K-Musical Culture

02 Audience Demographic

In Korea, more than 70% of the audience for musicals is typically female, with male actors often having higher ticket power. Fans of star actors frequently attend the same shows multiple times and are referred to as the “revolving door audience.” Over 90% of these repeat attendees are female, forming a significant portion of total ticket sales.

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Musical enthusiasts who are not tied to particular stars also contribute to the audience pool, broadening preferences and show selections. Recently, tourists and international fans have been increasingly visible, reflecting the growing global interest in Korean musicals.

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Broadway Comparison

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The Broadway League’s most recent report offers an illuminating contrast:

Gender Balance: On Broadway, women also form the majority, about 65% of the audience in the 2022–2023 season. The gender gap is narrower than in Korea, where women dominate the market more decisively.

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Age Distribution: Korean audiences skew younger, especially in their 20s and 30s, influenced by fandom culture and multi-casting. By contrast, Broadway’s average theatregoer is 40.4 years old, the youngest in two decades but still older than Korea’s core demographic.

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Repeat Attendance: In Korea, superfans may attend the same production 5, 10, or even 20 times, especially when multiple casts rotate. On Broadway, repeat attendance exists but differs in pattern: the average theatregoer attends about 4 shows per year, while a small group of superfans (5% of attendees) account for over 30% of admissions.

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Local vs. Tourist Audiences: Korean musicals remain primarily domestic in audience base, though international visitors are increasing. Broadway, by contrast, relies heavily on tourism: international attendees made up 17% of admissions in 2022–2023, and domestic non–New York residents added another 47.5%.

Diversity and Education: In Korea, audiences are highly educated and economically engaged, though formal surveys are scarce. In the U.S., 81% of Broadway touring audiences hold college degrees and 55% report annual household incomes above $100,000. Racial diversity is also rising on Broadway, with 29% of attendees in 2022–2023 identifying as BIPOC, the highest share ever recorded.

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Reflection

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These contrasts highlight the different engines of growth. In Korea, musicals thrive on fandom and repeat attendance, much like the K-pop industry. On Broadway, the industry depends more on tourism, education, and demographic diversity. As Korean musicals begin to expand overseas, producers will need to balance the fandom-driven energy of their domestic base with the expectations of tourist-heavy markets abroad.

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Korean Musical Attendee Demographics