim Sun-wook, who debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2021, will join the orchestra in performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto on Nov. 7 and 9. Also on the program for the two dates are Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll," Schumann’s "Manfred" Overture and Brahms' Symphony No. 1. The Nov
June 18, 2025 -
Sumi Jo, forever in motion: Star soprano nurtures next generation while looking ahead
When South Korean soprano Sumi Jo takes the stage later this month alongside the four winners of the international singing competition named in her honor, the performance will mark far more than a musical collaboration: It will symbolize the fulfillment of her long-held aspiration to support rising vocal talents. “One thing I felt was missing in many singing competitions is the opportunity to actually perform after winning,” Jo told reporters during a press conference held Monday at The Plaza, a
June 16, 2025 -
Music in PyeongChang returns with timely theme: ‘Inter Harmony’
The 22nd edition of Music in PyeongChang kicks off next month in Gangwon Province, exploring the timely theme of “Inter Harmony," offering 21 mainstage concerts that bridge cultures, eras and musical traditions. Under the direction of cellist Yang Sung-won, the 11-day festival presents music inspired by encounters across cultures and generations. “There’s so much anger building in the world right now. That’s why we need music that channels inspiration — works born from encounters with other regi
June 11, 2025 -
Yes24 down for third day, as ransomware attack disrupts major ticketing, book retail platform
Yes24, the country’s largest online bookseller and a major ticketing platform, remains inaccessible for a third consecutive day Wednesday, following what the company confirmed was a ransomware attack. The outage, which began in the early hours of Monday, brought down all of Yes24’s services, including book searches and orders, e-book access, digital library functions, community forums, and concert and performance ticketing. The homepage displayed an apology: “We sincerely apologize to all users
June 11, 2025 -
'Maybe Happy Ending' triumphs with 6 Tony Awards, including best musical
This year’s Tony Awards marked a milestone for the musical "Maybe Happy Ending," a heartwarming South Korean robot romance that began its Broadway life at the Belasco Theatre in November 2024. The production, whose origins go back to 2014 in a small theater in Seoul, emerged as one of the evening’s most celebrated winners, taking home six awards, including best musical and best leading actor in a musical for Darren Criss, and best direction of a musical for director Michael Arden. Playwright and
June 9, 2025 -
The Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet head to Seoul for July galas
Two of Europe’s most storied ballet companies — The Royal Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet — are set to take to the stage in Seoul next month, offering local audiences a rare opportunity to witness their grandeur, tradition and artistic evolution through back-to-back galas. From July 4 to 6, The Royal Ballet returns to Korea for the first time in two decades, performing "The First Gala in Seoul" at the LG Arts Center in Magok, western Seoul. The company’s much-anticipated visit features eight p
June 8, 2025 -
Seoul's chronic shortage of venues has concert organizers looking elsewhere
A shortage of major concert venues has been a long-running issue in South Korea, particularly given the remarkable growth of K-pop and the subsequent increase in demand. This year has been a particularly difficult one for concert organizers, as performance venues have become even harder to secure. Jamsil Olympic Stadium, which can hold between 60,000 and 100,000 people, is currently under renovation and will not be available until 2026. The other often used venue, Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sang
June 7, 2025