1. Overview

Musical Dosan is a Korean original musical developed by Korean-American artists in Southern California. Premiering in 2019, the production honors Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, one of Korea’s most respected independence activists and a visionary community leader. Rooted in both historical fact and diasporic experience, the musical traces Dosan’s journey from Korea to the United States, highlighting his educational reforms, anti-colonial efforts, and civic leadership. The work is unique among Korean musicals in that it was first conceived, developed, and staged in the United States before making its official Korean premiere as an opera in 2025.

2. Historical Background

Dosan Ahn Chang Ho (1878–1938) was a moral pillar of Korea’s modern history. He was a founding leader of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 1919 and wrote the lyrics to Korea’s original national anthem. He led reformist movements in education and governance both in Korea and within overseas communities. In California, he established schools, civic organizations, and resistance networks, encouraging Korean Americans to rise with unity, work ethic, and democratic ideals. The musical was conceived to commemorate two major historical milestones: the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement and the establishment of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Day on November 9, proclaimed by the State of California.

3. U.S. Productions (2019–2024)

The musical premiered in Riverside and Los Angeles in 2019, with performances held at Loma Linda University, the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles, and the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. Subsequent stagings extended its impact, most notably with a six-performance run at La Mirada Theatre in 2023, which attracted over 5,000 attendees. It returned to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre again in 2024. Performed in English and Korean, the musical dramatizes key episodes from Dosan’s life: a solo prologue, his public speeches, his family’s migration to the U.S., his confrontation with Japanese imperialist Ito Hirobumi, and a stirring portrayal of the March 1st demonstrations. The production concludes with the cast singing the early version of the Korean national anthem, leaving a powerful emotional impression.

4. Artistic Vision

The artistic team envisioned Musical Dosan as a work that could inspire both Korean diasporic communities and younger generations less familiar with early twentieth-century Korean history. According to its program materials, the show seeks to portray Korea’s modern awakening through a blend of narrative, music, and dance, offering a living musical textbook that bridges generations and geographies. Rather than retelling history as a distant event, the musical invites audiences to experience it as something alive and deeply relevant.

5. Korean Premiere (2025)

In 2025, to mark its fifth anniversary, Musical Dosan will have its long-awaited Korean premiere—reimagined as a full opera at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House. This transformation represents both a homecoming and an evolution. Korean performers will reinterpret the original musical for a domestic audience, building on the foundation laid by the Korean-American creators and cast members. The adaptation underscores the artistic and cultural value of a project born outside Korea and later embraced on one of Korea’s premier stages.

6. Legacy and Significance

With its multiple California productions and upcoming Korean staging, Musical Dosan stands as a rare example of a Korean original musical developed overseas before being presented at home. It reflects the creative potential of the Korean diaspora and the growing internationalism of Korean musical theater. Like the man it honors, the show bridges past and present, homeland and diaspora, music and memory.