Seoul Arts Center

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I cannot recall the day when I found out about Seoul Arts Center (SAC) but I imagine it must have come to me from exploring inside the Lonely Planet (LP) South Korea (SK) book we have lying around our apartment. Before leaving Edmonton, I had begun to read about various trips around SK and things to do in Seoul. One of the things I wanted to do most was see a baseball game here in SK to compare it to the baseball games in Japan. Mainly because the fans in Japan are organized with their chants and cheering plus they have synchronized songs they sing and sway to while their teams are playing! It's undoubtedly the best time a fan of any sport can enjoy!

With our first baseball game experience already planned for September after our first paycheck, I asked Shauna if she'd prefer a sporting event or a cultural experience? She decided for a cultural experience because just before leaving Edmonton we went to an Edmonton Capitals vs. Washington Sparks AAA Semi-Professional Baseball Game!

As I scoured the pages of the LP about cultural activities we could find, I came across a webpage called interpark.co.kr which sells tickets to various ballets, musicals, sporting events and more! This is when I spotted the Nutcracker being performed by the Oregon Ballet Company. Although we were in SK, hoping for something a bit more traditional neither of us had ever seen the Nutcracker and our previous experience to the ballet was an enjoyable one.

The best part about attending the ballet at SAC, would be the ticket price of 20,000 won approximately $18.00 Canadian! Even though these seats were on the third floor, we felt they would be worth the money because of the photographs on the SAC website. We wished we had a bit more money to spend on the evening to go down a floor since the next ticket price was only 45,000 won but decided dinner would be a better accompaniment for the evening.

With only two shows to choose from on either Saturday or Sunday, the 3:00pm matinee or the 7:00pm main performance, we opted for the evening performance on Sunday because we had an EV Function to attend on Friday Night celebrating the end of Summer VIP/Special Programs and our first month of working in SK.

We sent out an email to the community at EV, asking if anyone would like to join us at SAC to view the Oregon Ballet perform the Nutcracker? We had a few replies but most people weren't willing to come into Seoul for an evening event like the Nutcracker. The few people who did reply back to us wanted to attend the show but had to work until 6pm on Sunday, these were all Edutainers. Teachers like us who enjoy the theater since they are actors and actresses!

One said, Edutainer, Mark K decided he would try to make the show and gave us money to purchase him a ticket so he could sit with us upon his arrival. Uncertain of the amount of time it would take him to go from EV to SAC, we stated this might be an impossible journey to make the opening curtain but he insisted it could be done! I was hesitant to take his money because I was unsure of how long the journey from EV to SAC would take via bus and subway? He continued to insist he would make it to SAC on time. So, without further discussion we took his money stating, "Mark we will see you on Sunday at Seoul Arts. Try to leave as early as possible on Sunday to be there by the curtain call at 7:00 pm!"

By Sunday morning both Shauna and I were very excited about attending the ballet. Our mission for the day was to conserve our energy until noon then start the process of getting ready for the afternoon travels to Seoul Arts Center. Around 2:15 in the afternoon, we departed our apartment walking out into the fresh crisp summer afternoon. Tatiana who works at EV Mart downstairs came outside when she spotted us inquiring about our dressy clothes? "Wow, Shauna, you look amazing!" Tatiana exclaimed "where are you two off to?" "We are going to the ballet at Seoul Arts Center to watch the Nutcracker. It's being performed by the Oregon Ballet Company." "I wish I could go with the two of you. Enjoy your evening," she waved as we wondered off to begin our journey. "Thank you. We will. And we'll let you know how it was later?" Shauna responded turning on her heels grabbing my hand and heading for the front gate.

The bus ride into Hapjeong Station took the usual forty-five minutes as we walked down the stairs into the station. Scanning our t-money cards, we went through the stall walking down another set of stairs landing us on the platform for the #2, green line aka "the loop line." As we stood idly chatting, I counted on the map the number of station stops we needed to pass before arriving at Seocho Station. A wonderful fourteen stations which would take us another seventy minutes. At this point, I wished we had a cellphone to call or text Mark letting him know we were off on our calculations of just how long it would take to get to Seoul Arts. But neither of us had cellphones, yet. After sixty-five minutes on the subway we arrived at Seocho station. Exiting the subway car onto the most dilapidated platform we had seen.

