On the evening of September 16th I attended my very first theatrical performance at the Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, Seoul. I had never seen a true professional level musical before, and I thought it was unique that the first time I would see one it would be in a different language. Now, that did mean understanding it was very difficult, because I don't know Korean very well. However, since the actors were wonderful and I know a tiny bit of Korean, I was able to somewhat follow along, at least for the first half... I am sure it would have been more meaningful had I understood it fully, but I still think it was worth the money I paid to go.
The Charlotte Theater was gorgeous. It is small, but I thought it still was grand. I felt a little out of place and under-dressed, like I was in a place for high class people as a wannabe member of the middle class society. It was okay though, as there were many commonly dressed people mixed in with some very over dressed ones. Immediately you could pick out the die hard musical fans from those just looking for a new experience. The color scheme of the theater was soothing and tasteful, with a beautiful staircase and an escalator also. It was a harmonious mix of a classic theater and 21st century technology.At first I was concerned that the seats my friend and I had were not optimal, because we were the 5th row back in the balcony. I was worried we wouldn't be able to see very well. However, since it is a small theater, even from our seats the view was clear and close. Now if there is one thing that I can say for certain it is that the theater does not tolerate much of anything, they are SUPER strict, especially when it comes to photos and seating. When we entered the theater a man helped us to our seats and we were told no photos were allowed inside the theater. Of course...everyone I know would try to sneak a photo... I just wanted visual evidence of my presence inside a theater for the first time. I thought taking a photo of my ticket would at least be acceptable, since it was just a simple piece of paper, one that I spent lots of money on....
However...as I took the picture...of my ticket, in my lap, I had someone approach me and reprimand me. It was a bit of a disappointment. Surely I thought at least photographing my ticket would be okay. I wanted to try and take just one photo of the stage before the performance began, but considering I had already been told twice, I certainly wasn't going to risk being asked to leave just for a stupid photo. I decided to just enjoy the show with my eyes and memory.
I noticed they also were very strict with the seating. During the showing the night I was there a majority of the balcony was empty. I was surprised by this, since when I bought tickets it had showed the rows in front of me were sold out, but upon arrival they were vacant. Now in most cases, anyone would try to sit closer, since the seats were there. I didn't; I was content with where I was and I am glad. Prior to the beginning of the show and then again during intermission every seat was checked one by one to ensure people were where they belonged. If anyone was seated incorrectly they were asked to move, even if the seat was vacant. Of course, this is because some seats are considered VIP, and the ticket prices vary depending on the seat. I was surprised because they took it seriously down to the exact seat. There was one couple sitting in front of me who were just one seat to the right of where there assigned seats were, by mistake, and they were asked to move. I guess since the theater has many sold out shows it is important that the seats are heavily and always enforced, even when there is a show with a smaller audience.
On to the show itself, I thought that it was amazing and well put together. The actors had voices that fit their parts very well and the costumes fit the time period well. What I found intriguing was the set changes. In university I had taken a class on the history of theater and how ancient Greek and Roman theaters through modern times worked. I never thought this was information I would apply to my daily life, and yet, here I was using it. It made me curious to see the actual mechanics of how they could change the set so drastically in an instant. I wanted to go back stage just to see how it all worked firsthand. I thought the set changing was awesome. Also, now days the set can change digitally too. The theater could lower a transparent screen so that the actors and set could be seen through it, but also special effects could be projected to overlay the performance. It was a pretty unique way to add to the show.
Another bonus (actually...the main reason I saw this particular musical in the first place) is that my favorite singer, DaeHyun, from B.A.P., was performing in his first musical for the part of Napoleon's brother Lucien. It was fun to see him and his musical talent in a different form from just strictly the kpop idol style of music. It was also really wonderful to be able to see him in person and his handsome, famous, and spectacular talent. Seeing your favorite celebrities in person is a whole new experience, it solidifies the fact that they are a true, living person and not just some fictional person that you idolize. It makes the experience so much more real.
The musical lasted approximately 3 hours when you included the intermission at the half way point. The first half I was able to comprehend for the most part just based on the acting, but I got lost during the second half. I am pretty sure at some point that characters died and it was focused on decisions and regret, but I can't be sure without understanding Korean. Even if I can't understand it exactly, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to go, for the experience, the set, the actors, the fancy building, and for my favorite singer.
On the staircase leading to the balcony
Info on the Charlotte Theater:
English:Charlotte Theater
Main Website (Korean Only)
