New Original Musicals 'Akma-ui Byeonhosa' and 'Widaehan Fitzgerald' Reading Showcase

On August 8 and 10 at Uniplex Theater 2

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The reading showcases of the new original musicals The Devil's Advocate and The Great Fitzgerald will be held on the 8th and 10th at Uniplex Theater 2 in Daehangno.

Both works are the final selected pieces of 'Glocal Musical Live Season 5,' produced by Live Co., Ltd. After a call for submissions in May last year, Live selected six works for planning and development, and following a mid-term evaluation in October, finally chose two works to be presented in the showcase reading performances.

The Devil's Advocate depicts the story of a fallen prosecutor and a fake lawyer who confront a world full of hypocrisy with wickedness. Prosecutor Jae-i, who sought to punish social evils and uphold justice but grew disillusioned with the legal world far from true justice, meets David, who volunteers to defend a notorious serial killer, raising questions about justice.

Playwright Min Mi-jung said, "In a world full of hypocrisy and greed, a con artist who suddenly appears like a mutant to mock the court and the world, and a prosecutor who chooses to become a devil to survive in an age of evil. Through their ways of punishing social evils, the boundaries between good and evil collapse, satirizing the current reality where right and wrong cannot be distinguished."

Composer Kim Hyo-eun, who debuted with the musical Hope and won the Best Music Award at the 4th Korean Musical Awards, has been involved from the early stages of the work and is in charge of the music. The direction is by Oh Rupina, who also won the Best Director Award at the 4th Korean Musical Awards for Hope.

Baek Ki-beom, who appeared in Mio Fratello, Mist, and Rimbaud, plays David, the devil's advocate who appears like a comet defending only villains as a serial killer's lawyer. Park Young-soo, known for roles in Marie Curie and Mia Familia, plays Jae-i, a prosecutor who became one to establish true justice but struggles with the impotence of law and principles. So Jeong-hwa, who appeared in Murder Ballad and Fan Letter, plays Prosecutor Na, Jae-i's former colleague who stands in opposition to the changed Jae-i. Yang Seung-ri, known for Bloody Silence and Marie Curie, plays the Chief Prosecutor who has reached the pinnacle of power. Other cast members include Song Sang-hoon, Lee Chan-ryeol, and Kim Min-jung.

The Great Fitzgerald is inspired by the lives of the Fitzgerald couple, who loved passionately and fought fiercely while completing the masterpiece The Great Gatsby. The work captures the 'Gatsby'-like history of Zelda Sayre and Scott Fitzgerald, who lived as true artists during America's turbulent Jazz Age.

Playwright Ham Yoo-jin said, "Scott lived a life parallel to Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of The Great Gatsby, almost as if it were a prophecy. Using a play-within-a-play structure, Scott and Gatsby, Zelda and Daisy appear separately and together. Following their emotional lines, even those unfamiliar with the actual plot of The Great Gatsby can fully understand the story." Composer Kim Ji-hyun, who delivered high-quality music in the musical Asteroid B612 and the musical drama Gwanghae, To the Sea of Light, is in charge of the music. Director Park So-young, known for Fun Home, Rungs, and Chami, participated as a mentor and also co-directed the showcase performance.

Yuria, who appeared in Little Women, Time of Dogs and Cats, and Hope, plays Zelda Fitzgerald, a character full of imagination and ideas. Ko Hoon-jung, who appeared in Hope, Achilles, and Time of Dogs and Cats, plays Scott Fitzgerald, a character with delicate sensitivity and a desire and will to be recognized by the public. Kwon Dong-ho, known for Maybe Happy Ending and Fan Letter, plays Hemingway and Gatsby. Kim Hee-ra, who appeared in Bernarda Alba and Marie Curie, plays Sheilah Graham and Daisy. Other cast members include Heo Soon-mi and Kim Chan-jong.

'Glocal Musical Live,' organized by Live Co., Ltd., is a creative musical contest that plans and develops glocal (Global+Local) musicals recognized both domestically and internationally, promoting performances in Korea and overseas expansion. Since its inception in 2015, it has discovered works such as Graffiti, Fan Letter, Marie Curie, The Castle, and Internal Medicine Hospital.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.