Yeongdo Cultural Arts Center to stage original mystery opera

The Yeongdo Cultural Arts Center will present three performances of the original opera "Gyeongseong Detective Agency: Jeolyeongdo, Find the Missing Shadows!" at Bongnae Hall on November 6 and 7. Set in 1947 Busan, the production uses traditional instruments and electronic music to tell a story of disappearances on Jeolyeongdo following liberation.

The Yeongdo Cultural Arts Center will present three performances of the original opera "Gyeongseong Detective Agency: Jeolyeongdo, Find the Missing Shadows!" at Bongnae Hall on November 6 at 7:30 p.m. and November 7 at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Produced as part of the 2026 Arts and Culture Center Specialization Support Project, this original opera was created based on the historical background of Yeongdo, Busan, and the legends passed down in Jeolyeongdo. The work aims to present both the musical emotion of opera and dramatic tension by unfolding the region's history and cultural assets through the unique format of a mystery detective drama.

The story is set in Yeongdo, Busan, in 1947, immediately following liberation. Strange incidents occur across the island where people disappear along with their shadows, yet the US military government and the police are reluctant to handle the cases officially. Hong Gil-dong, the director of the Gyeongseong Detective Agency who is commissioned to investigate, heads to Yeongdo and begins to track the truth behind the disappearances alongside Bok-sun, whom he meets there.

As Hong Gil-dong investigates the cases, he discovers clues scattered throughout Yeongdo and senses that the disappearances are not mere coincidences but are connected to complex secrets. As time passes, the story builds tension as the traces of the disappeared and the hidden truths are revealed. In particular, the motif of "shadows" symbolically expresses the loss of identity, memory, and human desire and choice of people living through the chaotic era after liberation.

The most significant feature of this work is that it captures the regional characteristics of Yeongdo within the art form of opera. By combining the legends associated with the name Jeolyeongdo with the historical situation of Busan immediately after liberation, it presents an original story where historical facts and fiction intertwine. Beyond simple case-solving, the production intends to delicately portray the inner lives and human conflicts of characters living amidst the chaos of the era.

The stage is composed of the ports, markets, and alleys of Yeongdo, Busan, in the 1940s, maximizing the mysterious atmosphere of the work through visual direction utilizing light and shadow. In particular, the disappearing shadows and the disappearance cases are expressed through various stage devices and lighting, providing an immersive experience as if the audience is tracking the clues of the case together.

Musically, the work completes a unique musical color by combining traditional operatic vocal expressions with Korean traditional instruments and electronic music. The music, which blends Western classical with Korean sentiments, vividly conveys the atmospheric mood of the Busan port city immediately after liberation and further enriches the characters' emotions and dramatic situations.

Furthermore, this performance holds great significance as an original opera based on local history and legends. By developing the unique stories of Yeongdo into performing arts, it is expected to suggest new possibilities for local culture and provide an opportunity for audiences to view familiar spaces and history through a different perspective.

The Yeongdo Cultural Arts Center stated that this work is a meaningful performance that develops the stories of Yeongdo into a new original opera based on its history and legends. They expressed hope that through this performance, which combines mysterious stories, music, and stage direction, audiences will experience the new charms of opera and have an opportunity to rediscover the cultural value of Yeongdo.

Detailed information regarding the performance can be found on the Yeongdo Cultural Arts Center website.

Read the original (Korean)