Kim Kang-tae wins third prize at Liszt Utrecht Piano Competition

South Korean pianist Kim Kang-tae won third prize at the Liszt Utrecht Piano Competition 2026, which concluded on Saturday in Utrecht, the Netherlands. First prize went to Alexander Kashpurin of Russia, with Thomas Kelly of the UK taking second place. Born in 1997, Kim received a prize of 8,000 euros ($9,460), along with an extensive package of career support awarded to all three laureates, including professional coaching and mentorship, the creation of a personal website, and an opportunity to

Jan. 25, 2026

Too old to dance? Not for 'Dancing Grandmas'

“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen,” the famous Abba song goes. But for Jun Jum-re, 78, and Jung Yoo-ok, 76, the lyric needs revision. On stages across the world, they have offered a gentle rebuttal. With hair silvered and bodies marked by time, they became dancing queens well into their 70s — and they are having the time of their lives. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the two women traveled the world, performing to sold-out houses and receiving standing ovations in cities

Jan. 24, 2026

Korean pansori 'The Longest Night' heads to Sydney Opera House in bilingual showcase

"The Longest Night" is preparing to meet Australian audiences through a pansori performance integrating Korean and English. The stage adaptation of the bestselling Korean children’s book of the same title will be presented next month at the Sydney Opera House in a series of "process-sharing" performances, on Feb. 13-14. Audiences will see excerpts of the work while it is still being devised, offering a rare glimpse into collaborative theater-making as it happens. Based on Luly’s award-winning no

Jan. 23, 2026

From child Billy to adult Billy: 'Billy Elliot' comes full circle in Seoul

"Billy Elliot" returns to Seoul in 2026 with more than nostalgia -- it comes with a built-in sense of time passing. Lim Sun-u, who played Billy as a child in the 2010 Korean production, now appears as adult Billy. "Sixteen years ago, when I was in 'Billy Elliot,' I remember thinking that if I ever truly became a ballerino one day, I’d want to try playing adult Billy," Lim, now principal dancer at the Universal Ballet, told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday at the Chungmu Arts Cent

Jan. 22, 2026

‘One Dance’ choreographers honored in New York for reimagined ritual dance

Choreographers of "One Dance," a work by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater, have won the outstanding choreographer/creator award at the New York Dance and Performance Awards, widely known as the Bessie Awards. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts said on Wednesday that choreographers Jeong Hye-jin, Kim Sung-hoon and Kim Jae-duk received the honor at the awards ceremony held in New York on Tuesday. “'One Dance' embodies the spirit of people who have endured together, united by a single pu

Jan. 21, 2026

A storyteller in between two worlds: director Kim Seonjae bridges Broadway and Seoul

In 2025, cultural exchange between Broadway and Korea’s musical theater scenes reached a new peak, with homegrown Korean musical “Maybe Happy Ending” earning a Tony Award during its Broadway run and the Korean-led hit “The Great Gatsby” traveling to Seoul. Amid the heightened cross-Pacific flow, New York-based director Kim Seonjae made her Korean directorial debut with the heartfelt musical “Marli.” For Kim, this project offered a unique vantage point to navigate Korea’s distinct production envi

Jan. 21, 2026

'Man in Hanbok' takes top honor at 10th Korea Musical Awards

"Man in Hanbok," a new musical about a real-life scientist and inventor almost 600 years ago, secured the grand prize at the 10th Korea Musical Awards, marking a three-award victory that organizers say underscores the growing strength of the nation’s homegrown musical theater scene. At the ceremony on Monday, the production took home the night's top honor alongside awards for music direction and stage design. Produced by EMK Musical Company, "Man in Hanbok" opened on Dec. 2, 2025, to a positive

