Musical 'Wicked' Opens on the 12th Amid Cheers.. "Beautifully Completed"

[Financial News] Finally, the green witch has returned. The 'Wicked' international tour opened on the 12th at the Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, amid cheers from the audience.
“A massive Broadway blockbuster musical” (New York Times), 'Wicked' continues to break box office records with its undiminished popularity even 22 years after its Broadway premiere.
This performance marks the international tour's return to Korea for the first time in 13 years since its Korean premiere in 2012. The tour, which began in 2023, arrived in Korea after stops in Australia and Singapore.
In this performance, the stage features a 12.4M Time Dragon, Elphaba's flying, Glinda's bubble machine sliding smoothly across the top of the stage with thousands of bubbles, and a massive stage mechanism that transitions seamlessly with numerous sets and choreography.
Additionally, music composed and written by the great Stephen Schwartz, including 'Popular', 'Defying Gravity', 'As Long As You're Mine', and 'For Good', captivates the ears. The stage dazzles with over 350 costumes and lighting, maintaining the original scale.
The story, rich with imagination, explores friendship and growth between two friends, understanding differences, and the dichotomy of good and evil, adding depth and enjoyment.
Lisa Riguilo, who directed 'Wicked' performances worldwide, expressed her unique sentiments, saying, "The 'Wicked' international tour has been beautifully completed here in Korea." She continued, "It's amazing how all the actors stay true to the essence of the story. Every actor instinctively desires to improve daily, and it's a joy to work with them. I sincerely thank all the staff and designers," she said, sharing her thoughts after the first performance.
This performance features lyrics and music by the great Stephen Schwartz, with a script by Winnie Holzman. It is directed by Joe Mantello and staged by Wayne Cilento, maintaining the original production. Stage designer Eugene Lee, a three-time Tony Award winner, and costume designer Susan Hilferty, a Tony and Drama Desk Award winner, participated.
Meanwhile, 'Wicked' broke the Broadway weekly box office record of $5 million in 2024 and set a new West End weekly box office record in January 2025. Over 70 million people in 16 countries worldwide have seen it. It has won over 100 trophies at prestigious awards such as the Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, and Grammy Awards.
The successfully opened 'Wicked' international tour runs from July 12 to October 26. Following Seoul, performances are scheduled in Busan at the Dream Theater in November and in Daegu at the Keimyung Art Center in January 2026.
jashin@fnnews.com Jina Shin, Reporter