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.
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“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.
Kimchi, tae 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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