How A Tale Of Resilience ‘Itaewon Class' Became A Japanese Musical

Forbes

01-05-2025

Itaewon Class is more than a popular webtoon, garnering over 430 million cumulative views on Kakao Webtoon. It's a source of ongoing inspiration. The engaging storyline has inspired a variety of adaptations, including the 2020 Korean TV series, starring Park Seo-joon and Kim Da-mi, and a 2022 Japanese TV series titled Roppongi Class, which topped Netflix Japan's most watched list for weeks. A Taiwanese series is being developed and the first-ever musical adaptation of Itaewon Class is currently in rehearsal. The stage adaptation of the original webtoon will be performed at Brillia Hall in Tokyo from June 9 through 30, with a national tour following through July 21.
Produced by the Japanese entertainment company Toho Co., Ltd., the musical is a collaboration between Korean, Japanese, and U.S. creators, including composer and lyricist Helen Park. The award-winning South Korean-born composer is best known for the score of the Broadway musical KPOP and she's the first Asian female composer/lyricist for a Broadway play to be nominated for a Tony Award. Park is also a fan of the original Itaewon Class webtoon by Kwang Jin.
'I loved how compelling the webtoon is in its rawness and humanity,' said Park. 'What struck me most was how grounded and flawed the characters were—and how deeply relatable their struggles felt.'
The webtoon was serialized from 2016 to 2020 on Kakao Webtoon, a platform operated by Kakao Entertainment.
"It features Park Sae-ro-yi as the protagonist ― a character who steadfastly adheres to his own beliefs and principles ― while unfolding the stories of various young people navigating life in contemporary society," said Jake Hwang, chief manager of Story IP Business at Kakao Entertainment.
Sae-ro-yi (Nozomu Kotaki) is an ex-convict who opens a pub in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood and tries to live in a way that would make his late father proud. As a high school student he transferred to a new school because his father (Masahiro Asano) transferred to that location for work. There he saw his classmate Jang Geun-won (Kentaro Akizawa) bullying others. Everyone looked the other way, but Sae-ro-yi hit him. Because Geun-won is the son of Jang Dae-hee (Kenta Satoi), the chairman of the restaurant chain where Sae-ro-yi's father works, Sae-ro-yi drops out of school and his father quits his job.
"The story of Itaewon Class is one of resilience, ambition, and the pursuit of justice—all set against the vibrant, ever-changing backdrop of Itaewon, Seoul,' said Park. 'Musically, I wanted to reflect that energy by blending contemporary musical theater with k-pop, rock, and the lush, emotionally rich style of Korean drama that defined the TV adaptation.'
When his father later dies, Sae-ro-yi learns about Geum-won's involvement. He assaults Geum-won and ends up in prison, crushing his hopes for the future and his budding romance with classmate Soo-ah (Minami Umezawa/Yurina Kawaguchi). Years after his release Sae-ro-yi opens a restaurant in Itaewon. He doesn't know a lot about business but he instinctively knows who to trust.
As an ex-con Sae-ro-yi knows what it's like to be looked down on. He assembles a crew of workers, who might find it hard to fit in anywhere else, and together they excel in the convivial setting of the pub DanBam. He teams up with the smart sociopath Yi-seo, played by Sora Kazuki/Sara). He also hires Hyeon-yi (Kate Doi), Seung-won (Kodai Yoshida), and Geun-soo (Tasuke Niihara), Geun-won's younger brother who has feelings for Yi-seo.
'I was also inspired by the characters' emotional journeys,' said Park. "Each of them has a distinct voice, and I tried to capture that individuality and depth in the score.'
For Hwang the ongoing adaptations of Itaewon Class stem from its vivid, lifelike characters and its close reflection of real-world narratives.
'The story deeply resonates with readers, offering comfort and encouragement to many young people living through today's challenging times,' said Hwang.
For Park the story is timely, but the message is timeless.
'I believe it's the timelessness of the themes—perseverance, integrity, love, and revenge—set within a culturally specific context,' said Park. "It's a classic hero's journey, but one deeply rooted in contemporary Korean society, which gives it both universality and a fresh perspective. That balance is what makes the story resonate so strongly across different mediums and cultures, including the Japanese audience we're honored to present this musical to.'
The musical's script was written by Riko Sakaguchi, best known for her work on the productions The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and Mary and The Witch's Flower. The production will be directed by Koyama Yuna, who won the Yomiuri Theater Award for Outstanding Director. The musical's choreography is by Kyle Hanagami, who has worked with k-pop group Blackpink. Lee Hee-joon is the lyricist and composer, known for his work on the musical Darwin Young's Origins of Evil.
The webtoon Itaewon Class is available in English on Tapas and the live-action Korean adaptation is available on Netflix.