Arang (musical)
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Arang (Korean: 몽유도원; Hanja: 夢遊桃源; RR: Mongyudowon) is a South Korean musical based on the novella Mongyudowondo (몽유도원도)[1] by South Korean novelist Choe Inho.
The musical premiered in November 2002 at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center.[2] A substantially revised version opened in January 2026 at the National Theater of Korea.[3]
The Korean title literally translates to "Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Paradise", a reference to the classical motif of an idealized utopian realm.[4] The English title Arang is derived from the name of the female protagonist.[5]
The story is based on The Tale of Mrs. Domi, an old Korean folktale.[6] While the original production portrayed Yeogyeong, the king Gaero of Paekche, as a morally corrupt ruler, the revised version restructures the narrative to place greater emphasis on Yeogyeong's psychological obsession with the woman seen in his dream and the resulting tragedy.[7]
Arang premiered on November 15, 2002, at the Opera Theater of Seoul Arts Center in Korea.[8] Yun Ho-Jin,[9] also known for the South Korean original musicals The Last Empress and Hero[10] produced the show with the composer Kim Hee-kap[11] and lyricist Yang In-ja,[12] a team behind The Last Empress.
In 2026, a renewed production opened at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea in January for a month,[3] and is scheduled to transfer to Charlotte Theater in April.[13] The score was completely rewritten by the composer Oh Sang-jun known for the South Korean musical Hero and Hero (2022 South Korean film).[14]
The production company ACOM announced plans for the production at the David H. Koch Theater in August 2026[15] and selected actors who could travel to New York for the performance according to the audition notice.[16]
Characters
- Yeogyeong – The king of Paekje whose obsessive pursuit of an idealized woman seen in his dream drives the central tragedy of the musical.
- Arang – A woman who appears in Yeogyeong's dream and becomes the object of his obsession; she is married to Domi.
- Domi – Arang's husband and a tribal leader who lives apart from the royal court.
- Hyang-sil – A court official torn between loyalty to the king and moral responsibility.
- Bia – A female ritual attendant in the tribe where Arang and Domi reside.
Casting
The principal roles were double-cast in both productions. In 2002, Yeogyeong was portrayed by Kim Do-hyeong and Kim Pub-lae, and Arang by Lee Hye-gyeong and Kim Sun-kyung;[2][8] in 2026 Yeogyeong was portrayed by Min Woo-hyuk and Julian Jootaek Kim, and Arang by Ha Yun-ju and Yuria.[17]
| Role | 2002 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Yeogyeong | Kim Do-hyeong, Kim Pub-lae | Min Woo-hyuk, Julian Jootaek Kim |
| Arang | Lee Hye-gyeong, Kim Sun Kyung | Ha Yun-ju, Yuria |
| Domi | Seo Young-joo | Lee Choong-joo, Kim Sung-sik |
| Hyang-sil | Cho Seung-ryong | Seo Young-joo, Jeon Jae-hong |
| Bia | Hong Ryoon-hee, Jung Eun-hye |
Production credits
Production credits include Yun Ho-jin (2002) and Yun Hong-sun (2026) as producers, and Moon Jeong Kim as music director.[17][18]
| Production | 2002 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Book | Kwang-rim Kim | Ahn Jae-seung |
| Composer | Kim Hee-kap | Oh Sang-jun |
| Lyricist | Yang In-ja | Yang Jae-seon |
| Producer | Yoon Ho-jin | Yoon Hong-sun |
| Director | Yoon Ho-jin | Yoon Ho-jin |
| Arrange/Orchestration | Peter Casey, Kwon Hyeok-sun | Kim Jin-Hwan |
| Music Director | Moon Jeong Kim | Moon Jeong Kim |