Billy Elliot the Musical Nears Opening In South Korea
Author’s Note: As the Korean production gets closer to Opening Night, information and graphics will continue to be updated in this article. Last update: 7/23/10.
공연개막이 가까워지고 있기 때문에 관련 정보 및 사진들이 계속 업데이트될 예정이다.
After the huge success of the show in the UK, Australia and the US, Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) opens on August 14th in South Korea, the first non-English speaking country where it has ever played. The premiere night, to which press and journalists are mainly invited, is scheduled for August 13th. If and when there’ll be previews of the show, which has been the case in other productions of the musical, has not been announced.
영국, 호주 및 미국에서 큰 성공을 거둔 뮤지컬 ‘빌리엘리어트’가 8월 14일 한국에서 비영어권 최초로 공연된다. 프레스 및 기자들이 주로 초청되는 프리미어 공연은 8월 13일에 예정되어있고,프리뷰 일정은 아직 정해지지 않았다.
The process of creating BETM Korea has been long and hectic. Since the first audition in February, 2009 and after four more auditions and Billy School training, four boys: SeYong Kim(13), JiMyung Lee(13), Sunu Lim(10), and JinHo Jung(12) were chosen for the role of Billy. Recently, the rest of the cast was announced as well, and you can see a list the entire cast here. 
The kids in the show started rehearsals in April, while adult cast members started to participate in them in May. As of the writing of this article, the cast has begun doing final run-throughs on the stage of the LG Art Center in Seoul, where the show will be held.
빌리엘리어트 코리아를 만드는 과정은 길고도 숨가빴다.2009년 2월 첫 오디션 이후 네번의 추가 오디션 및 빌리스쿨 트레이닝이 있었고, 2009년 2월 공개 오디션을 시작한 이후 네 번의 오디션과 빌리 스쿨을 통해 주인공 ‘빌리’로 김세용(13), 이지명(13), 임선우(10), 정진호(12) 네 명이 확정됐다. 다른 캐스트들도 최근 확정발표되었고 전체 캐스트는 http://www.musicalbillyelliot.co.kr 에서 확인할 수 있다. 어린이 캐스트들은 4월부터 리허설을 시작했고 5월부턴 성인 배우들도 연습에 투입됐으며, 현재는 공연이 개막하는 LG아트센터에서 무대 리허설을 진행하고 있다.
Adapting the show’s characters and style to the Korean culture has been difficult. According to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, the script is now in its sixth translation. How to interpret the foul language that peppers the original English script was also a problem. “Such language is not often publicly spoken in Korea, so we had to think hard how to tone it down,” said Moon Mi-ho, chief executive of Magistella, the Korean producer of the musical, during the interview with WSJ. The boys were having a difficult time with swearing during rehearsals as most of them have never used any bad words, so the production had to ask the parents to tell the children it was OK to do so.
이 공연의 캐릭터와 스타일을 한국 문화에 맞게 변형시키는 일은 매우 어려웠다. 월스트리트저널 기사에 따르면 대본이 현재 6차로 번역되었다고 한다. 어떻게 욕설과 같은 언어를 번역할지도 문제였다. “그런 언어들이 한국에서는 자주 공개적으로 쓰여지지 않기 때문에 어떻게 단어들을 순화해야할지 고민해야 했다.”고 한국 프로덕션 매지스텔라 대표인 문미호가 WSJ과의 인터뷰에서 말했다. 대부분의 아이들이 욕을 한번도 해본적이 없어서 리허설 기간동안 거친단어를 뱉는데 애를 먹었고, 프로덕션 측은 부모들에게 아이들이 극중에서는 그렇게 해도 된다고 이야기해줄 것을 부탁해야 했다고 한다.
However, the most important part of the whole process was training the boys to play the role of Billy. For over a year, the four Billys had to go through the tough training process at “Billy School”. The boys have taken classes including ballet, pilates, acrobatics, acting and singing 65 hours a week without any days-off. According to a BETM staff member, thanks to the boys’ hard work they have wonderfully grown into the role of Billy with “the gushing energy of kids.”
