Many may be surprised to realize that the history of creative Korean musicals stretches back to as early as 1966. Since then, Korean musicals have improved slowly but surely—and now Korean musicals are developing faster than ever. Compared to the past, when only licensed musicals or original cast musicals were celebrated, original Korean musicals are now being staged at most theaters. They are also becoming popular globally—many shows, such as the musical Turandot, have already succeeded in the Chinese market, and a great number of other performances are still waiting to hit the stage.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the market for performing arts has grown nearly 40 percent in the past three years, generating a profit of 759 billion won in 2014. The musical industry accounts for about 50 percent of this profit, and original Korean musicals have also contributed significantly in recent years. Although Korean musical market size is still one-quarter of the size of the big musical markets such as Broadway, it is expected to grow much larger, based on the current trend. 

Original Korean musicals are not only affecting the domestic performing arts market, but they are also a huge sensation in the Asian musical market as well. Recently, the musical Frankenstein, which hit a record-breaking 24 million admissions in Korea last year, signed a licensing contract with Toho, a major Japanese production company. In addition, the musical The Dwarves is also to be staged in China next April, and many other Korean musicals are following this lead. Some are even on their way to the Broadway stage, with the Seoul Performing Arts Company planning to export Korean musicals to the world. 

 

 

“The reason why original Korean musicals could grow in the domestic market is because they deal with emotions and humor codes that Koreans can easily empathize with, compared to licensed musicals, which are mostly based on Western culture,” said Han Seung Won, a representative for the musical production company HJ Culture. These Korean musicals are also more flexible in developing the storyline and musical numbers, communicating with the audience and getting feedback. In addition, the musical ability of Korean actors and their power of expression also add strength to the development of original Korean musicals.

 

 

These achievements have been made possible by the constant efforts of support staff from various fields in the background. In particular, profound research and attempts to develop the content of the musicals are thought to have been the main contributors to their success. Content research and development is now carried out by several production companies, which mainly focus on two goals: constructing the infrastructure for new shows, and developing the content market, which mainly involves the writing of scripts. 

“For Korean musicals to further thrive, the first task is to create a strong infrastructure for the musical content,” said Han. HJ Culture is now currently planning to work on this through their new project HJ Creative Lab, which aims to dig up fresh material and talented actors. Other musical production companies are also doing something similar. “The next step is to expand the market, not only nationwide but also globally.”

One of the biggest limitations of the musical market is that, compared to the limited audience size and the demands of the musical industry, too many musicals are released. Therefore, it is now necessary for original Korean musicals to chase bigger markets in foreign countries, like the many musicals that are now moving on to Chinese and Japanese stages. Furthermore, since most theaters are now located in Seoul, developing the performing arts industry nationwide is also another significant challenge in the current musical market. 

Furthermore, a significant number of audience members also worry about the standardization of musical content. Recently, most of the original Korean musicals that have made it to the stage have focused on male duos as protagonists. Therefore, it is difficult for talented actresses to find a stage that can fully show their abilities. Furthermore, even though they are telling stories using Korean lyrics and musical numbers, the stories all involve foreign figures, such as Rachmaninoff, Dorian Gray, or Mata Hari.

In order to solve these problems, some musicals are trying to merge foreign material and Korean culture so that they can still appeal to foreign markets, but also showcase Korean culture. For example, the musical Peste, which is based on the novel by Albert Camus, was praised for effectively blending the world-famous French novel with the songs of legendary Korean pop singer Seo Tae Ji. However, an excessive focus on Korean culture without an interesting story can backfire—for instance, Nori, which aimed for global recognition, was harshly criticized for the poor and thoughtless incorporation of Korean cultural touchstones such as kimchi or samulnori.

Original Korean musicals are expected to run much farther and longer. There are so many resources, and pathways for it to follow. After the development of K-drama and K-pop, K-musicals are now expected to be a new cultural wave in domestic and global markets. Without relying on actors’ ticket power or provocative stories, Korean musicals can show the world what is ours, in our own voices, with solid stories that can make everyone laugh, cry, and fall in love.