5 concerts for your Christmas plans

If you want to enjoy the Christmas mood at a vocal concert, check out Tei's 〈Grandpa Santei Knows〉. It's a solo show over two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, at Coex Artium Woori Bank Hall. It starts at 8 p.m. on December 24 and 6 p.m. on December 25, so you can pick the show that fits your routine, whether that's plans after work or a Christmas Day outing.

The show runs 120 minutes, and the official ticket seller lists admission as ages 8 and up. R seats are 143,000 won and S seats 132,000 won, so compare seat location and budget together. The venue name includes Coex, but it's Artium Woori Bank Hall, not the exhibition halls or auditorium. It's a location you can easily combine with year-end shopping and dining, so leave some slack around your plans before and after the show. Check the booking page for your chosen date for details on the show and entry.

Im Han-byul's 〈Christmastar〉 runs from Christmas Day through Sunday, making it a handy pick for Christmas weekend plans. It starts at YES24 LIVE HALL at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 25, and at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 26 and Sunday, December 27. It's the same solo show each time, but the best date depends on whether you want dinner afterward or prefer not to travel late.

According to the official notice, it's open to ages 8 and up and runs 120 minutes with no intermission. Seats are VIP 154,000 won and R 143,000 won, so settle on a budget with your companion and then look at the seating chart. Young audience members should bring proof of age, and think ahead about how to handle winter coats and belongings. This list focuses on it as a ballad singer's Christmas solo show, and we've listed the actual performances separately so you don't confuse them with general year-end events on other dates.

If you're looking for a show full of blended voices on Christmas afternoon, Libelante's Aram Christmas Concert is a good fit. It's held on December 25 at 5 p.m. at the Aram Theater of Goyang Aram Nuri, and runs 100 minutes. If you have a meal planned with family or friends that day, it's easy to build the day around an afternoon show. Note that this show is at Goyang Aram Nuri, not Goyang Oullim Nuri.

Regular prices come in four classes, from R seats at 90,000 won to B seats at 60,000 won. The foundation lists admission as elementary school age and up, so don't judge by numerical age alone; check whether the child is in school. The early-booking discount, which applies until November 6, has a deadline as well as change and exchange conditions, so keep it separate from the regular price. If you book a discount, prepare any required proof. Comparing distance and angle to the stage on the venue's seating chart makes it easier to pick seats that suit the people you're going with.

If you want to spend Christmas Eve with jazz vocals, add Youn Sun Nah's 〈Jazz for Christmas〉 to your list. Featuring Youn Sun Nah with Bojan Z, Cheon Hyun-ji, Kim Sol Daniel and Yoo Woo-kyung, it takes place on December 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Grand Theater of Pyeongtaek Arts Center. It's a way to spend a winter evening listening to the back-and-forth between voice and instruments.

The show runs 80 minutes with no intermission, and per the foundation's notice, admission is for ages 8 and up. R seats are 50,000 won and S seats 30,000 won, so you can compare the budget with the other solo concerts on this list. Unlike Youn Sun Nah's other year-end shows in Seoul, the destination here is 310 Godeok-ro, Pyeongtaek. If you're coming from far away, settle your travel time and ride home first, and leave some time to get ready for entry after you arrive. Choose the show based on the announced performers, but there's no need to assume particular songs will be included.

Ron Branton's 〈Jazz Christmas!〉 lets you hear carols and winter songs anew through jazz rhythms and arrangements. Listen to the conversation between the piano and the other instruments, and you'll find a different side to familiar seasonal songs. This year's Seoul show marks the 25th anniversary, with two performances on December 25 at Sejong Chamber Hall, at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

You can choose whichever show works best around dinner, and it runs 90 minutes with no intermission. Seats are R 69,000 won, S 59,000 won and A 49,000 won, and Sejong Center specifically states that admission is for those born in 2019 or earlier. Even within Sejong Center, this venue is Sejong Chamber Hall, not the Grand Theater. If you're going with someone new to jazz, rather than memorizing lots of song titles in advance, it's more fun to listen together for how the carols change into different rhythms.