About Arirang
Founded in 1986, Theatre Company Arirang creates vibrant, distinctive work under the banner of reinventing Korean traditional performance for the present day. Driven by the resolve to make our own theatre from a fresh perspective, the company has continuously created and staged original plays since its founding.
Building on a creative range that crosses genres — from the folk-performance comedy Myeongnang Sigol Romance: Dongbaekkkot (Camellia) to the music drama Napoli Music Café — Arirang premiered the international co-production musical Let's End Our Heartbreak When the First Snow Falls through a 2025 cultural exchange with Hong Kong. In 2026, the play Understanding Fandom received the Special Jury Prize at the Kraków theatre festival in Poland, sharing the excellence of Korean theatre with the world.
Arirang Binari (Blessing Chant)
해동이라 대한민국 아리랑 극단 생겨나서 굿판을 벌이오니 어찌 아니 즐거웁고 어찌 아니 반가우랴 오늘의 이 정성은 자다가 깨친 정성 같고 졸다가 이룬 정성 같구나 아리랑 아리랑 아라리요 아리랑 고개를 넘어가는 아리랑이 무엇인가 우리민족 지닌 정서 아리랑이 그 아닌가 우리 백성 넘던 고개 아리랑 고개 그 아닌가 고개 넘어 민주세계 아리랑 세계 그 아닌가
팔도 천지 신장님들 내나라 신장님들 소소한 이 정성을 태산같이 받으시고 우리 조국 분단살 우리 백성 고통살 불같이도 타는가뭄 물같이도 끓는홍수 두려운 액운은 거두시고 인간의 풍파며 근심이며 걱정이며 험악한 일 악한일 모두 다 거두시어 비온뒤에 날이개듯 새벽에 이슬맺히듯 푸른산에 안개 걷이듯 받들어주시고
우리가 벌인 굿판에 찾아오신 손님네들 감동받고 감흥되어 닫힌 눈 띄어 주시고 막힌 입 열어 주시고 막은 귀 뚫어 주시고 천천세로 받드시고 만만세로 받드시어 남북통일도 시켜주고 천하통일도 시켜주고 평등세계 자유세계 민주세계 통일세계 이루어 주옵소서…
Production History
- 1986Arirang · Founding Production No. 1
- 1987The Strongman's Dream · Regular Season No. 2
- 1988Gabose Gabose · Regular Season No. 3
- 1988Indongcho (Honeysuckle) · Regular Season No. 4
- 1988Numbness · Regular Season No. 5
- 1990Jeom-a Jeom-a Kongjeom-a · Regular Season No. 6
- 1991Father's Liberation Diary · Regular Season No. 7
- 1991Passion of Ten Thousand Miles · Regular Season No. 8
- 1992The Magic Zoo · Regular Season No. 9
- 1993The Magic Time Travel · Regular Season No. 10
- 1993Arirang 2 · Regular Season No. 11
- 1994My Uncle the Wolf · Regular Season No. 12
- 1995The Scarecrow Who Does the Belly Dance · Regular Season No. 13 & 15
- 1996Mother · Joint Production
- 1996The World Seen from a Snail's Horn · Regular Season No. 14
- 1997Jeom-a Jeom-a Kongjeom-a · Regular Season No. 16
- 1998Song of the Wanderers · Special Production
- 1998First Love · Regular Season No. 17
- 1999Parachute · Regular Season No. 18
- 2000Mother's Youth · Special Production
- 2000Kim Cheol-sik of the Republic of Korea · Regular Season No. 19
- 2001Don't Cry, Hong-do · Special Production
- 2001Let's Go on a Trip · Regular Season No. 20
- 2001The Jeong Yak-yong Project · Regular Season No. 21 & 22
- 2004The Heavenly Clock — A Gugak Musical · Regular Season No. 23 & 25
- 2005Butterfly (Comfort Women) · Regular Season No. 24
- 2006Passion of Ten Thousand Miles · Regular Season No. 26
- 2006Run, Love! · Regular Season No. 27
- 2007The Resistible Rise of Dal-su · Regular Season No. 28
- 2008The Magic Zoo · Special Production
- 2009Permit Dance Halls in Gyeongseong · Regular Season No. 29
- 2010National Singing Contest · Special Production
- 2010Lucky Seoul · Regular Season No. 30
- 2011Sweet Secrets · Regular Season No. 31
- 2012Smashing · Special Production
- 2012Dongbaekkkot (Camellia) · Regular Season No. 32
- 2013Myeongnang Sigol Romance: Dongbaekkkot (Encore) · Encore Run
- 2013Dongbaekkkot (Camellia) · Regular Season No. 33
- 2014Guerrilla Theatre · Regular Season No. 34
- 2015Guerrilla Theatre · Regular Season No. 35
- 2016The Tale of the White Circle · Featured Production
- 2016The Scarecrow Who Does the Belly Dance · Regular Season No. 36
- 2017The Tale of the White Circle · Featured Production
- 2017Myeongnang Sigol Romance: Dongbaekkkot · Regular Season No. 37
- 2018Gapdol and Gapsun · Regular Season No. 38
- 2019Korea Lives! · Regular Season No. 39
- 2020No One Said Anything · Regular Season No. 40
- 2021Sara · Featured Production
- 2022Thoughts Are Free · Regular Season No. 41
- 2023Napoli Music Café · Regular Season No. 42
- 2024Off to Space · Regular Season No. 43
- 2025Love at First Snow · Special Production
- 2025Understanding Fandom · Regular Season No. 44
- 2026Understanding Fandom · Festival Invitation