[News Culture] Korean original musical “ETERNITY” has completed its first Tokyo run, bringing its distinctive glam-rock universe to Japanese audiences through an ambitious new production.
The Japanese premiere ran from July 10 to 26 at Tokyo Tatemono Pia Theater, drawing an enthusiastic response from local theatergoers and fans traveling from Korea. Following its Tokyo engagement, the production moves to Misonoza in Nagoya on July 31 and Aug. 1, before concluding at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall Minoh in Osaka on Aug. 8 and 9. (Musical Eternity)
Rather than reproducing the Korean staging, the Japanese edition adopts a non-replica format. The original script and score remain intact, while the direction, stage architecture and visual language have been rebuilt for the new production.
Two-time Yomiuri Theatre Award winner Masahiko Kawahara adapted and directed the musical, while renowned lyricist Yukinojo Mori—whose credits include Japanese productions of “Kinky Boots” and “Chicago”—created the Japanese lyrics.
The show has also been scaled up for a venue of roughly 1,000 seats. Steel-frame scenery, LED panels and video projections transform the stage into a layered visual environment, while a newly assembled dance ensemble gives physical form to the characters’ loneliness, conflict and emotional unrest.
A six-piece live band positioned at the front of the stage does more than accompany the cast. The musicians become part of the storytelling itself, driving the production with the force of a live rock concert. Costumes inspired by the flamboyance of 1970s glam rock add another layer of theatrical intensity.
One of the Japanese production’s boldest choices is the casting of Miya Rurika as Murmur, the mysterious figure who connects the musical’s two worlds.
A former Takarazuka Revue performer who joined the company in 2003, Miya brings an androgynous presence and magnetic stage authority to the role. Her casting moves Murmur beyond conventional gender boundaries, reinforcing the character’s elusive, almost otherworldly identity.
The production also features an established lineup of Japanese musical actors. Teppei Koike and Ryosei Konishi alternate as Blue Dot, a once-celebrated glam-rock star whose brilliance is shadowed by profound isolation.
Koike, a recipient of the 42nd Kazuo Kikuta Theatre Award for his performances in “1789” and “Kinky Boots,” and Konishi, whose credits include “Les Misérables” and “Mary Poppins,” each move between the character’s dazzling public persona and the emptiness beneath it.
Ryunosuke Onoda and Asahi Ito share the role of Kuiper, the only person in the present day who remembers Blue Dot and continues to sing his music. Onoda has built his career through major productions including “Beethoven” and “Miss Saigon,” while Ito has demonstrated his range in shows such as “Elisabeth” and “Romeo & Juliet.” The official Japanese production lists Koike and Konishi as its alternating Blue Dots, with Onoda and Ito sharing the role of Kuiper. (EPLUS)
“I was drawn to the show’s singular world from the moment I saw the Korean production,” Koike said. “It was gratifying to see so many people embrace that world in Tokyo. I want to carry Blue Dot’s loneliness and vulnerability with care through the remaining performances in Nagoya and Osaka.”
Kawahara said the Japanese company approached the Korean musical with deep admiration.
“I hope audiences experience the live energy unique to this production—from the gender-free casting of Murmur and the dancers’ expressive physicality to the band performing in full view,” he said.
Mori added that the new dancers and gender-free casting have brought another dimension to the musical.
“As one of the lyrics says, ‘You are me, I am you, and neither of us will ever disappear,’” he said. “I hope this production remains in the hearts of its audiences for a long time.”
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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