I attended Mamma Mia! in the summer of 2023 at Chungmu Arts Center in Seoul. Several friends had asked me to recommend a good musical, knowing how much I love the theater. Naturally, I suggested The Phantom of the Opera, a show I had been fully immersed in for months. However, one friend mentioned she had already seen it on Broadway or in the West End and wanted to try something different. After some thought, I suggested Mamma Mia!, since everyone would be familiar with ABBA’s songs.

I usually attend musicals alone or occasionally with my sons, so I was a bit apprehensive about whether this choice would satisfy my friends. After all, no one can guarantee both picking the right show and securing good seats that please everyone.

Choi Jung-won played Donna, Kim Hwan-hee was Sophie, Kim Young-joo took the role of Tanya, and Junmyun Park played Rosie. Tanya and Rosie’s exaggerated acting suited the show’s comedic tone. Unfortunately, Donna’s actor seemed to suffer from severe throat issues. At times, only a harsh breath could be heard instead of a solid vocal tone. High notes were often omitted, except during The Winner Takes It All, where she appeared to gather every ounce of strength to deliver the song. However, as the performance continued, her condition worsened. I was surprised that no understudy or alternate had been arranged. Either the actor insisted on continuing, or the production team failed to schedule proper coverage. Since Donna carries the heaviest vocal load, it became a painful experience for both performer and audience.

Kim Hwan-hee, who had impressed me in Rent and Kinky Boots, has a resonant vocal tone. Yet, to my friends — more accustomed to Agnetha Fältskog’s clear soprano — Kim’s voice sounded overly melodramatic. Personally, I believe that as long as an actor delivers a consistent portrayal with a matching voice, vocal color shouldn’t matter, nor does it need to imitate the original recording or performer. Still, for those familiar with ABBA, such differences are immediately noticeable and sometimes difficult to accept. This is one of the common challenges of jukebox musicals or revivals of classic songs.

What troubled me most, however, was the Korean translation of the lyrics. In some songs, I didn’t even realize they had begun until nearly ten seconds in, due to the drastic lyric changes. The iconic “I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do” was replaced by a plain Korean line at first, which made me uneasy — though thankfully, it returned in English later in the song. Clever original lyrics that rely on wordplay and rhyme are extremely difficult to translate, and in this case, no suitable Korean replacement for the repeated “I do” could be found.

The three dads were a cheerful bunch, and I particularly enjoyed Min Young-ki’s portrayal of Harry.

A humorous highlight came when Sophie asked about Sky’s whereabouts. Her friends replied that he was at Orpheus Bar on the mainland — a clever in-joke referencing Kim Hwan-hee’s previous role as Eurydice in Hadestown.

The stage was framed by bright, sparkling LED screens evoking the ocean, with manual set changes much like the Broadway production. Still, the stage felt small, and I thought it was a waste not to use the full space. When the music and performances are strong, I usually find myself fully immersed and don’t dwell on such things — but this time, I noticed.

In Korean musicals, some popular actors appear in two or more productions simultaneously due to the multicasting system, and dedicated understudies are uncommon. If a lead becomes ill, another cast member from the rotation must step in. If no alternate is available at short notice, the performance may be canceled, or the sick actor may go on despite their condition. While full refunds are usually provided, they cannot compensate for travel or accommodation costs — or, most importantly, the lost time and experience.

The show ended with Donna and the Dynamos leading a finale performance. However, I couldn’t sing along except in the few moments where the original lyrics were preserved.

This production left me with much to reflect on.