Musical 'Pan' Returns After 3 Years... Opening at National Jeongdong Theater on the 27th

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The National Jeongdong Theater announced on the 1st that the musical "Pan" will open on the 27th. This is the first revival in three years since 2018.

The musical "Pan" is set in the late 19th-century Joseon Dynasty and depicts the story of Dalsu, a nobleman's son, who meets the storyteller Hotae and becomes the greatest storyteller.

The play is led by Chunseom, the owner of the Mae Seolbang and a strong female character, and Lee Deok, who transcribes the novels read by the storyteller.

Developed through the National Jeongdong Theater's project "Changjaking" for discovering original performances, the musical "Pan" was selected in 2017 for CJ Cultural Foundation's rookie performance creator support program "Creative Minds Reading," establishing itself as a representative repertoire of Jeongdong Theater.

The musical "Pan" received great acclaim from audiences for its solid storyline and refreshing satire, winning the 7th Yegreen Musical Awards' "Best Revival Award" in 2018.

The play is composed mainly of traditional performance styles and Western musical music. It presents a unique production in the form of a play within a play, harmonizing Western music genres such as swing, bossa, tango, and classical with Korean percussion. Additionally, it cleverly unfolds lively stories between people with satire and humor by utilizing pansori, puppet shows, and kokdugaksi nori (traditional Korean puppet play).

In particular, the charm lies in actors showing various characters by not only acting but also playing instruments, performing kokdu puppet shows, and narrating the play. Moreover, with the audience's interjections blending in, it presents an exciting playground where the boundary between the stage and the audience is broken down.

For this performance, a total of 13 actors have been confirmed to appear in a full double casting except for the role of "Sanbadi," the narrator of the play.

Original cast members Kim Ji-cheol, Ryu Jeyoon, Kim Ji-hoon, Choi Yooha, Kim Ah-young, Park Ranju, and Lim Sora, along with Sanbadi actor Choi Youngseok, have returned to the stage, maintaining their loyalty to the audience.

Additionally, new members Won Jonghwan, Choi Sujin, Ryu Kyunghwan, Lee Kyungwook, and Kim Ji-hye have joined, raising expectations for fresh chemistry with the existing cast.

Kim Hee-cheol, director of the National Jeongdong Theater, stated, "The storyteller in the musical 'Pan' deals with stories that overcome the hardships of reality such as unreasonable laws, social status systems, and impossible love," adding, "We hope to provide relief and fun with witty satire and humor to the people exhausted by COVID-19 and to be a source of strength to overcome difficult realities."

The musical "Pan" is suitable for audiences aged 14 and older and will be performed a total of 48 times at the National Jeongdong Theater from the 27th to September 5th.

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