“Good Morning Dokdo,” a musical about South Korea’s easternmost islets and the territorial dispute with Japan, is coming back to the Seoul Arts Center from June 10-13.

The show, which first opened in May 2020, has been upgraded with new cast members and visual effects, said the Seoul Arts Center, which held open auditions.

“Good Morning Dokdo” follows the Dokdo Lovers, a group that shares an interest in protecting the islets’ sovereignty, as they travel there. Two of its members, international couple Shi-woo (played by Ahn Tae-jun) from Korea and Yuko (played by Kim Jia) from Japan, face disapproval from Shi-woo’s grandfather. The musical shows how they come to an understanding and resolve the conflict.

The message to the audience is that Dokdo is Korea’s territory.

Dokdo has been at the center of a long-standing territorial dispute between Korea and Japan. Even though Korea has maintained effective control over Dokdo since 1945, Japan claims sovereignty over the islets. Most recently, Japan included Dokdo on a map posted on the Tokyo Olympics website to show the route of the torch relay.

The show features 14 songs, including “Rescue Island,” “Arirang, Dokdo!” and “Declaration of Independence.”

The Seoul Arts Center also plans to perform “Good Morning Dokdo” at Seogwipo’s Museum of Sex and Health and at the Jeju Arts Center from June to December.

By Byun Hye-Jin (hyejin2@heraldcorp.com)