Lotte Cultureworks Expands Beyond Theaters into Musicals and Immersive Performances
by Lee Jonggil
Published 12 May.2026 08:49(KST)
Expansion into China, Korean Premiere of the Musical 'Frozen'
Lotte Cultureworks announced on May 12 that it will expand its business beyond theater operations to include immersive performances and musical production. Building on its turnaround to a profit in the first quarter (operating profit of 7.9 billion won), the company plans to transform itself into a comprehensive cultural platform.
The immersive performance brand 'Inside the Play' is exploring expansion into China. In March, it signed a business agreement with the Chinese performance production company Focus Stage. On May 21, it will introduce a themed production inspired by the film 'Gunchae.' The company envisions transforming theaters into live entertainment venues by integrating film and performance in a single model.
It is also entering the musical production field. Last month, it signed a business agreement with the performance production company Show Note to jointly produce the musical 'Siren,' based on a web novel. In August, as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the opening of the Charlotte Theater, the company will stage the Korean premiere of the musical 'Frozen.'
In its theater business, Lotte Cultureworks will further enhance its premium offerings. The company will expand its sound-specialized auditorium 'Gwang-eum Cinema,' and continue to upgrade to recliner seats and the latest laser projectors.
The company is also strengthening its content production capabilities. It will release genre-specific films such as 'Wild Thing' in June and 'David' in July. The focus will be on securing proprietary intellectual property (IP).
Choi Jaehyung, Head of Strategic Support at Lotte Cultureworks, said, "By combining spatial innovation with IP production capabilities, we aim to become a global integrated cultural platform."