Choi Jae-rim, Kim Seong-cheol, Kim Hwan-hee, Son Ji-su Newly Join
Epic Journey Until May Next Year... Tickets Open on the 30th
'Jekyll & Hyde,' which has led the history of Korean musicals, will raise its grand curtain on December 4th at Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The 20th anniversary musical 'Jekyll & Hyde' will be performed at Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall for over six months until May 18th next year. Preview performances are scheduled from November 29th to December 3rd.
The musical 'Jekyll & Hyde' is an adaptation of the novel Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. It highlights the duality of good and evil and human nature through the conflict between the two personalities, 'Jekyll' and 'Hyde,' within one person. It also explores steadfast trust and pure love amid fearful and dark circumstances, establishing a new genre called 'thriller romance.' The world-renowned composer Frank Wildhorn and writer Leslie Bricusse, both well-known in Korea, collaborated on the work, which premiered on Broadway in 1997 and has been performed in more than 10 countries including Germany, Sweden, Japan, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy.
Jekyll and Hyde actors Hong Kwang-ho, Shin Sung-rok, Choi Jae-rim, Kim Sung-cheol, Jeon Dong-seok (clockwise from top left) [Photo by Odi Company]
In Korea, the musical was first produced in 2004 by producer Shin Chunsu of Odi Company using a Non-Replica approach. It was modified, adapted, and translated to suit Korean sensibilities and reinterpreted by Korea’s top creative team. This production made history as the first Korean musical to sell out all performances, creating a huge sensation at the time. During the encore performances, all 12,000 tickets sold out within seven hours of ticket opening, setting a new record for daily ticket sales. The success and sensational popularity of 'Jekyll & Hyde' laid the foundation for the growth of the musical fandom and greatly contributed to the expansion of the musical market. Over the past 20 years, 'Jekyll & Hyde' has undergone nine regular productions, with a total of 1,702 performances and an accumulated audience of 1.8 million, establishing itself as the most successful production worldwide.
The roles of 'Jekyll/Hyde,' which vividly portray the duality of human nature through the promising doctor and scientist 'Jekyll' and his evil alter ego 'Hyde' born from drug experiments, will be played by Hong Kwang-ho, Shin Sung-rok, Choi Jae-rim, Jeon Dong-seok, and Kim Sung-cheol.
Hong Kwang-ho has played Jekyll/Hyde since 2008, and Jeon Dong-seok since 2018. Shin Sung-rok first appeared in the role in 2021, making this his second time. Choi Jae-rim and Kim Sung-cheol will take the stage as 'Jekyll & Hyde' for the first time this season.
Yoon Gong-ju, Ivy, Lin-ah, Seon-min, Kim Hwan-hee as Lucy (top left to right) and Jo Jeong-eun, Choi Su-jin, Son Ji-su, Lee Ji-hye as Emma (bottom left to right) Photo by Odi Company
The role of 'Lucy,' a London club dancer with fatal charm who is the only one to treat Jekyll humanely and loves him but suffers from Hyde, is cast with Yoon Gong-ju, Ivy, Rina, Sunmin, and Kim Hwan-hee. This will be Kim Hwan-hee’s debut in the role.
The role of Emma, Jekyll’s fianc?e and his spiritual support who comforts him in his confusion and shows the purest love while standing by his side, will be played by Jo Jung-eun, Choi Su-jin, Son Ji-su, and Lee Ji-hye. Rising star Son Ji-su, who debuted in musicals as 'Christine' in The Phantom of the Opera, has been newly cast as Emma.
Among the cast, Shin Sung-rok and Choi Jae-rim as 'Jekyll/Hyde,' Ivy and Rina as 'Lucy,' and Lee Ji-hye as 'Emma' are scheduled to appear on stage starting March next year.
Shin Chunsu, CEO and producer of Odi Company, stated, "We are preparing diligently to make the 20th anniversary Korean production of the musical 'Jekyll & Hyde' a monumental performance." He added, "To enhance the delivery of the drama, we have added LED visuals and upgraded the stage, costumes, and lighting to achieve perfection upon perfection. We will do our utmost to present a high-quality production so that this work can continue to progress."
Tickets for the 20th anniversary 'Jekyll & Hyde' will be available for reservation from 11 a.m. on the 30th via Interpark Ticket and Ticketlink.
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