Comedian adapts 'Beetlejuice' for Korean audience

Directed by Shim Seol-in and featuring the work of writer and comedian Lee Chang-ho, the musical "Beetlejuice" brings the popular film to the stage with unique adaptations suited for its Korean audience.

A scene from the musical ″Beetlejuice″ playing at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, through March 22. [CJ ENM]

“Comedy requires a shared sense of empathy. More than sadness, laughter demands a deeper, more precise form of connection.”

That understanding, by musical director Shim Seol-in, shaped the ongoing production of "Beetlejuice," which, for the first time, brought a comic talent onto its writing team.

“I honestly thought they were joking at first,” comedian Lee Chang-ho told reporters Friday in Jongno District, central Seoul.

Lee debuted as a comedian in 2014 and is best known for his parody of drag queen Lola from the musical "Kinky Boots," which surpassed 10 million views after its release in July 2024.

Director Shim Seol-in, left, and writer and comedian Lee Chang-ho of the Korean production of the musical "Beetlejuice" [CJ ENM]

“I’ve only ever pretended to be a musical actor,” Lee said. “So getting to work on an actual musical felt incredibly special. To be honest, I even wanted to go on stage myself — if only I could sing and dance better!”

"Beetlejuice" is adapted from the 1988 film of the same name directed by Tim Burton. After debuting on Broadway in April 2019, the show gained a reputation as a dark comedy that tackles death, grief and the fear of being forgotten.

The story centers on Lydia Deetz, a sharp-witted teenager fascinated by the afterlife, who encounters Beetlejuice, a crude, chaotic demon desperate to return to the world of the living. When a recently deceased couple begins haunting their own home, Beetlejuice manipulates Lydia into helping him escape the underworld.

Neither the original American production nor Korea’s first staging of Beetlejuice in 2021 formally carved out space for localized comedy. The 2021 run in Seoul, though it drew attention as the show’s first international production, had audience feedback that often cited its humor as underwhelming.

A scene from the musical "Beetlejuice" playing at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, through March 22. [CJ ENM]

“For this second production, we felt a reset was necessary,” said collaborating director Shim, who served as the liaison between the original American creative team and the Korean production. “That’s where Lee Chang-ho came in. We wanted to inject new energy into the show.”

The strategy paid off. Korean-specific jokes — referencing skincare routines and recent headlines — draw steady laughter across the 150-minute performance.

Calling "Beetlejuice" one of the most rewarding projects he worked on in 2025, Lee said the title character’s nature gave him more creative freedom than he had expected.

“Beetlejuice is a ten-billion-year-old ghost,” Lee said. “He doesn’t understand social boundaries. He doesn’t know what’s appropriate or inappropriate. That gave me a lot of room to experiment.”

A scene from the musical "Beetlejuice" playing at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, through March 22. [CJ ENM]

Historically, localization in musicals often amounted to literal translation. The genre is notoriously rigid, with little room for improvisation and a strong expectation that performers adhere strictly to the script. However, as demonstrated by the work process of "Beetlejuice," attitudes are shifting, with more creators acknowledging that thoughtful localization is not a deviation from the original but rather a way to preserve its spirit.

“We had extensive discussions with the American creative team about every change,” Shim said. “Sometimes Lee would even act out the revised jokes in front of them.

"At first, it was hard to break through those barriers. But once [the original creatives and the Korean team] saw the show, I think we all genuinely understood the importance of having those discussions."

One element, however, was nonnegotiable: the “Tim Burton-ness” of Beetlejuice.

“At its core, the show poses simple questions about life and death,” Shim said. “It suggests — lightly, playfully — that life might still be worth trying one more time. That attitude, expressed through Tim Burton’s sensibility, remains strongly intact in the Korean show.”

"Beetlejuice" runs through March 22 at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]