top of page
2012
美髮名家
Hair Artist (미용명가) is a Korean original musical set in a neighborhood hair salon, first premiered in Daegu in 2010 and later became a success in regional theatres. The work became one of the earliest small–medium Korean musicals to build sustained popularity in China, where it toured multiple cities between 2013 and 2016 and returned in 2019 in a localized Chinese-cast production.
English:
Hair Artist
Korean:
미용명가
Country: China | Language: Chinese
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
Premiered in 2010, written and directed by Lee Sang-won, produced by Ryu Company (later New Company). Conceived as a character-driven, mid-scale musical blending comedy and pop-styled numbers, it was positioned as an exportable title from the outset and selected for the 4th Daegu Small Theater Arts Festival the same year. Its commercial success in regional theaters led to continued revivals and eventual overseas touring.
STORY
Set entirely inside a small community hair salon, the musical centers on Sang-gi, the optimistic eldest son trying to preserve his family’s traditional hairdressing techniques while preparing for a major competition. His world is shaken by the arrival of a younger successor who embraces modern trends and brings bold new ideas into the salon. Their clash—shaped by rivalry, affection, and personal growth—reshapes the future of the business and everyone around them. The show blends light comedy with warm family themes, using more than twenty contemporary pop-style numbers and dance sequences, keeping a tone reminiscent of Korean TV dramas while remaining a stage-first musical.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2010 – Daegu premiere, Ryu Company
2010–2018 – Continued regional touring and small-theater runs, surpassing 300 domestic performances.
Widely cited in regional press as a successful non-Seoul commercial musical sustained by local audience demand.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
China – Multiple Cities (2013–2016)
Korean-language touring production by New Company
Performed in Shanghai, Nanjing, Nanchang, Taizhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and additional cities (50+ performances)
The production retained the original Korean cast and creative team and was presented through local cultural-exchange presenters in each city. Chinese press emphasized its upbeat tone and “K-drama musical” appeal, and the work was later adopted as study material in the acting department at Nanjing Media University.
China – Jiangsu Province Tour (2019)
Licensed Chinese-language adaptation
Produced by Jiangsu Performing Arts Group in cooperation with New Company
Announced as a one-month Jiangsu tour beginning May 17, with planned expansion to Zhejiang, Hubei, Liaoning, Sichuan, and Shanghai. Local coverage framed the show as a proven Korean title successfully localized for Chinese audiences and as a renewed post-THAAD cultural partnership.
REFERENCES
Maeil Ilbo – “Regional musical 'Hair Artist' to tour China for one month” (2019)
https://www.imaeil.com/page/view/2019032616164393811
Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications – Campus performance report (2012)
bottom of page