'SM Classics Live 2025,' 'Cyrano' and other shows to check out in Korea

SM Entertainment's classical and jazz music label SM Classics is holding a two-day concert series together with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

SM CLASSICS LIVE 2025 WITH SEOUL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRASeoul Arts Center, Concert Hall Lotte Concert Hall

SHINee's Minho [NEWS1]

Feb. 14 and 15:SM Entertainment's classical and jazz music label SM Classics is holding a two-day concert series together with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. The series "SM Classics Live 2025” has been organized to celebrate the 30th anniversary of SM Entertainment’s foundation. The first day's concert will be held at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul and the following day's concert will be at the Lotte Concert Hall, also in southern Seoul. The concerts will feature SHINee’s Minho as a narrator and Red Velvet’s Wendy as a performer.

The orchestra, under the baton of Kim Yu-won, will play hit songs by the agency’s groups, like Red Velvet's "Red Flavor,” “Psycho,” and "Feel My Rhythm,” NCT U's "Make A Wish,” BoA's "Tree,” aespa's "Black Mamba,” NCT's "Golden Age,” Wendy's "When this rain stops,” Girls’ Generation's “Into the New World” and others.

SM Classics was launched in July 2020. It performs orchestral adaptations and classical arrangements of various songs of its K-pop artists.

Tickets range from 88,000 won ($60.80) to 165,000 won.

The concert on Saturday at the Seoul Arts Center will begin at 8 p.m., while the Sunday concert at the Lotte Concert Hall begins at 5 p.m.

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

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

CYRANOSeoul Arts Center, CJ Towol TheaterThrough Feb. 23:The musical “Cyrano,” a story of the romantic hero Cyrano, is being staged at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. For the third season in five years, Roxane, the musical's heroine and the central figure in its love triangle, has been reimagined as a more independent and multidimensional character. Three new musical numbers have also been added for this season.

“Cyrano” is based on Edmond Rostand’s play “Cyrano de Bergerac” (1897). The musical is set in 17th-century France. It is the story of Cyrano, a valiant hero of the Cadets of Gascony, who has great eloquence and swordsmanship. Cyrano is a character who loses confidence in his appearance in front of his beloved Roxane due to his big nose. However, to support the handsome recruit Christian's romance with Roxane, he generously pours his talents into ghostwriting love letters for Christian.

This season features actors Choi Jae-rim, Cho Hyung-kyun and Ko Eun-sung who alternate the role of Cyrano, while actors Na Ha-na, Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Ji-soo take on the role of Roxane.

Tickets range from 70,000 won to 150,000 won.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and on public holidays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. There are no shows on Mondays.

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

MATA HARILG Arts Center Seoul, LG Signature HallThrough March 2: Set in Paris in 1917, a beautiful dancer named Mata Hari enchants all of Europe with her mysterious movement. She helps people forget about the pain of war, eventually becoming a celebrity among high society. However, her life changes when she meets Captain Ladoux from the French intelligence bureau, who blackmails her into becoming a spy.

The Korean production of the musical is back with Ok Joo-hyun and Solar alternating the role of Mata Hari.

The performance starts at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and public holidays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. There are no shows on Mondays.

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

Magongnaru Station, line No. 9, exit 3 or 4

KBS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA X TOKYO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRALotte Concert Hall

Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon [JOONGANG ILBO]

March 3:To commemorate the 60th anniversary of normalized Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, Lotte Concert Hall has organized a joint concert between orchestras from two countries. The KBS Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform under the baton of maestro Chung Myung-whun.

Two pianists from both countries, Sunwoo Yekwon from Korea and Kaoruko Igarashi from Japan, will also accompany the orchestras. Together, they'll perform Mozart's "Concerto for 2 Pianos No. 10 in E flat Major, K. 365” and Mahler's "Symphony No. 1 in D Major 'Titan.'”

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets range from 10,000 won to 150,000 won.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

THE MAN WHO LAUGHSSeoul Arts Center, Opera TheaterThrough March 9: Led by American theater director Robert Johanson, this musical is based on Victor Hugo’s 1869 novel of the same name. The story is set in 17th-century England, where there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

The story revolves around the main character Gwynplaine and the unfair treatment he endures from society. For the upcoming production, musical actor Park Eun-tae, singers Lee Seok-hoon and Kyuhyun and singer and actor Doyoung alternate the role of Gwynplaine.

