🧭 Overview

1457, The Boy at Rest is a Korean original musical based on the tragic true story of King Danjong, the 6th monarch of the Joseon dynasty. Usurped by his uncle, King Sejo, at the age of fifteen, Danjong was exiled and later forced to take poison at seventeen. The musical reimagines this historical tragedy through the eyes of three dokkaebi (Korean goblins), who serve as both narrators and witnesses to human folly and compassion.

Blending myth and history, the work explores the themes of innocence, betrayal, and destiny, transforming a national tragedy into a universal meditation on mortality and remembrance. Though performed entirely in Korean, English surtitles and expressive staging allowed international audiences to fully experience its emotional depth.

🎼 Artistic Vision

The production is created by Poem and Star Theatre Company (극단 시와 별), originally based in Yeongwol — the very town where King Danjong spent his final days. Director Lee Ho-young leads a creative team that integrates traditional Korean percussion, vocal layering, and digital scenography.

Composer Eun-ji Kim and lyricist Ji-yune Sang combine historical tone with modern musical construction, producing what critics have called “a blend that really works.”

The Edinburgh version was a one-hour adaptation (per Fringe guidelines), distilling an epic historical tragedy into a compact, emotionally charged experience. The performance’s visual richness—ornate hanbok costumes, projected calligraphy, and shadowed light design—was consistently praised for its cinematic quality.

🌍 Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025

Selected as part of the Korean Season by GCC, 1457, The Boy at Rest captivated audiences and critics alike at the Assembly George Square Studios. Reviewers hailed it as “a haunting and heartwarming masterpiece” (Scotsgay Arts) and “fabulously stylish, gorgeously sung, and culturally profound” (Musical Theatre Review).

Despite being performed in Korean, the musical received multiple standing ovations and achieved one of the highest audience satisfaction rates among Asian works. It went on to win the Best Production Award at the Asian Arts Awards 2025, and was shortlisted for the Best Musical Award — the first Korean-language production ever to do so.

Following its sold-out Fringe run, the full-length version was performed in Seoul in September 2025, supported by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture and the Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation.

🩸 Synopsis

Set in 15th-century Korea, the story begins after King Danjong’s abdication. Exiled to Yeongwol, the young king and his loyal queen Jeongsun endure separation and sorrow under the shadow of betrayal. Three dokkaebi observe the tragedy, offering comic relief and sharp moral commentary as they ponder why humans inflict suffering on one another.

When the final royal decree arrives—ordering Danjong’s death—the story transforms into a requiem. Through song, the goblins invite the audience to remember the lost king and their own departed loved ones, closing with a message that memory itself keeps the dead at peace.

🕯 Reception

Audiences praised the show’s emotional immediacy and cultural authenticity.

“A blend of Greek tragedy and Korean folklore, beautifully sung and unforgettable.” — Musical Theatre Review

“Tears, laughter, and haunting beauty that transcend language.” — Scottish Field

“The memory of 1457 will light the heart long after the festival ends.” — Edinburgh Reviews