Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
‘Sleep No More’ to open in Seoul in August
A poster for "Sleep No More" Seoul / Courtesy of Ms.Jackson
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The groundbreaking immersive theater production "Sleep No More" is finally arriving in Seoul, with preview performances set to begin in July ahead of its official premiere on Aug. 21. Reimagining Shakespeare’s "Macbeth" as a noir-inspired, non-verbal experience, the production is already being hailed as one of the most anticipated theatrical events of the year.
Spearheaded by Korean immersive content company Ms. Jackson, "Sleep No More" Seoul will unfold inside the newly transformed McKithan Hotel — a reimagining of the former Daehan Cinema in Chungmuro, a symbolic site at the heart of Korea’s film industry. The venue has been renovated extensively to house this large-scale production, marking the largest iteration of "Sleep No More" ever staged, following runs in New York and Shanghai.
Originally created by British theater company Punchdrunk in the early 2000s, "Sleep No More" revolutionized modern theater by blurring the lines between stage and audience. Unlike traditional performances, viewers don masks and roam freely throughout a multi-story building, piecing together fragments of storylines drawn from “Macbeth,” styled with the mood and mystery of a Hitchcockian noir.
A scene from "Sleep No More," which will open at the McKithan Hotel in Seoul on Aug. 21, following previews starting July / Courtesy of Stephanie Crousillat
With each experience shaped by the path a viewer chooses, the show has garnered international acclaim and a global fan base. In New York, the show ran for 14 years at the fictional McKittrick Hotel before its closure, while Shanghai’s McKinnon Hotel continues to host performances.
“While preserving the originality of the New York production, we are working tirelessly to deliver a completely new experience unique to 'Sleep No More' Seoul," Park Ju-young, CEO of Ms.Jackson, said in a statement, Wednesday.
The Seoul version’s McKithan Hotel will transport audiences to 1930s Scotland, with each room offering a different layer of intrigue. Adding to the atmosphere is the Manderley Bar, where guests can enjoy live jazz and themed cocktails before or after the show.
Tickets for previews, which run from July 24 to Aug. 9, go on sale through NOL Ticket, formerly Interpark Ticket, starting Thursday. Due to the show's immersive and intense nature, only guests aged 19 and older will be admitted.