Cha In Pyo finally steps onstage with Dead Poets Society

Actor Cha In-pyo, who has met the public through screens and television, will stand on a theater stage to meet the eyes of an audience after a long span of 33 years. The stage is the play 'Dead Poets Society,' which opens on July 18 at the Woori Card Hall of the NOL Theater in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Cha In-pyo's New Challenge: Selected as the Protagonist of 'Dead Poets Society'

In this production, Cha In-pyo takes on the role of the protagonist, 'John Charles Keating.' Based on Tom Schulman's original work, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1989, this production is the first official licensed production in Korea. Set in the prestigious American boarding school 'Welton Academy' in 1959, it tells the story of English teacher Keating, who delivers the message "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)" to students forced to focus only on entrance exams and success.

Prior to his stage debut, Cha In-pyo will appear on KBS 1TV's 'Life is a Movie' at 10:20 PM on the 12th to share his thoughts. He is expected to calmly recount the process of stepping into the new space of theater for the first time in his 33-year acting career and the struggles he faced while building his character.

Three Different Keatings Created with Oh Man-seok and Yeon Jung-hoon

Joining Cha In-pyo on stage as Keatings are veteran actors Oh Man-seok and Yeon Jung-hoon. The three actors will present different interpretations of the teacher, Keating. For the role of 'Neil Perry,' who shares a connection with Keating, Kim Rak-hyun, Lee Jae-hwan, and SF9's Kang Chan-hee have been cast, while Kim Tae-kyun and Moon Seong-hyun are cast as 'Todd Anderson.'

The production team is also solid. Led by director Cho Kwang-hwa, a domestic creative team including music director Lee Dong-jun and costume designer Ko Tae-yong has joined forces. They plan to realize a stage with a sense of presence, capturing the essence of the work that recorded sold-out shows for two consecutive years during its Paris, France performances, attracting more than 350,000 spectators.

From Novelist to Actor: Cultural Comfort Offered on Stage

For Cha In-pyo, who is currently active as a bestselling novelist following the publication of his new long-form novel 'Our Neighborhood Library,' this stage serves as a new turning point in his acting career. Having consistently carried out support activities for socially marginalized groups, such as youth preparing for independence and victims of school violence, he plans to extend cultural comfort in this performance by inviting the youth and young adults he has always been interested in to the stage.

The play 'Dead Poets Society' will run from July 18 to September 13, 2026. Ticket prices are 120,000 won for VIP seats, 90,000 won for R seats, and 60,000 won for S seats, with reservations available from July 18 to August 2.