Renowned Korean novelist Jo Jung-rae, 72, will soon be able to regale in his tireless efforts to preserve the memory of the country’s turbulent history as his epic 12-volume novel “Arirang” has been readapted into a live musical performance.

Defying all odds, the upcoming eponymous musical ― which will start its run on July 16 ― comes after years of relentless and failed attempts to adapt Jo’s 20,000-page painstaking tale of Japan’s colonization of the peninsula into a screenplay for TV or film.

However, despite the daunting task of trying to compress 12 volumes of script into a single live production, famed musical director Park Myung-sung ― known for his local adaptions of Broadways hits such as “Aida” and “Mamma Mia” ― along with Seensee Company have dedicated the past three years to to bring Jo’s words to the stage ― as producers.

“We cannot, nor should we, erase our history,” said Jo during a news conference held at the Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul on Tuesday. “History is not merely just our past, but it’s a mirror that reflects our current society and a compass that helps guide us for the future.”


Raising the curtains this year is more sentimental for Jo and the entire musical production team as it marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 35-year colonial rule. And although to most Koreans, this time in history evokes many painstaking and bitter memories, Jo says that it is imperative that a country’s history allows citizens to band together and grow prosperously.

“I hope ‘Arirang’ the musical will give our people the chance to unite and become one,” he said.

The 12-volume epic historical novel was condensed down to a 2-hour and 40-minute-long musical program, featuring Suh Bum-seok and Ahn Jae-wook as the male lead Song Su-ik ― a leader in the anti-Japanese movement ― along with actresses Yoon Gong-jy and Kim Seong-nyeo as the female love interest, Bang Su-guk.

“Arirang” the musical is directed by the renowned local stage director Koh Sun-woong, with its 50 musical scores composed by Kim Dae-seong, a respected traditional Korean music composer. It is said that the production will feature multiple variations of the folk song “Arirang,” which is unanimously considered the country’s most representative national folk song.

The upcoming musical will be held at the LG Arts Center in Seoul from July 16 to Sept. 5. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won ($54) to 130,000 won. For more information, visit www.lgart.com.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)