Three theatrical worlds under one roof
This weekend, theatergoers have a rare opportunity to sample three vastly different stage productions — all playing under one roof at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul: one a time-tested classic with over three decades of history and two freshly premiered works that opened less than a month ago.
Unfortunately, none of these productions offer subtitles or translation services, so fully appreciating the performances may be difficult without Korean fluency, particularly given their dialogue- and lyric-heavy nature.
"Phantom"
The musical "Phantom" by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit premiered in 1991, following the blockbuster success of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera.'
While both works draw inspiration from Gaston Leroux's classic novel, Webber's version became a global phenomenon, overshadowing 'Phantom.'
Yet 'Phantom' offers a compelling and distinctive reimagining of the same story, shedding new light on the Phantom's inner world.
It's well worth experiencing not only as a point of comparison but also as an example of how a familiar narrative can be transformed through a different artistic lens.
In particular, the Korean production of "Phantom," presented by EMK Musical Company, has taken creative liberties to craft its own distinctive interpretation, earning widespread acclaim over the past decade. Now in its fifth and final run, the production returns with powerhouse vocalists Park Hyo-shin, Kai, and Jeon Dong-seok, who bring stirring intensity to the show's vocally and musically demanding score. EMK has confirmed that this season will mark the conclusion of this version.
"Phantom" runs at the Sejong Grand Theater until Aug. 11, with no performances on Mondays. Tickets range from 70,000 won to 170,000 won ($51.50 to $125).
"The First Great Show"
Presented by the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre, 'The First Great Show' is a whimsical and heartfelt homage to Korea's early musical theater. Set in the 1960s, when the idea of a 'musical' was just beginning to take root in Korea, the production follows director Yoo Deok‑han and producer Kim Young‑woong as they attempt to stage the nation's first-ever musical. This fresh, nostalgic production offers laughter and insight into Korea's theatrical origins.
Running through June 15 at the Sejong M Theater, the show features a stellar creative team, including director Kim Dong‑yeon. Kim led the original Korean staging of 'Maybe Happy Ending,' which won six awards at the Tony Awards with its Broadway adaptation.
Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 80,000 won.
"I'm Nowhere"
At the Sejong S Theater, Seoul Metropolitan Theatre's new original, 'I'm Nowhere,' boldly confronts a haunting social reality: the lives of the forgotten. Written and directed by renowned theater-maker Ko Sun-woong, the play is inspired by a newspaper article on 195 unclaimed deaths — individuals who lived and died like ghosts, unnoticed by society.
The story centers on a woman who escapes years of domestic violence, sheds her identity, and drifts through the margins of society, only to die alone and become a literal ghost. Through her posthumous gaze, the play explores what it means to be unseen in both life and death.
For this play, Ko takes an inventive, meta-theatrical approach, where actors break the fourth wall and openly acknowledge the artifice of theater.
The play runs until June 22 except on Mondays. Ticket prices range from 40,000 won to 50,000 won.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
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