met Tine, april 2, 2020
31

Hi guys!

Today I’ll talk about a quite different topic: Musicals! I want to introduce you to some musicals which are based on or related to dramas!


 Why the hell?   Since I watched some clips on YouTube years ago, I’m also a big fan of the Asian versions of musicals. I love dramas, and I love music => perfect. So I wish I could have seen some of them, but sadly I was busy being on the other side of the world. Q.Q

 Info:  I couldn’t find all the information about some of them, so I decided to leave stuff like “director”, etc., out. Also, the cast is not complete – because it would be too much I just list the mains - and there are always more actors/actresses playing the main roles and alternate, but I just use the ones I watched.

 1 minute of appreciation:  Musical actors amaze me a lot. They can’t scream “Cut – I’ll try this again”. If they make mistakes, they need to work them out themselves – on stage – in front of many many people. xD  They can’t just take a break. They sing, dance and act on stage in front of big audiences and I’m amazed by that. I wish I could sing… xD Because this job really looks fun despite all the hard work.


Hope you’ll like it! (*^◡^*)

Now, let's start:

Full House

Info
Country: Korea (2014)
Based on: Manga by Won Soo Yeon
Drama: Full House (2004) and more.

 YouTube video 

Cast:


Lee Young Yae

Han Ji Eun

 About:   While she is away, her friends sell JI Eun’s house to Young Jae. As she returns, she discovers the fraud. Though they do not get along, they agree to live with each other: In order to buy her house back, Ji Eun has to work as his maid. Later, to make Young Jae’s crush jealous, they enter a contract marriage and become attracted to each other.


 Opinion:  So this is the musical based on the drama Full House, which was my very first K-drama. I got curious about the musical because of VIXX’s Leo^^ and checked some scenes out. And I really liked the songs. Especially the Argument song between the mains! Sadly, I just couldn’t find more information about the musical. But the songs I really liked! I’m not sure if this story works as a musical tho. I don’t know if I would watch it… maybe... for Leo. ;)




Hana Yori Dango (BOF)

Info
Country: Japan (2016)
Based on: Manga by Yoko Kamio
Drama: Hana Yori Dango (2005),
Boys over Flowers (2009), Meteor Garden (2001), Meteor Garden* (2018) and more.

 YouTube video  

Cast:

Domyoji Tsukasa
Tsukushi Makino
Ririka Kato
Rui Hanazawa

 About:  The poor Makino Tsukushi attends Eitoku Gakuen, for the rich and privileged. The school is ruled by the F4 (four boys from powerful families). One day, Makino stands up to Domyoji in defence of her friend and the next day she receives the red notice. She gets harassed but declares war right back to the F4. This gets the attention of her crush but also awakens feelings in her enemy: Domyoji Tsukasa.


 Opinion:  I would love to watch this one! The Japanese version (2005) is my absolute favourite version and also the first drama I ever watched. As of this musical, I also love the Japanese version the most. The cast is seriously cute! *blush*. And seeing them singing and performing Hana Yori Dango is such a blessing. xD So talented! I’m happy I found a lot of scenes on YT. Even though I couldn’t understand anything… I recognized the scenes! Isn’t the slap adorable? xD Where is her high kick? lol



Black Butler (2)

Info
Country: Japan (2010-2013)
Based on: Manga by Yana Toboso
Movie: Black Butler (2014)

 YouTube video 

Cast:

Sebastian Michaelis
Ciel Phantomhyve
Willian T. Spears

 About:  The omnipotent demon butler Sebastian and his young Master Ciel start to investigate strange murder cases in London on the Queen's orders. At the same time, the Grim Reaper Society has been troubled with "non-collectable souls". The Grim Reaper William T. Spears leads the investigation with his friend. This incident will entwine their destinies and uncover a sad truth.


 Opinion:  I’m outing myself. I haven’t seen the anime, read the manga and also didn’t watch the movie. I wanted to - but somehow… I don’t know. But after seeing this clip, I definitely want to watch it. I couldn’t find much - but this one song has so many feelings… my poor heart! xD I wish I could have seen the whole musical.^^





Death Note

Info
Country: Korea (2015)
Based on: Manga by Tsugumi Oba, Takeshi Obata
Drama: Death Note (2015)
Movie: Death Note (2006) +2

  YouTube video  

Cast:

Misa
Yagami Light
L
Rem
Ryuk

 About:  The college student Yagami Light finds the supernatural book of the Shinigami Ryuk, which kills people whose names are written in the pages. He attempts to change the world into a world without crime - by committing a world-wide massacre of criminals and people he thinks of as unworthy. The police seek help in the young genius investigator L.


