Theater lovers disappointed with hike in ticket prices

A poster for the stage play adaptation of "Shakespeare in Love" / Courtesy of Shownote

By Kwak Yeon-soo

When the first round of presale tickets for the stage play adaptation of “Shakespeare in Love” opened up in December, many theater lovers were shocked to find out that top ticket price was 110,000 won ($87). The lowest-priced ticket for the play was 50,000 won, higher than an average theater ticket price of 42,000 won, according to data from the Korea Performing Arts Box Office.

“Tickets are becoming harder to find and more expensive to purchase. The VIP and the orchestra pit seats are usually sold out within minutes of the ticket opening,” a theater fan said on condition of anonymity.

Shownote, the production company behind “Shakespeare in Love,” said the price hike was inevitable. One factor in the high ticket prices was the ambitious stage design.

“The play is having its first run in Korea, so we had to create everything from scratch ― the set, lighting, costume and others. We had to bring most of the set props from outside of Korea because the play is set in the 16th-century Renaissance period, characterized by its extravagance and glamor. Due to inflation, labor costs have also gone up,” the company official said.

Premiering on Jan. 28, the play features A-list actors including Kim You-jung, Jung So-min, Lee Sang-yi and Chae Soo-bin. A fictional account of the story that inspired Romeo and Juliet, the play revolves around the forbidden love of William Shakespeare and noblewoman Viola de Lesseps.

“I think this will be a chance to explore new career opportunities and a meaningful time to show another side of me,” Kim said about the major crossover appeal, adding that acting for screen and stage are two totally different things that require unique skillsets

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae in stage play “The Seagull” / Courtesy of ARC Company

“The Seagull” ― which began its run at Universal Art Center on Dec. 21 ― also raised people's eyebrows by selling VIP tickets for 90,000 won. Directed by veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, the stage play features big-name actors including So Yu-jin, Kim Soo-ro and Jin Ji-hee.

Based on Anton Chekhov's play of the same name, “The Seagull” is about love and creative endeavors of four characters.

The highest-priced ticket for “Misery,” featuring actors Kim Sang-joong and Lee Il-hwa, has risen up to 88,000 won, an average increase of 13 percent since 2019. Based on Steven King's novel of the same title, “Misery” follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by a crazed fan.

A growing number of movie stars are choosing to tackle serious plays on stage. Son Suk-ku announced that he will perform in “Army on the Tree,” a Japanese original play written by Hisashi Inoue, in the first half of 2023.

Based on a true story, the play centers on two soldiers who climb up a tree to seek refuge from enemy attacks during the final days of World War II. Without knowing that the war had ended, the two spend two years in the tree waiting for peace.