1. Overview

Behind the Mirror (거울공주 평강이야기, also performed internationally as Mirror Princess Pyeonggang) is a Korean original chamber musical created by the theatre company Ganda (공연배달서비스 간다). Inspired by the Korean folktale of Princess Pyeonggang and General Ondal, the work reimagines the legend through a theatrical language built primarily on actors’ voices and physical performance.

Premiering in 2004, the production attracted attention for its minimalist staging and inventive use of a cappella sound, physical theatre, and acrobatic movement. Over the following decade it toured widely across Korea and appeared at numerous arts festivals, becoming one of the notable small-scale creative musicals to emerge from the Daehangno theatre scene.

2. Background and Development

The musical was developed by alumni of the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts), who formed the theatre troupe Ganda shortly after graduation.

The creative team explored a radical question: how much theatre can be created without stage sets, props, or musical instruments? Their answer was a production built entirely from the performers’ bodies and voices.

Actors generate sound effects—such as echoes, wind, and dripping water—through vocal techniques, while landscapes and environments are suggested through choreography and acrobatic movement. This approach positioned the work somewhere between musical theatre, physical theatre, and movement-based storytelling.

Following its 2004 premiere in Seoul, the production appeared at several major Korean performing arts festivals, including the Busan International Performing Arts Festival and the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival, where it received attention for its originality and ensemble energy.

3. International Performances

2008 – United States Tour
(Mirror Princess Pyeonggang)

In September 2008, the production was presented at Kraine Theater in New York City as part of a cultural program organized by the Korean Cultural Service New York.

The production then travelled to Los Angeles, where it was performed on October 3–4, 2008 at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, presented by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles.

These performances introduced international audiences to the production’s distinctive a cappella musical format, in which all music and sound effects are produced by the performers’ voices and physical actions rather than instruments or stage technology.

2017 – Edinburgh Fringe Festival (UK)
(Behind the Mirror)

In 2017 the work appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, one of the world’s largest performing arts festivals.

The production was presented as part of a broader effort by Korean theatre companies to reach international audiences through visually driven works capable of crossing language barriers. The Fringe presentation highlighted the show’s blend of a cappella music, physical comedy, and movement-based storytelling.

Although the company initially performed for relatively small audiences, the production received positive responses from both festival viewers and theatre practitioners, demonstrating the potential of Korean small-scale productions within international festival circuits.

4. Synopsis

Inspired by the folktale of Princess Pyeonggang and the legendary general Ondal, the musical presents a new narrative centered on Yeon, a maid who envies the life of the princess.

After fleeing into the forest, Yeon encounters a mysterious wild boy living in a cave. As their relationship develops, the story gradually unfolds into a tale about ambition, illusion, and the discovery of genuine love.

Rather than focusing on the famous royal couple themselves, the narrative reframes the legend through the perspective of those who live in their shadow, exploring themes of identity, aspiration, and self-reflection, symbolized by the recurring motif of the mirror.

5. Artistic Approach

The production is notable for its a cappella theatrical structure, in which performers create the entire soundscape with their voices rather than using instruments or recorded music.

Stage environments—including forests, caves, and water—are formed through coordinated body movement and acrobatic staging, while ensemble vocal harmonies provide rhythm and atmosphere.

This stripped-down aesthetic foregrounds the fundamentals of theatre—voice, body, and imagination—resulting in a hybrid form that blends musical theatre with elements of physical performance.

6. Reception

Since its premiere, Behind the Mirror has been recognized for its inventive theatrical language and energetic ensemble performance style.

The production is also notable for having featured performers who later became prominent figures in Korean film, television, and theatre, including Jin Sun-kyu and Jeon Mi-do.

Within Korea’s small-theatre scene, the musical gained particular attention for demonstrating how limited production resources could be transformed into creative strengths. Its later appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival further illustrated the growing international interest in experimental Korean performing arts.