'Last Empress' becomes first homegrown musical to see over 2 million viewers
Published: 05 Feb. 2025, 15:36
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- LEE JIAN
- [email protected]
![Actor Cha Ji-yeon as Empress Myeongseong in the ongoing run of ″Last Empress″ at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, central Seoul [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/05/0141cabd-1a61-41a8-a5dd-80cfd8494a8a.jpg)
Actor Cha Ji-yeon as Empress Myeongseong in the ongoing run of ″Last Empress″ at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, central Seoul [YONHAP]
"Last Empress" became the first homegrown musical to see over 2 million viewers, according to its producer Acom on Wednesday.
The milestone, recorded on Monday, comes after 20 productions over 30 years since premiering at the Seoul Arts Center in 1995.
"The reason 'Last Empress' has been able to take root, blossom and continue performances until now is because of the passion and sacrifice of its staff and the love it received from the audiences," said producer Yoon Hong-sun of Acom. "We've never stopped evolving the show for each run and will continue to put our best foot forward to become a long-running musical like 'The Phantom of the Opera,'"
"Last Empress" is currently on its 21st run at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, central Seoul, slated to run through March 30.
The musical, titled “Empress Myeongseong” in Korean, is about the namesake queen (1851-1895), her marriage to King Gojong (1852-1919), leadership in diplomacy and eventual assassination by the Japanese, who viewed her as an obstacle to foreign expansion.
The show's musical director Yoon Ho-jin, who initiated the project in the 90s, also released a book on Wednesday recounting behind-the-scene stories of "Last Empress."
Yoon, a renowned theater director, came up with the idea for the musical after watching “Cats” in London. He famously rounded up three of the country’s best artistic talents — writer Yi Mun-yeol, composer Kim Hee-gab and lyricist Yang In-ja — to helm “Last Empress." Two years after its premiere, it became the first Korean musical to open on Broadway.
"This book is not only a record of the past 30 years of the 'Last Empress' but also shows that the musical is a living proof of the growing Korean musical industry," said Yoon Ho-jin. "I plan to continue to evolve the musical so that it can continue to be loved by future generations."
BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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