Monday 16 December 2013

Best Korean Performances [Buzz Korea]

This article is written for the promotion of Incheon Asian Games 2014. Here are the links for the actual articles.


Korean dancers are some of the best in the world and a trip to Korea is a great opportunity to enjoy some of these jaw-dropping, gravity-defining performances. Korea has a leading hyllu culture with famous K pop performances which are eminent all around the world. Besides the latest modern performing arts, performances of Korean traditional music and dance still take place regularly and provide the perfect introduction to Korea’s rich cultural heritage. Some Korean shows are a unique blend of the traditional and modern shows which have a lot of magnetisms for those who can’t decide whether to go for the traditional performance or modern shows. JUMP mixes martial arts with slapstick comedy, whilst NANTA takes the traditional percussion rhythms over Samulnori and places them in a modern-day kitchen. These days Korean shows are gaining international acclaim, performing on Broadway, London’s West End, and around the world. Here we go with the 10 nonverbal shows that may be a source of entertainment for you in Korea.
 “Nanta” debuted in October 1997, and has gone on to become the most famous show in Korea, generating the largest audience figures in the country’s history. Nanta landscapes the garak (rhythms) of Samulnori (traditional Korean percussion quartet). The performance introduces five characters: a manager, head chef, a female chef, the sexy guy, and the manager’s nephew.  These five characters constantly beat rhythms on pots, pans and all kinds of kitchen implements, as they race against time to prepare food for a wedding banquet. The audience even gets to join in the fun at this exciting show, which has been performed on Broadway and toured around America and the rest of the world. It a performance valued equally by the Koreans and foreigners.
Ever since first hit the stage in July 2003, Jump has been incredibly popular in Korea. It also has had remarkable international success. In 2005 and 2006 it took the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by storm, and then went on to tour around the world, ending up on London’s West End and New York’s off-Broadway, proving that this musical comedy has universal appeal. The musical JUMP is a non–verbal performance that is based on the traditional movements of taekwondo, a Korean form of martial arts. This innovative show incorporates many of Asia’s martial arts, including Korea's Taekwondo and Taekkyeon, as it tells the story of a family of martial arts specialists who have to defend their house from robbers. As JUMP continues to present endless comic episodes, you definitely won’t feel bored. Instead you may feel like you’re watching a real live TV sitcom drama. The non-verbal musical is also open to audiences of all ages from various countries. The musical starts its opening scene by selecting a martial arts master among the audience. If you go without any prior expectations, each performance will be a whole new feeling. The audiences can double their enjoyment during the performance, hoping to be selected as a martial arts master.
The <Drawing Show> is the first performance of its kind in Korea. This unique show combines art with live performances, as the actors complete amazing works of art on stage. Throughout the 90-minute show, over 10 paintings are created on stage, as well as clowning and dance routines. The show features a variety of art techniques and materials, including finger painting, india ink marbling, and on one occasion banana peels are innovatively used to create a drawing of a flower, which is then given to a member of the audience. In one of the final scenes, the artist David’s famous painting of Napoleon is produced in only six minutes on a 2-meter-high canvas. This, and even more spectacular works of art make the Drawing Show a must see event.

