Aiming to become ‘Asia’s theater gateway,’ troup unveils 2026 season lineup
“Twelfth Night” (National Theater Company of Korea) The National Theater Company of Korea announced on Tuesday that two major productions will be performed overseas in 2026 as part of its newly released season lineup.
The productions are “Hedda Gabler” and “Twelfth Night,” reflecting a renewed push by the company to position itself as “Asia’s theater gateway,” a platform for Korean productions to reach global audiences.
“Hedda Gabler,” Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama directed by the company’s artistic director, Park Jeong-hee, has been invited to the Singapore International Festival of Arts and will be performed at the Drama Center in May.
Originally premiered in 2012, the production returned to the stage this year with actress Lee Hye-young reprising her role as the antiheroine. The revival sold out within a week of ticket sales, reaffirming both its artistic reputation and appeal 13 years after its premiere.
Lee Hye-young performs in “Hedda Gabler.” (National Theater Company of Korea) “Twelfth Night,” based on William Shakespeare’s comedy and adapted and directed by Im Do-wan as a Joseon-era (1392–1910) romantic comedy, has already demonstrated its international appeal. The production sold out during a two-day run in Beijing last October.
Incorporating traditional Korean aesthetics in its set design, choreography, music and costumes, the production seeks to connect with global audiences amid the broader wave of Korean cultural influence. Invited by the Hong Kong International Shakespeare Festival, “Twelfth Night” will open in June at The Box, Freespace, in the West Kowloon Cultural District.
In addition to its overseas performances, the National Theater Company announced seven in-house productions for the season.
Among them is “Uncle Vanya,” a Korean adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play, reimagined by director Jo Kwang-hwa, who relocates the original setting to Korea. The production will run in May.
An original new work titled “Under the Floor” is scheduled to premiere in September. Written by Kim Joo-hee, the play won the grand prize in the National Theater Company’s playwriting competition, which was revived last year after a 15-year hiatus and drew more than 300 applicants.
Set in a myth-inspired underworld, “Under the Floor” explores the depths of human despair while also portraying the life force that rises from it. The story follows a woman who has not left her home for eight years and who is accidentally drawn into an underground journey.
“Mother of Him” (National Theater Company of Korea) The 2026 season will also bring the conclusion of the theater’s two-year project, “Antropolis,” a five-part cycle drawing on the blood-soaked myths of Thebes and the enduring tragedies of human history. After presenting Parts One and Two this year, the National Theater Company plans to stage Parts Three, Four and Five in September, October and December, respectively, completing the ambitious series.
The theater will also revisit two productions that premiered this year as potential additions to its repertoire. The first is “Sammaekyung,” based on a work by Ham Se-deok and re-created and directed by Lee Cheol-hee, which is scheduled to run in March.
Evan Placey’s unsettling “Mother of Him,” directed by Ryu Joo-yeon, will also return in April. The play centers on a mother whose son has been convicted of rape and who seeks to have his sentence reduced. The revival will feature a newly cast lead role, replacing actress Kim Sun-young.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com