While Kpop and Korean dramas are becoming all the rage throughout the West, there is little discussion surrounding Korean theatre. From pansori to modern stories, theatre has been a constant throughout Korean history.
One of the newest shows to run at the Blue Square is none other than Moulin Rouge the Musical.
As someone who has been a part of different theatre productions for the last 8 years and holds a bachelors degree in theatre, I was highly impressed by this production.
The actors were all amazing, but I was immediately captivated by multiple design aspects of this show. The lighting and stage design did as much to tell the story as the actors did. Lighting was even built into the stage floor as part of the design.
Not to mention, the set pieces were extremely intricate and beautiful. There was not a single detail that was unintentional. While the lighting helped set the mood of the scenes, the scenery art itself was fantastic.
Musically, all of the songs were super fun! Although it was a little strange to hear modern pop songs in a musical, it helped a lot in understanding the plot. Since the show is in a language that I understand very little of, recognizing songs that I do know in my language kept me in the loop.
I had the privilege of seeing Hong Kwang-Ho and Kim Ji-Woo take on the lead roles of Christian and Satine.
Although I am not well educated in the Korean language, Hong Kwang-Ho's acting was enough to keep me caught up in the story.
Even if I couldn’t understand every word, his portrayal of the character was easy to understand and sympathize with.
While the whole cast did a great job at tackling this high-energy show, Hong Kwang-Ho did a phenomenal job in portraying the full range of emotions that his character experiences throughout the show.
From a smitten boy in the first act, through the deterioration of his character in the second act, he knew his character like the back of his hand.
Hong Kwang-Ho's performance of Crazy Rolling in the second act was such a vulnerable plea from the character that it is burned into my memory. Truly, he represented the love, heartache, anger, and regret that Christian goes through beautifully.
Throughout his portrayal of the character, every line, movement, and note was strategically performed while still feeling effortless. Hong Kwang-Ho's talent is both unbelievable and undeniable.
It's also undeniable that this show has many show stopping numbers, such as the act 2 opener Backstage Romance.
This song has a million things that catch your eye. The choreography, costumes, and lighting are constantly moving and changing.
Additionally, the supporting characters and ensemble were talented, engaging, and overall enjoyable to watch.
Their commitment to the absurdity of their characters was half of what made the show so entertaining.
Each performer in this production was extremely talented, and it was clear that they were enjoying themselves throughout the performance. If you are in Korea between now and March 5th, you should be running to see this show!
Have you been to a theatre production in Korea? What was your experience like?
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