The station looked like it was in the middle of either renovation or disassembly, neither of us could tell with all the plastic around, open walls, missing ceiling panels and live wires running here and there across the floor. We felt as if we were on a construction sight not a subway platform. Laughing at the absurdity, we walked up the stairs, through a hallway, out the turn-stalls down another long construction like hallway searching for exit number four? Ten minutes after we had walked along the hallways we spotted a plan white piece of paper stuck to a wall with a large black marker arrow pointing back behind us and the number 4 drawn inside a circle. Turning around we went back the way we came finding a set of stairs and walking up them into the early evening air. Searching around from this location we could not make out where we were nor which direction to proceed?

I walked halfway out into the street looking to the south or what I believed to be the south searching for a small mountain. Spotting what I was seeking, I came back to the sidewalk grabbed Shauna's hand and said "this way my dear. Would you like to walk or grab a taxi?" "Let's walk, we have plenty of time. Are you okay with that?" "Certainly am my dear." And we wondered off down the street chatting about life and the awful stat of the station we had just emerged from. Laughing at the absurdities of what was surly back home a lawsuit waiting to happen!

Fifteen minutes later, I spotted the main Seoul Arts Center building. The only reason I knew the building was because of the website I had looked at a week earlier plus there were several large street signs stating "Seoul Arts Center" straight ahead. Always a key sign you are on the correct path! As we walked up the slope we spotted one restaurant after another trying to decipher the kind of food they served and if we would want to come back outside to eat once we had our tickets. By the time we reached the front doors of the building it had taken us just under 2 1/2 hours to arrive! The time was 5:45 pm. The show was in another hour but we still needed to find the correct building, buy our tickets and find dinner. We opted for ticket purchase first. Heading for the first information booth we asked about the "Nutcracker?" In broken English and a bit of charades, we were sent onwards to the elevators at the end of the hallway.

Instead of waiting for the elevator we opted for the stairs following other well dressed people up the two flights of stairs circling around to the second floor where people were riding up an escalator. Joining the people on the escalator we went through an elaborate tunnel light up with golden bulbs exiting us in front of twin-gold inlayed elevators. The elevators were at one end of an elaborate circle. People were milling around drinking glasses of wine, cans of beer and chewing casually on sandwiches while idly chatting to each other. The interior was amazing, everything in the round. We spotted the ticket booth, walking around the outside maze of people until we were standing in line. The foyer of the Opera House was even more breathtaking the the photographs on the internet.

Smiling, we approached the counter, asked for three tickets when we quickly discussed the fate of Mark's 20,000 won before settling on purchasing the ticket for him. With the three tickets in hand, we walked around downstairs in search of food. Everything was either overly expensive for our budget or so packed that it would be another fifty-five minutes before we could be seated. This is when I spotted two other OWP (one week program) teacher's from EV. We walked over saying, "hello" to each of them asking if they were here to watch the ballet? The response was a yes from them both. They even explained they were awaiting others to join them. This is when I went off inside my head about how people aren't what they seem since we had invited everyone to join us for this evening? Oh well my head thought I am here to enjoy my evening with my wife. So, we departed our fellow EV teachers, and made our way towards the restaurants on the second floor. "Aaron, who were those people we were just talking to?" Shauna asked confused about the people. "Um, I think that was Caitlin? I think she's in the Edutainer department. And I think that guy was Andrea's husband? But I only met him briefly at the party on Friday night, so I really don't know his name?" "Oh, I think his name is Ryan?"

