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Smoke
스모크
Official English Title
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SOURCE
poetry+biography
SETTING
Korea
BOOK
original
Inspired by Yi Sang's poem Ogamdo No. 15
Korean Premiere
2017
Korean Premiere Theatre
Uniplex 2 Theater, Seoul
Further Korean run reference:
https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%8A%A4%EB%AA%A8%ED%81%AC(%EB%AE%A4%EC%A7%80%EC%BB%AC)
The Musical search cue — “스모크 뮤지컬”
Summary
Inspired by Yi Sang’s poem Ogamdo No. 15, this three-actor chamber musical follows Cho, Hae, and Hong through a surreal struggle over creation, identity, and escape.
Origin & Development
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. 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”.
Partial Synopsis
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.
Smoke
2018
2018-10-04
to
2018-10-28
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Production Type:
Licensed
Language:
Japanese
Venue:
Asakusa Kyugeki Theater
With a fully Japanese cast and localized direction, the production was staged in an immersive four-sided seating configuration to heighten the psychological tension. It introduced Smoke to a broader audience beyond fans of Korean musicals and drew industry attention despite the absence of a cast recording.
Smoke
2019
2019-06-06
to
2019-06-16
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Production Type:
Licensed
Language:
Japanese
Venue:
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
Cast: Kazutaka Ishii (Super), Masaaki Fujioka (Sea), and Mao Ayabuki (Crimson).
Smoke
2019
2019-07-25
to
2019-08-18
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Production Type:
Licensed
Language:
Japanese
Venue:
Asakusa Kyugeki Theater
The cast included Shinichiro Hino, Kento Kiuchi, Shinichiro Kogure, Masashi Oyama, Yukiko Ikeda, Ayahi Takagaki, and Natsumi Motoe.
Smoke
2021
2021-08-28
to
2021-10-17
Country:
Japan
City:
Multiple Cities
Production Type:
Licensed
Language:
Japanese
Venue:
Multiple Venues
Performed at Asakusa Kyugeki in Tokyo (August 28–October 3) and Theater Drama City in Osaka (October 15–17).
Smoke
2024
2024-01-23
to
2024-03-31
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Production Type:
Licensed
Language:
Japanese
Venue:
Asakusa Kyugeki Theater
Restaged under the supervision of original director Chu Jeong-hwa with a new principal cast, revised blocking, and updated design. Marketed as the fourth staging in Japan, it confirmed the title's sustained niche popularity through actor-driven fan turnout and repeat attendance.
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