‘Hadestown’ takes top prize at Korea Musical Awards

Broadway-born musical “Hadestown,” which made its first landing in Korea in September last year, was honored with the grand prize at the sixth Korea Musical Awards, hosted by the Korea Musical Theatre Association, on Monday.

Korea Musical Awards are given annually to selected musicals among those that premiered over the previous year. For this year, the performance of “Hadestown” beat prominent fellow candidates such as “Who Lives in the Kuroi Mansion?” “The Great Comet” and “Black Priests.”

The story of “Hadestown” is a reinterpretation of ancient Greek mythology of Orpheus heading to the underworld to rejoice with his beloved deceased wife Eurydice.

In addition to the grand prize, the play grabbed two more trophies, with Park Kang-hyun, who plays Orpheus, and Kim Sun-young, who plays Persephone, daughter of Zeus, clinching prizes for best male lead and best female supporting role, respectively.

Korean musical “Red Book” bagged four trophies -- best director, female lead, music arrangements and directing and the honor for best among productions with 400 seats or more.

“The Great Comet,” a Tolstoy novel-inspired Broadway musical, received awards for best ensemble, stage arts and choreography. “Who Lives in the Kuroi mansion?” a Korean musical first brought to the stage in February last year, also won three awards: best drama, music composition and the honor for best among productions with fewer than 400 seats.

Child actors Kim Si-hoon, Lee Woo-jin, Jeon Kang-hyuk and Joo Hyun-joon, who share the role of Billy in “Billy Elliot,” jointly won the male rookie award, while Jang Min-je, who plays Lydia in “Beetlejuice,” won the female rookie award.

Established in 2017, the nation’s recognized musical awards select winners each year through a collective decision of experts and general public voting online.

By Kim Hae-yeon(hykim@heraldcorp.com)