Asia News: Les Miserables, Taiwan, Japan Reopening

The Korea Times reported on May 10 that the South Korean unit of Cameron Mackintosh (CML), which owns the copyright to the musical “Les Miserables,” has asked the promoter of a concert version of the musical to cancel performances scheduled this month for Seoul and Busan. The company, Les Miserables Korea (KCMI), claims that the concert is in violation of KCMI’s exclusive right to the musical in Korea.

The concert, “Les Miserables: the French Original Cast Concert,” did not receive prior approval from CML, so KCMI is demanding that the show be cancelled. KCMI also accused the presenter, K&P Entertainment and Culture Box, of false advertising by claiming that the French actors hired to sing at the concert were in the original stage cast of the musical. In truth, according to KCMI, K&P hired the talent through a French agency. 

In response, K&P Entertainment said that there were no copyright issues and insisted it would take retaliatory legal action if KCMI attempted to interfere with the production. In a statement, K&P said, “We organized this lawful performance according to legal advice that the concert doesn’t need previous approval from the copyright owners and the royalty would be paid after the performance to each country’s copyright associations. Other production companies already staged similar concerts in various countries, such as China, the Netherlands, Taiwan and even in Korea.” 

K&P acknowledged that CML and KCMI has expressed objections about the production and as a result K&P “did out best to reflect their opinions and changed some phrases in the poster.” Nevertheless, K&P has refused to cancel the show. A representative told The Korea Times that the controversy has resulted in ticket booking cancellations for the concert, and that K&P believes that KCMI is mainly worried about the concert’s effect on its own stage production of the musical slated for next winter.

Taiwan has been one of the few areas of the world that has been unscathed by the COVID pandemic, but that all changed in early May when several clusters of infections were discovered in the northern part of the island. 

Though the raw number of infections was small, the response was quick and strict. China Airlines, Taiwan’s biggest carrier, quarantined all of its pilots, and the government banned all large gatherings and hospital visits until June 8 at the earliest. 

In practice, indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor events of more than 500 people are banned for the time being. Eating and drinking on public transportation is also forbidden. 

The new infections were first discovered among more than 30 employees of China Airlines in late April. The main concern in May was a cluster of five people who had been at an amusement arcade in Yilan, four of which are employees of the arcade, thus showing the virus has spread into the community. Consequently, the island’s heath authority raised its COVID-19 alert to Level 2, thus indicating local cases with no clear infection source. So far, Taiwan has recorded only about 1,200 cases and 12 deaths.

Though events can be held in line with the attendance restrictions, organizers are required to ensure that all attendees provide their names and contact information. If the event is a seated affair, one empty seat must be reserved between patrons. Taiwan was one of the few places in Asia that has been holding full-fledged concerts and sporting events in the past months. Almost all those scheduled for the next month have been cancelled. 

Though Japan is still anxious about a fourth wave of infections sweeping the archipelago, its situation remains more stable than in most developed countries. 

The main challenge is ramping up the vaccination rate, which remains worryingly low owing to poor handling of the vaccine rollout. The government has pledged that it will complete the vaccination of citizens over the age of 65 by the end of July, though at the current rate that seems doubtful.

Nevertheless, according to the Jiji Press news agency, theaters and amusement parks in Tokyo, which is now the second hardest hit city by the fourth wave after Osaka, have tentatively started to reopen to the public while keeping in place anti-virus measures, including requests that audiences not talk or shout encouragement. 

The capital is still under a state of emergency, but the New National Theater, which presents traditional forms of stage entertainment such as kabuki, reopened in the second week of May following the end of the extended Golden Week holiday. 

In addition, Hanayashiki, one of Japan’s oldest amusement parks, resumed operations for the first time in 18 days, though alcohol sales are still banned on the premises.