For those who are into the performing arts, Seoul offers a range of exciting options appealing to all ages. From musicals to non-verbal performances, here’s where to catch some of the city’s best performances.

Seoul’s major performing art centers include the National Theater of Korea and the Sejong Center north of the river and the Seoul Arts Center in the south. Operas, classical performances, musicals, and other performances from local and international levels are put on regularly throughout the year. The National Theater of Korea particularly puts a strong focus on traditional Korean performance art such as the traditional Korean genre of musical storytelling called pansori, traditional dance, and reinterpretations of classic Korean folk tales and songs. And speaking of traditional Korean performances, be sure to check out the homepage of the Namsan Gugakdang in the Namsangol Hanok Village, the National Gugak Center, and the Jeongdong Theater for other wonderful traditional performances that all ages will be able to enjoy.

For musical lovers, there are a number of musical venues around the city that offer a number of local and international acts including Broadway productions. These include the Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, the LG Arts center in Gangnam, the Samsung Blue Square in Hannamdong, the Doosan Art center in Jongno, the D Cube Art Center in Yeongdeungpo, and more. Check out their respective homepages to see what’s going on and be sure to check and see if the production is an international or Korean production.

And when it comes to productions, Seoul’s representative neighborhood for theater is Daehakro. Located near a number of universities, on first glance the neighborhood may look like any other college area with its many restaurants and shops. But once you wander around you’ll spot theaters, ticket sellers, and posters for various small to mid-range productions. The theater productions range in a variety of genres from comedy to romance to even horror and mystery. If you’re on a budget, many of the productions have an agreement with certain restaurants or cafes that gives you freebies before or after the show. Do note though that most of the productions in Daehakro are in Korean.

Seoul also offers a number of popular non-verbal performances that the entire family can enjoy. These exciting performances require no understanding of Korean and combines music, dance, acrobatics, and more. Examples include Fanta-Stick which combines traditional Korean performances in a modern way, Jump which is a comical martial arts show, and Drumcat with an all-female percussion ensemble. Bibap and Nanta are also already famed for their unique non-verbal performances that combines acrobatics, acting, and dancing around food themes. Another is Pangshow which is centered around baking. Dancers will love shows like Sachoom, KUNG Festival, and the Ballerina Who Loved a B-boy for their stunning dancers. For art fans, the creative and dazzling Original Drawing Show and The Painters:HERO are excellent choices.

Of course, Seoul is home to K-Pop which is already known globally for their exhilarating and jaw-dropping performances. At K-Live and at SM TOWN at Coex Artium, catch unique performances of some of K-Pop’s top stars in shows that combines the latest cutting-edge technology. At K-Live in Dongdaemun, you can watch a spectacular hologram concert that makes it seem as though the stars are really performing right before your eyes. A dazzling hologram musical is also put on at SM Town at Coex Artium which stars some of K-Pop’s top acts.