The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things—how we carry on with our lives, how we connect with people, and how we enjoy leisure. The performing arts scene is one of the areas most affected by the pandemic. With most theaters and concert halls shutting down, singers, actors, and artists moved to online spaces. Despite the obvious absence of a passionate atmosphere, online platforms offer users the benefit of enjoying shows in the comfort of their homes while accessing various additional content. These benefits contributed to the increasing user base of the platforms. K-pop stars entertain fans across the world at online concerts, and local festivals in Korea relies on online platforms to attract people. Some platforms provide services in multiple languages, including English and Japanese, for easier access for non-Korean speakers. In this post, we picked the three best online platforms packed with performing arts content ranging from plays, musicals, and concerts to Korean traditional music events and local festivals.
YouTube : www.youtube.com
The video platform with the world’s largest number of performing arts channels
YouTube is an online platform used by countless performing arts groups inside and outside of Korea. It offers performance clips across various genres, such as musical, ballet, choral music, theater, and orchestra. Anyone can access these clips, and many of them come with English subtitles. Most culture and art organizations have official YouTube channels. The majority of the videos are edited clips from shows and related video content. Full shows are mostly streamed for limited periods, and the replay is not provided. Search for “K-Musical” and “Online Tour,” or the names of actors or show titles to access more information.
In April, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s official YouTube channel created a buzz by releasing The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary special at the Royal Albert Hall for free. Many Korean theater companies, including the Jeongdong Theater Performing Arts Company Creative Platform, communicated with audiences through online events. Joining the trend are many local festivals forced to cancel off-line events because of the pandemic. You can even find tour programs featuring performing arts venues shutting down because of the social distancing policy. The Sejong Center, one of the leading performing arts venues in Korea, launched the Sejong ON Tour program, where a tour guide takes online visitors to areas closed to the public, such as VIP rooms and the pipe organ. Welcome Daehakro and K-Performance On Air can also be found on YouTube, with English subtitles.
Top YouTube performing arts channels
- Welcome Daehakro
- www.youtube.com/channel/UCqb5U_Vfo4AYYbiSOSa8nBw
- K-Performance On Air
- www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHgsC7reiR0_s79PgeRJZQ
- Sejong Center
- www.youtube.com/user/sejongpac
- The K-POP
- www.youtube.com/c/TheKPOP
- Korea National Opera
- www.youtube.com/c/KoreaNationalOpera
- CONTACT; RESIDENCY
- www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6xtb4UTIIdbWm0y3MPU3g
- Dague Arts Center
- www.youtube.com/channel/UC7EcNhRVm-YeAlXITCurs1g
- Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation
- www.youtube.com/c/한국문화재재단KCHF
- Jeongdong Theater
- www.youtube.com/c/JeongdongTheater
- Asia Culture Center
- www.youtube.com/c/ACC국립아시아문화전당
- Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation
- www.youtube.com/channel/UCwC6NZATf6wZTxwhYFXOjaQ
- Arts Council Korea
- www.youtube.com/user/arkokorea
Naver TV & Naver V App : tv.naver.com/p/showtv
A platform for musical fans comfortable with the Korean language
If you are looking for an opportunity to admire actors’ performance up close, you should pay a visit to Naver TV, where you can watch shows that usually cost more than KRW 150,000 for only KRW 20,000 or less. Naver TV is an online platform run by Naver, the portal website with the largest number of users in Korea. The platform offers access to live performances across various disciplines, including musicals and classical music. After successfully launching the first paid online live event in September 2020, Naver TV has released a series of live events featuring some of the most recognized artists and groups. Some events are offered for free, including a Vienna Baroque Orchestra concert and the Songs for Hope concert.
By paying contributions, which serve as an online equivalent of admission fee, you can access behind-the-scene clips and interviews with actors not available in off-line events. Some shows offer discounts on shows released by the same company. Most shows are available online for users who sign in within two hours after the show starts. Please note that a Naver ID is required to access the shows.
Video content at Naver TV mostly consists of edited clips, whereas Naver V App focuses on the live streaming service. Paid online concerts of BTS, Twice, and other K-pop artists have been offered on the Naver V App. One of the strengths of the platform is easy access for people living outside of Korea. Online concerts wow the audiences with spectacles powered by cutting-edge technologies rarely seen in off-line concerts and allow fans and artists to communicate with each other through real-time chats. The app is credited with opening up a new performing arts culture.
Naver TV Program List
- January 4, 8:00 p.m
- Musical 'Werther' (Live Sponsor Event)
- January 12, 7:00 p.m
- Art M Untitle Studio, Episode 1 'Club M'
- Accessible at all times
- Original Korean Traditional Orchestra 'Meet the King Sejong the Great 2020'
- Accessible at all times
- Classic Concert 'Chamber Music Series 4 with KOCHAM'
- Accessible at all times
- Moscow Musical Theater 'Reverse'
- Accessible at all times
- Musical 'Rent' Showcase
National Theater Company of Korea : www.ntck.or.kr/ko/performance
The first attempt at an online theater in Korea
This platform is recommended for people interested in Korean theater art. Founded in 1950, the National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK) is Korea’s oldest theater company that has maintained an active presence in the Korean theater art scene for the last seven decades. The NTCK connects with audiences through its own platform offered on the company’s website. After the online premiere of Firework on September 25, the company released Dongyang Theater 2020 online in December. Dongyang Theater tells the story of people who enjoyed “theater festivals for the price of a single ticket” at the Dongyang Theater in the 1930s. The production features fresh approaches to the theatrical presentation that reverses the relationship between the stage and the audience and jump back and forth in time.
Online programs are available for free, but you can sponsor each program by paying KRW 5,000 or KRW 20,000. A KRW 5,000 contribution comes with a 20% discount voucher for the company’s first program in 2021. If you pay KRW 20,000, you get an NTCK calendar for 2021 on top of the discount voucher. Once you book a program at the website, a private video link is sent to your phone via a text message. Then, you just need to sign in at the NTCK website on the booked date and enjoy the show. If you are not familiar with Korean, you may find it easier to fill out the designated information form and book a show via email. However, no English subtitles are offered.
Unlike other platforms, all shows are live streaming only, and each show can be accessed from only a single device. The online theater is in the pilot phase, but the theater plans to launch it as its fourth official theater next year after completing its theater archive.
Online Program List of the National Theater of Korea
- December 27, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m
- Dongyang Theater 2020
- December 28, 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m
- Dongyang Theater 2020
