Germany, 2001
Invited guest production – Korean cast with German surtitles
The international life of Subway Line 1 began when Hakchon Theatre was invited to perform at Grips Theater in Berlin, where the original Linie 1 premiered. German audiences responded positively to the Korean reinterpretation, noting its distinct social voice and creative independence from the source text. This first appearance established a lasting artistic relationship between the two theatres.

China (Beijing & Shanghai), 2001
Cultural exchange tour – Korean cast with Chinese surtitles
Following the Berlin appearance, the show toured Beijing and Shanghai as part of an official Korea–China cultural program. Although performed in Korean, the story’s urban tension and humor were widely understood, and the production was later cited as an early example of Korean small-theatre musicals reaching mainland China before the commercial Hallyu era.

Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka), 2001
Multi-city tour – Korean cast, supported by local presenters
In the same year, the production traveled to Japan for a three-city run, becoming one of the earliest Korean musicals introduced through a full touring production rather than a licensed remake. The tour helped raise early awareness of Korean musical theatre in Japan and preceded the later wave of Korean commercial musicals entering the Japanese market.

Hong Kong, 2003
Hong Kong Arts Festival official program – Korean cast
In 2003, Subway Line 1 was featured in the Hong Kong Arts Festival alongside international theatre companies. The festival positioned the musical as a representative example of contemporary Korean performing arts, helping expand its audience beyond strictly Korean-language spectators.

Germany (Frankfurt Book Fair), 2005
Guest of Honor cultural showcase – Korean cast
When Korea was selected as Guest of Honor at the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair, the musical was staged as part of the official cultural showcase. Rather than a commercial tour, it was presented as an artistic reflection of modern Korean society and was described as “a vivid theatrical window into Seoul’s urban reality.”

Germany, 2019
Grips Theater 50th Anniversary Festival – supported by Arts Council Korea
Nearly twenty years after its first international appearance, the work returned to Berlin in 2019 for the closing performance of the Grips Theater 50th Anniversary Festival. The invitation acknowledged the long-standing exchange between the theatres and affirmed the continued relevance of the Korean adaptation for German audiences.