Korean musical 'Marie Curie' heads to London's West End

Lisa as Marie Curie in a scene from the musical "Marie Curie" / Courtesy of Live

The acclaimed original Korean musical "Marie Curie" will make its English-language debut on London's West End in June, its production company said Tuesday, in a significant milestone for the Korean musical industry.

The musical will run from June 1 to July 28 at the historic Charing Cross Theatre, Live said.

This marks the first time a Korean musical will be staged for a long-term performance with a local English cast and crew in the West End, one of the two pillars of the global musical scene, alongside New York's Broadway.

"Marie Curie" chronicles the life of the groundbreaking scientist who discovered radium and became the first woman to win two Nobel Prizes. The musical, which premiered in South Korea to critical acclaim in 2020, was also staged in Poland, Japan and China before Britain.

The West End production will feature a localized adaptation by a team that includes Tom Ramsay, Emma Fraser and Ahreumbi Rew. Renowned director Sarah Meadows of "Ride" will be at the helm, with musical direction by Emma Fraser of "Rent."

"From the very beginning, we've been working toward bringing this production overseas, and it received a positive response in Korea, Japan and Poland," Kang Byung-won, CEO of Live, said. "Our goal is to expand the beloved Korean work to resonate with audiences worldwide, transcending Asia." (Yonhap)