American progressive metal legends Dream Theater will return to South Korea for their first concerts in the country in three years, performing a three-night series at Blue Square SOL Travel Hall in Seoul's Yongsan district from February 20-22, 2026. The performances are part of the band's highly anticipated 40th anniversary tour spanning Asia and Australia, officially titled "An Evening With Dream Theater: 40th Anniversary Tour 2025."
The upcoming Seoul concerts hold special significance as they mark the first Korean performances since founding member and drummer Mike Portnoy announced his return to the band in October 2023. Portnoy's reunion with Dream Theater has generated considerable excitement among fans worldwide, as his departure and subsequent return represents a major milestone in the band's four-decade history.
Tickets for the three-day concert series will go on sale Tuesday at noon through NOL Ticket, the official ticketing platform for the events. Concert-goers and fans can find additional details about the performances, including venue information and special arrangements, on event organizer Private Curve's official website and social media channels.
Dream Theater's musical journey began in 1985 when three ambitious students at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music came together to form a band initially called Majesty. The founding trio consisted of guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and drummer Mike Portnoy, who shared a vision for creating complex, technically sophisticated metal music. Four years later, in 1989, the group adopted the name Dream Theater and released their debut album "When Dream and Day Unite."
The band achieved their commercial breakthrough with their sophomore effort "Images and Words" in 1992, an album that would go on to define progressive metal for generations of musicians and fans. The record featured iconic tracks such as "Pull Me Under" and "Another Day," which helped establish Dream Theater as pioneers in their genre. The album's lasting impact on metal music was officially recognized in 2017 when Rolling Stone magazine included "Images and Words" in their prestigious list of the 100 greatest metal albums of all time, cementing the band's place in rock history.
