Kakao Entertainment announced on the 22nd that the popular intellectual property "Itaewon Class" will debut on the musical stage in Tokyo, Japan, marking a world first.
The role of the main character, Park Sae-ro-yi, is played by Kotaaki Nozomu, a member of the Japanese idol group "WEST." He has also appeared in the musical "The Beautiful Game." The musical is a collaboration among creators from South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The webtoon "Itaewon Class" by writer Kwang-jin, serialized on Kakao Webtoon from 2016 to 2020, has accumulated 430 million views in South Korea.
The South Korean drama based on the webtoon also gained huge popularity. Additionally, due to the work's global appeal, it has been presented as a drama in Japan and is being produced as HBO original content in Taiwan.
The lyrics and composition of the musical are by playwright Lee Hee-joon, known for works such as "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young," while the screenplay is written by Sakaguchi Riko, who penned titles like "The Tale of Princess Kaguya (co-script)" and "The Father of Galactic Railroad."
Furthermore, Helen Park, a Korean American who is the first Asian woman to be nominated for a Tony Award for Best Score, will handle the music while Yuuna Koyama, winner of the Yomiuri Theatre Awards for Outstanding Director, will direct.
Kotaaki Nozomu, who plays the pivotal role of Park Sae-ro-yi, cut his hair short in preparation for this musical, recreating the iconic style of Park Sae-ro-yi.
Kwang-jin, the original creator, expressed his feelings, saying, "I was so happy to hear that 'Itaewon Class' is being made into a performance. It's the first time it's being made into a musical following the drama, so I have high expectations."