"The Last Man" (Neo)
"The Last Man" (Neo)

Korean musical “The Last Man” will make its UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse’s Elephant venue in London from May 8 to June 6, according to its Korean production company Neo.

The London debut follows the musical’s introduction to overseas audiences through showcases in New York and Taipei in recent years, as well as a licensed Chinese-language production in Shanghai in 2025.

Originally premiered in Korea in 2021, "The Last Man," written by Kim Ji-shik and composed by Kwon Seung-yeon, is a one-person rock musical that explores the psyche of a lone survivor isolated in a bunker amid a zombie apocalypse.

One of its most distinctive features lies in its variable-character concept. The identity of the “survivor” shifts depending on the actor cast in the role, with each performer assigned a different profession and background. Through nuanced changes in dialogue, physical expression and the use of props, each actor constructs a survivor shaped by distinct social and personal circumstances, creating strikingly different emotional contours within the same narrative framework.

For the UK run, a local production entity, The Last Man off-West End Limited, has been established. Neo will directly participate in producing the London staging, with director Kim Dal-jung leading the production to ensure the original Korean creative identity remains intact while collaborating closely with British partners to tailor the show for the local market.

The project has also drawn notable British theater figures. Members of the core creative team behind “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which won Best New Musical at the 2025 Laurence Olivier Awards, have joined the UK premiere. The theater, playwright and general management company involved in developing that production are now collaborating on “The Last Man”’s London debut.

Dramaturg Jethro Compton, known in Korea for works such as “The Bunker Trilogy” and “The Capone Trilogy,” is participating in the project to deepen the narrative structure.

Ahead of its UK premiere, “The Last Man” will open its third Korean season on March 24 at Link Art Center in Daehangno, Seoul’s theater district.


gypark@heraldcorp.com