[The Miracle of Original Musical "Maybe... ②] Will Musicals Lead Annual Sales to 500 Billion Won?

First Korean Original Musical to Win Tony Awards for Musical, Book, and More
Sixth Season Opens in October with High Box Office Expectations
"The Great Gatsby" and "Marie Curie" Also Set to Premiere in the Second Half of the Year

There is growing anticipation that the success of "Maybe Happy Ending," the first original Korean musical to win a Tony Award, could serve as a catalyst for the growth of the domestic musical market.

At the 78th Tony Awards ceremony held at Radio City Music Hall in New York, USA, on June 8 (local time), "Maybe Happy Ending" swept major categories including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score, winning a total of six awards and setting a new milestone in the history of Korean musicals. The musical became the biggest winner of the night.

"Maybe Happy Ending" is set to open its sixth season in October. Since its premiere in 2016, it has consistently enjoyed support from musical fans, and expectations for its box office performance have risen even higher following this award.

The annual ticket sales for the Korean musical market recovered rapidly after COVID-19, but have remained in the 400 billion won range for three consecutive years. In 2022, the market nearly doubled compared to the previous year and surpassed 400 billion won (424.9 billion won) for the first time. However, in 2023 (459.1 billion won) and 2024 (465.1 billion won), the growth rate slowed.

The trend in the first quarter of this year is positive. Musical ticket sales in the first quarter increased by 7.1% year-on-year, reaching 134 billion won. If this trend continues, annual ticket sales could approach 500 billion won this year. With the added boost from the Tony Awards, surpassing the 500 billion won mark is also within reach.

October, when "Maybe Happy Ending" opens, is typically the off-season for the musical market. If "Maybe Happy Ending" can fill the sales gap during the off-season months of October and November, and sustain that momentum into the peak season in December, record-breaking sales could be achieved.

The fact that the creative team of "Maybe Happy Ending" revised the content while preparing for the Broadway production is also expected to help attract audiences. The Broadway version introduced a new character named Brently, increasing the cast to four, and further developed the backstory of the robot protagonists, Oliver and Claire, with their previous owners.

Musical critic Choi Seungyeon explained, "Unlike in the Korean production, the Broadway version makes it clear what Claire experienced with her previous owner," adding, "The backstory has been enhanced to allow for a deeper understanding of the character."

Alongside "Maybe Happy Ending," other musicals that have drawn attention on Broadway and in London's West End, such as "The Great Gatsby" and "Marie Curie," are also set to open in the second half of the year. "The Great Gatsby," produced by Shin Chunsoo, CEO of OD Company, as Korea's first and Asia's first sole lead producer, led the local creative team and actors in the U.S. The musical premiered on Broadway in April last year and is scheduled for its Korean premiere this August. It will open at GS Art Center on August 1 and run until November 9 for a little over three months. "The Great Gatsby" won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design last year, earning the distinction of being the first Korean musical to win a Tony Award.

Creators of the original musical "Maybe Happy Ending," Park Chunhyu (left) and Will Aronsen, are taking a commemorative photo at Radio City Music Hall in New York, USA, where the 78th Tony Awards ceremony was held on April 8 (local time).
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The original musical "Marie Curie," which premiered in Daehangno in 2020 and was performed in London's West End for about two months from June 1 to July 28 last year, will open its fourth season at BBCH Hall, Gwanglim Art Center in Seoul, on July 25. This production was the first in Korean musical history to have an extended run in the West End. "Marie Curie" swept five major categories at the 5th Korea Musical Awards in 2021, including Grand Prize, Producer, Book, Score, and Direction.

Large-scale musicals for major theaters are also in the pipeline. The original international tour of "Wicked" will open at Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on July 12 and run until October 26, after which it will be performed in Busan and Daegu. This is the first time in 13 years that the original international tour cast of "Wicked" will perform in Korea since 2012. The 10th anniversary performance of "Phantom," starring Park Hyoshin and Kai, opened at the Grand Theater of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on May 31 and will run until August 11. "Memphis," which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2010, will open its second season at Chungmu Art Center Grand Theater on June 17. "Memphis" is scheduled to run until September 21.

Critic Choi Seungyeon said, "As Korean musicals gain attention on the world stage, their profile is also rising domestically, which should have a positive impact on box office performance." She added, "While the atmosphere for large-scale musicals in major theaters is not bad, the sluggishness of small and medium-sized musicals centered in Daehangno could be a variable affecting market growth."

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