Works based on hits by folk singer Yang Hee-eun, ’90s K-pop group DJ DOC and today’s hottest bands make fans nostalgic


Old songs have the power to bring back memories and fans of the time period back together.

Targeting this fact, so-called “jukebox musicals” dedicate their entire shows to a single artist or a band’s hit songs. “Mama Mia,” based on Swedish pop band ABBA’s hits, and “We Will Rock You,” composed of British rock band Queen’s hits are some examples of hit Jukebox musicals.

Here, musicals each featuring the greatest hits by South Korean folk singer Yang Hee-eun, popular ’90s K-pop group DJ DOC and some of today’s hottest idol groups like TVXQ, Girls’ Generation and SHINee are pouring out to attract both musical and the musicians’ fans. 

Yang Hee-eun’s “How far have you come?”

Yang Hee-eun, Korea’s most iconic folk diva of the song “Morning Dew,” organized the autobiographical musical to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her debut. The musical will look back on her life from her childhood, her unstable youth and why and how she debuted as a singer through the C’est si bon stage, up until her life today.

“After debuting with the masterpiece ‘Morning Dew,’ singing was to me like a very difficult homework. So I fled to do radio. I later reflected on myself, thinking what kind of singer I would have become if I had poured in the effort to do radio to do songs, and started to do more concerts since my late 40s. And now I am asking myself ‘how far have you come?” said Yang at a press conference last week. The title of the musical is also from one of her songs.

About 30 of her hit songs including “Morning Dew,” “Early Morning Road,” “Love, about its Loneliness” and “Seven Daffodils” will be played. This will be Yang’s debut as a musical actress. Lee Ha-na, a rookie who will be acting 20-year-old yang, and Yang Hee-kyung, the musician’s sister and an actress, will join her on stage.

The musical will run from July 19 to Aug. 14 at Arko Arts Theater in Daehangno, central Seoul. Tickets range from 80,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-7110 or visit www.hanpac.or.kr. 

DJ DOC’s “Street Life”

The musical “Street Life” portrays the dreams and passion of three night club workers as they go through ups and downs before debuting as a group, and after they rise to fame. Dotted with accidents and fights that put the three in police stations, the musical is reminiscent of bad boys DJ DOC, the popular ’90s K-pop group.

“Our lives were much more hard core. I guess there are regulations in musicals too,” joked Lee Ha-neul, rapper and leader of DJ DOC and also the music supervisor of the musical, at a press conference on Tuesday.

The musical features 22 of DJ DOC’s hit songs including “Summer Story,” “Dance with DOC,” and the latest “I’m a Guy Like This.”

“People of all ages and gender in South Korea enjoy DJ DOC’s songs and gain energy from them. It does not need to be explained why we made a musical with their songs,” said Kim Byeong-seok, head of CJ E&M Music and Live, the musical’s producer.

The musical will run from Aug. 3-28 at Time Square CGV Pop Art Hall in Yeongdeungpo-dong, western Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 501-7888.

Idol groups’ hits in “Temptation of Wolf”

Based on Guiyeoni’s 2004 novel of the same title, the musical “Temptation of Wolf” spiced up the story about high school students’ love and friendship with today’s hit songs by top idol groups like Girls’ Generation, TVXQ, SHINee, and also ’90s K-pop groups like S.E.S. and GOD. It features stars such as Ryeo-wook from Super Junior, Park Hyung-sik from ZE:A and singer Lim Jeong-hee.

“The songs featured in the musical are already popular in Asia like Taiwan and Singapore. We aim to take the show to other Asian countries starting next year and start a musical hallyu,” said Song Seung-hwan, head of PMC Productions, the musical’s producer.

The musical will run from July 14 to Oct. 23 at COEX Artium in Samsung-dong, southern Seoul. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 738-8289 or visit wolf.i-pmc.co.kr.

By Park Min-young  (claire@heraldcorp.com)