As we came out onto the landing outside a philharmonic venue was in progress in the courtyard with traditional wind instruments. The sounds were amazing as the audience was stunned into silent appreciation over the nights bursting out in the early evening air. We walked around to a small cafe only to find out it served coffee and ice cream. We then opted to return to the main level of the Opera House to enjoy a beverage and one of the sandwiches we saw others eating as we had entered the first time around. We watched the time slowly slip by into the evening hoping and wondering if Mark was actually on his way. We talked about his chances of actually making it to SAC in time for the curtain call? We had our doubts since we was suppose to leave at 6pm from EV. It was an improbability that he'd make the first half of the ballet. But we kept our hopes up that he would arrive at intermission and be able to enjoy at least the second half. We sunk our teeth into the amazing sandwiches filled with eggplant, cheese, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, mayonnaise and soft hoagie roll bread! The sandwich was delicious. So much in fact that I purchased a second one even at the price of 7,000 won ($6 CAD).

People started filling into the theater doors, heading up the elevators to their respective section locations and awaiting the first act. As I stood around awaiting Shauna to return from the bathroom, I ran into Caitlin, Ryan?, Andrea, and Mary. I approached them all as they waited for the elevator stating, "Hi, it's good to see you all again. Andrea are you still going to Costco on Wednesday?" Obviously, I was interrupting their evening but felt obligated since everyone outrightly told us they couldn't make it because they had other things to do. Liars! It was our first vision of adolescent like behavior from teachers we were suppose to work with and not the last from these particular people. Thankfully, the elevator arrived and they entered before I actually spoke my mind to them in front of a hundred well-dressed Korean observers.

As Shauna rounded the corner a smile broke across her face as she approached me as I pushed the button for the elevator to take us up to the rafter division of the Opera House. "What? What is the mischievous smile about?" "Oh, am I smiling?" "Yes, from ear to ear! So, what gives?" "I'm just excited to be here at the Opera House with you! And you look sexy, too! And I'm excited to see the ballet again!" "Thanks, but I know the ballet isn't as sexy as you are right now!" Gently, Shauna leaned into me as the doors opened for the elevator kissing me on the cheek whispering, "thank you for taking me to the ballet."

Entering the elevator, I forgot about all the misguided words I was pondering over about directed towards the other teachers in the Opera House. Washing away those words were the delightful thoughts of sitting with Shauna inside the Seoul Arts Center enjoying a Christmas Traditional ballet; The Nutcracker. Obviously, knowing the story from growing up as a child, I was keen to see it live. To understand the intricacies of the story.

Exiting the elevator we rounded our way over to the doors, showed our tickets and the usher escorted us inside to an interior usher who escorted us to our seats. As I sat down, a little Korean girl of 6-years old, smiled and then cuddled up to her mother. Deciding she was either frighten or too nervous to sit close to me I left one seat open between us for Mark (if he ever arrived) and to let the little girls nerves settle. The lights dimmed after we were sitting for only a few minutes. The curtains were drawn and the fantasy of The Nutcracker began.

The ballerinas both male and female pranced across stage dressed up in turn of the century costumes. The scene laid out in front of us was that of a large family room in a large home. The fireplace gently sending up smoke signals, the tree being decorated and the guests arriving for the party. All of the children, thankfully, were korean ballet dancers. The mix of caucasian adult characters with korean children characters was ingenious. Each act unfolded before us until the maker of the "nutcrackers" entered into the hall bring with him his collection of gift boxes. Again, they implemented a korean male ballerino, as the ballet continued forward. Animated were each of the characters as they enticed us all to laugh, smile and clap our appreciation from our seats.

Fifteen minutes into the ballet, I started checking out the locations of the ushers so that when the time came to go check downstairs on if Mark had arrived, I would have the most optimal route to the exit doors without obstructing any of the audience members. As I glanced left and right behind each shoulder I noticed an usher moving down the steps that Shauna and I had walked with her. The problem was she wasn't alone. She had four people following her as she guided them into our row boxing us into the middle. Thankfully the row of seats behind us was still empty as I watched her retreat to her post once the newcomers has settled into their seats.

