Disney's animated film "Frozen," which swept the globe, will finally make its Korean stage debut as a musical next month. It will run for six months at Seoul's Charlotte Theater from August 13 to March 1 next year, before moving to Busan.
Its commercial success and artistic quality have already been proven. At its 2018 Broadway premiere, it broke box-office records one after another, and it went on to draw crowds in major cities around the world, including the West End, Japan, Germany, Australia, and Singapore. It was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical.
With the original film already well known as a global hit, the point to watch is what kind of emotional impact the musical can deliver.
The biggest change is the music. To existing songs such as "Let It Go" and "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," the musical adds 12 new songs for a total of 21 numbers. On top of this, a live orchestra led by music director Kim Moon-jung creates a rich resonance and three-dimensional sound distinct from the film.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the married couple who wrote the film's music, rewrote the opening number "Vuelie" more than 20 times, "tearing it up" each time, because they had to pull the audience into the world of Frozen within the first few minutes of the show. Robert Lopez was confident, saying it is "a scene that delivers a tremendous narrative along with a visual and musical shock the moment the show begins."
The "killing point" of this musical is unquestionably "Let It Go." In the film, it is the song Elsa sings only once, as she leaves the kingdom and embraces her magic in the northern mountains. With its message of "you don't have to hide" and "I will accept myself as I am," its explosive vocals and its hauntingly beautiful melody, it won the love of people around the world.
The musical uses this masterpiece far more strategically. The original song becomes the climax that caps the end of Act 1, and it returns briefly at the start of Act 2. In the final finale, the entire cast sings it together, bringing the performance to a spectacular close.
By moving "Let It Go" to the end of Act 1, new music was added to the scene where Elsa flees the castle. "We created a chaotic scene where the entire stage freezes over the moment Elsa reaches out her hand," Robert Lopez said, adding, "It will be the highlight of the show, where the music and stage effects reach their peak."
Olaf and the reindeer Sven, who provided the laughs in the film, also offer a different kind of fun on stage. Combining puppets with the actors' movements adds a charm unique to live performance, creating a liveliness different from the animation.
The casting for the Korean premiere is also glittering. The role of Elsa will be played by Jung Sun-ah, Jung Yu-ji, and Min Kyung-a, while Anna will be played by Park Jin-ju, Hong Geum-bi, and Choi Ji-hye. Kristoff will be played by Cha Yoon-hae and Shin Jae-beom, Hans by Kim Won-bin and Hwang Geon-ha, and Olaf, who will win the audience's affection, by Jung Won-young, Han Kyu-jung, and Lee Chang-ho.
