2023 Sept. 5 Ticket

Freud's Last Session | Don Quixote | Paul Kim | Charlie Puth | SheStars! | The Phantom of the Opera | Rebecca |

FREUD’S LAST SESSION TOM TheaterThrough Sept. 10:The play “Last Session” by American playwright Mark St. Germain debuted its Korean production in 2020. It was staged again in 2022 and is returning again this year.

Set in the early days of World War II, the story is based on the fictional meeting of two great scholars, atheist Sigmund Freud and Christian C.S. Lewis. On stage, the two continue addressing their questions about religion, politics and the meaning of life in a witty and captivating way.

The play stars veteran actor Shin Gu and Nam Myeong-ryeol as psychotherapist Sigmund Freud, with Lee Sang-yoon and musical actor Kai playing theologian C.S. Lewis, under director Oh Kyung-taek.

The show begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays; at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays; and at 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets range from 44,000 won ($33) to 66,000 won.

Hyehwa Station, line No. 4, exit 2

DON QUIXOTESeoul Arts Center, Opera TheaterOct. 6 – 8:Based on scenes in the novel by Spaniard Miguel de Cervantes, the ballet "Don Quixote" will be presented by the Universal Ballet's glamorous and skillful dancers.

The witty love story between innkeeper's daughter Kitri and barber Basilio is reinforced by ballet mimes as well as the Spanish dances flamenco and paso doble, in turn modeled after the movement of the Spanish bullfight.

Dancers Hong Hyang-gee, Kang Mi-sun, Son You-hee and Elizaveta Cheprasova will alternate the role of Kitri, while Konstantin Novoselov, Rhee Hyon-jun, Lee Dong-tak, Rhee Hyon-jun and Kang Min-woo alternate the role of Basilio.

Tickets range from 30,000 to 120,000 won.

The show starts at 7:30 on Friday, 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5 PAUL KIMOlympic Park, SK Handball Stadium

Singer-songwriter Paul Kim [YONHAP]

Oct. 13 – 15:Singer-songwriter Paul Kim will be holding a three-day concert in Seoul to promote his latest single “Hangang.” Kim debuted in 2014 and has produced numerous hit songs including “Me After You” (2018) and “Traffic Light” (2019).

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

Tickets range from 110,000 won to 143,000 won.

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

CHARLIE PUTHOlympic Park, KSPO DomeOct. 20 – 21:As part of its Asian tour, “The ‘Charlie’ Live Experience” concert will be making a stop at the KSPO Dome of the Olympic Park in eastern Seoul. The upcoming two-day concert in Seoul is U.S. singer-songwriter Charlie Puth’s first visit in five years.

The Berklee School of Music graduate first visited Korea in 2015 to promote his album and went on to hold two concerts, one in 2016 and most recently in 2018.

Puth is behind many hit songs including “See You Again” (2015), “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (2016), “Attention” (2017), and “Left and Right” (2022), a song he collaborated on with Jungkook of boy band BTS on.

Tickets range from 88,000 won to 187,000 won.

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

GRAND MINT FESTIVAL 2023Olympic Park Oct. 20 – 22:This year's Grand Mint Festival will kick off on Oct. 20 under the title "GMF2023: Special Night" and will give each artist more stage time than previous festivals. Three more stages, the "Mint Breeze Stage," "Loving Forest Garden" and "Café Blossom House," will run at this year's edition.

The Grand Mint Festival is known for featuring up-and-coming new artists alongside well-known artists in its lineup.

This year's line-up includes Lee Seung-yoon, Younha, Damons Year, Jukjae, Choi Yu-ree, Nell, Thronapple, Kim Feel, JisokuryClub, Touched, Sora and Stella Jang among many others.

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

SHESTARS!Hongik Daehangno Art Center

The poster for the musical ″SheStars!″ [SEENSEE COMPANY]

Nov. 12:The musical, co-written by writer Jeon Su-yang and musical director Kolleen Park, summarizes 80 years of the country’s girl group history, ranging from the Jeogori Sisters to the Hee Sisters.

The musical depicts the early days of the local music scene, showing how the popularization of radios during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War (1950-53) enabled the music industry to thrive even in wartime, with many singers performing for soldiers in the U.S. Army. Then the musical follows Korean singers’ performances in Southeast Asian countries after the U.S. Army bases were relocated there following the outbreak of the Vietnam War. The musical opens with a character singing a song called “Maiden Choir,” mixed with the Korean folk song “Arirang,”in front of Japanese soldiers.

Tickets range from 65,000 won to 110,000 won.

The show begins at 8 p.m. on weekdays and at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends. There are no performances on Mondays.

Hyehwa Station, line No. 4, exit 3

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERACharlotte Theater

“The Phantom of The Opera,” based on the 1910 French novel “Le Fantome de l’Opera” by Gaston Leroux, is about a soprano Christine Daae, who becomes the obsession of the Phantom, a mysterious, disfigured musical genius. The Korean production of the show is currently staged at the Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, southern Seoul. [S&CO]

Through Nov. 17: “The Phantom of The Opera,” based on the 1910 French novel “Le Fantome de l’Opera” by Gaston Leroux, is about soprano Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of the Phantom, a mysterious, disfigured musical genius.

The show opened in the West End in 1986 before going to Broadway in 1988. It was directed by Broadway hitmaker Hal Prince, the music was written by the industry’s titan composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and it was choreographed by Gillian Lynne who was also behind the choreography for the musical “Cats.”

The show closed on Broadway in April after a 35-year run and is the longest-running show on Broadway to date. For the Korean production, actors Cho Seung-woo, Jeon Dong-suk, Choi Jae-rim and baritone Julian alternate the role of Phantom. Sopranos Sohn Ji-soo and Song Eun-hye will alternate the role of Christine.

Tickets range from 90,000 won to 190,000 won.

The musical begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. There are no performances on Mondays.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 3

REBECCA Blue Square, Shinhan Card Hall Through Nov. 19:Korea’s hit musical “Rebecca” is gearing up to come back to the Blue Square in central Seoul to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Korean premiere.

The musical is based on Daphne du Maurie's Gothic romance novel, but is reportedly also inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film “Rebecca.”

The musical, which combines romance and suspense, first hit the stage in Vienna in 2006.

Set in a mansion called Manderley, “Rebecca” tells the story of Maxim de Winter, a wealthy widower who lost his wife Rebecca in a drowning accident and cannot get over the traumatic incident. Maxim marries another woman but his new wife learns a disturbing secret — Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper of the mansion, still worships the late Rebecca.

When the musical was first staged in Seoul, it was the highest-selling musical for five consecutive weeks. It still attracts musical aficionados, who have already watched it multiple times.

Musical director Robert Johanson has been at the helm of the production since its premiere.

Four actors, including Min Young-ki, Ryu Jeong-han, Enok and Tei will alternate the role of Mr. de Winter, while Shin Young-sook, Lisa, Ock Joo-hyun and Jang Eun-ah will play Mrs. Danvers.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays; at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets range from 80,000 won to 170,000 won.

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

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

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