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

Ticket prices range from 80,000 won to 170,000 won.

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

PAIK KUN-WOO AND MOZART 〈PROGRAM II〉Seoul Arts Center, Concert HallMarch 27: Pianist Paik Kun-woo will be holding a recital, performing more of Mozart’s pieces. After releasing his first Mozart album last April, he started a nationwide tour the following month and performed in 13 cities. He is now kicking off a second round of national tour with a different program of Mozart pieces.

The program includes Mozart's "Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major K. 545,” "Rondo in A Minor K. 511," "Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Major K. 280,” "Adagio for Glass harmonica in C Major K. 356/617a,” "Little Funeral March in C Minor K. 453a,” "Piano Sonata No. 10 in CMajor K. 330” and "Fantasia in C Minor K. 475.”

Tickets range from 50,000 won to 120,000 won.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

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

LAST EMPRESSSejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand TheaterMarch 30:“Last Empress,” also known as “Empress Myeongseong” in Korean, is celebrating its 30th year since its premiere. The musical is about the namesake queen (1851-1895), her marriage to King Gojong (1852-1919), her leadership in diplomacy and her eventual assassination by the Japanese, who viewed her as an obstacle to foreign expansion.

For this ongoing run, which began Jan. 21, the creative team has yet again updated the production, including tweaks to the plot, Korean subtitles during songs and — most notably — a reversion to the “analog art of staging.”

The musical’s artistic director Yoon Ho-jin, who is also a renowned theater director, came up with the idea for the musical in the early 1990s after watching “Cats” in London. He famously rounded up three of the country’s best artistic talents — writer Yi Mun-yeol, composer Kim Hee-gab and lyricist Yang In-ja — to helm “Last Empress,” which premiered in Seoul in 1995 and became the first Asian musical to open on Broadway two years later.

The musical on Feb. 5 became the first homegrown musical to see over 2 million attendees, according to its producer Acom.

Actors Cha Ji-yeon, Kim So-hyun and Shin Young-sook alternate the role of Empress Myeongseong.

The show 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 public holidays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Tickets range from 60,000 won to 160,000 won.

Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8

2NE1 CONCERT [WELCOME BACK] ENCORE IN SEOULKSPO DomeApril 12 and 13: Girl group 2NE1 is holding a two-day encore concert series in Seoul. The "Welcome Back" Asian tour began on Oct. 4, 2024, at Olympic Hall in southern Seoul to celebrate the 15th anniversary of 2NE1's debut. Ticket sales for the encore concerts will begin on Feb. 10 on Interpark. Sales for members of the group’s temporary fan club opened on Feb. 5.

The group has performed in several major Asian cities, including Manila, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kobe and Tokyo in Japan and Bangkok.

2NE1 took the stage at "SBS Gayo Daejeon," a major domestic music festival held on Dec. 25, 2024, where the group showcased several of its hit songs, including “Come Back Home” (2014), “Fire” (2009) and “I Am the Best” (2011).

Tickets range from 165,000 won to 209,000 won.

The concert starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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

STAYC TOUR ‘STAY TUNED’Olympic Park, Olympic Hall

Girl group STAYC showcases songs in its first regular album “Metamorphic” on July 1, 2024, at Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul. [YONHAP]

April 12 and 13:Following the release of its new album in March, girl group STAYC is embarking on a world tour in April, kicking it off with a two concerts in Seoul's Olympic Park. This concert series will be STAYC's second world tour after its inaugural world tour, "Teenfresh," which took the group to 15 cities last year.

STAYC debuted in 2020 with its single "SO BAD" and is known for hits like "ASAP" (2021) and "RUN2U" (2022). The six-member act consists of Sieun, Seeun, Sumin, J, Isa and Yoon.

Tickets range from 143,000 won to 187,000 won.

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

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

JEKYLL AND HYDEBlue Square, Shinhan Card HallThrough May 18: The popular musical “Jekyll and Hyde,” which tells the tale of an epic battle between good and evil, has been loved in Korea since its first performance in 2004.

The cast includes Hong Kwang-ho, Jeon Dong-seok and Kim Seong-cheol in the roles of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, and Yoon Gong-ju, Seon-min and Kim Hwan-hee playing the role of Lucy Harris.

The musical begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends. There are no shows on Mondays.

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]