웹툰에서 영화, 그리고 이제는 뮤지컬까지,... '신과함께'의 화려한 질주
Fans of Korean movies might recognize the film franchise 'Along with the Gods' from the
two mega box office hits of the past couple of years.
The story is based on an internet webtoon released almost a decade ago, and now it's back, this time as a musical.
Won Jung-hwan reports.
The first 'Along with the Gods' musical, 'the Afterlife', was a huge success when it hit the stage four years ago, with every performance selling out. Since then, two movies have been released, but now 'Along with the Gods' is back on the stage in Seoul with 'the Present', the second part of the 'Along with the Gods' trilogy.
The story involves Korean folk gods in a contemporary setting,… and has a slightly different plot than the films and original webtoon.
"Webtoons, films and musicals are all different in how the audience takes them in. I re-arranged the characters so they better-fit the musical format so viewers can understand the plot more easily."
In 'The Present,'… the gods get involved in people's everyday lives.
The main plot involves an unemployed young man called Park Seong-ho, who struggles through life until he lands a job.
That job is to demolish an old village, forcing Park Seong-ho to battle with his conscience as he is forced to make a difficult choice.
The musical puts more of a focus on the old village, revolving around the clash between those who carry out forced evictions, and those who are trying to protect their homes, bringing up contemporary issues of redevelopment and gentrification.
"I'm glad I can talk about this kind of contemporary story. I tried my best to communicate with our audience about a sensitive social issue."
With the characters straight out of the webtoon, the musical brings the web cartoon graphics alive on stage through innovative stage design and choreography.
The musical will be performed until the end of this week at LG Art Center in Seoul.
Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News.
