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2023
爸爸的奇幻世界
Daddy in Wonderland (이상한 나라의 아빠) is a Korean original musical that blends family drama with fantasy elements inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Its 2023 Mandarin-language licensed production in Shanghai marked its first overseas staging and expanded the work into the Chinese small-theater musical market.
ORIGIN
Premiered in 2022, produced by DaArt (㈜다아트), first staged at CJ Azit Daehak-ro. The musical was selected as a 2021 ARKO “New Work of the Year” and received attention for casting a real-life father–daughter pair (Lee Jung-yeol and Lee Ah-jin) in the premiere run. The work reframes end-of-life caregiving through the lens of children’s literature, turning a terminally ill father and a struggling writer daughter into a fantastical journey between reality and imagination.
STORY
Joo-young dreams of becoming a fairy tale author, but her father dismisses her ambitions and their relationship remains cold and distant. When her father is diagnosed with late-stage cancer and begins to confuse past and present, Joo-young reluctantly cares for him and finds herself pulled into a surreal world where characters such as the Dodo, Cheshire Cat, and White Rabbit appear. As the father mentally returns to his 19-year-old self, the daughter discovers the dreams he abandoned and rewrites her own story through understanding his past. Rather than focusing on grief, the musical highlights reconciliation, imagination, and the rediscovery of a parent’s forgotten self.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2022 – Premiere, DaArt, CJ Azit Daehak-ro (January 8–30, 2022)
2024 – Revival, DaArt, Seoul Arts Center Jayu Theater (January 27–March 3, 2024)
Received positive attention for its father–daughter casting concept and emotional family storyline.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
China, 2023
Licensed adaptation – Mandarin-language production by Blishow
Staged under the title 爸爸的奇幻世界 (“My Father’s Fantastic World”) at Shanghai Jasmine Theatre on October 1, 2023, with additional performances into October. Directed by Fan Yuqun with a full Chinese cast, using a localized script while retaining Korean book and music credits. Advertised as an immersive family musical with fantasy motifs, it introduced the work to Chinese audiences familiar with Alice narratives.
REFERENCES
Namu Wiki – 작품 정보
https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%9D%B4%EC%83%81%ED%95%9C%20%EB%82%98%EB%9D%BC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%95%84%EB%B9%A0
Douban – Chinese production listing
https://www.douban.com/location/drama/36515119/
Sohu – China performance article
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