'Kinky Boots,' 'La Bayadere' and other must-see performances in Seoul

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'Kinky Boots,' 'La Bayadere' and other must-see performances in Seoul

Published: 05 Sep. 2024, 13:55 Updated: 05 Sep. 2024, 14:59

YIM SEUNG-HYE
yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr

KINKY BOOTS
Blue Square, Shinhan Card Hall

Charlie Price takes over the family business from his father and begins to run a shoe factory, but he soon realizes he is on the verge of bankruptcy. [CJENM]

Sept. 7 – Nov. 10: Charlie Price takes over the family business from his father and begins to run a shoe factory, but he soon realizes he is on the verge of bankruptcy. In a bid to find a breakthrough, the businessman unwillingly teams up with a drag performer named Lola to produce a line of high-heeled boots for other drag queens called "kinky boots."

Through the relationship between the unlikely pair, the musical spotlights how people from different backgrounds can come to understand each other.

This hit musical is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the Korean production is joining in to mark the event. The upcoming production will feature actors Lee Seok-hoon from the K-pop trio SG Wannabe, Kim Sung-kyu from the K-pop boy band Infinite and musical actors Shin Jae-bum and Kim Ho-young as Charlie. As for the role of Lola, four musical actors — Choi Jae-lim, Park Eun-tae, Kang Hong-seok and Seo Kyung-soo — will alternate.

The musical starts at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends and national holidays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Ticket prices range from 80,000 won ($59.60) to 170,000 won.

Hangangjin Station, line No. 6, exit 2 or 3

DISNEY IN CONCERT
Olympic Park, 88 Jandi Madang

Sept. 7: Korea’s only outdoor Disney concert, which excites Disney movie fans every year, will feature songs from hit movies ranging from “Lion King” (1994) and “The Little Mermaid” (1989) to “Aladdin” (1992), “Frozen” (2013) and “Encanto” (2021). Four Disney Broadway singers will be visiting Korea for the show, accompanied by the Ditto Orchestra.

Children must be at least four years old to attend.

The concerts begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets range from 50,000 won to 100,000 won. Families can use a table seat for four people priced at 250,000 won.

Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3

CLARA JUMI KANG VIOLIN RECITAL
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall

Sept. 10: Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang is holding a recital for Korean audiences for the first time in three years. Kang was the winner of the Indianapolis International Violin Competition in 2010 and the youngest student ever to enter the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. The violinist said the upcoming recital has four songs that are her personal favorites.

She’ll be performing Tartini’s “Violin Sonata In G Minor, ‘The Devil's Trill’” Prokofiev’s “Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 1,” Chausson’s “Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25” and Franck’s “Violin Sonata in A Major.”

Kang will be touring different venues across the country and making a stop at Seoul’s Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 10.

Tickets range from 40,000 won to 130,000 won.

The recital begins at 7:30 p.m.

Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5

MADAME ONG
National Theater of Korea, Daloreum Theater

Through Sept. 15: The National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s hit performance of “Madame Ong” is returning after five years. “Madame Ong” is the outcome of a National Changgeuk Company project to turn seven pansori (traditional narrative song), into a traditional Korean opera, known as changgeuk. Playwright and director Koh Sun-woong rewrote the story of the adult folk tale “Byeongangsoe Taryeong” and transformed it into changgeuk. This year marks the 10th anniversary of its premiere. Audiences must be aged 19 or over to attend the performance.

Tickets range from 20,000 won to 50,000 won.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 3 p.m. on weekends.

Dongguk University Station, line No. 3, exit 6

LA BAYADERE
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater

Universal Ballet Company's ″La Bayadere″ will be staged at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul from Sept. 27 to 29. [UNIVERSAL BALLET COMPANY]

Sept. 27 – 29: “La Bayadere” is an iconic 19th-century ballet created by French choreographer Marius Petipa (1818-1910), who is considered one of the world’s most influential ballet masters. This classical ballet masterpiece is so grand it is difficult to stage frequently. Among Petipa’s many great works, “La Bayadere” is the largest in scale in terms of dancers, as well as the staging.

