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2021
摇滚浮士德
The Devil: Faust (더데빌) is a Korean original rock musical inspired by Goethe’s Faust, blending progressive rock, hard rock, and operatic classical elements in a minimalist four-character structure. Since its 2014 premiere, it has become a long-running domestic success and expanded internationally through licensed productions in China and Japan, demonstrating its viability as globally adaptable content.
English:
The Devil: Faust
Korean:
더데빌
Country: China | Language: Chinese
Review
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ORIGIN
The Devil: Faust premiered in 2014 at Doosan Art Center in Seoul, created by director–writer Gina Lee with music by Woody Pak and Gihieh Lee, produced by R&D Works and PAGE1. Conceived as a contemporary reinterpretation of Faust, the musical relocates the narrative to 1987 Wall Street on the day of the Black Monday crash and dramatizes human desire through the symbolic duality of X-White and X-Black. The work was developed as an experimental, music-driven piece that rejected traditional musical theatre formatting, using intense lighting design, symbolic lyrics, and rock-based scoring. It received the Composition & Lyrics Award at the 9th Musical Awards and quickly established a devoted cult following.
STORY
Set in the aftermath of the 1987 Black Monday stock market crash, the musical follows rising Wall Street broker John Faust, who is pushed to the edge after losing everything. When the dark entity X-Black offers him a path back to power, he accepts despite the warnings of Gretchen, the person who represents his last link to human goodness. As Faust descends into ambition and moral corruption, X-White and X-Black wager on the outcome of his soul, revealing that light and darkness originate from the same source. The musical explores themes of temptation, free will, and the cost of desire, using rock-opera structure instead of traditional book scenes.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2014 premiere, R&D Works / PAGE1
Recurred in 2017, 2018–2019, 2021–2022, 2023–2024 (five seasons total)
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
China, 2021
Licensed adaptation – Chinese-language production titled Rock Faust (摇滚浮士德).
Premiered at the Shanghai Grand Theatre with an expanded cast and staging, selling out all 1,800 seats. The production later toured nine cities, retaining the dual-X structure and live rock instrumentation. Its success demonstrated the title’s scalability and confirmed commercial demand for Korean rock-musical IP in the Chinese market.
Japan, 2021
Licensed showcase format – preview concert in Tokyo.
Presented with mixed Korean–Japanese casting and minimal staging as a market test for a full production. The showcase preserved the dual-X performance concept and used Japanese surtitles, attracting interest from local audiences and industry representatives.
Japan, 2023
Licensed adaptation – full Japanese-language musical titled DEVIL.
Staged in Osaka, Tokorozawa, and Tokyo, produced with a mixed Korean–Japanese cast including Michael K. Lee, Han Ji-sang, and Lee Chun-ju. Featuring a new Japanese translation by Sachiko Ishimaru and direction by Koichi Ogita, the version expanded the orchestration for a full pit ensemble. The run reinforced the work’s export viability and positioned The Devil: Faust as a sustainable international franchise.
REFERENCES
NamuWiki – musical overview
https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%8D%94%EB%8D%B0%EB%B9%8C:%20%ED%8C%8C%EC%9A%B0%EC%8A%A4%ED%8A%B8
MFocus – Japan 2023 casting report
https://mfocus.kr/culture/performance/musical/3596/
Official Japanese site – 2023 DEVIL production
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