※ This post contains spoilers about some scenes from the show.
Circus? An Unfamiliar But Special First Experience
I don’t usually watch circus shows. Actually, this was essentially my first time. I’ve occasionally seen musicals and plays, but “circus” as a genre felt distant from me. However, after watching Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA, that preconception was completely shattered.
This wasn’t just simple acrobatics. It was a total art form fusing art, music, theater, and comedy. Now I understand. Why Cirque du Soleil draws over 8 million spectators worldwide, why people unanimously rave about it.
The Venue is Different from the Start – First Impression of the Big Top
When I arrived at Jamsil Sports Complex, the first sight was a massive circus tent. This structure called the “Big Top” stood tall in the middle of Seoul as if it had popped out of a fairy tale. The moment I saw the colorful red and yellow tent, a thrill of “Ah, this is circus” washed over me.
At the entrance, a giant Trickster sculpture welcomed the audience, and the corridor had merchandise shops and photo zones that made you fall into a special atmosphere even before the show.
A Tent But Indoor? More Comfortable Than Expected
I worried, “Won’t it be cold if it’s a tent?” but it was completely unnecessary. Once inside, it was a perfectly sealed indoor structure, and the heating worked properly. It wasn’t cold at all. Rather, during the show, whenever performers did heart-stopping stunts high up, I found myself breaking into a sweat.
The interior of the venue was much taller than expected. The height to the ceiling was considerable, ensuring enough space for aerial performances. The stage was a 360-degree circular stage of moderate size. The number of seats wasn’t too many either, so it was cozy while being large enough not to miss any performances.
Side R Seats Were Close Enough Too (But Center is Better)
I had booked R seats, and they were closer to the stage than expected. I could see every expression of the performers, even their sweat droplets. I could even hear the performers catching their breath during aerial stunts.
My seat wasn’t in the center of the stage but slightly off to one side in the R section, so I wondered, “Will this be okay?” To cut to the conclusion, it was better than expected. Due to the 360-degree circular stage characteristics, the performers showed showmanship in all directions, so there was almost no problem watching the stunts. For aerial performances, you look up anyway, so seat position didn’t matter much, and when performers moved along the audience aisles and interacted, side seats could actually see them up close.
Like this, R seats and side seats were close enough to immerse yourself, but if your budget allows, center seats are the best. Central seats like VIP or SR seats face the center of the stage head-on, and since all direction and stage composition are designed based on the center, viewing from the front allows you to appreciate performances at the most perfect and optimal angle.
The Show That Started 10 Minutes Before Official Start
Fun things began happening 10 minutes before the show started. Characters in colorful costumes wandered through the audience seats playing pranks on spectators. They scattered popcorn and picked out audience members to make them strike funny poses.
At first, everyone was awkward, but gradually the atmosphere loosened, and laughter erupted here and there in the audience. Making the audience comfortable even before the show starts seems to be Cirque du Soleil’s know-how.
Structure with 3 Phases Twisted Together
KOOZA consisted of three major elements:
- The narrative of Innocent and Trickster – The story of an innocent youth opening a magic box and entering a mysterious world
- Comedy mime of the King and two servants – Scenes that lift the atmosphere with slapstick comedy and audience participation
- Overwhelming stunts – Breathtaking acrobatics and aerial performances
These three elements twisted together, spiraling toward the finale. Rather than simply listing stunts, the narrative and comedy naturally harmonized to immerse the audience. Even the stage transition time wasn’t wasted.
Live Music and Manual Lighting – Everything is Alive
What was particularly impressive was that most songs and music were live. A band was positioned on one side of the stage, playing in real-time to match the performers’ movements. Drums, guitars, wind instruments – all instruments resonated vividly on stage. It might have been lip-syncing and I just felt that way..?
And all lighting appeared to be manually operated by people. I could see staff in the lighting booth changing lights with precise timing, which was also a live performance. It was a stage where everything was alive and breathing.
A Series of Breathtaking Performances – Highlights by Scene (Spoiler Warning!)
The show ran for about 100 minutes excluding intermission. But those 100 minutes really felt like 100 seconds. I couldn’t take my eyes off for a single moment.
1. Aerial Hoop – Acrobat on a Ring Suspended in Air
The first act was an acrobat performing stunts on a large ring suspended from the ceiling. The sight of flying through the air riding the hoop seemed to defy gravity. The audience held their breath at those graceful yet precarious movements. In the highlight scene, the acrobat executed a centrifuge motion.
2. Unicycle Duo – Acrobatics on a Unicycle
A performance where a woman did all sorts of things on top while a man rode a unicycle. While the man balanced on the unicycle, the woman did handstands on top, stretched her legs, and struck all kinds of poses. It looked simple but appeared to require tremendous concentration and balance.
3. High Wire – Tightrope Walking 10 Meters in the Air
Acrobats dueling with fencing swords, jumping rope, and even riding bicycles on a thin wire installed 10 meters above ground left mouths agape. Two bicycles ran simultaneously on the wire, with another acrobat standing balanced with a pole on top.
It wasn’t just sweaty palms – my feet were sweating too. Will they fall? Will they make a mistake? It was such a tense moment I could barely breathe.
4. Contortion – A New Realm of the Human Body
Two acrobats bent and twisted their bodies as if they had no bones. (On the day I watched, two came out.) It was amazing yet somewhat scary that the human body could be that flexible. It was a scene where graceful and eerie beauty coexisted.
