Last week our screens came alive with The Sound of Magic, a fantasy musical from the director of Itaewon Class Kim Sung-yoon and starring Ji Chang-wook (Healer, The K2), Choi Sungeun (SF8, Beyond Evil) and Hwang In-youp (The Tale of Nokdu, True Beauty).
Based on the popular webtoon Annarasumanara (the title refers to an invented Korean word for “abracadabra”) by Ha Il-kwon, The Sound of Magic is one of the first K-dramas to prominently feature musical theater and showcases the singing talents of Ji, Choi and Hwang (who also plays guitar in one of the scenes!). It’s The Greatest Showman meets Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, with the social commentary of Sky Castle or Inheritors.
Abandoned by her parents, high school student Yoon Ah-yi (Choi) struggles to provide for herself and her younger sister. Despite her name, which literally means “child” in Korean, Ah-yi can’t wait to grow up so that she can leave her life of abject poverty behind. One day, she encounters the handsome and mysterious magician Ri-eul (Ji) in an old rundown amusement park. Unlike Ah-yi, Ri-eul is an adult but doesn’t want to be one. As the two gradually form a friendship, Ri-eul helps Ah-yi rediscover the joy of life as well as her childhood dream of becoming a magician.
Meanwhile, Na Il-deung (Hwang) is the top student at Ah-yi’s school. True to his name, which means “number one” in Korean, Il-deung is constantly pressured by his parents to succeed in everything he does. However, his outlook on life starts to change after he meets Ri-eul, who shows him there’s much more to life than just getting good grades.
Part fantasy, part mystery, The Sound of Magic goes beyond its musical and dance numbers and dazzling visual effects to explore deeper questions like “What does success really look like?” or “What is the meaning and purpose of life?” It touches on many serious themes like socioeconomic inequality, parental and societal expectations, and even sexual assault and suicide — but does so without being too heavy-handed.
Watch The Sound of Magic featurette below to hear the cast and director talk about bringing this enchanting story to life. Ji, Choi and Hwang reveal what audiences should know about their characters and how they approached their respective roles. Director Kim explains some of the show’s key messages as well as his decision to use music to drive part of the dialogue and narrative — something that hasn’t really been done before in a K-drama. As a bonus, he shares that he left a surprise for viewers at the series’ end, in celebration of Korea’s Family Month!
The Sound of Magic is now streaming on Netflix, so be prepared to fall under its spell.
