Around Town 1

Classical Concerts

Gyeonggi Philharmonic Master Series XI
Seoul Arts Center
Oct. 12

The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1997, was originally formed to spread classical culture throughout Gyeonggi Province. They quickly spread their reach nationwide and even began to perform internationally just 10 years later. They are currently led by Director Massimo Zanetti, who joined this ensemble in 2018. He has worked with orchestras worldwide such as the Czech Philharmonic and the New Zealand Symphony and has participated in several studio recordings. Violinist Lee Ji-yoon will be the featured soloist at this performance. Lee studied music at the Korean National University of Arts and the Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin, and has performed all over the world. The program for this concert will include the Brahms Violin Concerto as well as a Beethoven Symphony.
Tickets cost 10,000 won to 60,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

The National Chorus of Korea: Poulenc and Ravel
Seoul Arts Center
Oct. 17

The National Chorus of Korea (NCK) was founded in 1973, and is the country's first professional chorus. Each year the group performs five regular concerts, with this being its 179th subscription concert. The NCK has been recognized internationally and has been invited to perform abroad in places such as Japan and Germany. For this concert, they will be performing "Messe en Sol Majeur & Gloria" by Poulenc, and "Trois Chansons" by Ravel. The chorus will be led by Yoon Eui-joong, who became artistic director of the NCK in 2017.
Tickets cost 10,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Big Tickets

My Delight: Holly's Coffee Festival 2019
Nanji Hangang Park
Oct. 9

This fall, Holly's Coffee, one of Korea's major coffee shop brands, will be hosting a music festival at the Han River. It will be a one-day event with various Korean artists. The lineup includes Gummy, Zion.T, 10cm, Eric Nam, Jung Seung-hwan, Soran and Stella Jang. A tour will also take place from 1 p.m., with performances starting at 2 p.m. and taking place until the evening. Festival-comers will be able to enjoy music, food, and diverse coffee-related activities.
Tickets cost 30,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

BTS World Tour 'Love Yourself: Speak Yourself'
Jamsil Sports Complex
Oct. 26

As the final leg of its "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" World Tour, BTS will be performing in Seoul. The seven-member group first debuted in 2013 and instantly gained attention for its synchronized choreography and hip-hop-influenced music that touched upon societal issues. The group has reached international fame, with over 15 million albums sold. They reached No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart three times in a year, a feat that only two other groups have ever achieved in history. The group was also the first K-pop group to be nominated for a Grammy Award and speak at the United Nations, both huge milestones for the Korean music industry.
Tickets cost 110,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Rachel Yamagata
Yes24 Live Hall
Oct. 27

American singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata began her solo career in 2001. Prior to that, she was part of the group Bumpus for six years as a vocalist. She released her first studio album in 2004 and has since then released three more full-length albums, six mini-albums and many singles. Yamagata has collaborated with some of the world's most famous artists including Jason Mraz and Mandy Moore, and has also recorded tracks for many TV shows and films such as "How I Met Your Mother," "30 Rock" and "Dear John."
Tickets cost 99,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Pop and Jazz

Grand Mint Festival 2019
Oct. 19 and 20
Olympic Park

There will be a two-day music festival held at Olympic Park this October featuring a wide range of Korean artists. On day 1, artists such as Day6, ADOY, and Daybreak will be performing while on day 2 N.Flying, Crush and Eric Nam will take the stage along with other artists. Over 10 artists are set to perform each day. There will be a total of four stages at the festival to accommodate all of the performers: the Mint Breeze Stage, Club Midnight Sunset, Loving Forest Garden and Cafe Blossom House. The festival provides a diverse range of music genres such as folk, pop and indie and will be a perfect autumn festival that will appeal to music lovers of all backgrounds.
Tickets cost 99,000 won to 158,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

City of Angels'will be staged at the Chungmu Arts Center until Oct. 20./ Courtesy of SEM Company

Plays & Musicals

City of Angels
Chungmu Arts Center
Until Oct. 20

Set in Hollywood in the 1940s, "City of Angels" is a musical with two simultaneous storylines, one in reality, the other within a film. Stine is a young writer who has been assigned to write a screenplay for a mystery drama film. The musical follows his journey while at the same time showing the screenplay. The vibrant Hollywood reality juxtaposes with the black-and-white detective film, making for an exciting and dynamic musical storyline. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1989 and has won numerous awards such as the Tony Awards.
Tickets cost 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Cyrano
Kwanglim Arts Center
Until Oct. 13

"Cyrano" the musical is based on the 1897 book by Edmond Rostand. It takes place in Paris in the 17th century and is about Cyrano, an extremely talented poet. Cyrano is in love with Roxane, a beautiful woman, but has a rival suitor, Christian, who is also Cyrano's friend. Christian does not realize Cyrano's affection for Roxane, and turns to him for help in using words to court her. The musical hit Broadway for the first time in 1973 and has since then been a well-loved show for audiences around the world.
Tickets cost 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Dracula
KEPCO Art Center
From Oct. 5 to Dec. 1

