Jung Il-woo’s theatrical debut earns enthusiastic response

Jung Il-woo‘s theater debut project, the play Beautiful Sunday, looks poised for success a week into its run: its first show performed to a full house and Jung has earned praise for his lead role.

The play opened on February 4, and a source with the theater production company said, “This is Jung Il-woo’s first theater role so I can’t say we weren’t nervous, but even we’re surprised that the performances sold out. The first show wasn’t just at full capacity, it sold 107% of the seats.” (A portion of the audience had to sit off to the side to watch.)

Beautiful Sunday is a play by Japanese playwright Nakatani Mayumi, and attracted some buzz prior to its opening because Jung’s character is gay. After showing improved acting and dedication in last year’s drama series Return of Iljimae, this role has Jung “upgrading” his acting one step further as the character of Jun-seok, who is HIV-positive but described as “bright and innocent.” Unlike many screen actors who try stage acting, Jung is not double-cast (meaning that two performers alternate shows, which eases the load on the actors) and will act in all the performances — there are six per week, with two each on Saturdays and Sundays.

Jung said after his first show, “Unlike in dramas or movies, on the stage I can communicate directly with the audience as I act, which is novel and exciting. I’m still lacking in a lot of areas, but I’ll work even harder.”

Via TV Report, Joongang Daily

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21 Comments

  1. YAY! i really like Jung II-woo but hes so under-rated D:
    Good luck to him. it seems like a lot of ppl are doing plays now o.o

  2. really i like him hope success always for him

  3. The guy certainly works hard. Wish all the best to him but…

    Dang, why didn’t the ICOMYM Club plan a trip to watch the play?! :(
    I would’ve been on it like a fly stuck to flypaper. :P

  4. Sounds like an interesting story, I wish I could see it.

  5. @ hjkomo

    You’re so right! Major fail. We’ll have to plan better for a future event!

  6. Love him!!!! Can’t wait for him to do another drama!!

  7. WHY am I stuck in Europe? I wanna see that so very badly. Going to tell my friends who live in SK now. if they fail to go, I might de-friend them all.

  8. I bet, 15 years from now, JIW will not have aged a day and will still have that same happy grin…

  9. This boy surely has acting in his blood!

  10. Yay! I’m glad Jung Il-woo is getting praised for his acting skills. I give him major credit for working so hard at his job, but he should have opted for double-cast. I don’t want him to fall sick from overworking and straining himself.

    @ 7 Sere: I know! I wish I had the powers to teleport myself in the front row of this interesting play. Then again, I would abuse that power and become some creepy stalker (heh heh).

    @ 8 samsooki: So true, so true. Men age like wine; while women age like raisins. (stifled cries) Sooooo unfair ;(

  11. I have to agree with @hjkomo and @langdon- I think it was a major boo boo for Club ICOMYM…I didn’t even know about the event beforehand o_O…definitely losing my place in the club (sniff**)( but then nowadays, I’ve been losing my mind ;)

  12. If I live in Soul,I will see him on the theater surely –*

    can’t wait 4 his new drama

    love him~~ ^^

  13. oooooh OMG he’s so cute love him in MY FAIR LADY!!
    ;D

  14. love him! he’s humble and talented. i want to see him more in 2010!!!

  15. I liked him in Unstoppable High Kick!

  16. i have never seen him in anything. :(
    do i have to give up my membership card for ICOMYM?
    ROI is on my list to watch tho…. cuz Madame President raved about JIW and ROI so much in OTs.

  17. @ghian
    If you love him in My Fair Lady, then you would definitely SWOON when you watch Return of Iljimae…why?? His hair was the reason why ( we fans hated his increasing yucky hairstyle in MFL)…Quoting @langdon (?) Madame President of ICOMYM.. “His mane of glory “…lol

  18. Can you guys tell @17 was me??? Once again, the internet just looooves me ;)

  19. That mane of glory was perhaps the most magnificent head of hair I have ever seen, or will ever see, on a man. OMG. SO SAD when he cut it. Impropriety for future roles aside, he really really should have kept it long!

  20. lol I generally dislike long hair on guys but Jung Il-woo might be a very rare exception.

  21. @JB
    Thanks for the “reminder” of the mane of glory…***swoons*** ;)

    lol…I just looove how no matter how many times I refresh and I keep getting ROI on the top ;)

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