 Opinion:  OMG! I LOVE it! Even though I’m thankful to Japan to come up with this amazing story, I like the Korean musical version better than the Japanese musical. The cast and the voices are, in my opinion, way better, and they have Junsu^^. I love him in musicals!

Some years ago, I found the whole musical on YouTube, but now even some scenes can’t be found anymore. Only some recordings of some songs. Or dubbed with English - which I hate. I loooove the song “Getting into his head” sung by the mains. Omg! Luckily the recording of that one is still available.

At first, I couldn’t imagine Rem as a girl. But she nailed it! I totally fell in love with her and her voice! She portrays Rem so well... I was stunned. So I can forgive that they made Rem a girl. ><




Moon Embracing the Sun 

Info
Country: Korea (2013/14)
 Based on: Novel by Jung Eun Gwol
Drama: Moon embracing the sun (2012)

  YouTube video  

Cast:

Lee Hwon
Yeon Woo

 About:  The young Heo Yeon Woo meets Crown Prince Lee Hwon and they fall in love. But before they can marry, the Queen secretly orders her death. After dying, Yeon Woo comes back to life without memories. Everyone believes her to be dead. Eight years later, Yeon Woo is a shaman named Wol. After seeing her, the young king begins to investigate the death of his love.


 Opinion:   Honestly... I would watch it. Joseon Dynasty costumes live on stage? I’m in! xD I found some nice clips - mostly about Kyuhyun xD – but I enjoyed it! The songs sounded so beautiful and were sung so lovely! Musicals just have their own charms. :)




Goong (Princess hours)

Info
Country: Korea (2011), played in Japan
 Based on: Comic by Park So Hee
Drama: Goong (2006)

 YouTube video 

Cast:

Prince Lee Shin
Shin Chae-Kyeong

 About:  Chae Gyeong is a normal high school student. Until one day -because of her grandfather's will- she must marry the unendurable Crown Prince Lee Shin, who also attends her school. Chae Gyeong resists but ends up agreeing to help her family. As she struggles to adapt to royal life, she still can’t help but worry about her cold-hearted husband.


 Opinion:  OMG… yes… I wish YT had more videos of this one. They sang the OST of the drama! And it was so beautiful. Sadly I couldn’t find much – BUT, I found a curtain call video – I love those.^^ I seriously can’t get enough of this… q.q




EXTRA


Romeo and Juliet

Info
Country: Korea (2009)
Based on: drama by William Shakespeare

 YouTube video 

Cast:

Romeo Montague
Juliet Capulet

 Opinion:  As I saw Shin Sung Rok -whom I only knew as antagonists in dramas- was playing and singing  Romeo, of course, I needed to search it up and luckily found some scenes on YouTube. Sadly, I couldn’t find any more information about the musical. But on YouTube, I saw the curtain call, and I was like: omg! Why wasn’t I born in South Korea?! They sang “Le rois du monde” which I fell totally in love with. I actually love watching behind the scenes and also curtain calls. Because in these few moments, you see the real person, not the character. You can see if he/she had fun and also if they had good relationships with the other cast. I love it. The curtain call video is so cute! Shin Sung Rok is cute. xD




Dracula

Info
Country: Korea (2014)
Based on: Novel by Bram Stoker

 YouTube video 

Cast:

Dracula
Mina

 Opinion:  This musical has my absolute favourite musical song at all! It’s “It’s over” sung by Junsu and Harker. I’m a little biased by Junsu tho xD I love his voice in musicals so much hihi! He is a perfect Dracula! There are a lot of scenes on YouTube - which I’m really thankful for! I also watched some clips of my country’s version, and in my opinion, the Korean version is 100 times better than that one, omg. The voices are way better, and so is the acting. It’s way more dynamic than my country’s one, where they just stand while singing xD And Xia is running around doing his goddamn job as a musical ACTOR. 

But also, the lyrics differ a little. In my country’s version, the lyrics are nicer – what doesn’t match at all since Dracula is not that nice and it’s even a fighting scene. xD That’s just what I noticed tho. My country’s one Is probably also great to watch but well…I’m biased. I also love that the Dracula in the Korean version has red hair and leather pants. Thanks a lot to the one who decided he should be shirtless half of the time xD. It looks more modern.



I wish I could have seen those musicals. But good thing some scenes were on YouTube. ^-^ 

Maybe you got curious and checked some of them out. ;) 

Thanks for reading. Hope it was interesting. :) 


What about you? Would you watch them?

 Is there a drama you can imagine would make 

a good musical?



Sources: www.fandom.com and Google. I don’t own any pictures or videos. They are taken from: fandom.com, asianwiki, Google and YouTube. Credits to the respective owners. The pictures are resized for better fitting.


Edited by: Yuanwei (1st editor) & Jojo (2nd editor)

drama musical adaptations theater