To ring in the new year and celebrate a decade onstage, the hit musical "Fan Letter" is treating audiences to live lobby piano sessions before select performances at the Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater.
Running since December 5 to strong crowds, "Fan Letter" has set up a special pre-show experience where signature numbers―including "Tears Are Falling," "When I See Her, and When I Died"―are performed live on piano in the theater lobby. It’s a mood-setter that lets theatergoers slip into the show’s world even before curtain, adding an intimate, time-well-spent touch to their night out.
At the first session on January 2, actor Kim Bo-hyun made a surprise appearance. Known for playing Kim Hwan-tae, a member of the seven-writer circle in the show, Kim stepped up for a soaring take on Hae-jin’s Letter, the solo performed by the character Kim Hae-jin―earning big cheers for the one-off moment fans could only catch in the lobby set.
The lobby concerts run through February 15 ahead of Friday 7:30 p.m. shows, and Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances. Each session starts about an hour before curtain and lasts roughly 30 minutes, held by the photo wall in the first-floor lobby of CJ Towol Theater. No reservation needed―anyone visiting the venue can drop in and enjoy.
Designed to warm up the show’s narrative and atmosphere through music, the pop-up sets are poised to become a standout memory-maker during "Fan Letter"s 10th-anniversary run.
Set in 1930s colonial Korea, "Fan Letter" is an original “faction” musical inspired by episodes surrounding the era’s renowned Group of Nine writers. Through the intertwined stories of genius novelist Kim Hae-jin, aspiring writer Jung Se-hoon―his devoted admirer―and Kim Hae-jin’s muse, the enigmatic author Hikaru, the piece weaves a stylish portrait of literary passion and complicated love. Since its 2016 premiere, it’s grown into a modern favorite that’s sparked a decade-long fandom.
With both critical acclaim and mainstream appeal, "Fan Letter" has expanded beyond Korea to stages in Taiwan, China, and Japan, and even mounted a showcase in London, cementing its status as a rising global K-musical. The 10th-anniversary production―mixing beloved veterans with new cast members―continues its well-received run at the Seoul Arts Center’s CJ Towol Theater through February 22, 2026. The final ticket release goes live on January 6.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)