Composer Im Na-rae creates liberating energy in musical 'The Tribe'

The Seoul Metropolitan Musical Company's new production, 'The Tribe,' currently showing at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, begins with a whimsical premise: when humans lie, ancient tribal spirits appear to dance and sing. While seemingly a comical fantasy, the musical delves into the profound question, "Am I living as myself?" This second run, following its premiere in early 2024, features music rooted in African rhythms, an eight-piece live band, and the energetic style of a show musical, earning praise for its compelling score.

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In dramas, music often serves to support the narrative, but in musicals, the music drives the story forward.

Im Na-rae, the composer behind the musical's infectious numbers, marks her debut in musical theater. Previously known for her work on dramas like KBS's 'Jeong Do-jeon' and 'The Merchant: Gaekju 2015,' and the documentary 'The Imjin War 1592,' Im found the transition to musicals distinct. "In dramas, music often serves to support the narrative, but in musicals, the music drives the story forward," she explained.

The genesis of 'The Tribe' was unexpected. Initially conceived as a graduation project during her advanced studies at Korea National University of Arts, the work received positive feedback, leading to a school regular performance. Word spread within the musical theater community, culminating in a reading session with the Seoul Metropolitan Musical Company before its official stage debut.

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The story itself has changed, and the character settings have also changed, so I had no choice but to rewrite them.

The musical's plot follows Joseph (played by Kim Chan-ho and Heo Do-young), a cultural artifact restorer, and Chloe (played by Yoo Ju-hye and Lee Hye-ran), a screenwriter, who encounter ancient tribal masks at a museum in London. After touching the masks, they find themselves joined by tribal spirits whenever they lie. Im emphasized that the second run is a completely new work, with 15 of the 17 songs completely rewritten due to significant changes in the story and character development. The core message, "Let's live as ourselves," remains, but the execution has deepened from satire around lying to characters confronting their inner truths.

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I thought that for people to intuitively feel 'tribe,' they needed to be somewhat familiar with it. I found a clue in African percussion-based rhythms.

Im drew inspiration for the tribal music from a desire for familiarity, opting for African percussion rhythms. She collaborated with writer Jeon Dong-min, exchanging reference videos to create music that would sound like tribal songs even when sung by Koreans. The primary focus was on creating 'fun' and 'excitement,' aiming for a liberating experience for the audience. "Given that it's a mid-sized theater production, I thought, let's just make something exciting," she said. She hopes the audience finds a sense of liberation, inspired by a moment at an amusement park where mothers spontaneously danced to a song after a fireworks display. "People don't usually live that excitingly. I want the audience to feel that exhilarating sense of release, even if just for the duration of the performance."

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Since it was scaled up to a mid-sized theater, I thought, let's make something exciting first.