2007
ラムネ
Dalgona (달고나) is a Korean jukebox musical built from 1970s–80s pop hits, first staged in 2004 by PMC Production. The show later became one of the first Korean musicals to be officially licensed overseas, adapted into a Japanese-language version titled Ramune in 2007, with additional runs in 2008.
English:
Dalgona
Korean:
달고나
Country: Japan | Language: Japanese
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
Dalgona is a jukebox musical created and directed by Song Seung-hwan and produced by PMC Production, the company best known for Nanta. It premiered in 2004 and quickly established itself as a cultural hit, winning the Audience Popularity Award at the 2005 Seoul Theatre Festival. The title refers to the nostalgic Korean honeycomb candy made from sugar and baking soda, symbolizing childhood sweetness and the passage of time. The musical incorporates twenty-four well-known Korean pop songs from the 1970s and 1980s and was often promoted as “Korea’s answer to Mamma Mia!” for its use of familiar songs interwoven into an original narrative.
STORY
The musical centers on a group of friends whose youthful memories and first loves resurface through music when they reunite years later. The story blends humor, romance, and nostalgia, shifting between past and present as well-loved song lyrics evoke shared emotional history. The production aims to create a collective time capsule for audiences who lived through Korea’s rapid modernization, while remaining accessible to younger viewers through its pop-based structure.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2004 – world premiere by PMC Production
2005 – awarded Audience Popularity Prize at Seoul Theatre FestivalSubsequent reruns in Seoul and regional venues as a long-running repertory title
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Japan, 2007–2008
Licensed adaptation – Japanese-language production by Amuse Inc.
In 2007, PMC Production signed a licensing agreement with Amuse Inc., granting 5% royalties from gross sales and marking the first formal overseas license of a Korean original musical. Retitled Ramune, the piece was relocated to the Showa era and re-scored with 1960s–70s Japanese pop songs in place of Korean hits. The production opened at Akasaka Red Theatre in September 2007 and returned for further runs at Shinjuku FACE and Owl Spot Theatre in 2008. Cultural references were localized, but the narrative framework of the Korean original was largely retained.
REFERENCES
The Musical – Dalgona database
https://www.themusical.co.kr/Musical/Detail?num=73
Busan Metropolitan City – production promotion press release
https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=20081009000960
NoCut News – report on the licensing contract with Amuse
https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/323693
Asahi Shimbun – article about the Lamune Tokyo performance
https://www.asahi.com/komimi/TKY200803070122.html
Chosun Ilbo – article about the working title “Saewooggang” prior to the premiere
https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2007/07/28/2007072800020.html
Shinjuku FACE – 2008 performance information
