Source: Dong-A Ilbo · 문화연예

What happened

According to Dong-A Ilbo, the musical A Tale of Two Cities (두 도시 이야기) — adapted from Charles Dickens’s novel — is returning to Seoul after a 12-year gap. Producer Shownote (쇼노트) announced on August 31, 2026 that the show will run from November 11, 2026 through February 8, 2028 at BBCH Hall inside Kwanglim Art Center (광림아트센터) in Gangnam-gu.

Korea first saw the title in 2012, with further runs in 2013 and 2014. Shownote is pitching this outing as a new production, not a straight revival of the earlier staging.

The breakdown

Dong-A describes the work as a story of salvation and sacrifice amid the French Revolution, adapted from Dickens’s novel — cited in the piece as the second best-selling single-volume book after the Bible in Korea.

Shownote says the new version fully rewrites the book, adds new musical numbers, and refreshes stage design and costumes while keeping the original’s emotional pull. Composer Frank Wildhorn — known in Korea for Jekyll & Hyde, The Man Who Laughs, and Death Note — contributes two new songs, Dong-A reports.

Casting announced in the piece:

• Sydney Carton, the cynical British lawyer: Kai, Shin Sung-rok, and Ko Eun-sung
• Charles Darnay, the French noble and nephew of the Marquis Evremonde: Baek Hyung-hoon, Jin Tae-hwa, and No Yoon
• Lucy Manette, Dr. Manette’s warm-hearted daughter: Sun Min, Lee Ji-hye, and Kim Su-yeon

Dong-A also lists Lee Young-mi, Kim So-hyang, and Choi Ho-jung among additional cast. Ticket prices, English supertitles, and an exact opening-night preview schedule are not reported in the article.

Why it matters outside Korea

Seoul’s mid-tier musical houses regularly mount Western literary classics with triple-cast leads — easy to miss if you only track K-pop concerts. Dong-A treats this Dickens title as a long-horizon anchor: a run into early 2028 signals repeat demand for a revolution-era sacrifice story, not a one-month novelty. Wildhorn fans abroad should note Korea often mounts his shows as standalone titles with local additions, not frozen import scripts.

What travelers and expats should watch

• Venue and calendar: BBCH Hall at Kwanglim Art Center sits in Gangnam, not the Jamsil megahall cluster. If you are planning Seoul trips across late 2026 through winter 2027–28, this is a date-bound option — book once casting weeks and ticket channels open; Dong-A does not publish prices.
• Language and format: Assume Korean-language delivery unless the venue announces supertitles. Triple casting means your night may feature Kai, Shin Sung-rok, or Ko Eun-sung as Carton — check the listing before buying if you are following a specific performer.
• Expect a rework, not a museum piece: Shownote’s pitch is new book, new numbers, new visuals. Do not assume the 2012–2014 production’s song list or staging carries over unchanged.

Context

Read this as Shownote rebooting a Dickens revolution musical for a multi-year Gangnam run with fresh Wildhorn songs and star triple casts, not as a short festival slot or a K-pop concert announcement. The headline sells Carton casting, but the business story is IP longevity after a 12-year pause — useful for expats weighing one serious theater night against megahall spectacles.

Source

Dong-A Ilbo · 문화연예: “카이·신성록·고은성 출격…뮤지컬 ‘두 도시 이야기’, 12년 만의 귀환” — Korean original; run dates, venue, production notes, Wildhorn additions, and cast from Dong-A; paraphrased for briefing; read the original for photos and full Korean text.