Actor Kim Seon-ho is making his stage comeback with the play ‘Secret Passage.’
‘Secret Passage’ raises its curtain today (Feb. 13) at NOL Theater Daehakro Woori Investment & Securities Hall (medium theater). The play is based on playwright-director Maekawa Tomohiro’s work. It follows two men who wake up in an unfamiliar place with no memories of their lives. Through books filled with their tangled memories, they search for the meaning of connection, death, and life’s repetitions―told with a touch that’s both mysterious and warm.
Director Min Sae-rom helms this staging, heightening anticipation. The production company Contents Haap, recognized for pushing beyond formula to expand the scope of original storytelling, also joins to elevate the show’s polish.
The play is drawing extra buzz as Kim Seon-ho’s stage return. After surging again in popularity with the Netflix series ‘Can This Love Be Translated?,’ Kim faced controversy over operating a single-person corporation. His side explained it stemmed from a lack of understanding and said they have halted operations and begun procedures to close the corporation.
Now, Kim reconnects with audiences through theater, playing Dong-jae―a man who seems to have spent a long, familiar time in this space. Performances featuring Kim sold out early. The role is shared by three actors: Kim Seon-ho, Yang Kyung-won, and Kim Sung-kyu. The role of Seo-jin―the man who keeps asking questions in the unfamiliar space―is played by Lee Si-hyung, Oh Kyung-joo, and Kang Seung-ho, squaring off with Dong-jae in tightly synced performances.
Driven by the “memory books” that bind their fates, the dense narrative pulls viewers into a secret, uncanny memoryscape―at once familiar and strange―powered by explosive two-hander chemistry. Even amid thoughtful reflections on life and death, witty lines break through, and actors nimbly shift through multiple roles, injecting energy. The result promises both laugh-out-loud moments and lingering resonance.
A representative from Contents Haap shared, “Secret Passage will offer quiet comfort and remind modern audiences―tired of strained relationships―of the value of connection. We’ve prepared this production over a long time and will deliver a stage that leaves a deep impression.”
Kicking off 2026’s theater season in style, ‘Secret Passage’ runs at NOL Theater in Daehakro from today through Sunday, May 3. Tickets are available via NOL Ticket and Ticketlink.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)