Jan. 20, 2026

Giveon brings R&B vibes to city of K-pop

American R&B singer-songwriter Giveon brought his signature baritone and raw vulnerability to Myunghwa Live Hall in Seoul on Sunday, launching the Asia leg of his "Dear Beloved" global tour. Giveon's Seoul debut was a 90-minute confession soaked in heartbreak, vulnerability and slow-burning R&B grooves that resonated deeply with the sold-out crowd, with an audience of some 1,700 filling the venue. One of the night's most memorable moments came during the performance of "Heartbreak Anniversary" —

Jan. 19, 2026

Mapo Arts Center unveils 2026 season built around 'irreplaceable' live performances in the age of AI

Mapo Arts Center, one of Seoul’s most culture-forward districts, will fill 2026 with what it calls “irreplaceable performances in the era of AI,” bringing together high-profile artists and newly curated series, including two new plays and a new classical matinee program. In a statement released Thursday, the Mapo Foundation for Arts and Culture said it is building a year-round lineup of around 200 performances across genres. From theater and classical music to ballet, it aims to balance artistic

Jan. 16, 2026

Seohyun to take stage as violinist with an orchestra

Seohyun of Girls' Generation is set to make a surprise debut as a violinist in March, taking the stage as a guest soloist with the Sol Philharmonic Orchestra, just after learning the instrument for five months. Seohyun, who is also an actress, will appear at the orchestra’s regular concert on March 13 at 8 p.m. at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul. She is scheduled to perform Vittorio Monti’s “Csardas." Seohyun began learning the violin only about five months ago as a hobby, and is preparing for the c

Jan. 15, 2026

[Korean Producers] Why CJ ENM is betting on musical theater in a digital age

As entertainment consumption becomes increasingly shaped by algorithms and on-demand platforms, CJ ENM is doubling down on one of the industry’s most analog bets: live musical theater. Best known globally for blockbuster films and K-pop hits, the Korean entertainment giant has spent the past two decades quietly reshaping the domestic theater market. The scale of this commitment is currently visible across Seoul, where major productions including "Kinky Boots," "Moulin Rouge! The Musical," "Beetl

Jan. 12, 2026

Moon So-ri, Lia Kim share stage through dance, 'the most honest language'

Actor Moon So-ri and K-pop dance choreographer Lia Kim will share the stage for the first time in a new performance exploring memory, emotion and the body through movement and spoken word. The show is choreographed and directed by acclaimed Korean contemporary choreographer Ahn Ae-soon. Ahn introduced “Dance Speaks” as a performance that translates the memories and emotions accumulated in the body into language and movement. The work aims to capture the journey of two bodies that have experience

Jan. 9, 2026

Asian singers win roles at 77th AsLiCo opera competition

Three young Asian performers who previously were awarded in the Asian edition of the AsLiCo International Competition for Young Opera Singers secured major roles at the competition’s 77th edition, held Tuesday at Teatro Sociale di Como in northern Italy. Bass Kim Jae-yul, baritone Choi Jun-young and soprano Ye Yua each earned opportunities to perform in professional opera productions across Europe and beyond. Kim, 25 and from Korea, claimed the role of Mustafa in Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri

Jan. 8, 2026

‘Spirited Away’ lands in Seoul, testing limits of imagination

Bringing the boundless imagination of an animated world onto a live stage convincingly was such an impossible challenge that John Caird would start every rehearsal with “Today’s impossible task is …” That, said the veteran director and honorary associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, is how he remembers the process of adapting Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved “Spirited Away” into a stage production. “It’s such a fantastic world,” said Caird during a press event in Seoul on Wednesday ahead o

Jan. 8, 2026

Deeply rooted in Italian legacy, conductor Roberto Abbado set to balance symphonic and operatic repertoire

Korean National Symphony Orchestra’s new music director, Roberto Abbado, first encountered the orchestra in 2023, when he conducted Bellini’s "Norma" with the ensemble. Recalling the experience, the 71-year-old maestro described it as immediately positive, noting that when working with an orchestra, the first few seconds can be decisive. "Norma," he explained, is an intensely Italian opera, one in which the music depends on the flexibility of Bellini’s phrasing. “I was genuinely surprised by how

Jan. 8, 2026