Theaters offer something for everyone

Newest players on cultural scene liven up Busan Seomyeon

The performance theaters that line the streets of Seomyeon are enhancing the area’s reputation as the cultural bastion of Busan. The second half of last year saw the addition of several impressive new venues. Here’s some more information about these venues, which are generating a fair share of buzz and adding a new dimension to the cultural scene.

Breakdancing at its best

True to its name, the BB Theater is a venue built specifically to house B-boy performances. In case you’re not familiar with this cultural offering, think high-energy, synchronized breakdancing. We’re talking back spins, head slides and coin drops. Breakdancing had its heyday in the United States decades ago before eventually petering out. But it is alive and well in Korea.

In fact, breakdancing first made an appearance and gained fame at Mt. Yongdu Park, a spacious area perfect for letting loose. So it’s not surprising that many people call it the “home” of the Korean B-boy scene. Occupying the site of the former Eunha Theater in Seomyeon, the BB Theater is the first venue in Busan that focuses specifically on B-boy performances. Its first ongoing show is “The Ballerina Who Loves a B-boy.” As you can probably guess, the story is about a ballerina who falls head-over-heels for a B-boy at first sight. To win his attention and ultimately his love, she becomes a B-girl.

This show brings in both the sexes, as men are attracted to the beautiful ballerina and women are drawn to the handsome B-boy dancers. A unique aspect of the show is that it’s pretty laid-back. You can use your mobile phone during the performance, get up and walk around, take a picture and eat.

The theater completely obliterates the formality of traditional performance halls, allowing the actors and dancers on stage to communicate with the audience.

Parents can even easily step outside to accommodate their crying children, making it a great choice for couples who haven’t been able to go to traditional theaters for fear of causing a disruption. The Ballerina Who Loves a B-boy is currently scheduled as an open-run performance. It launched at the theater earlier this winter and will continue there at least until autumn. The performers take the stage once every weekday and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. Seats fill quickly despite the rather steep price.

This is an all-ages event, so you’re just as likely to find parents and families at the show as teenagers and 20-somethings. If you plan ahead and notify the venue, you can publicly declare your affection for a loved one in front of the audience after the show is over.

Discounts are offered for seniors, disabled people and families with more than two children in addition to multi-cultural families.