Musical 'Hero' is second homegrown show to sell one million tickets

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Musical 'Hero' is second homegrown show to sell one million tickets

Published: 29 Mar. 2023, 11:52 Updated: 29 Mar. 2023, 17:26

A scene from the musical "Hero." The musical is the second homegrown show to become a million-seller, according to its production company Acom on Tuesday. [ACOM]

Musical "Hero" became the second homegrown show to sell one million tickets after Tuesday night's performance.

The feat comes after 14 years, since the show first opened in Seoul in October 2009, according to its production company Acom.

The only other Korean-made musical that has sold one million tickets is "The Last Empress." Opening in 1955 as Korea's first homegrown show, it is about Empress Myeongseong (1851-95) of Korea's Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), based on a historical novel by author Yi Mun-yol.

"Hero" is about the final year of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun's (1879-1910) life, leading up to his assassination of Hirobumi Ito, the first Japanese resident-general of Korea, at a railway station in Harbin, China, in 1909. The assassination is considered one of the most significant moments in modern Korean history. Five months after the assassination, at the age of 34, he was executed in a Chinese prison.

Now onto its ninth season, "Hero" has received various accolades from local musical award ceremonies including The Musical Awards and Yegreen Musical Award. It has been performed in 19 regions across Korea as well as New York City, U.S., in 2011 and Harbin, China, in 2015.

A scene from the movie "Hero" (2022) starring Jung Sung-hwa as Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (~~~) [CJ ENM]

"Hero" is the first-ever Korean musical to be adapted into a film. The movie version of the same title opened in theaters in December 2022 and garnered 3.26 million audiences, according to Korea Film Council. It features star actors such as Jung Sung-hwa and Kim Go-eun.

Musical "Hero" will be in theaters throughout May 21 at Blue Square in Yongsan District, central Seoul. Yang Jun-mo and Min Woo-hyuk alternate the rile of Ahn. Tickets are available on the local ticketing platform Interpark.