OTT Disney+ will release six live movies containing the essence of musicals over three weeks from August. In particular, large musicals, which have been loved by domestic and foreign audiences, are expected to capture high-definition images of the stage-like emotions.
On Aug. 6, the two works that led to the Nth viewing of musical fans, 'Elizabeth: The Musical Live' and 'Phantom: The Musical Live' will be released.
'Elizabeth: The Musical Live' is a masterpiece of agony, love, and her life of the death suffered by the empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Elisabeth von Vitelsbach, adding a spectacular stage to the classical tragedy. Ok Joo-hyun, who has been on stage as the lead in every major musical and captivated the audience with her explosive voice and deep emotional line, decomposes into the main character "Elizabeth" in this work, capturing the time from a lively girl to a middle-aged man in agony in a wide acting spectrum, further enhancing the sense of immersion in the play.
At the time of the theater's release in 2024, the creepy ensemble of colorful casts such as Ok Joo-hyun and Lee Hae-joon drew a hot response, setting a new record of exceeding 40,000 viewers for the first time in a Korean musical live movie.
Photo=Disney Plus
Based on mystery novelist Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera', 'Phantom: The Musical Live' is a beautiful and sad love story that depicts a human side hidden behind the mask of 'Eric' who lives underground in a theater due to his hideous face. Kyuhyun expresses the complex character 'Phantom' with a stable singing ability and delicate emotional line, attracting the audience at once, and stage art that crosses genres such as opera, ballet, and soprano adds to the richness of the play.
Photo=Disney Plus
Then on August 13th, 'Monte Cristo: The Musical Live' and 'Laughing Man' will come. The story of young sailor Edmond Dantes' journey to justice, 'Monte Cristo: The Musical Live', confirms Kai's irreplaceable presence as he flexibly leads a speedy narrative with soft charisma. It adds special meaning not only to the overwhelming scale, including 250 costumes, 118 stage conversions, and a huge 2.5-ton stage set to decorate the climax, but also to the fact that it is the first live musical film to showcase close-up shots using 14 8K cinematic cameras and dual shots of the audience-centered and spectacular versions.
Photo=Disney Plus
Based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, "The Laughing Man" asks back the value of human dignity and equality through the life of a terrible monster with a background of 17th-century England, where discrimination was severe. Actor Park Kang-hyun, who played the main character 'Gwinplen' from the premiere to the third season, becomes 'Gwinplen' itself in a very beautiful way from director Robert Johansson" has completed a warm and strong character with explosive singing and delicate emotional expressions that are highly praised. Original stage aesthetics, music, and heavy messages are combined to leave an intense aftertaste.
Photo=Disney Plus
The small 'Excalibur' and 'Marie Antoinette' will be unveiled on August 20th, which will be the grand finale. Set in ancient England, an ordinary young man with the destiny of a king 'Arthur' overcomes the chaos and grows up, 'Excalibur' is a grand scale, an ensemble of charismatic characters, and a modern reinterpreted 'Arthur' King legend elevates the sense of immersion. In particular, Kai, who made another intense transformation with the role of 'Arthur' in 'Excalibur' following 'Monte Cristo: The Musical Live', fully digests the difficult numbers and delicately depicts the inner side of 'Arthur' who fails to accept the fate set even after drawing the sex sword Excalibur.
Photo=Disney Plus
Lastly, the dramatic life of Marie Antoinette, who was a queen of France but ended her life at the guillotine due to the French Revolution in the 18th century, and the life of a fictional character who is interested in social absurdity and leads the revolution are highlighted in contrast to the true meaning of truth and justice. Kim So-hyang, who played "Marie Antoinette", digests a wide range of emotions in her curved life from innocence to despair and delivers an intense message with desperate emotion.
The six works that capture the vivid emotions of the live musical are masterpieces that will captivate not only musical aficionados but also beginners, and are expected to meet overwhelming shudders and on-stage impressions that you can't take your eyes off for a single moment.
