1. Overview

Fan Letter is a Korean original musical inspired by the literary world of 1930s colonial Korea. The work explores the line between admiration, obsession, and betrayal through the fictionalized story of young writers caught up in politics and personal passion.

Since its premiere in 2016, Fan Letter has become one of the popular creative musicals, with five production seasons and a strong following among domestic and international audiences.


2. Background and Development

The musical debuted at Lee Hae-rang Theatre in Seoul in 2016 and quickly gained recognition for its literary depth and evocative score. In 2018, Fan Letter became the first Korean creative musical to tour abroad with its original Korean cast, performing in Taiwan to critical and commercial success.

Later, the show was licensed for productions in China and Japan, where it swept multiple awards — nine across major ceremonies — confirming its international resonance. In Korea, later revivals adjusted aspects of the script following controversy over whether the protagonist’s letters could be interpreted as seditious.


3. International Performances

2018 – Taiwan Tour
Performed with the original Korean team, this marked the first time a Korean creative musical toured internationally.

2019–2020 – Licensed Productions in China & Japan
The musical was re-staged abroad with local casts, achieving awards and box-office success.

2024 – London Showcase

On November 4, 2024, Fan Letter was presented in English highlights (approx. 40 minutes) at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells, as part of the K-Musical Roadshow in London. Directed by Charlotte Westenra, the production featured UK-based Asian actors, including cast members from the West End’s Your Lie in April. The performance received positive response for capturing the Korean era’s literary spirit while making the themes accessible to English-speaking audiences.


4. Synopsis

“Hello. My light, my nightmare.”

1930s Kyungsung (colonial-era Seoul). Writer Sehun learns that a novel by Hikaru, a deceased female author, is about to be posthumously published — along with revelations about her hidden identity.

Seeking to stop the publication, Sehun visits Lee Yoon, a fellow writer and imprisoned member of the literary circle known as the “Seven.” Yoon refuses unless Sehun can explain his reasons, and shows off a final letter Hikaru received from her lover, novelist Kim Haejin. Desperate to read the letter, Sehun begins to recount his own story, unraveling truths about love, betrayal, and the blurred lines between admiration and obsession.


5. Artistic Approach

Fan Letter blends noir-style staging with intimate storytelling. Its chamber-musical scale emphasizes letters, dialogue, and music over spectacle, evoking the emotional and intellectual ferment of writers in 1930s Korea. The show dramatizes themes of artistic freedom, repression, and forbidden love, while its tightly woven score creates a haunting and lyrical atmosphere.


6. Reception

In Korea, Fan Letter became a cult favorite for its sophisticated storytelling and period aesthetics.

In Asia (Taiwan, China, Japan), it was embraced both commercially and critically, winning multiple awards and praised for its universal resonance despite its Korean historical setting.

The London showcase in 2024 marked the musical’s entry into the English-speaking world, following the path blazed by Marie Curie in 2022. Its reception underscored the adaptability of Korean creative musicals to Western stages.


7. Legacy and Significance

Fan Letter is a landmark Korean musical that has crossed borders multiple times: as the first creative musical to tour abroad with its original team (Taiwan, 2018), through licensed productions in China and Japan, and most recently via an English-language showcase in London (2024). It demonstrates how deeply rooted Korean stories can resonate globally, especially when framed through universal themes of longing, artistry, and human fragility.