The Universal Ballet Company is bringing it back this year on stage. The difficult, emotionally demanding role of Nikiya will be performed by Kang Mi-sun, Hong Hyang-gi, Elizaveta Cheprasova, Lee You-rim and Suh Hae-won. The warrior Solor will be played by Konstantin Novoselov, Rhee Hyon-jun, Lee Dong-tak, Kang Min-woo and Jeon Min-cheol.

Tickets range from 20,000 won to 140,000 won.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5

g.o.d CONCERT
KSPO Dome

Sept. 27 – 29: Considered part of the first generation of boy bands in K-pop, g.o.d, which debuted in 1999, is holding another concert this year. Since its success of reuniting through a concert in 2022, the boy band has been holding a concert every year. The 2022 concert, titled “2022 god Concert ‘On’,” was the group’s first concert as a complete group in four years. It sold out shortly after the tickets went on sale.

g.o.d consists of members Park Joon-hyung, Yoon Kye-sang, Danny Ahn, Son Ho-young and Kim Tae-woo.

The boy band has released seven regular albums and has numerous hit songs including “To Mother,” (1999) "Road” (2001), “One Candle” (2000), among many others.

Tickets range from 132,000 won to 176,000 won.

The concert starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, at 6 p.m. on Saturday and at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Olympic Park Station, line No. 5 and 9, exit 3 or 4

CHICAGO
D-Cube Arts Center

Through Sept. 29: Broadway’s hit musical “Chicago” is now one of the most sought-after musicals for Koreans as well. Last year, Koreans got to see the Broadway production of the show here and this year, the Korean production is making a return.

The musical is based on the 1926 play of the same name by journalist Maurine Dallas Watkins about the actual criminals and crimes she reported on in Chicago.

The musical revolves around Roxie Hart, an ambitious chorus girl, who murders her lover.

Actors Choi Jung-won, Yoon Gong-joo and Jeong Sun-ah will alternate Velma Kelly, while IVY, Tiffany Young and Min Kyung-ah play Roxie Hart. Actors Park Gun-hyung and Choi Jae-rim will alternate Billy Flynn.

Tickets range from 80,000 won to 160,000 won.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on weekends. There are no shows on Mondays.

Sindorim Station, lines No. 1 and 2, exit 1 or 5

INMO YANG & BERLINER BAROCK SOLISTEN
Lotte Concert Hall

Sept. 25: Violinist Yang In-mo, who became the first Korean to win the first place prize at the prestigious XII International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki, Finland, in 2022, will be accompanying Berliner Barock Solisten, or the Berlin Baroque Soloists, at Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul.

Founded in 1995 by prominent members of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Berliner Barock Solisten attempts to create a unique approach to the musical works of the 1600s and 1700s.

The program with Yang includes Bach’s “Violin concerto in E Major, BWV 1042,” as well as Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.”

Tickets range from 30,000 won to 200,000 won.

The concert begins at 8 p.m.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

GRAND MINT FESTIVAL 2024
Olympic Park

So Soo Bin, left, and Hong Isaac are included in this year's lineup for the ″Grand Mint Festival,″ slated to take place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Oct. 26 – Nov. 3: The hot temperature will hopefully cool down and it will be time to enjoy outdoor music festivals. The annual Grand Mint Festival is back again for four days and it has recently announced the first batch of artists. They include Daybreak, BOL4 and Ha Dong-qn on Oct. 26, MeloMance, N.Flying and Redoor on Oct. 27, Kwon Jin-ah, Glen Check, Kim Feel and So Soo Bin, pictured left, on Nov. 2, and Kyuhyun, Hynn, Band Nah and Hong Isaac, pictured right, on Nov. 3.
The Grand Mint Festival is known for featuring up-and-coming new artists alongside well-known artists in its lineup.

Doors will open from noon on each day.

One-day ticket costs 121,000 won.

Olympic Park Station, line No. 5 and 9, exit 3 or 4

*Most tickets are available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]