[수완뉴스=육주현 기자] Hong Company (CEO Seung-hee Hong), a production company specializing in performing arts, will be licensing the musical “Lach Hest” this July at Tokyo Metropolitan Theater Theater East in Japan.
The Japanese performance of the musical Lach Hest is a collaboration between Japanese entertainment company AVEX Entertainment’s AVEX Live Creativeand cultural content production companyConcept. The two companies have jointly organized the BELLE WAVE series, which aims to spread the wave of experiencing the beauty of language, music, and the body through performing arts, and will bring the musical Lach Hest to Japanese audiences for the first time. The Japanese performance of Lach Hest will be directed by Kae Inabe, who won the Outstanding Director Award at the 2022 Yomiuri Theater Awards and is makingherfirst attempt at directing a musical, In addition to Sonin, who will not only play the role of Xiang’an but also translate the lyrics, the cast will include Keita Furuya of the dance vocal group Reed, Hiroki Aiba as Sangi, and Nonoka Yamaguchias Donglim. Sonin, who will be singing ‘Hyangan’ and translating the lyrics, says, “I am thrilled to be able to express myself in my first lead role in a Korean musical, my first lyric translation, and my first challenges. I will showcase beautiful and warm moments that appeal to the soul through art.” He expressed his motivation to participate.
The musical Lach Hest (book by Kim Hansol, music by Moon Hye-sung, Jung Hye-ji, producer Hong Seung-hee) tells the story of the life and art of Kim Hyang-an, who is known as the wife of Korean abstract art pioneer Kim Hwan-ki and the genius poet Lee Sang-sang, but was also a painter, essayist, and art critic in her own right. The musical, which tells the story of two characters, Kim Hyang-an and his 20-something love interest, “Hyun-rim,” who consoles himself through the traces of his life drawn by love and art, was recognized for its delicate drama and lyrical music, and won three awards at the 8th Korea Music Awards in the categories of Best Production (under 400 seats), Best Playwriting, and Best Music (Composition).
In addition, in 2023, through the K-Musical Roadshow in Broadway project organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Management Support Center, the showcase was held on Broadway in New York City for local audiences, and was praised for its warm and comforting message that resonates universally across languages and nationalities. After the U.S., Lach Hest will also meet Japanese audiences, and the musical is moving forward to meet global audiences, just like the journey of Mrs. Kim, who has been active in New York, Tokyo, Paris, and other places around the world.
Meanwhile, Lach Hest will conclude its second season in 2023, and a limited edition LP and live performance DVD will be released and sold to enjoy the afterglow of the performance. LP and DVD information for Lach Hest can be found on the official SNS.
육주현 기자
