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Well, hopefully we'll be able to see more of these kinds of collaborations among galleries
in Korea in the future.
And I think that's where the "Culture Day" idea helps, because it is not only a great
opportunity for residents of Korea, but for participating venues and vendors to work together
and further President Park's goal of making the arts and culture more accessible to the
average citizen.
All right, and there are also some wonderful musicals going on now as well, right?
That's right, and it seems that Korea, and Seoul in particular, has become a mecca for
musicals, with many, many different choices for fans.
And so, I'll be taking a look at a few that you may want to see over the weekend.
In celebration of its ten-year anniversary, Chungmu Art Hall is currently preparing its
own musical theater production of Mary Shelley's novel, "Frankenstein."
With major producers and an all-star cast, the production is the most anticipated musical
for the first half of 2014. Featuring big-name actors such as Yoo Joon-sang,
Lisa and Park Eun-tae, the casting has been of great interest to many fans, who are eagerly
awaiting its opening. The story revolves around the plot of the
classic novel itself, with Dr. Victor Frankenstein attempting to create an undying soldier...
and giving life to the monster that is incorrectly named Frankenstein.
The production is set to open on March 18th and run until May 11th at the Chungmu Art
Hall, located in Jung-gu, Seoul.
The classic film "Ghost" is currently running here in Seoul -- but no, not in its classic
movie format,... as a musical. Featuring the vocals of pop singer Ivy, who
plays leading lady Molly Jensen, and actor Joo Won as the main character, Sam Wheat,
the musical has already captured the hearts of fans here in Korea.
The story revolves around the story of undying love between Molly and Sam, a love that is
so fierce that even after the death of Sam, he reaches out to protect Molly with the aid
of a spiritual medium. The production, which features all of the
sets from the West End production, is currently running at the D-Cube Art Center in Guro-gu,
Seoul, until June 29th.
The musical "Jersey Boys," one of the three most popular hits on Broadway, is currently
running right here in Seoul. The jukebox musical revolves around the formation,
success and eventual break-up of pop music's original idols -- the rock'n'roll group The
Four Seasons. The production has won numerous awards, including
four Tonys in 2006, with one for best musical, and the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award for best
new musical. Now, after two tours in the United States,
and stops in London's West End, Singapore, South Africa and the Netherlands, it is finally
here in Korea at the Blue Square Theater in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, until March 23rd.
Well, all those look like wonderful productions for fans of culture and the arts to experience
Definitely. But one in particular that I think many people,
myself included, will enjoy is "Frankenstein." Featuring an original Korean production, I
think it can become the type of production that can garner a lot of interest from abroad.
And it would definitely be nice to see Korean musicals gaining some global attention.
That's right, and especially because this is a made-in-Korea musical, it would be great
to see it licensing the rights to production companies abroad.
Alright. Well, thank you, Tae Ho, for giving us a preview of these great productions, and
have a wonderful weekend.
You, too. Have a great afternoon.