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2016
福尔摩斯：安德森家的秘密
Sherlock Holmes: The Secret of the Anderson Family (셜록홈즈: 앤더슨가의 비극) is a Korean original musical based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective universe, notable for launching Korea’s first “seasonal musical” model and later expanding into Japan and China through licensed productions. Its strong mystery structure and export-friendly format made it one of the earliest Korean originals to secure multi-city overseas tours.
English:
Sherlock Holmes-The Secret of the Anderson Family
Korean:
셜록홈즈: 앤더슨가의 비극
Country: China | Language: Chinese
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
2011 (Seoul). Book, lyrics, and direction by No Woo-sung; co-book by No Woo-jin; music by Choi Jong-yoon. Premiered at Daehangno Culture Space Feeling 1 and Anyang Art Center, produced by Anyang Cultural Arts Foundation. Developed during a peak period of Sherlock Holmes popularity in Korean media, it was positioned from the start as a franchise property and later remounted by HJ Culture, S&CO, R&D Works, and The Library Company.
STORY
Set in late-19th-century London on Christmas Eve, the musical follows Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate the disappearance of Lucy Jones and a double shooting inside the prestigious Anderson family. Three different family members request Holmes’s help, each offering conflicting motives. As bodies begin to appear, Holmes uncovers a web of inheritance battles, a twin rivalry, and a hidden love triangle. The show blends deduction sequences with emotional musical numbers, emphasizing the tension between truth, performance, and identity.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2011 – premiere, Anyang Cultural Arts Foundation, Daehangno Culture Space Feeling 1 and Anyang Art Center. Subsequent Seoul and touring revivals followed in 2012, 2014, and 2023, establishing the piece as a recurring small-to-mid-scale mystery title. Season 1 won 11 major awards including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score at the Korean Musical Awards and The Musical Awards.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Japan, 2014
Licensed adaptation – Japanese-language production by Toho Entertainment and Cube
Staged in seven cities from January to February 2014, including Osaka and Tokyo, with Kenji Urai in dual roles as Adam and Eric. The tour recorded over 90% attendance and received praise for balancing Holmes’s global recognition with localized character nuance. The success led to interest in adapting Season 2 the following year.
Japan, 2015
Licensed adaptation – Japanese-language staging of Season 2 (Jack the Ripper arc)
Produced by Toho, building on the reception of the 2014 tour. Marketing emphasized the “Korean seasonal musical” concept and continuity of style.
China, 2018
Showcase performance – Korean cast at Hallyu Expo
Season 1 was performed in a promotional format at a Korean Wave exhibition event, introducing the title to Chinese producers and press as part of a group licensing push.
China, 2021
Licensed adaptation – Mandarin-language production by Shenzhen Nanshan Cultural & Sports Center
Premiered November 11, 2021, as the closing production of the 4th Shenzhen International Musical Theatre Festival. Marketed as an officially licensed remake of the Korean and Japanese versions, highlighting its locked-room mystery structure and reversal-based plotting.
REFERENCES
Namu Wiki – Korean musical overview
https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%85%9C%EB%A1%9D%20%ED%99%88%EC%A6%88(%EB%AE%A4%EC%A7%80%EC%BB%AC)
Dailian – Japan tour success report
https://dailian.co.kr/news/view/426793
Epad DB – 2014 Japan production listing
Geigeki – Tokyo Playhouse schedule (2014)
https://www.geigeki.jp/en/performance/20140122p/
Baidu Baike – 2021 Chinese premiere entry
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