SIN/KING (Korean: 침몰하다) is a South Korean stage musical production directed by Han Haemin. Written as a commentary on Korean and global society, SIN/KING is a project meant to reflect the morally gray aspect of life through parallels of an underwater kingdom.
With each side having ideals that'll make you struggle to pick one side, it forces viewers to wonder, is there really a morally correct side when we all want to support each other for the greater good?
History[]
2024[]
In mid-June, Han Haemin had informed his followers online that he was planning a new career venture in writing, and thus to wanted to receive their support as well. In August, auditions were held and the project was revealed to the public as a stage musical production, with Haemin being the scriptwriter and primary director, alongside his assistant Jung Heeseok. Auditions were held for about a month, before the final cast was later revealed. The musical was officially slated to air sometime in mid-2025, with the first full performance scheduled to appear in Seoul.
2025[]
On February 15, an announcement was released, revealing that the cast of the musical would be holding an exclusive press tour in which they would perform and a selected setlist from the musical as a teaser, as well as the entire first act of the show.[1] Locations included Seoul, Busan, Jeonju, Daegu, and Cheongju, as well as two international viewings held in LA and Tokyo. The press tour consisted of the entire cast, except for Liu Taeshin, who could not participate due to conflicting schedules with another event.
Plot[]
Act I: The Descent[]
The story begins with Baek Yuri, a passionate but restless young woman, finding an ancient conch shell during a class research trip to the coast. When she blows into it, the sea pulls her into its depths, leading her to an underwater kingdom filled with merfolk and hidden political unrest.
She is rescued by Kang Woobin, a cynical prince who reveals the kingdom is ruled by his elder brother, Kang Junghwan. Junghwan is an ambitious and domineering ruler who believes uniting the seas under his strict leadership is the only way to ensure peace. He is engaged to Cha Jinah, a kindhearted mermaid who, despite her gentle nature, has been struggling with the idea of marrying a man she does not love.
As Yuri explores this new world, she encounters Sooyoung, a former human who has lived beneath the waves for years. Sooyoung, harboring a deep resentment towards the monarchy, reveals her plan to overthrow Junghwan in a bid to give the people their freedom. Meanwhile, Woobin quietly harbors his own ambitions—to assassinate his brother and take the throne himself.
Meanwhile, Junghwan's trusted guard, Kim Myungho, is torn between his sworn duty and his love for Junghwan. At the same time, the young and anxious Hwang Younghun, a half-merfolk outsider, watches the tensions rise but feels powerless to act.
Yuri and Woobin’s relationship starts off rocky, with Woobin seeing her as an outsider and a potential liability. However, as they work together, their bond deepens. Yuri’s idealism begins to challenge Woobin’s cynicism, and Woobin’s determination forces Yuri to acknowledge the brutal realities of power struggles.
Act II: A Kingdom in Turmoil[]
As Yuri begins to understand the kingdom's struggles, she finds herself torn between multiple factions. Woobin enlists her help to find a way to weaken Junghwan’s rule, while Sooyoung tries to recruit her for the impending coup. However, Yuri is increasingly troubled by the complexity of the situation—Junghwan’s desire for order comes from his wish to protect his people, while Woobin’s rebellion stems from years of resentment and neglect.
Jinah and Junho, her protective older brother, grow weary of the monarchy’s control, leading Junho to secretly align himself with the rebels. Meanwhile, the enigmatic traveling vendor, Yang Suhye, appears at every crucial moment, hinting that she may know more than she lets on.
Above the surface, Yuri’s classmates—Hanbin, Searom, and Yujin—notice her absence and begin piecing together clues about the underwater world. As they delve deeper into oceanic history, they uncover the legend of the conch shell and its role in bridging the divide between humans and merfolk.
As tensions rise, Yuri and Woobin’s romance is tested. Yuri sees Woobin’s willingness to use violence as a means to an end, while Woobin struggles with Yuri’s refusal to compromise her ideals. Their clashes come to a head when Woobin moves forward with his plan to kill Junghwan, leaving Yuri devastated and unsure if she can continue to trust him.
Act III: The Sin/King's Empire[]
The coup erupts in chaos as Sooyoung’s rebels clash with Junghwan’s loyalists. Woobin takes advantage of the disorder and makes his move against his brother, but at the last moment, he hesitates—perhaps he isn’t so different from Junghwan after all. In a final confrontation, Jinah confronts Junghwan, pleading for an end to the cycle of control and bloodshed. Seeing the pain he has caused, Junghwan realizes the cost of his ambitions, but before he can act, the conflict between rebels and Junghwan’s army reaches a conflict as the kingdom begins to tear itself apart.
