'20th Anniversary' DIMF Executive Director Bae Seonghyuk: "Daegu Needs a Musical Complex"

"If the National Musical Complex is established in Daegu, the city could serve as a testbed for the Korean musical market."

Seonghyuk Bae, Executive Director of the Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), emphasized at the DIMF 20th anniversary press conference held at the Seoul Press Center on April 28 that the National Musical Complex should be built in Daegu. Bae noted that a site has already been prepared at the former Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office, and that the city of Daegu is strongly committed to the Musical Complex project. He also added that the construction of the National Musical Complex was one of President Lee Jaemyung's campaign pledges.

Lee Jonggyu, Chairman of the Korea Musical Association, Lee Jangwoo, Preparatory Committee Chairman for the 20th Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), and Bae Sunghyuk, Executive Chairman of DIMF (from left), are delivering greetings at a press conference held on the 28th at the Seoul Press Center. Daegu International Musical Festival

원본보기 아이콘

Launched in 2006, DIMF celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. As the largest musical festival in Korea, DIMF has consistently supported the production of original musicals and provided opportunities for performances over the past 20 years, playing a key role as an incubator for creative works. Last year, the Korean musical market reached a scale of 500 billion won, becoming the fourth largest in the world, and DIMF significantly contributed to this growth.

Jongkyu Lee, Chairman of the Korea Musical Association, stated, "Musicals are a high-cost art form, so it is quite difficult for a particular city to host a festival over an extended period," adding, "Nevertheless, the fact that DIMF has continued for 20 years and has established itself as a cultural brand of Daegu deserves high praise."

Executive Director Bae emphasized that for Daegu, as a city of musicals, to take another leap forward on the occasion of DIMF's 20th anniversary, it is essential to establish the Musical Complex. He particularly highlighted that building the Musical Complex would allow Daegu to serve as a testbed for Korean musicals, thereby contributing to the growth of the musical market. "In Korea, large-scale musicals are often staged in Seoul, but this is not the case in the United States or the United Kingdom," he pointed out. "In the UK, musicals often premiere in cities like Liverpool before heading to London’s West End, and the same is true in the US."

He explained that by previewing original musicals in Daegu and gauging public response before staging them in Seoul, the country’s largest market, producers could not only cut costs but also reduce the risk of failure.

Chairman Jongkyu Lee also added, "The Musical Complex will include a large-scale theater dedicated to musicals, an academy, and rehearsal spaces for creators," noting, "This will serve as a catalyst for the overall growth of the musical market."

The 20th DIMF will open on June 19 and run for 18 days until July 3. A total of 35 productions from seven countries-including 14 official invitations and six creative support pieces-will be staged in 122 performances, marking the largest number of works in the festival’s history. Various side events such as symposiums, a global art market, and a New York showcase are also planned.

The opening performances will feature "Turandot" and "Harbin in the Darkness." Turandot is a flagship original musical from DIMF and was the first Korean original musical to be licensed for export to Eastern Europe. Produced by the city of Daegu and DIMF, it premiered in 2011 and will return to the DIMF stage after seven years for the 20th anniversary.

A newly reimagined Turandot will be presented through the collaboration of a Hungarian director, who staged the production in Slovakia, and a Korean creative team. Executive Director Bae commented, "We have combined the strengths of the Slovak and Korean performances," adding, "If audience response is strong, we plan to consider an extended run." "Harbin in the Darkness" is a suspenseful spy story set in early 20th-century Harbin, where Chinese, Western, and Russian cultures intersected.

Joint Opening Production 'Turandot'. Daegu International Musical Festival

원본보기 아이콘

The closing performances will also feature two works: "Into the Woods" and "Bao-ok." "Into the Woods" weaves together stories from Brothers Grimm fairy tales such as "Cinderella," "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Rapunzel," and "Little Red Riding Hood," following a baker and his wife as they strive to break a witch's curse. The music is by Stephen Sondheim, renowned for "Sweeney Todd." "Bao-ok" is a reinterpretation of the Chinese classic novel "Dream of the Red Chamber," known for its Eastern aesthetic and grand narrative.

There are a total of six creative support pieces. Five were selected through the creative support program, now in its 20th year alongside DIMF’s history, and one was chosen through a new re-staging support program launched this year.

The five creative support pieces are: "Again, Romeo and Juliet," a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic through the lens of contemporary married life; "Takyeonggeum," the story of historian Kim Ilson, who wrote the controversial historical records that led to the Muosahwa purge during the reign of Yeonsangun of Joseon; "Baudelaire," which addresses issues of artistic freedom, censorship, and oppression through the life of French poet Charles Baudelaire; "Seongju: The Wandering God of Seoul," depicting a household deity who, after guarding a home for 300 years, suddenly loses his place and enters Seoul’s real estate market; and "Shururuka," a family musical that offers a fresh, warm perspective on "My Sweet Orange Tree."

원본보기 아이콘

The re-staging support piece selected is "Heejae." Based on the novel "Scent of Chrysanthemums" by Kim Ha-in, this marks the first re-staging in 10 years. A decade ago, the production was performed under the same title as the novel, but this time it is being staged as "Heejae," the name of the song featured in the film adaptation.

Executive Director Bae remarked, "This project aims to bring back outstanding productions that have not been re-staged," adding, "We have selected one production this year, but if it is successful, we plan to increase that number to two or three next year."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.