top of page

Arirang

Official English Title.gif

2015

아리랑

Arirang (아리랑) is a Korean original musical based on Jo Jung-rae’s epic novel, depicting the lives, suffering, and resistance of ordinary people during the Japanese colonial period.

2015

​Posters included in this archive are embedded solely for documentary and educational purposes.

🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.

SOURCE

novel

SETTING

Korea

BOOK

adaptation

Productions in Korea (🔴 = Seoul Large Theatre Production)

2015.07 🔴 LG Arts Center (Seoul)
2017.07 🔴 Seoul Arts Center Opera House (Seoul)

SYNOPSIS

(Full Synopsis)

Set in early 20th-century Korea under Japanese colonial rule, the musical unfolds across rural villages and occupied territories, where ordinary people struggle to survive amid oppression and violence.

Bang Yeong-geun, the son of a poor family, is sold to Hawaii as a laborer due to debt, while others around him face different forms of hardship. Yang Chi-seong, once a servant to a noble family, becomes a collaborator with the Japanese after personal tragedy, driven by resentment and ambition.

Meanwhile, Su-guk and other women suffer exploitation and violence under colonial forces, forced into lives shaped by loss and survival. As oppression intensifies, families are destroyed, loyalties fracture, and individuals are pushed into moral extremes.

Through interconnected lives, the musical portrays the brutality of colonial rule alongside the endurance and resistance of ordinary people, reflecting a collective history of suffering and survival.

PRODUCTION NOTE

Arirang was produced by Shinswave Company and premiered in 2015 at LG Arts Center, marking a major large-scale original musical production. It is based on Jo Jung-rae’s epic novel first serialized in 1990 and later published as a multi-volume work.

The musical condenses the vast narrative of the original novel into a stage work centered on key characters and family histories. It combines traditional Korean musical elements with contemporary staging, and was created to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

A revival production followed in 2017 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House, expanding the scale and reaffirming its status as a major Korean grand musical.

POSTER COLLECTION

Poster images are provided for documentation purposes only and link to their original sources. All rights remain with the original creators and producers.

🔴 indicates Seoul large-theatre productions.

REFERENCES

Synopsis Sources

     

NamuWiki Arirang Musical

https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%95%84%EB%A6%AC%EB%9E%91(%EB%AE%A4%EC%A7%80%EC%BB%AC)

     

     

Articles & Reviews

     

Kyunghyang Article Arirang Review

https://www.khan.co.kr/article/201507192117465

     

ArtInsight Arirang Overview

https://www.artinsight.co.kr/news/view.php?no=17273

     

JoongAng Article Arirang

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/17990879

     

Sports Seoul Review Arirang

https://www.sportsseoul.com/news/read/263978

favicon_new.png

© 2026 Musicals of Korea

All rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used with full credit and a clear link to the original content.

Last update: May 27, 2026

bottom of page