'Joint Security Area' Becomes Musical

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

The 2000 Korean film "JSA - Joint Security Area"based on the novel " DMZ " by Park Sang-yeon will be turned into a musical later this year. It is the first of its kind to deal with the politically sensitive subject of occurrences between North and South Korea on stage.

Renowned writer of "DMZ" and the drama "Queen Seon-deok", Park will modify his original work for the stage version.

The novel, which was released in 1997, focuses on invisible powers which destroy humanity through hostilities between the two Koreas, while the film version highlights on humanity and sheds a new light on North Korea rather than merely highlighting ideological conflicts.

The musical will use visual effects to portray the breathtaking natural landscape of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), along with dynamic and vibrant musical numbers.

The Muk Company said that it has not decided on casting but it will have a star-studded lineup, equivalent to that of the film version starring Lee Byeong-Heon, Lee Young-ae and Song Kang-ho.

"The musical will be different from both the original novel and the film. It will be a totally new production with a twist, which will touch upon sensitive issues, reflecting the 2010 relation between the two Koreas", the company said in a press release.

The musical will also target the overseas market with its spectacle composition and solid plot. "The production will also mark the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War this year", the company said.

The film version was directed by Park Chan-wook with a storyline revolving around a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border. It won the Best Film and Best Director prize at the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2000 and Best Film at the Grand Bell Awards in 2001.