In March, it was reported that the musical KPOP will make its Broadway debut, featuring former f(x) member Luna.
During a press conference at the Korean Cultural Center in New York at the time, the K-pop idol stated that becoming a member of a musical theater is her "driving passion."
Previews began last month at Circle in the Square Theater and will continue through November 20.
While (f)x hasn't released new music since 2016, Luna has released a few songs after her first solo debut the same year, Free Somebody, including Even So in 2019, It Hurts and Hurts the following year, and Madonna in 2021.
Luna Reflects on Her Vulnerabilities As K-Pop Idol and Broadway Actress
Luna takes up the part of MwE, which was created by Emily In Paris star Ashley Park during the musical's Off-Broadway run in 2017. The character is a K-pop star who is at odds with industry bosses.
Luna revealed how her worlds crossed in her Broadway debut in an interview with Playbill.
The 29-year-old feels that having "beginner's resolve" is an important aspect of playing the character since it pushed her to reflect on her history, when she was first starting out in K-pop and then later in musical theater. Luna used to participate in musicals before becoming an idol for f(x). Elle Woods from Legally Blonde was one of her first roles. She was only 18 years old at the time.
Her experiences in musical theater and K-pop, on the other hand, enabled her to convey her viewpoint on the two crafts. "I believe the experience of being a K-pop star is very much about showcasing the public what you're excellent at to the level of perfection," she says of the genre. "You will practice and practice until you have excellent moves and skills."
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"It's not just about excellence, nor just about the intricacies of musical theater. It's basically about being able to display your flaws, in my opinion."
Luna reminisced on her time as an idol and even read her old diaries to feel the most vulnerable as an actress, since she wrote extensively in her notebook while she was a growing celebrity in Korea.
The singer noted that it helped flesh out her persona as MwE and subsequently directed her as "someone who owns a wonderful voice, but loses her path, but eventually reclaims her voice and finds herself."
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The power ballad Mute Birdreflects the core idea of the musical for the (fx) star, which is about not being able to express your experience or voice your views out loud.
Luna came to another discovery after connecting her pasts: "I liken it to how we watch sad or tragic movies for catharsis, yet there's a strength and energy that we Koreans bring to K-pop."
KPOP On Broadway
Jason Kim wrote the song KPOP. The melody and lyrics are written by Helen Park and Max Vernon. This run includes Off-Broadway creatives such as director Teddy Bergman and choreographer Jennifer Weber.
