Daegu Fall into Musical
Every summer, Daegu is full of fever for musicals. That is because of the Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF). Beginning in 2006, the DIMF has been held annually. Many cities hold their own festivals, and they are attended by many visitors. However, most of these festivals disappear within 1 or 2 years. The DIMF held its 3rd annual festival in June and July of 2009. Compared with other festivals, the DIMF has been very successful. Let's take a closer look behind the scenes of the DIMF.
Have you ever heard of "Mamma Mia," "Cats," or "The Last Empire?" These are famous musicals around the world. You may wonder about musicals and you might be confused about the differences between musicals and operas. In operas, the plots are usually based on literary works or historical events. Except for special occasions; operas are performed entirely in song. Actors who perform in operas are called singers. In musicals, the stories are based on normal, everyday things. Musicals are more for the general public than operas. Many common instruments are used in accompaniment like drums, guitars, pianos, and so on. During a musical, there are more spoken lines. People who perform in musicals are called actors.
In order to become a musical city, Daegu started making an effort several years ago. In 2000, Daegu supported the performance of a theatrical troupe. In 2007, Cats was performed in Daegu, and it was the first time a visiting cast performed in Korea. It was the opening performance and the official invitational musical for the 1st DIMF.
What is the DIMF?
The DIMF started in 2006 and is the only international musical festival in Asia. The DIMF is unique among other festivals. The DIMF is an international festival; so many foreign-produced musicals are introduced during the festival each year. Many local creative musicals are also introduced to the festival audience every year.
The 3rd DIMF in 2009 was a great success. During those 22 days, hundreds of thousands of people enjoyed the festival. Over twenty five thousand people gathered on the night before the start of the festival. One of the most popular events at the DIMF is "Date with a Musical Star." Festival goers can get a ticket to spend time with one of three musical stars. During this time, ticket holders can ask them questions, listen to them sing, and get to know them. These tickets were issued free of charge in order to promote the festival, and not surprisingly the tickets were gone within a minute.
The most meaningful result of the DIMF is that it has received approval as an international festival. During the 2nd DIMF, "My Scary Girl" was put on. It was a DIMF grantee homegrown musical. This musical will be staged in September at a festival in New York, and it will be performed in Korean and English.
Behind the Scenes at the DIMF
DIMFZIGI - No-Eul Bae
(Chinese Language & Culture, YU)
DIMFZIGI is the name given to people who work as volunteers at the DIMF. They are divided into four groups. Some people help in the auditoriums, some offer interpretation services; others work in the DIMFringe, and others work as reporters.
Q. Why did you work as a DIMFZIGI?
A. During the 2nd DIMF, my friend was a "DIMFZIGI." When I saw what my friend was doing; I felt that doing this job would be interesting. I also like to see performances.
Q. What activities were you involved in?
A. I worked in the auditoriums; the work included managing seats, distributed tickets, and selling merchandise.
Q. Wasn't it hard to do? Did you had any bad experiences?
A. It's more interesting than difficult. During my time as a DIMFZIGI, I wore a uniform which made me more careful when I was performing my duties. It helped me take pride in my job as well.
Q. Were there any memorable audiences?
A. There was one audience that brought children. Most of the performances do not permit children under seven years old. However, I couldn't prohibit them.
Q. What is the appeal of the DIMF, and being a DIMFZIGI?
A. The appeal of the DIMF is that people can become attached to musicals easily with little cost in Daegu. During the 3rd Festival, competition to be a DIMFZIGI was higher than it was for the previous festivals. I am proud that I was able to break through that tough competition and become a staff member leading the festival to success.
Q. Do you want to participate as a DIMFZIGI in the 4th DIMF?
A. Sure, I certainly enjoy doing the work. I want to work in the DIMFringe next time because it is more active than working in the auditoriums.
Q. Do you have anything to say to people who might want to enjoy the DIMF?
A. The DIMF has become more famous because of broadcasting. There are many events which are not known as well. If you find them, you can have a chance to see many quality musicals cheap and sometimes even free.
The Future of the DIMF
Even though the DIMF is considered a successful festival, there are still many problems that need to be dealt with. First, they need to execute the budget earlier. Until now, they have not settled the budget until February. Because of this they have not been able to determine the schedule earlier; they did not make open to the public which musicals would be held during the festival. Second, they need more people to work full-time. The number of full-time employees changes every year, so there is little time to learn the specifics of the jobs that need to be done. Third, they have to make tour packages to attract foreign visitors and people who might have casual interest. There are some difficulties getting to and finding accommodations in Daegu during the DIMF. Musicals are not performed every day. It is necessary to make a program that is related with the Daegu City Tour.
The DIMF has come up with various strategies to make the DIMF a "Want to see, and want to go festival." The Seven thousand won ticket booth which is located in front of the Daegu department store is always crowded with people during the festival. The Date with a Musical Star and College Students' Musical Festival programs are always sold out almost immediately after the tickets are made availble. At first, there were many worries about the DIMF because it was being staged locally. However, the DIMF has become famous among the Korean festival landscape. Although, the DIMF is lacking in some aspects still, someday Daegu can become an international musical city. Then people might begin to think of it as a second Broadway around the world.
