'The First Great Show' reimagines origin of Korea's musical theater
Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre's new comedy blends fact and fiction to pay tribute to musical pioneers while playfully poking fun at the genre
Don't take the title "The First Great Show" too seriously.
The new musical by the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre may be about the beginnings of Korean musical theater — loosely inspired by the real story of the Yegreen Troupe, Korea's first private company founded in 1961 to pioneer original musicals — but the show itself doesn't aim to be a reverent history lesson.
After all, making a 'great' show is hard for anyone — let alone the first-timers who were inventing the genre as they went. The story plays with the idea of how confusing and bold the "first" musical attempt may have been, especially in an era when the genre was not well understood in Korea.
So, as the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre reimagines the troupe's story, they've chosen to explore the pioneering but chaotic spirit of early Korean musical theater through comedy. The story was also fictionalized to avoid being boxed in by facts and to better connect with audiences.
'Dealing with stories from the past, political or historical realities in Korea is a bit sensitive. So the challenge was to present this material in a way that could make audiences laugh without feeling burdened or uncomfortable,' Kim Dong-yeon, a seasoned stage director, said during an interview on Thursday.
Still, the work is more than just a comedy. It's both a tribute to Korea's early musical theater pioneers and a self-aware reflection on the genre itself.
'The work honors those whose failures and efforts laid the foundation for what is now a 460 billion won ($330.5 million) musical industry — the largest share of Korea's performing arts sector,' Kim Deok-hee, artistic director of the musical theater, said.
Describing it as a 'musical about musicals,' Kim said the show playfully poses meta-questions such as: 'Why do characters suddenly sing?' and 'Does it always have to end in a happy ending?'
He added that the work also aims to embody the identity of the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre, which traces its roots to the historic Yegreen Troupe that remains relatively unknown despite a history spanning more than 60 years.
Composer Choi Jong-yoon said that he drew from a wide range of musical theater traditions — over 100 iconic numbers from Korean and Western musicals. Rather than imitation, these were intended as respectful tributes to predecessors.
The score spans genres like country, soul, folk, disco and even trot, evoking the textures of the era, Choi said.
Writer Park Hae-rim said the musical began with the question: 'What if you were tasked with making the first-ever musical in a time when no one knew what a musical was?' Although fictional, many scenes in the show are inspired by actual anecdotes from the early 1960s — like performing without microphones or casting non-musical actors.
The cast includes veteran actors and ensemble members of the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre, joined by guest performers such as Lee Chang-yong and Cho Hyung-kyun.
'The First Great Show' runs May 29 to June 15 at the M Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
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