Hit Japanese Comic to Turn into Original Korean Musical

Official poster of Korean musical "Late-night Cafeteria," which will open at Dongsoong Art Center’s Dongsoong Hall on December 11, 2012. [Equator]

Famous Japanese comic “Shinya Shokudo” will turn into an original Korean musical next month.

The show’s production firm Equator said the new musical “Late-night Cafeteria” [translated title] is putting the named comic on stage at Dongsoong Art Center’s Dongsoong Hall from coming December 11 to February 17 next year.

Marking itself as the first theatrical installation of the comic in the world, the anticipated project kickstarted as a workshop show of Doosan Art LAB, Korean conglomerate Doosan's project supporting performing arts and little theaters.

The much-beloved comic tells common yet colorful stories of customers--yakuza, gay bar hostess, stripper and unpopular singer--who visit a shabby late-night cafeteria only running from midnight to seven in the morning.

Sold over 1.1 million copies in Japan and 0.3 million in Korea, the running best-seller has been dramatized into TBS’ popular series of the same name in Japan, which had run two seasons until November 2011.

Smoothly telling stories of night workers' joy and sadness, the drama also excelled to show the simple yet tasty food made by the mysterious master, not only stimulating the viewers' appetite but also healing their wounded hearts.

"Late-night Cafeteria" [translated title] main casts Kim Neul-me (left), Seo Hyun-cheol (second to left), Park Hye-na (center), Song Young-chang (second to right) and Baek Eun-hye (right) pose together on the set of the upcoming musical, which will open at Dongsoong Art Center’s Dongsoong Hall on December 11, 2012. [Equator]

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