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The Last Empress is set to be the first Korean musical to attract more than 1 million viewers. The musical was written to mark the 100th anniversary of the murder by Japanese assassins of Empress Myeongseong, the last empress of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

The show’s producer Acom International released a statement on February 21 that said the musical has been staged more than 700 times in 12 years since its 1995 premiere, and has so far attracted about 990,000 viewers. The musical is currently being staged at the Opera House at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. "The total number of visitors to the show is expected to surpass 1 million on March 1," added Acom.

Nanta, a Korean nonverbal performance piece involving percussive, acrobatic dancing amid flying kitchen cutlery, attracted over 1 million fans in 2002, but The Last Empress will be the first Korean musical to produce such a good record.

The Last Empress is a rarity in Korea: a long-running musical that is homegrown. Even in the United States and England, where musicals see great popularity, only about 10 shows including the so-called "big four" - Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Miss Saigon - have enjoyed longevity. In Korea, most domestic musicals disappear after their premiere.

The Last Empress is based on Korean bestselling writer Yi Mun-yol’s novel Yeou Sanyang (Fox Hunting); Kim Kwang-rim adapted it for the stage, and Kim Hui-gap and Yang In-ja wrote the songs. The musical has seen several improvements from its original version.

Regarding the high popularity of The Last Empress, Yun Ho-jin, head of Acom, mentioned its artistic value. "Due to the Korean sentiment contained in the musical and the historic lessons that go beyond just fun and leaving an impression, the show can garner an enthusiastic response from viewers," said Yun.

Jo Yong-sin, a musical critic, praised the musical because, unlike major foreign musicals, which usually seek open-run performances in Seoul, The Last Empress has attracted nearly 1 million fans through national touring instead.

The musical, which enjoyed favorable reviews in European nations and Canada after its New York tour in 1997, will be introduced in Asian countries such as Japan and China next year.

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