There is something intriguing about the premise of The Last Man: a psychological, post-apocalyptic K-rock musical targeted on a lone survivor unravelling inside an isolation bunker of his own making. It is a concept that sounds almost too niche to work, yet this South Korean import proves itself to be a convincing and unique piece of musical theatre. Imagine a zombie film but with a good deal more humour and infused with the angsty, guitar-driven soul of Rent, and you will be somewhere close to the show’s distinctive wavelength.
Making its UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant (8th May – 13th June, 2026), The Last Man features a book and lyrics by Jishik Kim, music by Seungyeon Kwon, direction by Daljung Kim, and dramaturgy by Jethro Compton. The production we attended starred Lex Lee in the demanding solo part, which he alternates with Nabi Brown.
As a performer tasked with carrying an entire two-hour musical alone, Lee has a formidable challenge on his hands. He begins the evening seeming tense and nervous in voice, but lending an authenticity to the character’s precarious mental state and directly grounding the apocalyptic stakes. As the show progresses, Lee settles into the space and grows in sureness, delivering a charismatic performance. Vocally, he is excellent, navigating the score’s relentless rock demands with control and impressive energy. On top of this, he provides an interesting “broadcast” system via his ever-closer-to-dying phone, which projects him large-scale on the surrounding walls, and manages to somehow turn what could be a total monologue into more of a conversation (with both himself and others).
The musical’s greatest strength lies in its emotional honesty. Beneath the high-concept sci-fi/horror framework are moving explorations of aloneness, separation, and the desperate human need for connection. These quieter moments provide the production with its emotional anchor, while the score injects the piece with an infectious rock-opera grit that often recalls the work of Jonathan Larson. The result is a show that feels both close and filmic, with a construction and graphic imagination that could translate to the screen (we think it could find a natural home with a genre-focused platform such as Shudder).
If there is a significant weakness, it is in the pacing. Presented as a two-act musical with an intermission, the show occasionally loses momentum. For a work built around a single player and a firmly focused story, the break feels needless and rather troublesome. The material would likely enjoy being streamlined into a taut, continuous 90-minute one-act experience, letting the psychological tension build more efficiently.
Even so, The Last Man remains a thoroughly pleasant and characteristic musical. Idiosyncratic, determined, expressive, and driven by a impressive central performance from Lex Lee, it is a welcome reminder of the thrilling work emerging from South Korea. This is an absorbing import that deserves your attention.
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