2008
大長今
Jewel in the Palace (대장금) is a large-scale Korean musical adaptation of the hit MBC drama Jewel in the Palace, re-created for the stage with a blend of Korean traditional and Western orchestration. After mixed domestic reception in its first staging, the musical was significantly revised and later exported to Taiwan in 2008, marking one of the earliest attempts to globalize a Korean drama-based musical.
English:
Jewel in the Palace
Korean:
대장금
Country: Taiwan | Language: Korean
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
Premiered in 2007 as a stage adaptation of the 54-episode television drama Jewel in the Palace (2003), officially licensed by MBC and produced by PMC Production, the company behind Nanta. The project was promoted as a high-budget cultural export vehicle, with more than 60 billion KRW invested over three years of development. The first version aimed to condense the drama into a nearly three-hour musical featuring 30+ original musical numbers and a hybrid orchestra of Korean and Western instruments.
STORY
Set in the Joseon dynasty, the musical follows Jang Geum, a gifted girl who rises from kitchen apprentice to royal physician despite political conspiracies and personal tragedy. The stage version focuses more heavily on her romantic arc, adding dramatic tension through a three-way emotional structure involving Jang Geum, her mentor-lover Min Jung-ho, and King Jungjong. While the drama emphasized culinary mastery, the musical shifts toward themes of perseverance, love, and destiny, with several scenes built around traditional cooking, healing, and court ceremonial arts.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2007 – Seoul premiere (original version)Staged as a direct adaptation of the TV drama; reception was lukewarm and the production was considered structurally overlong.
2008 – “Gyeonghuigung Palace Version” revival (retitled & re-staged)Major revisions were made, including narrative cuts, score adjustments, and rebranding as an outdoor palace performance. The revised production received improved audience response and won multiple awards, including Best Revival at the 3rd The Musical Awards and Best Production / Best Direction at the 15th Korea Musical Awards.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Taiwan, 2008
Korean-language tour – invited engagement in Taipei
The musical was staged at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall from June 13–21, 2008, marking the first overseas stop of the revised production. Local press referred to it as a notable example of Korean cultural export and linked its reception to the drama’s existing popularity in Asia. Taiwanese reviewers highlighted the scale of the staging, including period costumes, court dance, and a score that blended Western orchestration with Korean instruments.
REFERENCES
Namu Wiki – overview of Korean production history
https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5%EA%B8%88
PlayDB – 2007–2008 production listing and musical description
https://m.playdb.co.kr/Play/Detail/2819
Seoul Newspaper – report confirming second Japan tour and production notes (2005)
https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/life/2005/05/17/20050517024002
Korean Culture and Arts Committee archive – Korean revival performance record
https://www.kculture.or.kr/brd/board/399/L/menu/498?brdType=R&thisPage=162&bbIdx=9320
NPAC Taiwan Performing Arts – preview article announcing Taipei run
