As K-Culture Spreads, K-Theater and Dance Take the World Stage... 'Mimesis' and 'Hedda Gabler' Set for Global Performances

[Financial News] As global interest in K-culture continues to rise, Korean performing arts such as theater and dance are also expanding their presence abroad. From large-scale productions to national and public arts organizations, Korean performance groups are increasingly making their mark on international stages, broadening the reach of K-culture.
The play 'The Cherry Orchard,' produced by LG Arts Center, is a prime example of this trend. Starring Jeon Do-yeon and Park Hae-soo, the production held its first overseas performances after its Korean premiere, successfully completing shows at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in September and in Singapore in November. The enthusiastic response from local audiences and critics demonstrated the international potential of K-theater.
Next year, the production will move beyond Asia to stages in Australia and the United States. It is scheduled to appear at the Adelaide Festival in March 2026, followed by a run at Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan, New York, in September.

The National Theater Company of Korea is also ramping up its strategic efforts to globalize Korean theater, starting next year. The company plans to establish an 'Asian Theater Gate' using Asia as a forward base. Its strategy is to serve as a hub for the overseas expansion of not only Korean theater but also Asian theater as a whole.
With Europe's prolonged recession and economic downturn shifting the global performing arts spotlight to Asia as an 'alternative continent,' the National Theater Company of Korea aims to establish itself as a leading representative of Asian theater and gradually expand its reach to Europe and North America.
The National Theater Company of Korea has already proven its potential. In October, its production of 'Twelfth Night' in Beijing, China, sold out all seats for two days, receiving an enthusiastic response from local audiences.
Building on this momentum, the company is planning overseas tours of 'Hedda Gabler' and 'Twelfth Night' in 2026.
The first production to cross borders will be 'Hedda Gabler.' Directed by Park Jung-hee and based on the original work by Henrik Ibsen, the play has been invited to the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) and will be staged at the Singapore Drama Centre in May 2026. After its premiere in 2012, the production returned to the National Theater Company of Korea stage this year with Park Jung-hee directing and Lee Hye-young starring. SIFA Artistic Director Chong Tze Chien personally attended the Korean performance and extended the invitation on the spot.
'Twelfth Night' will once again demonstrate the universality of theater that transcends language barriers with a performance in Hong Kong in the new year. Conceived and produced by the National Theater Company of Korea with international expansion in mind from the outset, the production combines the universality of Shakespeare's narrative with Korean aesthetics. By invitation of the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival (HKISF), it will be staged at Freespace The Box, West Kowloon Cultural District in June 2026.

The dance sector is also seeing continued success. 'Ilmu' by Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre, a contemporary reinterpretation of the dance and philosophy of Jongmyo Jeryeak, was performed at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center in New York in July 2023, selling out all seats and making a significant impact. Next year, another production, 'Mimesis,' will be presented to New York audiences.
Yun Hyeo-jeong, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre, announced at the '2026 Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Project Briefing' held in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd, "The performance is scheduled to take place in New York on U.S. Independence Day next July."
'Mimesis' is a modern reinterpretation of eight traditional Korean dances: Gyobangmu, Hallyangmu, Sogo Dance, Janggeommu, Salpurichum (Exorcism Dance), Seungmu (The Buddhist Monk's Dance), Mudang Dance, and Taepyeongmu. It was performed at the M Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from November 6 to 9 last year, selling out all seats two weeks before opening.
Including 'Mimesis,' every performance presented by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre this year sold out, marking the highest audience turnout in the company's history.

jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter