'Spirited Away' to Meet on Stage, Opening in Korea Next January

The representative work of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, 〈Spirited Away〉, is set to meet domestic audiences as a musical.

CJ ENM announced on the 29th that the original production of the musical 〈Spirited Away〉 will open at the Opera Theater of the Arts Center in January next year. The performances in Korea are scheduled to continue until March next year.

This musical is based on the animated film of the same name by Studio Ghibli. The original animated film 〈Spirited Away〉, released in 2001, depicts the adventures of Chihiro as she enters a fantastical world of gods ruled by the witch Yubaba, and is regarded as one of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces.

The musical version premiered in 2022 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Toho, the film production company. John Caird, who directed the original production of the musical 〈Les Misérables〉, took on the direction, and the world-renowned composer Joe Hisaishi, who was responsible for the music of the original animation, participated in the creative team.

The work made its way to London's West End in April last year and received positive reviews from local audiences. It is currently being performed in Shanghai, China, and will be staged in Korea next year.

CJ ENM's Ye Ju-yeol, head of the performance business division, stated, "I am confident that this will be a historic performance that combines the beautiful worldview of Studio Ghibli with stage art," and added, "We will make every effort to provide an unforgettable stage experience for Korean audiences who have been waiting for this work for a long time."