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2018
Smoke
Smoke (스모크) is a Korean original three-actor chamber musical inspired by the imagery and language of Yi Sang’s poem Ogamdo No. 15. After multiple acclaimed runs in Seoul, the work was licensed for a full Japanese-language production in 2018 and later revived in Japan in 2024 with a new cast and staging.
English:
Smoke
Korean:
스모크
Country: Japan | Language: Japanese
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
Premiered in 2017, Smoke was written and directed by Chu Jeong-hwa with music by Heo Su-hyeon and produced by Double K Film & Theater. Rather than being a biographical musical about Yi Sang, the show uses poetic abstraction, fragmented memory, and psychological tension drawn from his literary world. Developed as a small-scale black box piece, it quickly gained a cult following in Korea for its intense acting, metaphor-driven storytelling, and literary references.
STORY
Three characters—Hei (Hae, “Sun”), Cho (“Candle”), and Hong (“Red”)—are locked in an unnamed space. Hei dreams of the sea, Cho plans a kidnapping for ransom, and Hong’s past remains unclear. As illness, desire, and betrayal unfold, the story blurs between reality and hallucination, echoing Yi Sang’s surreal motifs. The musical employs a loop-like narrative structure, minimal staging, and heightened physical acting to explore questions of confinement, identity, and the will to survive.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2017 – premiere, Uniplex 2 Theater, Seoul
Remounted in 2018 (DCF Daemyung Cultural Factory), 2020–21 (YES24 Stage), and 2023–24 (Link Arts Center Bugs Hall)
Released two Korean OST recordings (2017, 2018) and established a dedicated fanbase known informally as “smokers”
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Japan – Tokyo (2018)
Licensed Japanese-language adaptation – Tokyo premiere
Opened in Oct 2018 with a fully Japanese cast and localized direction, staged in an immersive four-sided seating configuration to heighten the psychological tension of the piece. Introduced Smoke to a broader non-Korean musical audience, gaining industry attention despite the absence of a cast recording.
Japan – Tokyo (2024)
Licensed revival – new principal cast
Restaged Jan–Mar 2024 under the supervision of original director Chu Jeong-hwa, with revised blocking and updated design. Marketed as the “fourth staging” in Japan, confirming the title’s sustained niche popularity through actor-driven fan turnout and repeat attendance.
REFERENCES
I’m still gathering sources for this entry — reviews, performance dates, and production notes. The full write-up will be added soon.
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