하지만 가장 중요한 부분은 아이들이 빌리 역할을 소화할 수 있게 트레이닝시키는 것이었다. 1년이 넘는 기간동안 네명의 빌리들은 ‘빌리스쿨’의 고된 트레이닝 과정을 거쳐야 했다. 아이들은 발레,필라테스,아크로바틱,연기 및 노래 수업을 휴일없이 1주일에 65시간을 들어야 했다. 아이들의 노력으로 그들은, 한 스탭의 말에 따르면 “샘솟는 아이들의 에너지로” 빌리로 자라났다.
To find out more about the young actors who star in South Korean show see the article on this site called Meet the Billys – Korea: Billy Elliot the Musical.
한국 빌리엘리어트의 아이들에 대한 정보는 Meet the Billys – Korea: Billy Elliot the Musical 에서 찾을 수 있다.
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Interesting – I found it rather odd that there were such worries about some of the foul language in the musicale . I have seen it in UK and did not noticed anything different than what regular boys would use when speaking with each other. At the same time I am not too familiar with the culture and the society in Korea and am thankful that the musical would be played there as this would open possibilities for culture exchange as well as the other benefits such a play would bring.
Sctwins: A well written and very informative article. It looks like the tradition of quality that is a standard for all new productions of Billy Elliot the Musical is being upheld in fine fashion in Korea. It hardly seems possible, though, that the opening of the show there is only three weeks away. Seems like yesterday when it was announced it would open there in August of this year.
Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thanks skykid and Porschesrule!:-) And as for language, I think it is because of the cultural difference.It is not common at all for kids to use bad words(even to each other) in Korea(and Japan,too I think) I remember the early interview of BT McNicholl(executive producer of BETM Korea) that one of the most difficult things with Korean Billys were that they were too well disciplined and well behaved so he had to encourage Billys to be comfortable with expressing oneself more freely.
I don't think disciplined is the word. Asian countries have a long story of repression and human rights violations, I can not fathom what sort of upbringing these poor kids might have had.
My only experience with the Asian culture was in my high school in the US where I had a roommate from Japan and a lot of friends from Thailand , Japan and China. I did not notice anything wrong with them ….in fact the Japanese boys were really hype , the girls charming and overall I have only good memories . Looking at the videos of the young boys preparing to play Billy Elliot I see only hard determination to make their parents and friends proud and give their best out.
Sorry,my dictionary is bad.'Reserved' might be more appropriate.And seriously, those kids being more reserved is nothing to do with the history of repression at all.(Trust me,I've grown up and lived in South Korea.We are NOT anything similar to North Korea) It is much more to do with the culture such as Confucianism and honorific system in language. Even adults don't use the words equal to the bad words used in BETM that much. It's just the culture. I can see those kids are raised really well and are being loved by parents.
I think putting all cultures with an Asian heritage into one basket (or even all peoples within the culture of any Asian country) borders on racial bias. If you are saying certain Asian countries repress human rights I would agree, as do certain European and South American nations. But to lump all Asians together as being a repressed people is ludicrous.
And specifically with regard to the boys who will play Billy Elliot, everything I've read and know about them from other sources indicates their upbringing in South Korea has been a very normal, wholesome one.
EXCUSE ME?Repression?Human rights violation?I don't want to be rude here but I feel so humiliated at that kind of misunderstanding.As sctwins said,it seems you treat South Korea and North Korea almost same.Or if it is your general perception of asian countries,I can definitely tell you it's totally wrong.Plus,we don't abuse child like you think.If we didn't know how to cherish these gifted children,there would be no BETM.
I would ask all participants in the discussion to keep the good tone. I myself only admire the great extend to which the Asian countries support the youth – take Japan as example – almost all choirs and young singers are welcomed there and they support greatly not only their own talents , but the ones from other countries. If we take a look at China – they athletes of all ages amaze the world with their incredible performances .