Musical meets gugak in myth-based fantasy drama“Man in Red”
“Man in Red” is a hybrid musical-gugak performance, based on a myth from the northeastern Hamgyong region, now belonging to North Korea. Its central theme lies in the harmonious existence of nature and humankind. Courtesy of National Gugak Center
By Anna J. Park
Have you ever wondered what it would look like to watch a performance that combines elements of both musicals and traditional Korean music?
The National Gugak Center's “Man in Red,” scheduled to be performed from Nov. 19 to 23, would give you an answer.
Multi-talented directors and stage artists, as well as affiliated music groups of the National Gugak Center, including the Court Music Orchestra, Dance Theater, Folk Music Group and Contemporary Gugak Orchestra, all gathered for this mixed-genre project.
Director Lee Jong-seok, known for his previous mega-success musical “Finding Mr. Destiny,” otherwise known as “Finding Kim Jong-wook,” leads the performance, helped by playwright Kang Bo-ram and composer Lee Ji-su, who both had prominent roles in organizing the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Composer Lee also worked on the soundtracks for hit films like “Old Boy,” “Architecture 101” and “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly.”
Art director Im Choong-il, who presented one of the most eye-catching scenes at the opening ceremony for the PyeongChang Olympics with an “Inmyeonjo” mask performance, is also participating in the performance.
Besides the star-studded lineup of participating artists and directors, it will be the first time that the folktales and shamanistic traditions of the Korean Peninsula's Hamgyong region are presented to audiences in South Korea.
Official poster image of the performance. Courtesy of National Gugak Center
The original legend is about a young scholar who breaks all four rules given to him, and ends up obstructing a planned ascension of a dragon, which was previously a punished fairy.
As a result, the enraged dragon intends to kill the scholar, but he overcomes the dragon thanks to the wisdom of his wife, Lady Youngsan, who spreads the dragon's ashes to every major mountain range in the nation.
All the highest peaks of the mountain ranges are said to have emerged from the ashes, and those peaks become places where people gather to hold shamanistic rites to ask for blessings from nature.
This myth symbolizes the unavoidable confrontation between nature and humanity, which transforms into a harmonious existence of mutual respect and blessing.
The performance adapts the original story into a modern version where the young scholar becomes a teacher, and the fairy/dragon becomes a white deer. The show employs the latest stage technologies to depict mythical elements of the fantasy drama.
“The original legend has the story of the reconciliation of nature and humankind,” Kang said during a press conference last Wednesday. “I believe if the story is adapted to the present, it could help address many ongoing environmental problems, such as global warming and abnormal climate change.”
The performance will be presented five times at the National Gugak Center's Yeakdang in southern Seoul from Nov. 19 to 23; reservations can be made at
or other ticket reservation websites. Ticket prices range from approximately $8.50 to $43 (10,000 won to 50,000 won).
The director and performers pose for a photo during a press conference on Oct. 23 at the National Gugak Center. Courtesy of National Gugak Center