In a desperate moment, Yuri uses the conch shell once more, awakening an ancient power that shakes the foundations of the underwater world. As the city begins to collapse, Woobin, realizing Yuri was right all along, prioritizes saving people over his claim to the throne. He and Yuri work together to lead survivors to safety, and by coincidence bring sides together to help civilians.
Act IV: A Choice to be Made[]
As the waters settle, the survivors must face the consequences of their choices. Junghwan, Woobin, and the others stand at a crossroads—will they rebuild the kingdom together, or will history repeat itself? Yuri, now forever changed by her journey, returns to the surface, but the echoes of the sea remain with her.
Woobin, having learned from Yuri, lets go of his thirst for vengeance and instead seeks a different path—one built on compromise and trust. The two share a bittersweet farewell, uncertain if they will meet again but knowing they have changed each other forever and keeping the memory of the other deep within their heart.
The musical ends with an open question: was there ever a truly correct side, or were they all just sinking together in their pursuit of a better world?
Cast[]
Primary Cast[]
- Baek Yuri ( 백유리 ) ( Main Role; portrayed by Yi Seunghyeon ); is a bright yet spunky 20-something year old human. discovers underwater kingdoms using the power of her magical conch shell.
- Kang Woobin ( 강우빈 ) ( Main Role; portrayed by Lyla Yang ); a somewhat pessimistic 20-something year old merman. born as the second son to the throne, he's planning on killing his brother for the crown.
- Cha Jinah ( 차지나 ) ( Main Role; portrayed by Chin Hyeoung ); a kindhearted 20-something year old mermaid. While shy, she's resilient and not afraid to speak her mind. Junghwan's arranged fiancé.
- Kang Junghwan ( 강정환 ) ( Main Role; portrayed by Cha Wonhee ); a domineering 20-something year old merman. The elder brother to Woobin and current heir to the throne. Planning to create a dictatorship with him having complete control over the seas to create a single united nation for everyone's benefit. Arranged marriage with Jinah.
- Kim Myungho ( 김명호 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Kang Haerom ); a loyal 20-something year old merman under the royal guard. sworn to protect Junghwan under any circumstance, his loyalty now stems from love rather than obligation.
- Yang Sooyoung ( 양수영 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Vera Erdenebat ); a mysterious and hearty 30-something year old human. Having lived under the sea for over 5 years, she's aware of the unrest within the public and is planning a coup.
- Hwang Younghun ( 황영훈 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Lee Hwarang ); an anxious yet intelligent teenage human half merfolk. A member of a newer generation of merfolk, he wishes to hopefully see reforms under the current rule, yet is too afraid to do anything on his own.
Secondary Cast[]
- Yang Suhye ( 양소혜 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Momomoto Monaka ); a reserved and unassuming 20-something year old mermaid. Suhye is a traveling vendor, who seems to somehow conveniently bump into the main cast at all the wrong moments. I wonder why...?
- Cha Junho ( 차준호 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Seon Chaemin ); a humble, down-to-earth 20-something year old merman. He's a dependable and hardworking man, as well the overprotective older brother of Jinah. He strongly disapproves of Junghwan and their arranged marriage.
- Jeon Hanbin ( 전한빈 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Alexander Han ); an intelligent 20-something year old human. A scholar and one of Yuri's classmates. He's always been aware of underwater societies, and has an affinity for oceanic history.
- Kwon Searom ( 권새롬 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Kim Chowon ); a 20-something year old human. She's one of Yuri's classmates, and is the first to notice her disappearance.
- Lee Yujin ( 이유진 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Choi Nayeon ); a 20-something year old human. Another one of Yuri's classmates, she's hot-heated and lives by an "action first, questions later" basis.
- Lee Sanghoon ( 이상훈 ) ( Supporting Role; portrayed by Liu Taeshin ); is a temperamental teenage merman. He's wary of humans and would rather fight then let them near him.
Production[]
The story originally came to be as early as 2022, at a time where Haemin was very observant and aware of the multitude of global issues that seemed to plague the minds of people daily. What he found interesting however, was how easily people were to assign themselves to a side, many without properly learned or educating themselves on the topic properly. It made him think about how we often take things at face value and thus ignore the fact that our world is black and white, but rather a multitude of shades all between.
Finalizing the project in late 2023, and using the resources available while under KaiON, Haemin begun to properly formulate and bring his project to life. The script, which took a year full of brainstorming, writing, editing, and revising, was finalized in September of 2024, with auditions opening that month, callbacks in October, and the official cast being selected in November.
Music Score[]
| ACT ONE | ACT TWO | ACT THREE | ACT FOUR |
|---|---|---|---|
I : The Descent
|
II : A Kingdom In Turmoil
|
III : The Sin/King's Empire
|
IV : A Choice to be Made
|
References[]
- ↑ INSTANT TAP: SINKING cast to host exclusive press tour in select locations.