A poster for the play "Macbeth," starring Hwang Jung-min in the titular role / Courtesy of SEM Company
Yoo Seung-ho will play Prior Walter in the play "Angels in America." Yonhap
This summer, Korea's theater scene is abuzz with excitement as a slew of renowned actors grace the stage.
Following Cannes-winning actor Jeon Do-yeon who broke her 27-year hiatus on stage and made a surprise comeback to the theater last month with Anton Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" directed by Simon Stone, another veteran actor, Hwang Jung-min, is returning to the stage after two years with Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth," following his success in "Richard III."
Hwang, who will take the lead role of Macbeth, emphasized the unique appeal of theater.
"While drama and film lean more toward the director's artistic vision, theater truly belongs to the actors," he said, highlighting the stage as a place where actors can forge a direct connection with the audience.
"Once the curtain rises, the stage transforms into a space where actors intertwine their artistry. It's a time for direct engagement with the audience, creating a palpable energy that draws actors to this medium."
Hwang's "Macbeth" runs from July 13 to Aug. 18 at National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Grand Theater.
Actors Son Ho-jun and Yoo Seung-ho joined Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Angels in America." The two will alternate portraying Prior Walter, a complex gay character struck by HIV who receives a prophecy from an angel, in the play opening in August at the LG Arts Center in southwestern Seoul.
Son is making his return to the stage after 10 years, while child actor-turned-adult star Yoo makes a foray into the theater for the first time, marking a new chapter in his 24-year acting career.
Actor Go Joon-hee is also making her theatrical debut in "Angels in America," playing Harper Pitt, a woman battling drug addiction whose marriage has crumbled under the weight of her struggles.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Moon So-ri, best known for her acclaimed leading roles in the international award-winning film "Oasis," will take on the upcoming play "The Sound Inside," set to make its Korean premiere at the Chungmu Art Center in central Seoul in August.
Moon will portray a terminally ill Yale University English professor who plans to end her life on her own terms, rather than succumb to the disease.
Tiffany Young, left, as Roxie Hart, and Choi Jae-rim as Billy Flynn perform "We Both Reached For The Gun" from the musical "Chicago" during a press preview at D-Cube Link Arts Center in southwestern Seoul, June 11. Yonhap
K-pop stars in musicals
The musical stage is also thrilling, with K-pop stars and seasoned actors stepping into prominent roles.
Tiffany Young of Girls' Generation reprises her role as Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago" at D-Cube Link Arts Center in southwestern Seoul. Following her successful run in 2021, she's back to dazzle audiences with her powerful vocals and stage presence.
Actor Kim Bum has joined the musical comedy "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" at the BBCH Hall of Kwanglim Arts Center in southern Seoul through Oct. 20. Kim, known for his television roles as F4 member in smash hit KBS drama "Boys Over Flowers" (2009), made his musical theater debut, Saturday, taking on the role of Monty Navarro, a penniless young man who discovers he is the eighth heir to the wealthy D'Ysquith family. With his newfound status, Monty embarks on a mission to eliminate the seven heirs ahead of him.
In the Japanese romantic manga-adapted musical "Your Lie in April," actor Jung Ji-so, who played the younger version of school violence victim Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) in Netflix's revenge psychological thriller "The Glory," and Kei of the eight-member K-pop act Lovelyz have taken on the stage, portraying Kaori, a genius violinist, at CJ Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center until Aug. 25.