[Kulture-Issue] The return of long-running original K-musicals

“Old but gold“. This year, a number of Koreans’ favorite long-running original K-musicals are being welcomed back onto the stage.

What does it take for musicals like “The Last Empress“ and “Love in the Rain“ to receive decades of love from the audience? We’ll answer that question and more with culture critic Professor Chie Hye-won at Kyung Hee University. Welcome Professor Chie!

Q1. Professor Chie, please introduce to us the long-running Korean musicals that have become big again these days.

Q2. Let’s talk a bit more about “The Last Empress“, which is a pioneer when it comes to original musical theater productions here in Korea. What makes it special and why has it stood the test of time?

Q3. The musical “Love in the Rain“ meanwhile is known to be a “star incubator“, as it has served as a career doorway for many of the cast. Who are some of the mentionable names and what made “Love in the Rain“ a long-running musical?

Q4. And it’s not only success in Korea, as these productions have also made it onto the global stage. How was the response from the overseas audience as well as from critics?

Q5. These productions have also undergone some changes over the years. What are they? And how have each of the musicals grown into what they are today?

Q6. What impact have these long-running original musicals have had on Korean performance culture, and how do you think they've contributed to the popularization of musical theater?

Q7. The history of musicals goes back a long way in Europe and the U.S. There is a much bigger presence of long-running musicals overseas. What are the secrets to their longevity, and what are the conditions necessary for Korean musicals to follow suit?

Thank you very much Professor Chie for your insights.

Thank you Walter, see you tomorrow.