2023 Oct. 27 Ticket

Korean National Ballet's La File Mal Gardee | Shestars! | Lee Ja-ram Pansori Gala Series - Love in Seoul | The Phantom of the Opera | Rebecca | Ben-Hur | Kim Joo-won's Tango Ballet | Les Miserables | Let Me Fly |

Korean National Ballet will be presenting "La File Mal Gardee" from Nov. 8 to 12 at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. It will be Frederick Ashton's version. [KOREAN NATIONAL BALLET]

KOREAN NATIONAL BALLET’S LA FILE MAL GARDEE Seoul Arts Center Opera, Opera TheaterNov. 8 – 12:Jean Dauberval’s full-act ballet "La File Mal Gardee" will be staged at the Seoul Arts Center by the Korean National Ballet. The performance is choreographed by Frederick Ashton and music is directed by Ferdinard Hérold. "La File Mal Gardee" is a comic ballet with two acts. It revolves around two characters, Lise and her mother Simone. Simone wants her daughter to marry the rich man in town, Alain, which Lise opposes, refusing to give up her love for her lover, Colas.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets range from 5,000 won to 100,000 won.

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

SHESTARS!Hongik Daehangno Art CenterThrough Nov. 12:The musical, cowritten 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 1950-53 Korean War 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

LEE JA-RAM PANSORI GALA SERIES – LOVE IN SEOULSejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand TheaterNov. 15: Lee Ja-ram is slated to personally direct and play a performance of pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing) that she composed at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul.

In this performance, Lee will also be performing her earlier representative works, such as Sacheonga and Eokcheokga.

The show begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets range from 55,000 won to 88,000 won.

Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERACharlotte Theater

Korean production of "The Phantom of the Opera" is being staged at the Charlotte Theater in southern Seoul. [CLIP SERVICE]

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

REBECCABlue Square, Shinhan Card HallThrough Nov. 19:Korea’s hit musical “Rebecca” is 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

BEN-HURLG Signature Hall, LG Arts Center Through Nov. 19:“Ben-Hur” is a locally produced musical, adapted from the 1880s novel “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” by Lew Wallace.

Set in Jerusalem under the imperial rule of Rome in A.D. 21, the musical is about Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish aristocrat, who becomes unfairly accused of treason after refusing to help his long-time friend and powerful figure of the Roman Empire, Messala. Ben-Hur ends up becoming a slave on a Roman battleship following the accusation, and as he tries to come out of his situation, he plots his revenge on Messala.

Actors Park Eun-tae, Shin Sung-rok and Kyuhyun alternate the role of Ben-hur, while Lee Jee-hoon, Park Min-sung and Seo-kyung-su alternate the role of Messala.

The ongoing production marks its third season since premiering in 2017. It is helmed by EMK Musical Company and was written by Wang Yong-beom, who also directed the show, and composed by Brandon Lee.

Shows start 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 public holidays, and 3 p.m. on Sundays. There are no shows on Mondays.

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

Magoknaru Station, line No. 9, exit 3 or 4 KIM JOO-WON’S TANGO BALLETGoyang Aram Nuri Arts Center

Ballerina Kim Joo-won [JOONGANG ILBO]

Nov. 22 – 26: Ballerina Kim Joo-won will be staging a ballet performance she has choreographed to tango music. Kim, a former principal dancer of the Korean National Ballet, graduated from Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow and was awarded the Benois de la Danse in 2006.

In the show, tango music based on the theme of love and parting will be expressed through dancing and singing. Other dancers Yim Jeong-hee, Kim Hee-hyun and Kim Hyun-wung will be joining Kim Joo-won on stage. Milonga Tango music will be played by Koh Sangji Band.

The show begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets range from 30,000 won to 60,000 won.

Jeongbalsan Station, line No. 3, exit 3

LES MISERABLESBlue Square, Shinhan Card HallNov. 30 – March 10, 2024:The Korean production of the masterpiece musical “Les Miserables” will be performed in Seoul this winter. The show is based on the French novel set in 1832 and follows the life of Jean Valjean, who is sentenced to 10 years behind bars for stealing a loaf of bread.

The main protagonist Jean Valjean, a runaway prisoner who was in jail for 19 years for stealing a piece of bread, will be played alternately by Min Woo-hyuk and Choi Jae-rim.

In the 2015 production of "Les Misérables," Min played Enjolras, the leading student revolutionary; his first entry into blockbuster musicals. Today, he is best known for musical roles such as Ahn Jung-geun in "Hero," Victor Frankenstein in "Frankenstein" and Ben Hur in "Ben Hur."

Choi is a veteran musical star best known for playing Miss Trunchbull in "Matilda" and Billy Flynn in "Chicago."

Kim Woo-hyung and Kai have been cast as Inspector Javert, an uncompromising police officer who has been hunting down Jean Valjean for decades. Kim is also a familiar face of "Les Misérables," having played Enjolras in the 2013 production of "Les Misérables" and Javert in the 2015 production. His recent roles include Radames in "Aida" and Hades in "Hadestown."

"Les Misérables" will open on Oct. 15 in Busan's Dream Theatre and run through Nov. 19 before coming to Seoul.

The popular film adaptation was first released in 2012, starring actors such as Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. The movie was a box-office hit in Korea, ranking as the 86th most-watched movie of all time in Korea, according to data from the Korean Film Council.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Tickets are priced from 90,000 won to 180,000 won.

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

LET ME FLYYes24 Stage, Hall 1 Through Dec. 10:“Let Me Fly” is a local sci-fi time travel musical that received outstanding reviews upon its opening in March last year. It was nominated for six categories in last year’s Korea Musical Awards and nabbed wins for Best Production, Best Musical Composition and Best Male Rookie Actor categories.

The story revolves around Nam-won, an aspiring fashion designer, who, one night in 1969, travels to the future where he finds himself as a 70-year-old man. The plot unfolds as Nam-won tries to make his way back through time.

The ongoing show, which opened on Sept. 26, is in its second production. It is garnering public attention especially for being first the musical theater performance by star actor Park Bo-gum. He is alternating the role of the young Nam-won with Ahn Ji-hwan and Shin Jae-beom.

Actors Na Ha-na, Hong Jee-hee and Im Ye-jin alternate the role of young Nam-won’s lover Jeong-bun; Kim Tae-han, Kim Do-bin and Lee Hyeong-hoon alternate the role of old Nam-won; and Bang Jin-ui, Yoon Gong-joo and Choi Soo-jin alternate Nam-won’s grandmother Seon-hee.

“Let Me Fly” is produced by Proslab, the book and lyrics were written by Jo Min-hyeong and the music by Min Chan-hong.

Shows start at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Tickets range from 55,000 won to 77,000 won.

Hyehwa Station, line No. 4, exit 1 *Most tickets are available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555

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