Blockbuster Plays: Why 'Spirited Away' Is Sold as a Musical in Korea
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Japan’s stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away has drawn huge audiences worldwide as a play, but in South Korea it has often been marketed and sold as a musical. The original production—directed by John Caird with puppet design by Toby Olié—premiered in Tokyo and enjoyed acclaim in London and Shanghai. In Korea, however, major producers like CJ ENM and ticketing sites list such productions under the musical category, and many viewers mistakenly describe them as musicals despite little or no singing by the lead. Experts say this reflects a distorted domestic market in which musicals dominate ticket sales (musical revenue is about twice that of all other non-pop genres combined), making it commercially attractive to label large-scale plays as musicals to justify higher prices and broader promotion. Critics warn this practice undermines the artistic identity and creative growth of theatrical playwriting and production in Korea, while international trends show that blockbuster non-musical plays—ranging from Harry Potter to star-driven dramas—can be highly lucrative and culturally significant. (KOPIS: Korea Performing Arts Information System)