Waiting another ten minutes I asked Shauna quietly for the time. "It's 7:25." Okay, another five minutes and I will make my move. I sat forward letting the seat move into the upright position stretching out my arms I pulled myself up over the back rest of the chair landing me into the row of seats behind me. The tricky part was pulling my legs up over the top of the chair back and landing them on the floor without toppling over the chair and falling all four stories onto the people below! Incredibly smooth, I took a breath without hesitating and pulled myself back up over to the next row. Resting, until the people around me were okay with my maneuver and their attention back on the acts below. I told Shauna I would be back in a few minutes. As I stood up, the usher spotted me right away, awaiting for me at the end of the row, she shone a small flashlight on the ground leading me over to the exit doors. Walking through the doors, I made up my mind to say I needed to use the bathroom. I explained the situation, she said, "if you go out
before intermission, we cannot let you back into the theater until intermission. We do not want to interrupt people enjoyment of the ballet.

I thought about this for a short time pondering my chances for returning versus just going back to my seat. The only thing I couldn't comprehend was their outright disallowance of people's bladders. Okay, the other problem I was having is that each tier of seats was raised up slightly above the one in front of it giving each seat a nice view of the stage. Furthermore, the doors which exit into a semi-circular room, isn't actually directly attached to the area of the theater that you enter into from. It's like a tire on a rim. Outside of the rubber is the car, then the rubber of the tire then the steel rim. The rim would be the theater, the rubber the semi-circular room and the car the rest of the theater house. Plus this semi-circular room was slightly dimmed so that light wouldn't seep through into the Opera House, itself. Understanding came from a tiny voice in my thoughts; Justin stated "Aaron, SK is incredibly illogical and one must just go with the flow of things."

Smiling at the usher from the depths of words of wisdom via Justin in my memory banks, I agreed to hold my "bathroom break and search for Mark" until intermission. She turned on her mini-flashlight escorting me back around to the stairs, so that I could go join Shauna. Instead of joining her and interrupting the people sitting beside her, I walked down the row of seats behind our own. I sat down, leaning forward speaking in a whispered voice, "we must wait until intermission or they won't let me back into here. He will just have to wait, if he's made it here?" "okay." Sitting back into our chairs we both laid our eyes back on the ballerinas and ballerinos in progress below.

As the clapping resounded throughout the theater, we stood stretching looking at each other in hopes that Mark was somewhere downstairs to be retrieved. We walked quickly down all four flights of stairs, out the escalators, down the spiral stair case into the main hall of SAC and out onto the street. It was 7:54 pm, the city was aglow in lights, traffic snarled in front of the plaza and several people were enjoying cigarettes. Neither of us saw Mark. We entered into the hall, thinking if I showed up late, what would I do? I'd look around of course! So, we went back up the escalator to the outside courtyard, we checked the Opera House foyer, we checked the bathrooms and used them. Then we bought ourselves a beverage and an intermission snack. Heading back to the theater without Mark to watch the second half of the ballet.

Words... If only I could come up with the vision to explain the second half of this ballet. The words needed to describe the second half of the Nutcracker escape me. Even my camera was unable capture the pure joy displayed in front of us over the next fifty-five minutes! All, I can say is if you have the chance to attend a production of The Nutcracker, by any ballet company, Go, at whatever the cost maybe. Honestly, I will never forget the amazingly talented group of ballerinas and ballerinos who performed that evening.

And I am now excited we are entering into November with the holiday season stretched out in front of us. From today onward, I will be scouring the theater halls here in Seoul, for another ballet and hopefully we will find another ballet company performing, "The Nutcracker."

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Photos

Seoul Arts Center
near Seocho Station

Opera House
Entrance area

Opera House
The circular interior with 5-story glass elevator

Opera House
The interior floor from the fifth floor

Foyer
Shauna ready for the ballet

Foyer
Aaron ready for the ballet

Performers
The ballerina's and ballerino ready for an autograph session after the final act

Comments

[Mom]

Wonderful!!
Dear Aaron and Shauna, It sounds like you had a wonderful evening at the ballet!! Congratulations!! Make lots of those memories ... they are to be cherished!! Love, Mom