Latest news with #HaeoreumGrandTheater
Korea Herald
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Weekly open-air market with live music at Namsan
Themed markets at National Theater of Korea in April, May The National Theater of Korea will be hosting its outdoor cultural festival, 'Art in Series,' every Saturday from April 5 to May 24 at the plaza in front of Haeoreum Grand Theater, at the foot of Seoul's Namsan. This year's edition of the weekly festival will feature an open-air market with a different theme each week — crafts, flowers, seasonal produce and coffee — while live music adds to the festival's vibrant atmosphere. The festival kicks off April 5 with "Art in Parts," a creative market where craft artists will show off their creations and lifestyle goods, including curated selections from the Seoul Museum of Art and Space Uooyoung. Visitors can take part in a hands-on workshop to craft their own ceramic cups. The outdoor stage will feature a lineup of punk rock, pop ballad and country music performances. "Art in Parts" returns for its second run May 3. On April 12 and May 10, the festival presents 'Art in Spring,' a seasonal market celebrating spring flowers and plants, artisanal teas and aromatic goods, and seasonal delicacies. The live music program will include pop, acoustic R&B and ballad performances. April 19 and May 17, brings 'Art in Marche,' a farmers' market featuring over 60 teams of farmers and artisans offering fresh, seasonal produce alongside artisanal bread, cheese, beverages and handcrafted goods. The outdoor stage will highlight performances by artists inspired by gugak, or Korean traditional music. At "Art in Coffee" on April 26 and May 24, specialty coffee roasters from across Korea will share their signature blends and brewing philosophies. Visitors can explore a wide selection of coffee-pairing desserts, coffee-related crafts and books. The event will be accompanied by live jazz and blues performances. Running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the festival is open to the public with no prior registration required. For more details, visit the National Theater of Korea's official Instagram.
Korea Herald
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Warm, moving and fresh musicals to enjoy
There's a good chance they'll bring you to tears Don't wait for spring to bring warmth. In the lingering chill, let these three musicals warm your heart instead. These productions may be recent, but they have made their mark. "A Thousand Blues" and "The Longest Nights" are making a swift return after their successful debuts last year. Meanwhile, "Chunja in Wonderland" made its debut this month but decided to extend its run for two more months. 'A Thousand Blues' In this musical by Seoul Performing Arts Company, audiences will encounter a diverse range of robots — real robots, puppets and human-performed robotic characters — offering a unique exploration of how the performing arts will adapt to advancing technology. However, this musical is more than a science fiction story. It delves into the emotional and philosophical dimensions of human-robot relationships, human connections, and ways that humans exploit animals and everything around them. Based on Cheon Seon-ran's bestselling sci-fi novel, "A Thousand Blues" is set in 2035. It revolves around an android named Collie, designed to be a jockey, and the racehorse Today. After a severe accident, Collie is rescued by a young girl, Yeon-jae, who believes in second chances. "A Thousand Blues" runs at the Haeoreum Grand Theater at the National Theater of Korea until March 7. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 110,000 won ($21-$76). English subtitles are displayed on the sides of the stage, while Japanese and Chinese subtitles are available for viewers who book seats with subtitle displays. Barrier-free subtitles are available for individuals with hearing impairments. 'The Longest Nights' The book "The Longest Nights" won the 21st Munhakdongne Children's Literature Award. But who says it's only for children? Both the musical produced by Library Company and the novel carry profound emotions, and it's adults who often find themselves in tears. The musical version is a minimalistic production that relies on symbolism and features only five actors. It tells the poignant story of an unlikely friendship between Noden, the last white boulder rhinoceros, and a young penguin hatched from an abandoned egg. They set off on a journey across the desert to reach the sea, facing numerous challenges through the longest nights. "The Longest Nights" runs March 12-May 25 at Interpark Seokyeong Square SKON2 in Daehangno, Seoul. Ticket prices range from 55,000 won to 65,000 won. 'Chunja in Wonderland' While "A Thousand Blues" and "The Longest Nights" showcase what happens when a great imaginative story meets theatrical ingenuity, "Chunja in Wonderland" resonates on a starker and more relatable level, reflecting the growing reality of dementia in Korean society. The number of people aged 65 and older diagnosed with dementia has already surpassed 1 million and is expected to reach 3 million by 2050, according to the National Institute of Dementia. The production unfolds along two intertwining narratives: the chaotic real-world journey of a family desperately searching for their missing Chunja, an elderly woman with dementia, and the fantastical world seen through her eyes. Chunja follows a "soul fish," which escaped from her loosening grasp on reality. Following this mysterious creature, Chunja embarks on an extraordinary adventure, drifting between imagination and reality, memories and regrets. Selected as part of the ARKO Selection by Arts Council Korea, "Chunja in Wonderland" runs through June 1 at the Zoom Art Center in Seoul. All tickets are priced at 55,000 won.
