2016
云朵面包
Cloud Bread (구름빵) is a Korean family musical based on Baek Hee-na’s bestselling picture book, first staged in Busan in 2009 and later exported through a 2016 Shanghai showcase and full bilingual productions in Australia in 2025. It is one of the earliest cases of a Korean children’s musical developing long-term touring viability and crossing into international family-theatre markets.
English:
Cloud Bread
Korean:
구름빵
Country: China | Language: Korean
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
2009 (Busan). Directed by Heo Seung-min; music by Kim Sung-kyun; music direction by Shin Kyung-mi. Produced by DS Musical Company and the Musical Cloud Bread Cultural Industry Company, with investment from Asia Cultural Technology Investment (ACTI). Premiered at Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall as a “Made in Busan” project using entirely Busan-based creative staff. Adapted from Baek Hee-na’s picture book, which sold over 400,000 copies worldwide, and reimagined as a jukebox-style family musical incorporating well-known Korean children’s songs and aerial “flying” staging.
STORY
On a rainy morning, siblings Hongbi and Hongshi find a piece of cloud caught on a tree branch and bring it home. Their mother bakes it into bread, and once they eat it, the children begin to float into the sky. Worried about their father, who skipped breakfast to rush to work, they embark on a whimsical airborne journey to deliver the magical bread. The musical heightens the picture book’s gentle tone with humor, choreography, reorchestrated nursery songs, and wire-based flying sequences that invite young audiences into a world of imagination and family warmth.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2009 – premiere, DS Musical Company / Musical Cloud Bread Cultural Industry Co., Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall (Busan); recurring nationwide tours through the 2010s. The title became a staple of Korean family-musical programming, frequently restaged in Seoul and regional culture centers, sustaining long-term recognition among parents and children.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
China – Shanghai (2016)
Showcase presentation – Korean-language excerpt
Yunfeng Theater, “2016 Korean Original Musical Showcase”
Featured as one of eight selected works, supported by the Korean Cultural Center in Shanghai and attended by performing-arts delegates from both countries. Introduced as a Korean family musical with future licensing potential, highlighted for its 700,000-audience domestic record and modern staging with flying effects.
Australia – Sydney (2025)
Bilingual staging – English/Korean family production
The Latvian Theatre, presented by The Stage Theatre Production and Education Inc.
First full international performance run, staged in both English and Korean with surtitles. Marketed as an introduction to Korean family entertainment, emphasizing imagination, love, and cross-cultural accessibility for young audiences.
Australia – Victoria (2025)
Korean-language production with English surtitles
Malvern Theatre, performed entirely in Korean with real-time surtitles
Promoted to reach both Korean diaspora families and local spectators. Ticketing and press materials framed Cloud Bread as a visually rich, music-driven work bridging children’s theatre and cultural export, with reception noting its interactive staging and short running time suitable for all ages.
REFERENCES
Naver News – 2009 Busan premiere report
https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/082/0000219278?sid=103
CSMES – Shanghai 2016 Korean Original Musical Showcase announcement
https://www.csmes.org/show-15-81294.html
Musicals of Korea – Cloud Bread international entry (Sydney/Melbourne 2025)
https://www.musicalsofkorea.com/k-musicals-in-the-west2/2025_cloud-bread
Humanitix – Melbourne 2025 ticketing page
https://events.humanitix.com/cloudbread-mel
Musicals Down Under – Australian production summary
https://www.musicalsdownunder.com/shows/family-musical-cloud-bread
Instagram – Korean Musical Theatre Company in Australia
