5 Year-End Shows to Choose with Your Kids: Ballet, Musicals and Film Music

This show is worth a look for families who want to enjoy footage and live music with children who love Disney animation. Scenes from several films are shown on a big screen, while musical actors sing and the Ditto Orchestra fills the stage. It's different from screening one film from start to finish, so if you introduce it as a time to hear music from many favorite films, your child can set their expectations accordingly.

It takes place on Christmas Day at 5 p.m. in the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, with a running time of 120 minutes. Entry is for ages 36 months and up, but the organizer recommends ages 4 and up, and it's noted that the show is performed in the original English without separate Korean subtitles. Think as a family about whether it's important for your child to follow the lyrics. Prices range from 50,000 to 120,000 won, and the venue doesn't recommend the steeply raked 3rd-floor sections for those accompanying young children, so take that into account when choosing seats.

See Marie and the Nutcracker's Christmas night adventure danced by the Korean National Ballet. The performance combines Tchaikovsky's music, Yuri Grigorovich's choreography and the Korean National Symphony Orchestra. The characters convey emotions through movement, and dances from many countries follow one after another, making it worth comparing if your family wants to see a show that doesn't rely on dialogue. It's a separate production from the other ballet company's show of the same title.

It runs December 11–27 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera Theater, and children 48 months and up can enter. The 120 minutes include a 20-minute intermission. Booking for general members opens November 4 at 1 p.m., and there's a notice that sales are closed on the 11th, 12th and 15th because the whole house is booked for private events. Weekend shows are at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., while the 25th and 27th have a single show at 2 p.m., so families who prefer matinees should check these exception dates. Preschool children must be accompanied by an adult guardian, and everyone needs their own ticket.

This Universal Ballet performance follows Clara on her journey to a fantasy land with the Nutcracker she received as a gift. The Christmas party, the battle with the army of mice and the many dances of personified sweets follow one after another, making it easy to go over the story before the show and talk about your favorite dances afterward. If it's your child's first ballet, briefly tell them about the characters Clara and the Nutcracker Prince will meet, and help them follow the story through the music and movement.

The Seoul run is December 17–30 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater. The official age requirement is ages 4 and up, born on or before December 31, 2022, so check your child's date of birth against it. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends and public holidays, with no shows on Mondays. Prices range from 30,000 to 140,000 won. Note especially that on the 24th and 25th, discounts are limited except for national merit recipients and people with disabilities, so check this when comparing the total cost for your family.

This is the Korean premiere of the musical 〈Frozen〉, telling Elsa and Anna's story through actors' singing and acting. It's a great way for elementary school kids who love the animated film and their families to compare how familiar scenes from the movie are brought to life on stage. Unlike a concert that pairs footage with an orchestra, this long-running show is the one to pick if you want a musical where the characters' story and songs flow on stage.

It runs at Charlotte Theater until March 1, 2027, and the 135-minute running time includes a 20-minute intermission. It's for ages 8 and up, elementary school students and older, and preschool children cannot enter. The official birth-year rule is born in 2019 or earlier for 2026 shows, and born in 2020 or earlier for 2027 shows. Regular prices range from 90,000 to 190,000 won, and there are extra Wednesday shows and special times on public holidays. Not all dates through the closing day go on sale at once, so check whether booking has opened for the date you want, along with the cast.

This family outing lets you rewatch the film 〈Home Alone〉 with your kids while hearing the music from a live orchestra and choir right in front of you. As you follow Kevin defending his home on screen from start to finish, John Williams's score is performed live. It suits families who prefer to focus on a single story rather than a show collecting songs from many animated films, or parents who want to share a Christmas movie they remember with their children.

It takes place on December 13 at 5 p.m. in the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall. It's for elementary school students and up, so preschool children cannot enter even with a guardian. The 120-minute running time includes a 15-minute intermission, and there's a notice that late entry isn't allowed during Part 2, so it's important to be back in your seat by the end of the break. Among seats priced from 50,000 to 110,000 won, some B-tier seats may have restricted views, so check for restriction labels when booking, keeping in mind how well your child will be able to see the screen.