The Baeksang Arts Awards and the Korea Musical Association have announced the 'Powerhouse 60' list, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the development of Korean musicals in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Korean musicals.

At the recently held 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards ceremony, a new musical category was established. To commemorate this, individuals and works that left a significant mark in history from 1966, when Korea's first original musical 'Saljjagi Opseoye' premiered, through 2026 were selected. This 'Powerhouse 60' list includes 20 actors, 20 creators and producers, and 20 representative works. To ensure fairness and professionalism, a selection committee composed of 20 musical industry experts conducted the screening, adding credibility to the list.

[20 Selected Works] Gwanghwamun Love Song, The Days, Finding Kim Jong-wook, Nanta, Red Book, Rock Musical - Subway Line 1, The Last Empress, Werther, Laundry, Singin' in the Rain, A Tribute to the Hwarang, Saljjagi Opseoye, Seopyeonje, Maybe Happy Ending, Goddess Is Watching You, Hero, The Man Who Laughs, Fan Letter, Frankenstein, HOPE: The Unread Book and the Unread Life

[20 Actors] Kim Sun-young, Kim So-hyun, Kim Jun-su, Nam Kyung-eup, Ryu Jung-han, Park Eun-tae, Shin Young-sook, Um Ki-joon, Ok Joo-hyun, Yoo Jun-sang, Yun Bok-hee, the late Yoon Seok-hwa, Jeon Mi-do, Jung Sun-ah, Jung Sung-hwa, Jo Seung-woo, Cho Jung-eun, Cha Ji-yeon, Choi Jung-won, Hong Kwang-ho

[20 Creators and Producers] Kim Ki-young, Kim Moon-jung, the late Kim Min-ki, Park Dong-woo, Park Myung-sung, Park Cheon-hyu, Seo Byung-gu, Seol Do-yoon, Song Seung-hwan, Shin Chun-soo, Um Hong-hyun, Oh Pil-young, Wang Yong-beom, Yoon Ho-jin, Lee Sung-joon, Lee Ji-na, the late Lim Young-woong, Jang Yu-jung, the late Choi Chang-kwon, Han A-reum

Significance of the List This 'Powerhouse 60' list holds great significance as it is a comprehensive compilation of 60 years of Korean musical history. Notably, the key figures behind the scenes were equally recognized, from the late director Lim Young-woong and the late composer Choi Chang-kwon, who led 'Saljjagi Opseoye,' the first original Korean musical, to Tony Award-winning writer Park Cheon-hyu.

Furthermore, the list spans from musical luminaries such as Yun Bok-hee, the late Yoon Seok-hwa, and Choi Jung-won to Jo Seung-woo and Yoo Jun-sang, who drove the popularization of musicals, and currently active stars including Kim Jun-su, Ok Joo-hyun, and Hong Kwang-ho, earning praise for providing a comprehensive view of both the past and present of Korean musicals.

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• *[Baeksang Arts Awards X Korea Musical Association 'Powerhouse 60' — 20 Selection Committee Members]**
• Planning & Production: Kang Byung-won (CEO of LIVE), Kim Deok-hee (Director of Seoul Musical Company), Lee Seung-hoon (CEO of Show Note), Cho Hyung-jun (Manager of Ansan Culture Foundation), Cha Soo-jung (Executive Director of NOL Universe Co., Ltd.)
• Arts Management: Ko Hee-kyung (Dean of Hongik University Graduate School of Performing Arts), Kim Byung-seok (CEO of Clip Service), Kim Hee-chul (Director of Daegu Culture and Arts Center), Bae Sung-hyuk (Chairman of DIMF Executive Committee), Ahn Ho-sang (President of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts), Lee Jong-kyu (Chairman of the Korea Musical Association)
• Creation & Stage Arts: Kim Sung-soo (Music Director), Cho Yong-shin (Director), Yoo Hee-sung (Director), Han Jin-seop (Director)
• Academia & Criticism: Park Byung-sung (Musical Columnist), Won Jong-won (Professor at Soonchunhyang University), Lee Yu-ri (Professor at Seoul Institute of the Arts), Jang Ji-young (Reporter at Kookmin Ilbo), Choi Seung-yeon (Professor at Korea University)

Photo provided by = respective production companies and agencies.