Swag Age in Concert

Gillian Lynne Theatre

One night only - 8th September 2025

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Photo credit: PL Entertainment

Making its UK debut as a concert, Swag Age portrays an imagined version of the Joseon dynasty in Korea, where people could freely express their emotions, hardship and politics in their sijo (a form of Korean poetry) until the rise of prime minster Hongguk (Lim Hyun Su), who has significant influence over the nation and the emperor (Choi Il Woo). Though limited to more small-scale display of their sijo in markets initially, the Golbin Gang members soon decides to enter a national sijo tournament, fully aware of the danger that accompanies this move, in an attempt to send their plea to the emperor.

Dan (Yang Hee Jun), brought up by a man considered a traitor to his country, frequents the local market and his sijo is considered unconventional, but exactly what the Golbin Gang needed. Jin (Kim Soo Ha), who teaches sijo to the public, is also part of the Golbin Gang and has yet another identity that signifies her importance in the plot. This is a story of change, revolution and highlights the voice of the people could never truly be suppressed. Perhaps an issue with this more condensed staged concert, Act II is significantly shorter than Act I, and the sudden revelation of who murdered the previous emperor and the current emperor’s immediate acceptance of the situation at the end of the show feel abrupt, disrupting the emotional buildup of the story, creating a more comical outcome than perhaps the more heavy message intended.

Chan-Min Park’s script tells a historic story and yet feels relevant, highlighting the suppression of speech in many parts of the world currently and where leaders refuse to face criticisms and listen to the voice of the people. The rhythms of the words delivered in the actors’ native language flow eloquently with a sense of tranquillity and beauty, part of which is captured in the captions. It is inevitable that some of the essence of the language and poetic structure are lost when translated. However, the English caption conveys enough of the spoken words to carry the narrative across without disrupting the overall weight and sentiments of the story. Despite this, I believe there are aspects of the show that would be missed by non-Korean speaking audience members who are also novices of the culture.

During the course of the story, Dan, initially portrayed as a comic relief and aloof street urchin, receives most of the character development, finding out his identity and how to make use of his talents to help the Golbin Gang and the people of Joseon to find their voices. Yang Hee Jun wonderfully captures the essence of a street idiot misfit character in Act I, transforming into a more mature and dependable leader in Act II. The transition is nuanced and emotional, equally well expressed in his acting and singing.

Jin and Hongguk are the other two major characters in Swag Age, committed to their own and opposite ideologies. Lim Hyun Su’s Hongguk in particular, as the villain of this show, showcases the more sinister and scheming character, driving much of the narrative into motion. Jin on the other hand, remains under developed, particularly in relation to her mother which seems to have had a significant influence on her.

This musical has no shortage of ear worms, Jeong-Yeong Lee’s music transitions from emotional ballads to uplifting dance, cleverly and humorously incorporating the flipping of fans in time with the music and significant moments of the story. Beyond this, this staged concert has stripped back the set almost completely, choosing to focus on the characters, music and choreography instead. A decision I think has worked to the creatives’ advantage by removing distractions to those who also need to read the captions.

Swag Age makes a ferocious London debut and brings a tsunami of culture with it. Here, the revolutionists take centre stage as they rise to the prominence, robbed of hope and eventual victory. This musical signifies the importance of people’s voice and opinions, and how the will of a small and mighty group could steer the course of a nation.

Creatives

Book and Lyrics: Chan-Min Park

Music and Lyrics: Jeong-Yeon Lee