Layla Se-Eun Kim is an international theatre director based in London and Seoul.

 

​Layla works as the script translator for Swing Days (Alex Kim, Jason Howland) opening at Chungmu Art Center, Seoul in November 2024. She's been working as the Korean dramaturg of the beloved Korean musical Red Book's English workshop in London, UK. She is the associate director for a new musical ENDLESS (working title) written by Julia Riew, premiering in Korea in early 2025.

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She is the resident director of

The Nature of Forgetting (https://www.thebestplay.co.kr/program/perf_view.asp?id=280054&pref_state=PLAN) 

and Six (https://tickets.interpark.com/goods/23002045) in Korea. She workshoped and directed the English pitch of a new Korean musical Hongryeon presented by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea and Korea Arts Management Service.​

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Layla directed and translated 'A Hundred Words for Snow' by Tatty Hennessy. It opened in Spring 2022 season at Dream Art Center, Seoul, and received a revival in the same year. (http://ticket.yes24.com/Perf/41431)

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Layla brought Luke Sheppard's Hope Mill production of Spring Awakening to Seoul in Summer-Autumn 2021, by introducing and pitching it herself. Spring Awakening is her ultimate dream show. (https://tickets.interpark.com/goods/21004531)​

 

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She has worked in numerous theatres as The Other Palace, London Palladium, New Wimbledon Theatre, Eventim Apollo, Canal Cafe Theatre, Etcetera Theatre Camden, Theatre N16, The Bunker, O2 Arena, O2 Empire in London, Manchester Arena, Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, AccorHotels Arena in Paris, and almost every major venues in Korea.

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Layla works as the K-Pop world tour interpreter, most recently with BLACKPINK's In Your Area tour, BTS's Love Yourself  world tour, Zico, Monsta-X, Day6, SF9 in London and so on. She also worked on Seoul concerts of Queen, Lady Gaga, Mika, Green Day, Muse, etc. 

 

She shadowed the West End production of 'The King and I'  at the London Palladium. She also assisted and translated for the English workshop of a new Korean musical '1446'  at The Other Palace in London. She is also working on the English version of a very successful Korean musical 'Gloomy Day', which she showcased at East 15 Acting School.

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Originally from Korea, she assistant-directed and interpreted in the productions of Wicked, Hadestown, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Newsies, Sweeney Todd, Moulin Rouge, Next to Normal, The Lion King, Daddy Long Legs, Cats, Something Rotten, The Immersive Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Dracula, to name a few.

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Layla has worked with many international theatre companies and directors such as Ivo Van Hove, Matthew Bourne, Wayne McGregor, Dimitris Papaioannou, Cirque du Soleil, Mark Morris Dance Group, Compagnia Finzi Pasca, etc.

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She worked as a script translator/dramaturg for Six (Moss & Marlow), Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Hannah Moscovitch), The Wasp (Morgan Lloyd Malcolm), Amelie (Messé, Tysen, Lucas), A Legend of Georgia McBride (Matthew Lopez), Pride and Prejudice with 2 Actors (Joanna Tincey), A Number (Caryl Churchill), Skylight (David Hare), Passion (Sondheim) and many more.

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Layla is a graduate from East 15 Acting School and Korea University. She is a proud member of Young Vic's Directors Network and Musical Theatre Network UK.