A Tale of Two Cities returns after 12 years with Kai, Shin Sung-rok and Ko Eun-sung
The musical A Tale of Two Cities comes back in a new Shownote production twelve years after its Korean premiere, running 11 November to 8 February 2027 at BBCH Hall, Gwanglim Arts Center, with Kai, Shin Sung-rok and Ko Eun-sung sharing Sydney Carton.
PUBLICAi Editorial3 min read
Contents8
Key points
- A Tale of Two Cities, produced by Shownote, returns in a new production twelve years after its 2012 Korean premiere.
- The run is 11 November 2026 to 8 February 2027 at BBCH Hall, Gwanglim Arts Center, Seoul.
- Kai, Shin Sung-rok and Ko Eun-sung share Sydney Carton, Sun-min, Lee Ji-hye and Kim Su-yeon share Lucie Manette, and two new songs by Frank Wildhorn join the score.
A Tale of Two Cities, the musical after Charles Dickens's novel, comes back in a new production after twelve years away. The show — a story of redemption and sacrifice set in the French Revolution — returns from 11 November at BBCH Hall in Gwanglim Arts Center, produced by Shownote, and runs to 8 February next year.
The season brings a thoroughly revised book and a new set and costume design. Alongside the existing numbers by the original composer Jill Santoriello, two new songs by Frank Wildhorn enter the score: one introduced in Korea for the first time after last year's Japanese production, and one receiving its world premiere on this Korean stage.
The casting has drawn attention of its own. Sydney Carton, the cynical lawyer who chooses sacrifice for love, is shared by Kai, Shin Sung-rok and Ko Eun-sung, while Charles Darnay, who holds to his principles, goes to Baek Hyung-hoon, Jin Tae-hwa and Noh Yoon. Lucie Manette, Doctor Manette's daughter, is played by Sun-min, Lee Ji-hye and Kim Su-yeon, and Madame Defarge, at the centre of the revolution, by Lee Young-mi and Kim So-hyang.
The announcement came with the casting and ahead of any on-sale date: this season had not been registered with KOPIS at the time of writing. The official poster and the booking schedule are to be announced separately through Shownote's and Gwanglim Arts Center's own channels.
Production details
| Production | A Tale of Two Cities (뮤지컬 〈두 도시 이야기〉) |
| Dates | 11 November 2026 – 8 February 2027 |
| Venue | BBCH Hall, Gwanglim Arts Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul |
| Capacity | 998 seats (BBCH Hall, as registered with KOPIS) |
| Produced by | Shownote |
| Source | Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities |
| Music | Jill Santoriello, plus two new songs by Frank Wildhorn |
| Korean premiere | 2012 |
| Tickets | No on-sale date announced at the time of writing |
Cast
| Role | Performers |
|---|---|
| Sydney Carton | Kai, Shin Sung-rok, Ko Eun-sung |
| Charles Darnay | Baek Hyung-hoon, Jin Tae-hwa, Noh Yoon |
| Lucie Manette | Sun-min, Lee Ji-hye, Kim Su-yeon |
| Madame Defarge | Lee Young-mi, Kim So-hyang |
| Also featuring | Kim Yong-su, Choi Ho-jung, Shim Jae-hyun, Lee Jong-mun, Choi Na-rae, Na Yu-jin, Kim Dong-hyun |
When and where does A Tale of Two Cities play?
From 11 November 2026 to 8 February 2027 at BBCH Hall in Gwanglim Arts Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. BBCH Hall seats 998.
When do tickets go on sale?
The casting was announced ahead of any on-sale date, and no booking schedule had been published at the time of writing. The season was also not yet registered with KOPIS, so watch Shownote's and Gwanglim Arts Center's official channels.
Who plays Sydney Carton?
Kai, Shin Sung-rok and Ko Eun-sung alternate in the role — the cynical lawyer who ends by choosing sacrifice for love.
What is different about this production?
The book has been thoroughly revised and the set and costumes are new. Two songs by Frank Wildhorn join Jill Santoriello's original score: one heard in Korea for the first time after last year's Japanese production, the other receiving its world premiere here.
What is the source material?
Charles Dickens's novel of the same name, set in London and Paris during the French Revolution and turning on one man's redemption and sacrifice. The musical had its Korean premiere in 2012.
