I attended "Moulin Rouge!" on a Sunday in 2023, when alternate casting is often scheduled. All the cast matched the Playbill except for Satine, played by alternate Oyoyo Joi, and Christian, performed by understudy Aaron C. Finley.

As I entered the auditorium and tried to take pictures, an usher approached me — at first I worried photography might be prohibited. Instead, she kindly offered to take pictures of me and my son in front of the stage. It was wonderful to meet someone who clearly enjoyed her work. The entire theater, including parts of the stage extending into the audience seating, was draped in lavish reds. As I sat down, the seats next to me were occupied by a family from Canada. I told them they could sing along during the curtain call and even look up lyrics on their phones if they wanted. I had studied beforehand, proud to say.

Even though I had listened to the Broadway cast recordings many times, hearing the music live was an entirely different experience. It was a fun jukebox musical blending classic pop and contemporary songs.

The plot follows Christian, a young American writer, who falls in love with Satine, the star performer of the Moulin Rouge club. The club owner had arranged a meeting between Satine and the wealthy Duke of Monroth, whose financial support was essential to saving the struggling club. While waiting for the Duke, Christian accidentally entered Satine’s dressing room, and she mistook him for the Duke. Satine quickly fell for him, setting off their secret romance. Christian’s bohemian friends — the artist Toulouse-Lautrec and the choreographer Santiago — later helped them create a spectacular show. But Satine hid a serious illness, and the Duke’s possessiveness threatened both their love and the Moulin Rouge’s survival.

The story also borrows famous historical figures, including the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, the composer Erik Satie, the entertainer Le Chocolat, and the comedic performer Le Pétomane, blending them into its fictional world.

Though the plot resembled "La Bohème," "La Traviata," or even "Rent," the combination of beloved songs and modern spectacle made it unique. In one memorable moment, when Satine declared, "I am my own woman," several women in the audience shouted "Yes, yes!" and the whole theater erupted into applause, some even giving a standing ovation.

The show that Christian and his friends staged within the story was a huge success. But during the final performance, Satine fainted and died in Christian’s arms.

The actor playing Christian sang with stability and emotion. Oyoyo Joi, as Satine, had a voice very similar to the original recording and sang beautifully. She had a habit of tilting her head to the left on high notes — a subtle signal that she was preparing for the big moments. But I knew the songs already; they are popular worldwide. Where else can you hear "The Sound of Music" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in the same performance?

I liked the whole cast, including Toulouse-Lautrec, the club owner Harold Zidler, and the dancers, who brought the energy of the French club to life. An elephant on the balcony added to the extravagant fantasy, and the stage layered with a big red heart was visually stunning. The transitions between scenes were smooth.

Though the story occasionally felt stretched to accommodate the songs, I was just happy to hear so many favorites. I did regret missing the special sing-along performance, but during the curtain call, I sang out proudly, having prepared in advance. The Canadian family next to me smiled and said they wished they had memorized the lyrics too.

For the record — and my own memories — here are the songs featured in the Broadway production: "Lady Marmalade," "So Fresh So Clean," "Rhythm of the Night," "Because We Can," "The Sound of Music," "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "I Don’t Want to Wait," "Every Breath You Take," "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Royals," "Children of the Revolution," "We Are Young," "Diamonds Are Forever," "Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend," "Material Girl," "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," "Shut Up and Dance," "Raise Your Glass," "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Firework," "Your Song," "Sympathy for the Devil," "You Can’t Always Get What You Want," "Gimme Shelter," "Nature Boy," "All You Need is Love," "Just One Night," "Pride (In the Name of Love)," "Can’t Help Falling in Love," "Don’t Speak," "I Love You Always Forever," "It Ain’t Me Babe," "Love Hurts," "Love is a Battlefield," "Torn," "What’s Love Got to Do with It," "Everlasting Love," "Up Where We Belong," "Heroes," "Come What May," "I Will Always Love You," "Bad Romance," "Tainted Love," "Seven Nation Army," "Toxic," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Only Girl (In the World)," "Shake It Out," "Chandelier," "Roxanne," "Crazy," "Rolling in the Deep," "Hey Ya!," "Minnie the Moocher," "Don’t You Want Me"

"Come What May" was written for the film and became one of the musical’s signature pieces.

The licensed version opened in Korea, but I chose not to attend. After listening to some pre-released songs, I found I couldn’t accept hearing familiar pop songs translated from their original lyrics. It may seem contradictory since I often attend licensed musicals with translated scripts and enjoy them. But jukebox musicals feel different to me — perhaps because the songs already exist in my memory with specific lyrics and sounds.