🌸Provisional Synopsis (Based on 2002 Version)

Translated from "The Musical" article

The musical is currently undergoing a full revision for its planned 2026 staging. This synopsis reflects the original 2002 production of Arang (몽유도원도, 夢遊桃源圖, meaning Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land) and may differ significantly from the upcoming version titled 몽유도원 (夢遊桃源, meaning Dreaming of Paradise).


Act 1

The stage opens with a projection of Mongyudowondo (몽유도원도, 夢遊桃源圖, Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land), a classical Korean painting symbolizing an idealized escape. As the lights dim, the setting shifts to a battlefield. Among the fallen, Yeogyeong — a young king wounded in war — begins to dream.

In this dream-like state, Yeogyeong sees a mysteriously beautiful woman named Arang. She descends from the sky and gently holds him in her arms, singing a tender song of love. The moment feels eternal — but vanishes. Obsessed, Yeogyeong commands his loyal servant Hyangsil to paint her likeness and sends it across the land in search of her.

Yeogyeong eventually finds Arang at a village festival — only to learn she is already engaged to a local youth leader, Domi. Jealous and determined, the king arranges a GO match. In round one, he loses on purpose. In round two, he raises the stakes: if Domi wins, the village gains autonomy; if Yeogyeong wins, he claims Arang. Domi loses but believes Arang would never submit.

Devastated, Arang confides in her maid Bia, who secretly takes her place to protect her honor. That night, Bia sleeps with Yeogyeong. Believing he has claimed Arang, Yeogyeong later discovers the truth and is shaken to his core.


Act 2

Domi is missing from the crowd while fleeing by boat. Arang believes he is dead and blames herself. She wanders to the mythical utopia of Cheonseongdo, where she witnesses a peaceful yet impoverished community. A reflection in the water reminds her of what she has lost. She sings a lament, scratches her own face to create wounds, and veils herself.

Meanwhile, Yeogyeong spirals into excess. Upon discovering that Hyangsil let Arang escape, he kills Hyangsil and sets out to find Arang with his army. Arang, in despair, wanders aimlessly until she hears a faint bamboo flute and realizes it is Domi—now blind but alive. The two lovers are finally reunited in tears.

Yeogyeong’s army approaches and attempts to kill Domi. Arang removes her veil and exposes her scarred face, pleading with Yeogyeong to spare them. Shocked by the sight of her face, Yeogyeong's illusion shatters, and he lets them go. He no longer dreams of the mysterious woman.

As Yeogyeong’s army pursues Arang away from the palace, enemy forces invade his kingdom. In the ensuing chaos, Yeogyeong chooses to end his life.

In the final scene, Domi and Arang set out together in a small boat. As the sun sets, they disappear into the horizon. The battlefield fades. Yeogyeong’s dream ends in silence.

🎭 Preview: Love That Endures

Arang tells the story of a humble utopia — where love survives, even in the shadow of power.

I did not see the original production 20 years ago. But reading the synopsis and watching available clips, I was moved by a story that transcends era and nation. A powerful man, Yeogyeong, yearns for a woman already in love. He uses all means to claim her, fails, and is forced to confront himself. Arang and Domi don’t "win" — but their love survives, made real through pain. It’s a story anyone with a heart can understand.

This musical does not offer grand redemption or victory. Instead, it offers something quieter and more human: endurance. Arang and Domi are not triumphant, but they remain together. And for the audience, that ending provides a rare kind of comfort.

Like Les Misérables, this show honors survival over success. Fantine dies but with dignity. Valjean finds peace. Even Javert, in death, earns our recognition. In Arang, Arang and Domi endure betrayal, grief, and sorrow — and still remain. That survival is meaningful.

As for Yeogyeong: his suicide is not escape, but reckoning. He breaks not only others’ lives, but his own dream. He does not die in shame, but in tragic clarity — realizing love cannot be forced. His failure is painfully human.

Most of us have dreamed of a closeness we can’t have. Yeogyeong’s longing, though misdirected, is familiar. And that is why his story ends not with condemnation, but with understanding.

👘 Costumes & Dream Aesthetics

The musical is expected to draw inspiration from Baekje-period aesthetics, characterized by layered fabrics, curved silhouettes, and a gentle visual style distinct from those of later Goryeo or Joseon dynasties. If these elements are incorporated, they may contribute to a stylized and otherworldly visual tone.

Given the title 몽유도원 and its allusion to An Gyeon’s famous Joseon-era scroll 몽유도원도, the staging may employ layered visuals such as LED effects, scrims, or other theatrical devices to convey a dreamlike setting. The narrative takes place not in a historical palace but within a dreamscape, which may influence the scenic design.

✍ Source Material

Arang is based on a work by novelist Choi Inho, whose literary output often explores themes such as alienation and introspection. This adaptation retains symbolic and emotionally layered storytelling, aligning with the author’s narrative style.

The title change from 몽유도원도 (meaning Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land Painting) to 몽유도원 (meaning Dreaming of Paradise) reflects a shift in focus — from a painted representation of utopia to the immersive emotional experience of that dream. The original title referenced a specific artwork; the updated version emphasizes thematic atmosphere over visual citation.

🎟 Venue Context

Scheduled for Lincoln Center in 2026, this production marks the third Korean original musical staged at the venue by ACOM, following The Last Empress and Hero. Lincoln Center, known for its institutional prestige, has previously hosted short-term but high-profile Korean productions supported by significant cultural investment.

The selection of this venue indicates an intent to position Arang not merely as a commercial performance but as a cultural presentation aimed at global audiences.