Kimchitae kwon do, and now, B-Boying, are what come to mind when you think of Korea, according to R-16 host MC Go. But while that might be a stretch, the former hip-hop dancer’s claim isn’t as groundless as it may initially sound. It is a marathon display of mind-bending, joint-popping and gravity-defying contortions. You may feel wonder by watching the breathtaking skills of the B-Boys.B-Boy KOREA Theater, Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul presents some of the splendid performances of the B-Boys. This show is a mixture of music, dance enchanted with the beauty of martial arts. In recent years, Korea has emerged as a B-Boy powerhouse in the global acrobatic hip-hop dance scene, and the 2011 R-16 World B-Boy Masters Championship it hosted every year is considered one of the world’s top five such events. Persons of all ages and languages can enjoy B-Boy KOREA since it uses dance, music, and mime as a universal language. It is a great chance to witness the wondrous skills of the talented B-boys.
Since its premiere in 2007, Karma has been on a world tour of 12 different countries and has been invited to a number of international festivals as an opening or closing performance. This world renowned production is a cross-over non-verbal performance featuring the perfect marriage between dynamic oriental martial arts and beautiful Korean traditional dance. The show is about love, passion, agony, and the avarice of gods: the god of the Sun who rules the universe; the goddess of the Moon, his beloved other half; the god of the North, the arch enemy who wants to win the heart of the goddess of the Moon. Throughout the performance, you will enjoy the magical stage work in perfect harmony with spectacular music.
World Beat VINARI is a musical performance by the fusion gugak (Korean traditional music) group “Dulsori.” it has introduced Korean traditional sound and rhythm to audiences in 53 countries worldwide. World Beat Vinary performance is awesome. It features upbeat and exhilarating Korean rhythms created by a combination of traditional string and percussion instruments, Korean opera, and modern interpretations of folk songs. The music is really amazing. Moreover the traditional village of Korean Society is attractive.

Drum cats performance is offered in MyungBu art hall which is at walking distance from Myeongdong, City hall and Dongdaemun.  It is well close to the subway stations and bus stop. Globally-recognized Korean performance, ‘Drum Cat’ whips people into a frenzy of rhythm and fun. Drum Cat was created in 2003 and is an all-female percussion group .2008 was landmark year for Drum Cat, as the group received both the ‘2008 Edinburgh Festival Herald Angel’ award and the ‘2008 Scotland Cavalcade Best Unit’ award, the first awards even won by a Korean team at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  It is a bit crazy performance beautified by the drum beats of some highly energetic girls. At a moment it feels like you are a part of those crazy cats.
The “Midday Dance Fantasy” has been created to provide an easy and accessible form of Korean dance for audiences in Korea and overseas. Spoken commentary is included to help audiences understand Korean dance. The program includes both traditional dances like “Buchaechum” and “Hallyangmu” and Korean dances adapted to contemporary times, such as new works choreographed by the National Dance Company of Korea. Colorful costumes and diverse props add to the visual spectacle. The performance is divided into two parts the first is the dance performance dedicated to the sky, and the second, to the earth. The show is subtitled into English and that is good enough to appreciate the colorful and vibrant Korean cultural. Small Dum dance: Sogo Chun has been developed in people’s daily life and often played to lift the spirits during farmer’s group labor or a holiday. The paired dance performances are remarkable with background music. They perform with instruments like Daego, Seugjeongu and that is worth watching. The appearance of the winners from Seoul International Dance Competitions adds more charm to the Korean midday dance show.

Traditional Korean band Puri (lead by the artistic director of the National Orchestra of Korea, Won Il) celebrating their twentieth anniversary with this special performances. Puri is a group of extraordinarily talented guys that perform traditional Korean music. It is remarkable to watch their performance with their ultimate skillful way in the KB Haneul Youth. The youth theater is delightful with nice seating arrangements and truly facilitated with many things. The PURI group uses many instruments including the traditional and modern electronic music, a piano, drum, guitars, and various other instruments in their performance.  It is a blended performance of modern and traditional music with an implausible experience.
Bibap is the first performance combining eating and entertainment. There aren’t many shows in the world that use food as the subject. In the musical Bibap, making of the traditional Korean dish bibimbap becomes the main theme and is transformed into a non-verbal performance perfect for everyone taste. Bibap proved global potential through its success at Edinburgh Festival in 2010, forecasting the new market for entertainment. Bibap premiered in Korea in May 2011, and has made itself known to the world as a refreshingly original cultural show. The sounds of washing, cutting, frying and eating food are mixed with B-boy dance, acrobatics, martial arts and other dynamic dances, making up the different ingredients of this delicious dish! 

One thing I like the most about Korea is that, they have made every performance so interesting that they can fascinate the visitors and in captured their hearts with charm and temptations. All these performances will be a source of recreation and real gratification for the visitors on the commencement of Incheon Asian Games 2014. 

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