5. Wheel of Death – Acrobatics on 700kg Rotating Cylinders
This scene was the climax of the show. A giant twin cylinder structure weighing 700kg started rotating by human power alone. It was like a giant hamster wheel. The acrobats jumped rope on the death-defying structure and glided for several seconds, making viewers’ hearts race. The scene where acrobats ran inside the cylinders, then jumped out to balance on top of the rotating cylinders was heart-stopping.
The audience watched with bated breath, and when the performance ended, the venue filled with explosive applause and cheers. This scene alone was worth the ticket price.
6. Hoop Dance – Hula Hoop Tricks
There was also a performance spinning multiple hula hoops simultaneously like rhythmic gymnastics. Dancing while spinning numerous brilliantly colored hula hoops on various parts of the body was graceful yet lively. It looked simple but was a technique requiring perfect timing and rhythm.
7. Balancing on Chairs – David Sculpture on 8 Chairs
This was a truly absurd scene. Chairs were stacked one by one on a table – vertically stacking more than 8. Then at the very top, a performance was shown lifting the body into the air while holding the chair with one hand.
Exclamations of “Wow…” came naturally from the audience. It seemed impossible that humans could do such a thing. The perfect sense of balance that seemed to defy gravity was marvelous.
8. Teeterboard – Aerial Jumps on a Seesaw
A performance where acrobats flew into the air using a giant seesaw-like device, rotating and landing. It was like human shot-put, and every time they landed, the audience cheered “Wow!” It was a difficult acrobatic stunt requiring tremendous teamwork.
The Strange Role Division Between Protagonist and Supporter
The show’s protagonist is an innocent youth called Innocent. But this fellow’s greatest achievement was… becoming king just by cheering. Really. While other performers risked their lives doing stunts, Innocent clapped and cheered and suddenly had a crown on his head.
Meanwhile, the character called Trickster was the facilitator of all this, whose greatest achievement was striking poses with a solemn expression and occasionally tumbling. Still, Trickster had a presence that led the stage.
All the hard work was done by the other performers. Tightrope walking, preparing/removing acrobatic equipment, jumping on rotating cylinders – all of that was the lot of other acrobats. Innocent and Trickster merely provided the story framework. This ironic role division was another fun point.
Clowns’ Slapstick Comedy – Not Wasting Even Stage Transitions
Between each performance, clowns appeared and put on slapstick comedy. The scene where they brought an audience member on stage, crowned them, and played pranks saying “final test” in clumsy Korean turned the audience into a sea of laughter.
Even during stage transitions, while staff set up equipment, clowns set off paper fireworks or ran through audience aisles with spectators, lifting the atmosphere. There wasn’t a dull moment.
Nerve-Wracking, Heart-Stopping, and Awe-Inspiring
Throughout watching this show, my emotions were like riding a roller coaster.
I clutched my hands with sweat – no, my feet too – holding my breath while watching. Will they fall? Will they make a mistake? That tension continued throughout the show. And every time a performance succeeded, the venue filled with explosive applause and cheers.
This wasn’t just stunts, but art transcending human limits. It was time to witness firsthand how far the human body can go, what wonders concentration and training can create.
Why 100 Minutes Felt Like 100 Seconds
Excluding the 20-minute intermission, it was about 100 minutes of performance, but I truly lost track of time. It felt like the show ended in the blink of an eye.
Every moment was intense with no room for boredom. Acrobatic performances and comedy harmonized exquisitely, with tension and relaxation perfectly controlled. Music, lighting, costumes, stage direction – everything came together to complete total art.
How Do Experts Evaluate KOOZA?
Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA, which premiered in Montreal, Canada in 2007, has been viewed by over 8 million people worldwide and is a representative work. In Korea, during its 2018 premiere in Seoul, it recorded total sales of 25.8 billion won and drew 205,000 spectators, becoming the highest-grossing show in Cirque du Soleil’s Korean tour history.
The title ‘KOOZA’ derives from ‘KOZA,’ meaning ‘box’ or ‘treasure’ in ancient Indian language.
KOOZA is considered one of Cirque du Soleil’s most daring shows. This work, which combines high-difficulty acrobatics, vivid live music, and solid narrative, shows the essence of live performing arts.
In particular, this show is a large-scale production with 54 artists and 115 staff moving together. The Big Top venue is a massive mobile tent with 2,500 seats, and it’s amazing that it provides the same quality performance anywhere in the world.
In Closing – Why You Must See This Show
Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA is a work that cannot be confined to simply the “circus” category. This is art, emotion, and wonder.
Even if you don’t usually watch circus shows – or rather, especially if you don’t usually watch circus shows, you must see this. It will shatter all preconceptions about circus and offer a completely new experience.
It’s performing at the Big Top in Jamsil Sports Complex until December 28, 2025, so I strongly recommend that anyone who hasn’t seen it yet experience it at least once.
The saying “there are people who haven’t seen it, but no one who’s seen it only once” didn’t come about for no reason.
Show Information
Show Name: Cirque du Soleil KOOZA
Performance Period: October 11 (Sat) ~ December 28 (Sun), 2025
Performance Times: Wed·Thu 7:30 PM | Fri 3:00 PM, 7:30 PM | Sat 12:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM | Sun·Holidays 2:00 PM, 5:30 PM (No performances Mon·Tue)
Venue: Big Top at Jamsil Sports Complex
Age Rating: All ages
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours 10 minutes (including 25-minute intermission)
Prices:
- VIP Seats: 320,000 won
- EXCITING Seats: 220,000 won
- SR Seats: 210,000 won
- R Seats: 170,000 won
- S Seats: 130,000 won
- A Seats: 100,000 won
- B Seats: 80,000 won