You know it’s spring when the wind feels warmer. This spring, the wind of warmth blows in the performing arts field, unlike last year, when there were almost no performances onstage given COVID-19. Fortunately, in spring 2021, various performances await audiences, such as Korean creative musicals and the world’s most popular musicals. The venues are thoroughly sanitized, and distanced seating is enforced, guaranteeing our audience’s safety. Let your love for the arts blossom anew with our exciting repertoire.
Wicked
The Wonderful Wizard of OZ: Their Old Story
After its original show in 2012 and licensed shows in 2013 and 2016, the musical Wicked is performed in Korea again in 2021. Since it first appeared on Broadway in 2003, it has gained worldwide attention, becoming more popular than its original novel. Luckily for the fans, Wicked appears onstage in 2021 amid closed venues in the pandemic.
This musical is about the backstory of the fairy tale The Wonderful Wizard of OZ, so it is recommended for those who are familiar with it. Do you know that the angel-like Glinda and the green-skinned wicked western witch Elphaba were actually best friends? You can learn the secrets of the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man. Famous are the songs “Popular,” which Glinda sings while teaching Elphaba how to dress up, and “For Good,” a duet about a friendship between the two. In the culmination of Act 1, “Defying Gravity” is a piece that will surely enthrall audience members.
Information
- Period
- February 12 - May 1, 2021
- Place
- Blue Square, Shinhan Card Hall
- Age Limit
- Eight years old and above
- Date and Time
- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 19:30; Wednesdays at 15:00; Saturdays-Sundays at 14:00 and 19:00 (No performances on Mondays)
- Running Time
- 170 min
- Admission Fee
- VIP: KRW 150,000, R: KRW 130,000, S: KRW 100,000, A: KRW 80,000, B: KRW 60,000
- Inquiries
- Interpark Ticket, Yes24 Ticket
The Final Problem
A Bloody Competition between Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes
Set your curious sights on this musical based on a mystery drama, which appears onstage after a long time. It is a Korean creative musical about the story of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most charming detective, and Arthur Conan Doyle, his creator who wrote 4 long novels and 56 short novels within 40 years. The musical is based on one of the stories about Sherlock Holmes’ end with the same title.
Conan Doyle realized his dream to become a writer but could not draw attention. Meanwhile, he became interested in detective stories about solving cases happening in a city. He began creating a detective novel with Sherlock Holmes as a hero, where he achieved success. However, people complimented Sherlock Holmes more than himself, starting animosity and competition between the creator and character. Because some lines were taken from sentences in the original novel, the show is a treat for detective novel fans. Although the relatively small venue accommodates only 211 audience members, this intimate setting allows you to feel the actors’ performances more vividly.
Information
- Period
- February 15 - May 9, 2021
- Place
- Dream Art Center, Hall 2
- Age Limit
- 13 years old and above
- Date and Time
- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 20:00; Wednesdays at 16:00 and 20:00; Saturdays at 15:00 and 19:00; Sundays and holidays at 14:00 and 18:00 (No performances on Mondays)
- Running Time
- 110 min
- Admission Fee
- General seats: KRW 60,000
- Inquiries
- Interpark, Ticketlink
Inside William
Characters of Shakespeare’s Plays in the Real World
What would it look like if the characters of Shakespeare’s plays came into the real world with their egos? This musical begins with the author’s witty creations. Shakespeare mixes up his manuscripts by mistake while writing Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet based on the workbook for authors, A Complete Guide to Writing a Masterpiece.
Characters in the play finding their inner selves start doing as they please, such as Juliet, who leaves to find her dream; Romeo, who likes seeking attention everywhere; and Hamlet, who realizes that his life goal is not to exact revenge for his father but to become a poet. Shakespeare has to return them to where they were, but it is not easy. As you watch the play with hysterical laughter, you realize that ordinary life itself is worth it. This musical was selected as the “Creation Lab – New Work of the Year” in 2020 by Arts Council Korea. Moreover, the role of Shakespeare is genderless, making the play faithful to the modern setting.
Information
- Period
- March 2 - April 11, 2021
- Place
- Artone Theater 2 in Daehakro
- Age Limit
- 11 years old and above
- Date and Time
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 20:00; Thursdays at 16:00 and 20:00, Saturdays-Sundays at 15:00 and 18:30 (No performances on Mondays)
- Running Time
- 100 min
- Admission Fee
- R: KRW 66,000, S: KRW 55,000, A: KRW 44,000
- Inquiries
- Interpark Ticket, The Best Plays Inc. (Tel. no.: +82-2-766-6007)
The Priests
Meet Korean Exorcists Onstage
Get a thrill out of a famous Korean occult movie adapted into a musical. The characters and plots are similar, but most parts have been reduced because of time constraints onstage. That’s why it’s best to watch the movie beforehand.
The play features Deacon Choi, who studies to become a priest to atone the loss of his sister, and Father Kim, who believes in God’s existence but questions the true meaning of the religion. They exorcise the demon from Young-shin, a possessed young girl who suffered from unknown symptoms after a car accident, and she shows her relentless fighting spirit against the demon. In the exorcism scene, the lighting effects are said to be excellent and the ensemble of four, outstanding. However, be aware of some disturbing scenes, as it is an occult musical.
Information
- Period
- February 25 - May 30, 2021
- Place
- Uniplex Hall 1
- Age Limit
- 13 years old and above
- Date and Time
- Tuesdays-Fridays at 20:00; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at 14:00 and 18:00 (No performances on March 2 and on Mondays)
- Running Time
- 110 min
- Admission Fee
- R: KRW 88,000, S: KRW 66,000 / A: KRW 44,000
- Inquiries
- Interpark Ticket, Yes24 Ticket, Ticketlink
Myeong-dong Romance
Midnight in Myeongdong: One Night Spent with Artists from the 50s
Like Woody Allen’s movie Midnight in Paris, this is an enchanting timeslip-based musical. The appearance of famous writers and artists from the 50s are similar but the play’s development story and delivered message are novel to today’s audience. After watching the show, one truly feels the phrase “This, too, shall pass” in one’s heart.
Seon-ho, a public official who lives a dull and straightforward life, intervened in demolishing a coffee shop in Myeong-dong as a development project. Then, he was suddenly transported to the Myeongdong of 1956 because of an unknown force, and he entered the “Romance Coffee Shop.” In this place, he meets Lee Jung-seob, a famous Korean painter who lived in poverty, the modernist poet Park In-hwan, and Jeon Hye-rin, who says it is best to live in the moment with passion. Thus, he and the artists change their lives gradually. The episodes that occur in the gap between the two periods seem vibrant and fun. This play was selected as the repertoire of the year in the 2021 Performing Arts Creation Lab.
Information
- Period
- March 13 - June 20, 2021
- Place
- Yes24 Stage
- Age Limit
- 12 years old and above
- Date and Time
- Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 20:00; Wednesdays at 16:00 and 20:00; Saturdays at 15:00 and 19:00; Sundays and holidays at 14:00 and 18:00 (No performances on Mondays)
- Running Time
- 100 min
- Admission Fee
- All seats: KRW 66,000
- Inquiries
- Interpark Ticket, Yes24 Ticket
