At the center of the growth of China's performance market are "entertainment new spaces" — multiplex-style venues that house multiple small theaters seating 100 to 200 people each within large commercial complexes. Korean original musicals fill a considerable portion of these small theaters, which number around 100 in central Shanghai alone. Chinese musical production companies frequently visit Korea to discover works to stage in these small theaters.
Zhang Ren, CEO (general manager) of Shanghai Yeoeosunhae Culture Media Co., who recently visited Korea to attend the "K-Musical International Market," is no exception. He is a leading producer who has successively brought Korean original musicals to the Chinese stage as licensed productions. He led box office successes by staging works such as "The Goddess Is Watching," "Sonata of a Flame," "Vampire Arthur," and "One Dramatic Night" in China. "I am always looking for good works to introduce to Chinese audiences," he says.
Zhang assessed that Korean original musicals have become an important driving force behind the growth of the Chinese musical market. "In the early 2000s, Broadway licensed works such as 'Aida,' 'Les Misérables,' and 'Cats' began coming in, but they did not have a large impact on expanding the market's size," he said. "From 2013, as Korean original musicals such as 'Finding Mr. Kim Jong-wook' were introduced, the market began to come alive in earnest, centered on small theaters."
The COVID-19 pandemic added momentum to this trend in particular. While large facilities were restricted, small theater performances were permitted. "A virtuous cycle was created in which more audiences visited small and mid-sized venues and production companies supplied new works," Zhang explained. "Thanks to this, more diverse works are being produced and new audiences continue to flow in."
Fandom culture also played a part in the growth of the Chinese musical market. Musical performers gained recognition through popular entertainment programs, and this prompted the spread of a "repeat viewing" culture — watching the same performance multiple times — centered on female audiences in their 20s and 30s. "As a culture took root in which fans share information about performers and works online and this leads to repeat viewing, the market grew rapidly," Zhang said.
Zhang cited "attractive characters, easy-to-follow music, and diverse and interesting subject matter" as the competitive strengths of Korean musicals. "Korean musicals capture the elements audiences want while maintaining a high level of quality," he said. "Satisfaction is high after the performance ends, so word of mouth spreads and it often leads to repeat viewing."
The works he has produced continue to enjoy steady success. "The Goddess Is Watching" ran for four seasons, and "Sonata of a Flame" moved to a mid-sized theater after more than 200 performances.
The Chinese musical market is now also rapidly shifting from a license-centered to a creation-centered model. "The share of original musicals has already surpassed half," Zhang said. "As creative capacity and the level of performers grow together, new works are steadily emerging in China as well."
Having majored in mathematics at Shanghai University, Zhang worked in a related field before coming to study in Korea to find new work. In the process, he discovered the potential of performance content and eventually entered the path of a musical producer. "I realized that content has the power to change people," he said. "Creating content that delivers emotion to audiences is my greatest reward."
