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2024
ナビレラ
Navillera (나빌레라) is a Korean original musical based on the popular webtoon of the same name, telling the intergenerational story of a 70-year-old man who pursues ballet late in life and the young dancer who unwillingly becomes his mentor. Since its premiere, the work has been recognized as a representative example of Seoul Performing Arts Company’s original musical repertoire and has begun expanding abroad through official licensing.
English:
Nabilrera
Korean:
나빌레라
Country: Japan | Language: Japanese
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
The musical premiered in 2019 at the CJ Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center, produced by the Seoul Performing Arts Company (SPAC). With book and lyrics by Park Hae-rim and music by Kim Hyo-eun, the work was developed as a fully original stage adaptation of the widely read webtoon Navillera, which had already gained cultural traction through serialized publication. The premiere marked one of SPAC’s most successful box-office results among contemporary Korean-language creations, drawing attention for its emotional realism and its focus on late-life dreams rather than romance or spectacle.
STORY
After retiring, seventy-six-year-old Shim Deok-chul decides to pursue the lifelong dream he had set aside: learning ballet. His family opposes the idea, fearing embarrassment and physical risk, but Deok-chul insists on beginning his training at a struggling ballet studio. There he meets twenty-three-year-old Lee Chae-rok, a once-promising dancer whose passion has cooled under financial pressure and the weight of parental expectations. As the two men train together, their unexpected friendship reshapes how each understands purpose, aging, and the fleeting nature of time. The musical blends lyrical ballads, contemporary orchestration, and choreographic storytelling to mirror ballet’s discipline and emotional release.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
The work premiered in 2019 at Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater, achieving a 96% seat occupancy rate and receiving strong audience response for its intimate narrative and choreography-integrated staging. A full revival followed in 2021 at the same venue, maintaining the original production concept while expanding orchestration and ensemble movement. Navillera has since become one of SPAC’s signature titles, frequently cited as an example of the company’s long-term strategy to develop adaptable IP from Korean source material.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
China – Shanghai (2019)
Showcase presentation – K-Musical Roadshow
Introduced as an export-ready title through excerpted performance rather than full staging, presented alongside other Korean originals for Chinese presenters and investors. Positioned Navillera as a potential candidate for future Mandarin-language licensing.
Japan – Tokyo (2024)
Licensed Japanese-language production – Toho Co., Ltd., Theatre Crea
First full overseas staging with a local cast and creative team, directed by Kuwabara Yuko and starring Kabira Jay (Deok-chul) and Miura Hiroki (Chae-rok). Marked SPAC’s second licensing contract with Toho and was noted in Korean press as the first confirmed overseas license export of a SPAC-created musical, cited as a milestone for public-institution IP distribution and the rising marketability of Korean originals in Japan.
REFERENCES
Interview365 – K-Musical Roadshow announcement (China showcase)
https://www.interview365.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=88953
Edaily – Japan licensed premiere and reception report
https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?newsId=01603926638893512&mediaCodeNo=257
Toho Stage – Official Japanese production site
https://www.tohostage.com/navillera/
NamuWiki – Korean production overview
https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%82%98%EB%B9%8C%EB%A0%88%EB%9D%BC(%EB%AE%A4%EC%A7%80%EC%BB%AC)
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