Ticket Sales Surpass 500 Billion Won for the First Time Ever
CJ ENM is making a strong mark in the year-end musical market of 2025 by simultaneously achieving box office success with three productions.
According to the ticket reservation site NolTicket on December 31, three out of the top five most reserved musicals during Christmas week (December 24-30) were CJ ENM productions. "Moulin Rouge," "Kinky Boots," and "Beetlejuice" ranked second, third, and fifth, respectively.
"Moulin Rouge," based on the 2001 film of the same name starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, opened on November 27 at Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall. On December 16, CJ ENM launched "Beetlejuice" at LG Art Center Seoul Signature Hall, followed by "Kinky Boots" at Charlotte Theater the next day.
"Moulin Rouge" and "Kinky Boots" are co-produced by CJ ENM and Broadway production companies and were first released in the United States. Both are acclaimed works that have won Best Musical at the prestigious Tony Awards. "Moulin Rouge" swept ten categories, including Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Actress, at the 74th Tony Awards in 2021 after its Broadway premiere in 2019. "Kinky Boots" made its Broadway debut in 2013 and won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, that same year. "Moulin Rouge" and "Kinky Boots" had their Korean premieres in 2022 and 2014, respectively. "Beetlejuice," which premiered on Broadway in 2019, was brought to Korea as a licensed musical by CJ ENM and had its local premiere in 2021.
This is the second season for both "Moulin Rouge" and "Beetlejuice." "Kinky Boots" is now in its seventh season, solidifying its status as one of CJ ENM's flagship productions.
All three musicals captivate audiences with dazzling shows and spectacles, while also delivering warmth at the end of the year by telling stories about family.
The protagonist of "Kinky Boots," Charlie, inherits a shoe factory on the brink of closure after the sudden death of his father. With the help of drag queen Lola, whom he meets by chance, he starts making men's high heels, saves the factory, and comes to understand his late father, with whom he had always clashed. The musical is especially famous for the dynamic ensemble performances by Lola and her fellow "Angels."
"Beetlejuice" tells the story of reconciliation between a troubled teenage girl, Lydia, and her father, Charles. The musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name directed by Tim Burton and starring Winona Ryder, among others.
Lydia, the protagonist, is always engulfed in sadness as she misses her deceased mother. In contrast, Charles never mentions his wife, which only makes Lydia resent him more. However, Charles eventually confesses to Lydia that he misses his wife deeply, leading to a restoration of their father-daughter relationship.
Lydia possesses the extraordinary ability to see ghosts, and the musical depicts the chaos that ensues when she meets the mischievous ghost Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice constantly plays pranks throughout the show, providing the audience with plenty of laughter. The magical and spectacular stage effects presented by Beetlejuice are also a highlight.
"Moulin Rouge" does not directly focus on a family story. However, its protagonist, Satine, was abandoned by her parents as a child and grew up learning to sing and dance at the Moulin Rouge social club. For Satine, the members of Moulin Rouge are like family. The musical tells the story of Satine and her colleagues joining forces to overcome adversity together.
The Moulin Rouge was a famous social club that actually existed on the Montmartre hill in Paris at the end of the 19th century. Reflecting this backdrop, the show captivates the audience from the very beginning with its sensual and glamorous performances.
With CJ ENM's productions leading the year-end box office, the overall size of the Korean musical market is also growing. According to the Performing Arts Integrated Computer Network operated by the Arts Management Support Center, as of December 30, this year's musical ticket sales amounted to 500.77 billion won. This represents an 8.0% increase from the same period last year (463.83 billion won), marking the first time that annual sales in the Korean musical market have surpassed 500 billion won.
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