"Dracula" is a Czech musical which made its debut in 1995 in Prague. The opening plot is set in 1462 in Transylvania, where Count Dracula lives with his beloved wife Adriana. When Archbishop van Helsing orders Adriana and Dracula's son to be killed, Dracula becomes furious and wreaks havoc on Transylvania. He becomes immortal and must live out the fate of a vampire, resulting in centuries of misery. The plot takes a turn when, 400 years later in Paris, Dracula encounters Adriana once again. The role of Dracula will be played by Shin Sung-woo, Im Tae-kyung, Um Ki-joon, and Ken from VIXX.
Tickets cost 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

The musical "Marie Antoinette" will run from Aug. 24 to Nov. 17./ Courtesy of EMK Musical

Marie Antoinette
D-Cube Arts Center
Aug. 24 to Nov. 17

This musical first hit the stage in Japan in 2006 and is based on an original story by Shusaku Endo. It was adapted into a musical by lyricist Michael Kunze and composer Sylvester Levay. The story revolves around two women, the queen of France and a poor woman named Margrid Arnaud. Taking place in the late 18th century, the musical shows how the French Revolution drastically changed the status of these two women. Marie Antoinette will be played by Kim So-hyun and Sophie Kim, while Margrid Arnaud will be played by Chang Eun-ah and Kim Yeon-ji.
Tickets cost 70,000 won to 150,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

Dance

Korean National Ballet: Hoi Rang
Seoul Arts Center
Nov. 6 to 10

The Korean National Ballet, established in 1962, was the country's first professional ballet company. It has a wide-ranging repertoire including "Swan Lake," "The Nutcracker" and "Sleeping Beauty." It has also performed several original works such as "Prince Hodong" and "Hoi Rang," the latter of which will premiere for the first time in this performance. The ballet is choreographed by Kang Hyo-hyung and will feature music by composer Gustav Holst.
Tickets cost 30,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 1544-1555.

The National Gugak Center is holding Korean traditional dance and music performances throughout 2019. /Courtesy of National Gugak Center

Traditional

Saturday Performances
National Gugak Center
Throughout 2019

Every Saturday at 3 p.m., the National Gugak Center holds a performance showcasing traditional Korean music and dance. This series will take place all throughout 2019. Each week the series will exhibit the works of various gugak artists. Performances throughout the month of August will include the piri, pansori and sanjo. There will also be a traditional fan dance at the end of the month.
Tickets cost 10,000 won to 20,000 won. For more information, visit www.gugak.go.kr or call (02)-580-3300.

Kim Kyung-ho and the Sejong Gugak Orchestra
Gwacheon Citizen Hall
Oct. 17

Kim Kyung-ho is known as one of Korea's most legendary rock artists. He first stepped into the music scene by participating in a KBS talent competition and released his debut album in 1995. He has garnered lots of attention for his wide vocal range, which covers four octaves, and has released 10 studio albums along with several mini-albums. Kim has won many prestigious music awards including the Golden Disk Awards and has also been active as a television personality. For this performance, he will be standing onstage with the Sejong Gugak Orchestra, which started in 1992 and has since then given almost 2,000 performances both domestically and abroad. The performance will be led by conductor Park Sang-woo, who earned his master's degree in conducting at Hanyang University and also studied at Italia Firenze Scuola di Musica Il Trillo.
Tickets cost 25,000 won. For more information, visit gugak.go.kr or call (02)-580-3300.

Clubs

Club Octagon
Nonhyeon

Located near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon, Club Octagon is notable for its stylish interiors and elite clientele. The club features a performance stage, lounge bar and dining area and is the perfect place to unwind on a night out after work or on the weekend. It is near exit 4 of Hakdong Station on Line 7. For more information, call (02) 516-8847.

Club Globe Lounge
Itaewon

Club Globe Lounge is famous among women looking for a place to throw birthday parties or enjoy a light dinner. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., it serves as a bar, changing into a club after 10 p.m. Every Thursday, Club Globe Lounge has a Happy Hour buffet for guests. Club Globe Lounge is located near the Hamilton Hotel by exit 2 of Itaewon Station on Line 6. For more information, call (02) 792-1127.

Club Evans
Hongik University

Club Evans is a live music club that has served as a platform for emerging jazz artists for a decade. It also operates jazz recording studios, where it produces albums for many local jazz artists, and a jazz academy. Club Evans holds jazz concerts and music sessions every Monday and Tuesday. Opening at 7:30 p.m., Club Evans is located near exit 1 of Sangsu Station on Line 6. For more information, visit clubevans.com or call (02) 337-8361.

Once in a Blue Moon
Apgujeong

Once in a Blue Moon, one of the best-known jazz clubs in the city, features live jazz sets from two different bands every night, usually starting at 7:30 p.m. It is located between the Hakdong Intersection and Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong. For more information, visit onceinabluemoon.co.kr or call (02) 549-5490.

Club Vibe
Cheongdam

Cheongdam brings to partygoers its latest club, opened on Aug. 24, 2018. Its new facilities have a modern vibe. The club plays both EDM and hip-hop music and has already had a guest performance by trending hip-hop artist Sik-K at its opening party. Visit fb.com/official.clubvibe for more information.