Draft:Frankenstein (2014 musical)

Frankenstein is a musical by Brandon Lee and YongBeom Wang, loosely based on the classic novel by Mary Shelley. It premiered in 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most famous and influential Korean musicals. . It was revived several times. It has also had productions in Japan in 2017 and 2020, with another run announced for 2025. The 2020 Japan production released two DVD recordings.

A cast album was released in Korea in 2019.

Act 1
Victor Frankenstein rescues a military doctor, Henry Dupre, from execution for treason during the Battle of Waterloo. Victor tells Henry that he wants his help with the goal of creating life. Though Henry disagrees with Victor's goal, the two work together. The war ends, and they lose funding for their research. They move their library to Frankenstein Castle. There, Henry learns about Victor's past, and reveals more of his own personal history.

As he is no longer on a battlefield, Victor has trouble acquiring corpses to experiment with. An undertaker offers help, but when the undertaker kills someone Victor cared about and offers him the head, Victor kills the undertaker in a burst of anger. Henri takes the blame and is set to be executed for the crime.

Victor attempts to confess his own guilt, but the father of his fiancee, Julia, tells the people not to believe him. Henry tells Victor that he doesn't mind giving his life to save Victor, and that he will live on in Victor's dreams if that is what must happen ("In Your Dreams"). Henry is beheaded. Victor takes Henry's head and creates his monster ("The Grand Beginning of the History of the Creation of Life"). The creature escapes, killing Victor's loyal butler Longue.

Act 2
Three years later, Victor and Julia get married, but Victor is still worried that the monster might return. The monster does return. Victor calls him "Henry", but the monster insists that that is not his name.

He tells Victor the story of what he has encountered out in the world. He was made to fight in an underground circus run by Jacques, and there, he met Eva, Catherine, and Fernando.

When the monster finishes telling his story, the body of Julia's father is found. Victor's sister Ellen is framed for the crime and hanged. The monster kills Julia as well, then runs away to the North Pole. Victor chases him there, and finally catches up to him and kills him, calling him Henry.

Korea
The musical premiered at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul, South Korea in 2014. The cast included Victor Frankenstein / Jacques - Yoo Jun-sang, Ryu Jeong-han, Lee Geon-meong; Henry Dupre / Monster- Park Eun-tae, Han Ji-sang; Julia / Catherine - Lisa, Ansiha; Ellen / Eva - Seo Ji-young, Ahn Yu-jin; Lunge / Igor - Kim Dae-jong, Shin Jae-hee; Stephan / Fernando - Lee Hee-jung; Young Victor - Choi Min-young , Oh Ji-hwan; and Young Julia - Kim Hee-yoon, Kim Min-sol. Park won Best Leading Actor in Korea's Musical Awards.

A 2015 rerun was performed at the same theater. The 2018, 2021, and 2024 productions were staged at Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall. The casts in these productions included: Victor Frankenstein / Jacques - Yoo Jun-sang, Shin Sung-rok, Kyuhyun, Jeon Dong-seok; Henry Dupre / Monster- Park Eun-tae, Kai, Lee Hae-jun, Go Eun-seong; Julia / Catherine - Seonmin, Lee Jihye, Choi Jihye; Ellen / Eva - Jeon Su-mi, Jang Eun-ah, Kim Ji-woo; Lunge / Igor - Kim Dae-jong , Shin Jae-hee; Stephan / Fernando - Lee Hee-jung, Moon Seong-hyeok; Young Victor - Jo Min-gyu, Kim Seung-hoo, Kim Seung-joo; and Young Julia - Jang Se-rin, Isiah, Daniela

Japan
In 2017, the musical had its first production in Japan, at Tokyo's Nissay Theater, with a revival at the same theater in 2020. It was directed by Kyoichi Itagaki, translated by Yukinojou Mori, with Ken Shima as music director. Two performances were recorded for a DVD release, one with Nakagawa and Kato in the lead roles, the other with Kakizawa and Konishi.

The casts included: Victor Frankenstein / Jacques - Akinori Nakagawa, Hayato Kakizawa; Henry Dupre / Monster- Kazuki Kato, Ryosei Konishi; Julia / Catherine - Kei Otozuki; Ellen / Eva - Harumi Tsuyuzaki; Lunge / Igor - Soma Suzuki; Stephan / Fernando - Kazuyuki Aijima.

A 2025 run is scheduled at Brillia Hall in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, with Nakagawa and Kato returning.

Reception
The musical won in 9 categories at the 8th Musical Awards after its premiere run.