An increasing number of high-quality cultural productions from China are drawing widespread attention and applause on the global stage. Among them is the original Chinese musical #0528.
Staged at the Link Art Center Dream 1 Theater in Seoul from Oct 22 to Jan 11, the musical was created by Shanghai-based Focustage. It ran for 105 performances, attracting about 25,000 people and generating box-office revenue of about 4.8 million yuan ($690,000) in South Korea.
Blending Chinese storytelling and music with local casts and stage design, the musical tells a refreshing and heartwarming story between humans and ghosts, exploring themes of passion, hope, and the pursuit of dreams.
Yet, this is not the company's first original musical to gain recognition in South Korea. In 2024, The Butterfly on the Bund 1939 successfully entered the country's mature musical market with a story rooted more deeply in Chinese history.
Set in 1939 Shanghai, it is one of the first Chinese musicals to be licensed in South Korea. The story follows two women who were involved in different factions of anti-colonial movements during wartime. Its first round of 85 shows achieved an average attendance rate of over 95 percent and impressed nearly 20,000 audience members.
"We have been introducing overseas musicals into the Chinese market, but in recent years, we've noticed the emergence of many high-quality Chinese productions. That encouraged us to bring our original works abroad, and we found they were warmly received," says Liu Hankun, founder and producer of Focustage.
Liu points out that although the South Korean musical industry is well-developed, it has somewhat become "homogeneous", creating opportunities for Chinese productions to stand out with fresh narratives and distinctive storytelling approaches.
"We share many cultural elements, but differ in temperament. After the shows, many audience members became fans of Chinese culture and music," says Liu.
He adds that compared with The Butterfly on the Bund 1939, #0528 was created with a more "global perspective", showcasing China's capabilities in scriptwriting and music production to international audiences.
As the company explores opportunities to stage Chinese musicals in other markets such as Japan and Singapore, supportive policies are helping to accelerate the process. Selected alongside 56 other cultural initiatives, #0528 will receive special funding to promote international cultural exchange and help Chinese stories reach wider global audiences.
Other supported projects also highlight diverse forms of cultural exchange. For example, gardening experts are helping winter-blooming plum blossoms thrive in Singapore's tropical climate, allowing local residents to enjoy the beauty of the cold-loving flower.
Academic initiatives are also reaching outward. International forums and journals launched in Shanghai, such as the Global Education Deans' Forum hosted by East China Normal University and the English-language journal Law Science published by East China University of Political Science and Law, aim to contribute Chinese perspectives to global discussions.
Interactive entertainment company Papergames, which operates in 34 countries and is known for popular games including Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace, is empowering the nation's intangible cultural heritage with its original IPs.
Soon, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will begin a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Singapore from Friday to March 23, presenting cross-cultural repertoires intended to connect audiences through the universal language of music.
"Music serves as a powerful medium for cultural exchange. Through tours, we hope to enable audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of Shanghai and learn more about China today," says Yu Long, the orchestra's music director.
