Musical gala celebrates Korea Times' 75-year legacy, power of music

A poster for "The Musical," a musical gala commemorating the 75th anniversary of The Korea Times /

By Kwon Mee-yoo

• Published Nov 6, 2025 4:30 AM KST

To mark its 75th anniversary, The Korea Times brings the magic of musical theater to the concert stage with a gala “The Musical,” helmed by music director and conductor Kolleen Park. Featuring Kang Hye-jung, Michael K. Lee and Choi Jae-rim, the concert pays tribute to the legacy of Korea's oldest English daily and the universal language of music.

Born to a Korean father and Lithuanian American mother, Park made her debut as music director for the Korean original musical "The Last Empress" in the 1990s and has since led major productions including "Aida" and "She Stars!" over the past three decades. Her experience extends to large-scale events and concerts, such as serving as director for the opening ceremony of the 2014 Asian Para Games and, more recently, directing the opening and closing ceremonies of the 106th National Sports Festival in Busan in October.

A constant challenger in her own right, Park is also active on stage as an actor, best known for her portrayal of Diana in the musical "Next to Normal." This summer, she broke new ground by taking on the traditionally male role of director Julian Marsh in the musical "42nd Street," offering a fresh perspective to the character known for discovering hidden talent.

For Park, every creative project begins by asking, “What is the story?” With this gala at Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul, set for Monday evening, her vision was to allow the music to shine in its most authentic form, taking advantage of one of Korea’s most acoustically refined venues.

“We wanted to focus on acoustic excellence — no microphones, no in-ear monitors, no video projections,” Park told The Korea Times in a written interview. “This concert is about letting the voices and orchestra resonate naturally and honoring the music itself by fully embracing the hall’s exceptional acoustics.”

Park’s philosophy for this concert is clear: strip away the excess and let the music speak. In an era where artificial intelligence, video and technology increasingly dominate performances, she chose to focus on the essentials — voice, orchestra and story.

“This concert is one where you can close your eyes and just listen,” Park said.

Emotional journey of music

More than a collection of well-known numbers, the gala’s set list was curated to take the audience on an emotional journey. Park and the musicians chose songs that evoke love, loss, triumph, longing and hope, echoing the highs and lows of The Korea Times’ 75-year history.

Central to the concert is the artistic chemistry between Park and her performers, accompanied by the 40-member High Tone Symphony Orchestra. Park first encountered soprano Kang Hye-jung during the Korean premiere of “Anna Karenina,” where she was immediately captivated by Kang’s voice as Patty.

“Even in a brief appearance, her singing left a lasting impression,” Park said. Their collaboration grew from there, with Kang eagerly embracing new musical challenges.

For this gala, Kang joins Choi for a rearranged version of Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe’s “Barcelona,” an unusual example that combines pop and opera. Kang and Choi will also perform a duet of “Before and After You” and “One Second and a Million Miles” from “The Bridges of Madison County.”

Park’s collaboration with Lee dates back even further, to the Korean premiere of “Miss Saigon” in 2006, where she was music director.

“Michael is an artist who truly appreciates great performances and doesn’t rely on technology or editing. He’s a genuinely skilled actor,” Park said. “He’s never afraid to try something new and he will also present a new duet with Choi Jae-rim.”

Lee’s repertoire for the evening includes “Out There” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Where in the World” from Maury Yeston’s “Phantom.”

Park admires Choi for his versatility and adventurous spirit. He gained wider recognition after a video of his ventriloquist performance of “We Both Reached for the Gun” from “Chicago” went viral, adding to his reputation built on diverse roles such as Lola in “Kinky Boots” and the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera.”

“He’s not afraid to take risks and he’s prepared many new interpretations for this performance. I’m very much looking forward to it,” Park said.

Lee and Choi will sing “Lily’s Eyes” from “The Secret Garden” — a musical not yet staged in Korea — for the first time.

“‘The Secret Garden’ is a personal favorite of mine and ‘Lily’s Eyes’ brings out the best in both Michael’s and my voice. It was his suggestion to include it,” Choi said.

Choi is also preparing to reprise his role as the duty-bound Humayun in the play “Guards at the Taj” at LG Arts Center in western Seoul, starting Nov. 12.

“I remember accepting the role immediately after reading the script during the Korean premiere of ‘Guards at the Taj’ [in 2017]. The script was so beautiful, I couldn’t resist. Now, after more than seven years, I want to show how I’ve grown as an actor, working with new cast members and director Shin U-chung, who encourages us to inspire the audience’s imagination and interpretation,” he said.

Known for his ability to seamlessly cross genres, Choi finds energy and fulfillment in tackling new challenges.

“I find the greatest joy in expanding my storytelling abilities as an actor through a variety of performances. That’s what gives me the drive to keep moving forward whenever new opportunities arise,” Choi said.