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.
‘The Great Gatsby’ readies to roar to life in Seoul in August
Matt Doyle, left, and Senzel Ahmady sing "My Green Light" during a showcase for the Seoul production of the musical "The Great Gatsby" at Mood Seoul on Some Solvit in southern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of OD Company
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Tony-winning actor Matt Doyle shares excitement for new adventure
After dazzling audiences in New York and London, “The Great Gatsby” is making its way to Seoul, marking a rare moment in theater history where a Broadway-originated production runs simultaneously in three global capitals. The 15-week Seoul engagement begins with previews on Aug. 1, before officially opening at GS Arts Center in southern Seoul on Aug. 8.
The musical, adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel, was first brought to life on stage by Korean producer Shin Chun-soo. In 2024, Shin made history as the first Korean and first Asian to serve as a solo lead producer on Broadway. Just one year later, the show premiered in London’s West End. Now, with its Seoul debut, Shin admitted that unveiling the show in his home country comes with a unique sense of pressure.
“To be honest, I feel even more nervous here than I did for Broadway or the West End,” he said during a showcase at Mood Seoul on Some Solvit, Tuesday. “There, it was an exciting kind of tension. But here in Korea, it's more of an anxious kind of tension — because this is my home turf and I feel the weight of presenting it to Korean audiences.”
Shin described the Seoul staging not as a replica, but as a creative evolution.
“With Broadway, the West End and now Seoul, it feels like layering brushstrokes onto a painting — building on the original foundation and evolving it further with each new production,” he said.
From left in front row, producer Shin Chun-soo and actors Senzel Ahmady and Matt Doyle attend a showcase for the Seoul production of the musical "The Great Gatsby" at Mood Seoul on Some Solvit, Tuesday. Yonhap
The Seoul version features sets and costumes tailored for the Korean venue. But the most striking difference, according to the producer, is the cast.
Leading the production is Tony Award winner Matt Doyle as Jay Gatsby, a rare appearance by a top-tier Broadway actor in a Korean production. Doyle, who won the Tony for his performance in “Company,” arrived in Seoul just two days prior to the showcase and expressed excitement about performing outside of New York for the first time in years.
"I wanted to be here and I wanted to come here because there's a myth in New York that New York is the be-all, end-all and it's not," Doyle said. "Why not leave my comfort zone and come to an incredible, incredible new city that I've never experienced before and work on a piece that I love so much?”
Describing Gatsby as “a man who has been chasing the love of his life and has gone to the greatest extremes to win her back,” Doyle said he resonates with the character’s passion.
"Who wouldn't want a man to sacrifice everything for them … and he literally builds a castle for her because he wants to win her love. Ultimately, he's doing it all for ... Daisy and that's so beautiful,” the actor said. "You're able to see a deeper side of the character and see deeper emotion and layers … that you wouldn't necessarily see in a film or through the book."
Matt Doyle sings "For Her" during a showcase for the Seoul production of the musical "The Great Gatsby" at Mood Seoul on Some Solvit, July 15. Courtesy of OD Company
Senzel Ahmady, who played Jasmine in the North American tour of "Aladdin," brings her charm as Daisy Buchanan.
"I was actually a big fan of 'The Great Gatsby' when it first opened on Broadway a year ago. I'm honestly a big fan girl on this show before I even auditioned ... To be able to step into Daisy's shoes after [original Broadway lead] Eva Noblezada is seriously the role of a lifetime for me," Ahmady said.
Ahmady said she finds power in Daisy’s contradictions — her outward poise and hidden emotional struggle.
"When I'm playing Daisy, what I like to focus on is what's going on underneath. It's always about putting on a face and pushing down these feelings for her ... You still see that performative act of hers that you follow throughout the entire show,” she said.
Her favorite number, “Beautiful Little Fool,” comes near the show’s end.
"That is when everything is pulled apart and you finally get to see the true, frustrated, kind of ugly part of Daisy that she can't help but share with her cousin Nick. And that's why it's my favorite."
Rounding out the cast are Gerald Caesar as Nick Carraway, Amber Ardolino as Jordan Baker, Jeanna De Waal as Myrtle Wilson, Wes Williams as Tom Buchanan, Tally Sessions as George Wilson and Ed Staudenmayer as Meyer Wolfsheim.
Senzel Ahmady poses with Korean finger hearts during a showcase for the Seoul production of the musical "The Great Gatsby" at Mood Seoul on Some Solvit, Tuesday. Yonhap
As "The Great Gatsby" prepares to open in Seoul, Shin is already looking toward the future.
“We’re currently in talks to transfer the London production to a new theater next year, likely in early 2026,” he said. A U.S. tour is also in the works, set to kick off in Baltimore in February 2026. While not yet officially announced, discussions are underway for additional productions in Germany, Australia, Japan and China.
Still, for Shin, the Seoul staging is especially meaningful.
“I want this show to feel like a gift to the audience,” he said. “And as a producer, my goal is to create productions that can be loved for a long time.”