Gugak Concert (L) and Wild Wild Show in Seoul (R).
In a nutshell
What are the best shows in Seoul? Topping the list are Nanta Show and The Painters, which earned positive reviews from tourists. These two live performances require no Korean language skills, so you won’t have to worry about any linguistic barriers. What I personally like about these options is that the shows are located in Hongdae, Myeongdong, and Gwanghwamun (near Gyeongbokgung Palace), so it was easy to squeeze them into my travel itinerary.
Where can I watch a traditional Korean concert? Every Saturday, a notable traditional Gugak Show (gugak means national music) is held at the premiere National Gugak Center. The show features musical and dance performances from four groups that showcase the best of the country’s performing arts. Learn more and book discounted tickets here.
Musical play in Seoul. Enjoyed by both locals and foreigners, this full-length musical in Seoul is about a Korean woman who seeks to reunite with her first love.
Koreans are known for producing quality music, television, and streaming content, and they do not disappoint when it comes to live performances. From action-packed culinary entertainment to traditional musicals and all-out strip acts, tourists do get plenty of options. I have had the chance to watch the celebrated Nanta Show in Myeongdong, and it was an experience that defined Korean talent for me. The show was captivating, and it did not need any Korean vocabulary to convey its unique story.
Below we share an unranked list of some of the must-see live shows in Seoul, which are suitable for solo travelers, groups of friends, couples, and families:
1. Nanta Show in Myeongdong, Hongdae, & Jeju
200k+ booked • Longest-running live show in Korea
Nanta Show in Seoul.
Genre: Comedy
Audience: For everyone
Duration: 90 minutes
Tip: Myeongdong offers evening shows at 8pm. Hongdae tickets are cheaper.
Nanta is a 90-minute non-verbal show about four Korean chefs, who are prepared to bring a smile to your face. While they won’t cook up dishes for you to taste, they will serve a new flavor of culinary percussion with fun acrobatics and stints. The show features a kitchen as its stage, which a few lucky audience members will be pulled into for some wholesome fun. My partner and I caught one of Nanta’s sold-out shows in Myeongdong (it was a weekend), and we couldn’t help but laugh throughout the performance. At one point, the kids in our aisle, who I believe were Koreans, were jumping out of their seats laughing. And the best part about this show in Seoul is that you can have zero Korean vocabulary and still be able to appreciate the narrative.
Address: Myeongdong Nanta Theatre at UNESCO Nantes show, 26 Myeongdong-gil, Jung District, Seoul
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
Nanta Show in Hongdae
Hours:
Sunday-Friday: 5pm
Saturday: 2pm & 5pm
Address: Hongdae Nanta Theatre at B2 floor, 29, Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
Nanta Show in Jeju Island
Hours:
Sunday-Friday: 4:30pm
Saturday: 1:30pm, 4:30pm, & 8pm
Address: Jeju Nanta Theatre at 56-26, Seondolmokdong-gil, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, Republic of Korea
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
I really loved the show! It was quite [funny,] and you can understand the story without knowledge of the Korean language. I also liked that you were allowed to take drinks inside.
Tip: The Painters’ theater is just a 9-minute walk from Deoksugung Palace.
The Painters is a concept show from Seoul that has surpassed the 1M+ live audience mark, making it one of the must-see performances on this list. Here you can see talented Korean artists illustrate on the spot and create 3D drawings as they dance and engage with the audience. The show’s ensemble, which has toured in Singapore and Hong Kong, also appeared in Asia’s Got Talent and made it as a semi-finalist. Most travelers who left a review for The Painters said that they had low expectations before watching the show but left the theater wanting to see it another time.
Address: Gwanghwamun Theater at Kyunghyang Art Hill 1F, 3, Jeongdong gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
It was more fun than [I] expected. The show was very interactive and progressive, [and] the artists were talented… I could feel their passion for what they were doing. Would recommend!
Tip: Subtitles in English, Japanese, and Chinese are available.
A loose adaptation of the 2010 Korean flick starring Gong Yoo and Im Soojung, Finding Mr. Destiny is a romantic play in Seoul about a woman who seeks to reunite with her first love. The pair first met in India, felt a strong sense of affection for each other, and got separated for nine years. The female protagonist, who has held her love intact, goes on an uncanny adventure to find the man she believes she is destined to be with. But is a reunion possible after all these years? This is what you can find out when you watch this play in Seoul’s Daehak-ro, a locale known as the country’s mecca of performing arts.
Address: BRICKS Theater at 25, Daehak-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
[Was] honestly one of the highlights of my trip to [Korea]… really enjoyed the [romcom] plotline and the musical performance of the actors… [English] subtitles were also provided on a tablet placed in front of me…
Wild Wild is a strip show in Seoul available for women of legal age only (19 years and up). This show, made famous by the shower and lap dance scenes (yes, with an audience member), will tickle the female senses and imagination. A 5-star review for Wild Wild Seoul and their dancers read: “It is a a true [Korean] cultural [experience,] if you know what I mean… it was intense, wild, but really tasteful.”
5. Saturday Gugak Concert at the National Gugak Center
2k+ booked • Traditional Korean music
Concert at the Gugak Center.
Genre: Traditional Korean concert
Audience: 7 years and up
Duration: 70 minutes
Tip: Performances may vary each week.
Completing our list is a showcase of Korean talent and tradition. The Gugak Show at the National Gugak Center, which is held every Saturday afternoon, presents Korean artistry in a variety of ways. These include non-verbal segments that feature the gyeongpungnyeon (경풍년), a musical instrument commonly played in royal courthouses and parties; heonbando (헌반도), a royal court dance performed in the 19th century; and the mesmerizing Dongnae Crane Dance, which was designated an intangible cultural property by the city government of Busan in the early 70’s. Many more performances are available, so you will definitely feel immersed in the traditional Korean music scene. We at Travlists recommend this show in Seoul to tourists who would like to elevate their understanding and appreciation of Korean classics.
Address: Umyeondang, National Gugak Center, 2364 Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
The schedule may change without prior notice. Check updates.
It was a great [show! There is no] better way to start the whole Korean experience than witnessing different performances that [showcase] their culture and traditions.
