But local associate director has one concern
In one of the most moving scenes in “Billy Elliot,” a young boy meets his older self in a dreamlike duet — his hesitant, searching steps echoed and lifted by graceful, assured movement. For a brief moment, the two dance as one before drifting apart, tracing a quiet arc of longing, distance and the self he is still becoming.
The scene — among the production’s most striking moments — was performed on Wednesday at a press call. Lim Sun-u, a principal dancer with Universal Ballet, played the adult Billy alongside 11-year-old Kim Woo-jin as the young Billy in “Billy Elliot.” It was a full-circle return for Lim, who first took on the role as a child in the 2010 Korean premiere.
Now in its fourth revival, the show opened April 12 at Blue Square in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and has earned an average rating of 9.8 out of 10 on ticketing platform Nol from more than 550 reviews.
Driving the production’s popularity are its young performers — from the ballet girls in the ensemble to Michael, Billy’s irrepressible best friend, and the four young actors sharing the title role — whose physically demanding performances are shaped by a year and a half of rigorous training.
Selected for the latest run, Kim Seung-ju (13), Park Ji-hoo (12), Kim Woo-jin (11), and Cho Yoon-woo (10) come from diverse backgrounds in acting, singing, hip-hop, ballet and acrobatics. For each of them, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime role — by the next revival, they’ll have outgrown it.
Choi Jung-won, returning for her third consecutive season as Mrs. Wilkinson, said working with the young cast has reshaped her own sense of the craft. “Performing alongside the child actors gives me an incredible jolt of energy — it’s become a huge force in my life,” she said.
“Watching these young performers carry a three-hour show gives the audience an enormous jolt,” said Oh Min-young, the production’s local music director. “People walk away feeling everything from ‘I need to live my life more fully’ to a sense of healing.”
The music director added that the musical’s deeper message lies in collective care. “There’s a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and that feels like the heart of this piece. There’s something profoundly moving about watching adults devote themselves, sending a child off into the future with love as he carries his dream forward.”
Lee Jae-eun, the local associate director, said the work has all the makings of a long-running classic. “There’s no reason this show shouldn’t have a long life. It’s a story about community, and the music, the choreography, the storytelling — all of it is wonderful,” she said.
But Lee voiced a quieter concern: “It isn’t a sensational work — what has carried it this far is the perfection of its music and book, the dedication of the children, and the devotion of the staff,” she said.
“As the sense of community continues to fade from the world around us, I do wonder whether this piece can keep finding its audience. I hope audiences continue to find the space within themselves to hold something this quiet, this deeply.”
Based on the 2000 film of the same name, “Billy Elliot” is set in northern England during the miners’ strike of the 1980s. It follows a young boy who discovers his talent for ballet after stumbling into a dance class during a boxing lesson, and who fights against adversity to pursue his dream.
The musical adaptation premiered in London in 2005 and has been staged three times in Korea, in 2010, 2017 and 2021.
“Billy Elliot” runs until July 26.
Entry is permitted for ages 8 and up, meaning elementary school students and older, including those born in 2019.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
