have a heart-thumping time!

source: google

i've always enjoyed a good show, and am also a strong believer of visiting local theaters for the necessary cultural immersion when in a new country. of course, sometimes you get the usual suspects of boring, disappointing gigs and those trying too hard to be humorous, but i'll usually sit through the entire thing politely. that said, i'm not high-brow (hardly, actually!) and like most, appreciate simple plots made entertaining by energetic performers and funny dialogue.

so i don't know if i'm biased, but korean gigs appear to tick all my boxes. from the world-famous nanta show to the absolutely stunning bboys' performances, i'd recommend making time to catch at least one during your trip to seoul!

it comes through very strongly in their choreography, the unique korean culture and way of living; which explains why despite lacking sophisticated stage set-ups, korean shows still make their way to the world stage and receive raving reviews. distinctly different from the more showy and glitzy performances of broadway or west-end theaters, korean gigs are on the other hand, more subtle and intimate.

and i personally feel that their winning formula comes from:

1. using body language

bboys and ballerina show, singapore 2008

unlike western shows like "lion king" or "wicked", which also bank on highly popular songs to attract attendance, korean performances are largely non-verbal, as in the performers do not speak nor sing. so where dialogue is absent, wildly expressive body movements and loud music made by instruments are used instead to convey the plot. not only do these make performances very different in terms of their showmanship, i feel it also helps transcends language barriers so anybody can watch the show and fully comprehend it, even without translations etc.

2. being really funny

jump performance. source: timeout singapore

then because words are not used, performers often use exaggerated facial expressions and body language to convey ideas, and most of the time, they are funny! in typical korean fashion, most shows like "jump" and "bboys and a ballerina" also include slapstick comedic humor, which are easy to get and suitable for viewing for the entire family.

3. showing affection

fan-meeting after the performances!

what i like most of korean showcases is that performers are really affectionate, which is exactly like how i've come to know koreans as (read here!) not only are shows interactive, like audience gets to partake in the pot-hitting sequence of "nanta" or breakdance together with the bboys, most of these performances end off with fan-meeting/signing sessions, where performers appear outside the venue for photo-taking and interaction with show-goers. viewers really get their money's worth and the entire experience usually ends on a high!

so after all that's been said, here are some of the more popular korean performances; do check if they're running while you're in seoul!

1. ballerina who loves bboy

battle bboy- a love story, seoul, 2011

"ballerina and a bboy" show debuted in 2005 and has since been around the world, receiving international acclaim. throughout this time, however, camps have divided, resulting in various renditions of the famous musical (i saw "bboyz and the ballerina" in singapore, featuring the gorilla crew, and "battle bboy- a love story" in seoul featuring another). but generally, the plot remains largely similar: it tells the story of a ballerina and a group of bboys- they initially battle, but the leads end up falling in love.

what i love most are the stunning dance moves and highly energetic vibe of the entire show- there's hardly any time for pauses. from jazz to popping to breakdancing, this musical brings new surprises each time i watch it and people into music and dance should catch this.

just a tiny preview of the one i saw in hongdae, seoul last year:

they're still showing now in seoul, read more on the kto website here!


2. nanta

source: triptokorea.com

this is the most popular show in korea, and has been running since 1997. it makes use of kitchen utensils like knives, pots and pans to make musical sounds and tells the story of four crazy chefs trying to complete a wedding banquet in an hour.

so i personally haven't seen the show, but friends who have, emerged with wide grins and one, even returned with an instant polaroid of herself on stage when she was called up on an impromptu interactive session! according to the kto website, it is currently showing at jeongdong (location which i'm unsure of, unfortunately), but as far as i know, there are theaters in myeongdong also showing, and it's infinitely more convenient, so do check out the nanta website for more details.


3. jump

source: yeogiyo.com

it's young (debuted only in 2003), but the action-packed, non-verbal performance has high accolades- it's been to london's west-end and new york's broadway! this comedy talks about "an idiosyncratic korean family under the rule of a strict grandfather who insists on keeping up the physical fitness of all family members through vigorous martial arts training. while the daily drills alone leave the the audience awestruck, the performance comes to a climax when two stupid thieves break into the house and confront three generations of kung-fu masters, inspiring a series of farcical scenes" (from yeogiyo.com)

it recently came to singapore, and apparently sales was so good, they added another show so i'd think the combination of slapstick humor and showcase of traditional korean martial arts works. visit the jump website here for more details!


4. drawing show: hero

source: english.visitkorea.or.kr

i only found out about this show while researching on the kto website, and according to it, the show "presents mind-blowing skills and special effects that will take you to a world beyond your imagination. throughout the 80-min program, a unique storyline, combined with.. animated 3D drawings, instant dust drawings, glue animation and... a special technique that illuminates interiors and architecture... are incorporated into the drawing:show" (from kto website here)

and while event synopses are meant to sound enticing (and thus, be taken with a pinch of salt), i am truly convinced by above, because two years ago, i was at the "seoul'ed out sundown festival" and one of the performances was also a drawing show, and it was breath-taking, almost magical what the artists could do. using simple tools like paint and sand, they crafted awesome paintings and combined lighting and simple magic tricks to create stunning performances.

so do catch this (or any of the above shows), and if you've enjoyed them, drop me a note to share!