Old Man’s Dream Webtoon Becomes a 2026 Stage Play

The beloved Korean webtoon Old Man’s Dream is heading to the stage. The play will run at the LG Art Center Seoul U+ Stage from January 9 to March 22, 2026, bringing one of the most cherished life webtoons to live audiences.

The story centers on Bomhee, who runs a small art studio, and her encounter with Chunae, an elderly woman who arrives to have her portrait painted. What starts as a simple commission grows into a tender look at life, memory, and the connections we make. The original has been praised for its emotional honesty and the way readers see themselves in it.

According to production company Soo Company, the stage version widens that lens across generations. It touches on seniors facing the end of life, a middle aged daughter with distant parents, and a teenager trying to understand her stepmother. The two leads, the spirited grandmother Chunae and studio owner Bomhee, will each be portrayed by a rotating group of veteran actors, and the team says the goal is a warm, emotional evening that honors the spirit of the webtoon.

The original webtoon was created by Wondal Baek and serialized on Naver WEBTOON in 2023. There is no official English version yet, though WEBTOON has released the same author’s The Artist Salieri in English for readers who want a taste of the work.

My take: Quiet, heartfelt stories like this translate beautifully to the stage, and I love that a webtoon about portraits and memory is getting a live audience. I just hope an English release follows so more of us can meet Bomhee and Chunae.