Lee Byunghun and Soo Ae's Film "That Summer" Returns as a Musical

Selected as "This Year's New Works" by the Performing Arts Creation Studio
To Be Staged on January 21 at Interpark Seokyeong Square in Seoul

The Arts Council Korea announced on January 14 that at the end of this month, it will present three original musicals based on films, true stories, and short stories as part of the "Performing Arts Creation Studio: This Year's New Works" program.

The Creation Studio is a project that discovers outstanding new works in the field of basic performing arts and supports them from production to distribution. This year, it begins with "That Summer," an original musical based on the film of the same name starring Lee Byung-hun and Soo Ae. The story depicts the pure love between a librarian and a college student in 1969. The musical will premiere on January 21 at Interpark Seokyeong Square Scon Hall 2 in Seoul.

The musical "Nellie Bly" will be released on January 24 at SH Art Hall in Seoul. It is based on the life of Elizabeth Cochran, a female journalist who was active from the late 19th to the early 20th century. On January 30, "Rappaccini's Garden" will be performed at Plus Theater in Seoul. This musical is a reinterpretation of the short story "Rappaccini's Daughter" by American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The council will also present several domestic traditional arts works. The Korean original dance piece "Nyeong: The Prince's Path" will be staged on January 25 and 26 at the Grand Theater of Arko Arts Theater in Seoul. The performance, presented in an omnibus format, tells the story of King Taejong of Joseon, who changed the fates of his sons Yangnyeong, Hyoryeong, and Chungnyeong to protect his crown.

From January 24 to 26, "Haewonhaejulgeyo: Remaster (REMASTER)" will be performed at the Small Theater of Daehakro Arts Theater. The theme is the traditional Korean practice of haewon, which involves resolving deep-seated resentment or fulfilling wishes. The performance reinterprets the procedures and rituals found in Jindo Ssitgimgut and Hwanghaedo Gut.

The performance "Guracheolsageum: Ta (打)," which highlights the characteristics of the traditional Korean string instrument "yanggeum," will also be held from February 8 to 9 at Gurumarae Small Theater in Seoul.