A scene from the musical "Swing Days: Code Name A" depicts Yu Il-hyung, inspired by Yuhan Corp. founder New Il-han, entering a party in Shanghai. Courtesy of All That Story and Company Yeonjak

Korean musicals about the independence movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period — a defining yet deeply scarred chapter in the nation's modern history — are evolving. Moving beyond traditional portrayals of heroic resistance fighters, new works are exploring more multifaceted narratives about those who fought for their country's freedom.

Leading this approach is "Swing Days: Code Name A," which draws inspiration from the real-life top-secret NAPKO Project devised in 1945 by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA. Intended to recruit and train Korean American operatives to infiltrate Japan, the plan was never carried out due to Japan's surrender. Nevertheless, decades later it emerged that New Il-han, founder of the Korean pharmaceutical company Yuhan Corp., had been involved in this covert mission under the code name A.

With details of the NAPKO Project still sparse, the musical takes creative liberties by incorporating about 15 to 20 percent of real events and the broad strokes of New's life. The show's protagonist Yu Il-hyung is portrayed as a conflicted entrepreneur who shifts from cautious neutrality to determined resistance, against a backdrop of espionage, love and sacrifice.

Premiered last November, this production springs from an unlikely creative partnership. Kim Hee-jai, best known for writing the 2003 box office hit "Silmido," makes her stage writing debut and American composer Jason Howland, known in Korea for orchestrating popular shows such as "Jekyll and Hyde," "Death Note" and "The Man Who Laughs," draws on his experience as the composer of "Little Women" and "The Great Gatsby."

Howland shared how he approached writing music for a Korean independence-themed musical in an email interview with The Korea Times.

Jason Howland, known in Korea for orchestrating popular shows such as "Jekyll and Hyde," "Death Note" and "The Man Who Laughs," makes his composer debut in Korea with "Swing Days: Code Name A." Courtesy of All That Story and Company Yeonjak

Setting the tone

When Howland was invited to join the project reimagining the Yuhan Corp. founder's role in Korea's fight for independence, he was immediately drawn to "the power of a story about how far a person would go (and) how much of themselves and their life they would give up for the greater good."

As a foreign composer, Howland acknowledged the need to handle the show's historical weight with sensitivity, yet he found the show's narrative to be universally resonant.

"While the specific details of the story are unique to 'Swing Days' — the fight for Korean independence — the themes that are at the story's core are universal and are one of the reasons I am so excited to be a part of it," he said.

"Universal themes are what make musicals great — the desire for freedom, expressions of love (and) fighting against despair — all are concepts that all people share and strive for and ones that I found it very easy to relate to."

A scene from the musical "Swing Days: Code Name A" / Courtesy of All That Story and Company Yeonjak

Set in the 1930s and '40s across Korea, China and the U.S., the musical opens on a lavish party in Shanghai, thrown by Il-hyung, a resourceful and charismatic Korean entrepreneur. His seemingly carefree world is upended when independence fighter Veronica bursts into the party, fleeing from Japanese soldiers. Although he initially attempts to remain neutral, witnessing Veronica shot dead at the hands of his childhood friend Yasuo, now Japan's lieutenant, leaves Il-hyung deeply shaken.

Haunted by Veronica's ghost and wrestling with his own heritage as a Korean, Il-hyung begins using his pharmaceutical business as a cover to support Korea's independence movement even further. The plot deepens as Il-hyung's good intentions backfire when his medications fall into the wrong hands, fueling kamikaze recruitment efforts.

Though Howland composed the score, the songs are performed in Korean by Korean actors. To maintain coherence and emotional integrity, he worked closely with Korean lyricist Park Hae-rim and a translator.

"I would have a full script and a first draft of a lyric and scene translated for me and use that as inspiration to find the spine of a song or musical moment. Then I would write a first pass of the music, send it to the team and then collaborate on the revisions."

Shin Sung-rok plays Yu Il-hyung in the musical "Swing Days: Code Name A," portraying his journey from a confident businessman to an active independence fighter. Courtesy of All That Story and Company Yeonjak

Multifaceted characters

The show charts Il-hyung's growth from a confident businessman to an active independence fighter, a role shared by Yu Jun-sang, Min Woo-hyuk and Shin Sung-rok on alternating schedules.

"I worked hard to have Il-hyung's character move from brash and overly confident to introspective and empathic," Howland explained. "When we first meet him, he is confident and slightly arrogant and the music in songs like 'Mr. Gambler' matches that tone and energy. By the conclusion of the story, he sings 'The Road I Should Take,' a thoughtful melody that captures — I hope — the complexity of the transformation that he has undergone."

One of the musical's strengths lies in its multidimensional characters, who defy traditional hero and villain archetypes, and Howland deliberately used a diversity of musical styles to highlight their complexity, from playful spy motifs to lush romantic duets.

"I wanted the more difficult characters to have a real vocabulary so that we could really hear their needs, desires and conflicts inside the dissonance in their music. Specifically, for both of the characters Gondo (Yasuo's father) and Yasuo, there is a great deal of chromaticism, so that their melodic content feels like it has more sharp edges and tension."

Independence fighter Veronica, played by Jeon Na-young, in scene from the musical "Swing Days: Code Name A" / Courtesy of All That Story and Company Yeonjak

Another noteworthy figure is Veronica, who leaves a strong impression early in the show and lingers throughout as a ghostly form, embodying Il-hyung's conscience and guilt.

"I had Veronica's first song be in a complicated meter, 5/4 (time signature), with edges of dissonance in her melody, so that everything about her introduction felt on edge and dangerous and hard to find a center on — so that she would have the maximum impact on the story," he said. "As the story progresses, there was opportunity for her character's musical voice to grow at the same time that Il-hyung — who was imagining her — was growing in his sense of duty and empathy."

Meanwhile, Il-hyung's budding romance with Mary, a Chinese physician who aids his pharmaceutical ventures, brings moments of tenderness to the intense drama.

"Inside every great musical is a love story and I really enjoyed writing those moments that are an expression of that for Il-hyung and Mary — a true modern couple. Both of them are smart, intuitive and compassionate and a great partner to the other," the composer said. "I loved finding their 'meet cute' in 'The Perfect Duet' and even more in how they express their love in the teasing yet moving song 'I Will Be Fine' where both pretend that the separation they face will be 'easy' (as Il-hyung decides to join the NAPKO Project)."

Howland also embraced the opportunity to infuse the score with big band jazz, capturing the spirit of the era.

"This musical is set in the 1930s and early 40s which meant I could really lean into the swing nature of the music every now and then — big band swing music is something I really love. In particular, the number 'Swing Dance' (in the second act), which has a very classic Gene Krupa feel on the drums, matched with a Paul Whiteman Orchestra big band style arrangement."

Beyond "Swing Days," Howland will reconnect with Korean audiences later this year through the Korean premiere of his Broadway musical "The Great Gatsby."

"I am so excited to bring 'The Great Gatsby' to the Korean audience and I truly hope that I get asked to write more musicals for this exciting and thrilling market," he said, eager to deepen his creative ties with Korea's theater scene. "I find the artists in Korea to be incredibly talented and inspiring and I hope I get to collaborate more. I have lots of ideas."

"Swing Days: Code Name A" runs through Feb. 9 at Chungmu Art Center in central Seoul.