K-Musicals Target London and Hong Kong Markets with Eight Original Productions

10th Anniversary of the “K-Musical Roadshow”... Seeking Overseas Expansion
Three Staged Readings Featuring Local Actors to Be Presented in London
Showcases and Q&A Sessions for Five Completed Productions in Hong Kong

Eight Korean original musicals will take the stage in London and Hong Kong in the form of staged readings and showcases.

The Korea Arts Management Service said it will hold events showcasing Korean original musicals in London, the United Kingdom, on November 12 and in Hong Kong on December 6, marking the 10th anniversary of its “K-Musical Roadshow.” In the United Kingdom, local actors will take part in staged readings, while in Hong Kong, the organization will seek opportunities to expand overseas through showcases of completed productions.

The “K-Musical Roadshow” supports the overseas distribution of Korean original musicals by presenting staged readings and showcases tailored to the characteristics of major international markets. Launched in Shanghai, China, in 2016, it has expanded to cities including New York and Tokyo. This year, it will present eight productions selected through the “K-Musical International Market” in June.

The roadshow, to be held on November 12 at the Lillian Baylis Studio in London, aims to help productions enter the West End and pursue co-productions on Broadway. Local creators and actors will present staged readings of each production lasting 40 minutes. Local British musical theater and performing arts professionals, along with audience members, will attend to explore the possibility of licensing agreements and co-productions.

The three participating productions are “In My Noisy Bookstore,” about young people who connect through used books during the Japanese colonial period in 1940 and under military dictatorship in the 1980s; “Ojjige Jaemitneun Gasinadeul,” based on the true story of women in their 80s who began writing poetry for the first time while learning Hangeul; and “Ah! Ms. Gyeongsuk!,” a reimagining of Hyun Jin-geon's short story as a female ensemble drama combining swing and pop music. “Ojjige Jaemitneun Gasinadeul” won three awards at the 10th Korea Musical Awards.

The roadshow in Hong Kong, to be held on December 6 at the Jockey Club Auditorium of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, will introduce five original musicals targeting the Greater China and broader Asian markets. After performing key scenes from each production for 20 minutes, the producers and creative teams will take part in a 10-minute question-and-answer session.

The productions are “Greyhouse,” set against the birth of cinema and a turning point in the arts in the 1920s; “Chorok,” inspired by Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Kim Dong-in’s “Baettaragi”; “The Little Prince,” which drew more than 30,000 audience members over four consecutive years of performances in Taiwan; “Cabin,” a two-person play depicting a psychological battle inside a sealed cabin; and “The Boxer of Joseon,” about the journey of young Koreans during the Japanese colonial period.

About 800 members of the general public, in addition to local performing arts professionals, are expected to attend the Hong Kong event. The Korea Arts Management Service plans to gauge audience reactions firsthand and use the feedback to support licensing exports to the Greater China market and expand tours across Asia.

Kim Jang-ho, head of the Korea Arts Management Service, said, “I hope Korean creators and overseas producers will build sustainable global partnerships through a two-track strategy: developing localized productions for English-speaking markets and distributing completed productions in Asian markets.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.