While news is quiet of the 200 Pound Beauty sequel, plans are under way for a musical version, starring SES lead singer Bada. (The film sequel will be losing the sleeper hit’s original plastic-beauty Hana, star Kim Ah-joong, who opted not to return to the franchise in favor of other projects now that she’s catapulted to stardom.)

This musical version will be the follow-up stage role to Bada’s previous theatrical turn as Esmerelda in Notre Dame de Paris, for which she received favorable reviews. She’ll share the double-cast role of Hana with musical actress Yoon Gong-joo (really, Yoon parents? You named your kid “Princess”?). The male lead role, originated by Joo Jin-mo in the movie, is yet to be cast.

The musical version of 200 Pound Beauty will begin its theatrical run on November 27.

Via My Daily

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The “romantic musical” Polaroid (first mentioned here as Andy’s second stage role) starring former Miss Korea and classical musician Honey Lee (so pretty) held its dress rehearsal–cum–press conference on June 30, the day before its official July 1 premiere.

The project is directed by Sung Jae-joon and written by Won Mi-sol, who also produced last year’s musical Music In My Heart, and its story unfolds around the two leads who meet by chance on a street — he’s an aspiring photographer, she’s an art student — and fall in love. Although Honey Lee’s musical specialty lies in traditional folk instruments, she had trained as a vocalist with YG in the past, which makes a musical role a natural vehicle for her acting debut. (Although I haven’t heard her sing myself, so who knows?)

Honey Lee was also asked about current Miss Korea Lee Jisun, who’s competing in the upcoming Miss Universe 2008 pageant in Vietnam on July 14. She wished her successor well and said she hoped that Lee Jisun would be able to improve on her own fourth-place finish last year.

Polaroid runs through August 24; Andy joins the cast in August.

Via Yonhap News

SONG OF THE DAY

Super Kidd - “사랑예보” (love forecast) [ Download ]

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Shinhwa’s baby member Andy, currently enjoying a hot streak of popularity due his pairing with Solbi on the show We Got Married, is taking another turn on the musical stage this summer.

This time, he’ll star in Polaroid, which is being brought to theatergoers by the same director and writer duo (Sung Jae-joon and Won Mi-sol) behind his musical debut project last year, Music in My Heart. In Polaroid, Andy plays an innocent character pining for a woman who’s in love with someone else in a love story that is unique and “singular, like a Polaroid picture.” Kind of an… odd metaphor, but okay.

After his first musical experience, Andy explained that while his kpop background naturally helped, there were aspects that he had to work on that were new to him, such as singing with greater volume and speed, as well as working on his enunciation. Following his role in Music in My Heart, he’d received numerous other offers, and chose this as his second musical project.

The musical runs from July 1 through August 24 and also stars former Miss Korea Honey Lee; Andy’s performances begin in August.

Via My Daily

SONG OF THE DAY

Andy - “Timing” [ Download ]

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Tim, the man with the smooth velvety singing voice, is taking to the stage — as an actor. Perhaps in keeping with his well-known strong Christian faith, his role is in the musical Jesus Jesus (which, as far as I know, is not the same as Jesus Christ Superstar), and he takes on the titular role as — you guessed it! — Jesus Christ.

In case you couldn’t recognize Tim above, here’s a refresher to your right. Prior to his debut as a pop/ballad singer, he’d participated in small-scale plays and musicals, but this is his first time onstage in a large-scale musical.

In the seventeen years since Jesus Jesus made its debut in 1991, it’s been performed all around the world, and Tim’s role was previously filled by actors Cha In Pyo and Kim Jang Seob.

He’ll give performances in a rather short run — June 18 through 20 — in Seoul.

Via DongA.com

SONG OF THE DAY

Tim - “내 마음 사용 설명서” (Instructions on Using My Heart) [ Download ]

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Former Miss Korea Lee Ha-nui, otherwise known as Honey Lee, has been busy acting as a television broadcast MC and as a model for various CFs and clothing brands ever since she placed in the finals for last year’s Miss Universe pageant. And now she’s branching out into acting, preparing for her debut — in a musical.

Her rep explained that she’d considered making her acting debut in a drama or film, “but chose a musical in order to showcase her particular skills.” As you may know, she’s a noted classical musician, having majored in traditional music (gayageum, pansori) at Seoul National University. Not only that, she reportedly was in training as a vocalist under YG Entertainment prior to her Miss Korea win. She’ll begin rehearsals for the musical next week, produced by PMC productions (of Nanta, which is what’s described as a “non-verbal performance,” conveying its message via music, dance, and movement, while incorporating a fair amount of traditional folk music elements).

Via Sports Seoul

No mp3 available, but for a look (and listen) at Honey Lee’s musical skills, here’s her much-buzzed-about performance at the recent Golden Disk Awards with Epik High, transforming their thoroughly modern “Fan” into something of a fusion artistic statement.

SONG OF THE DAY

For the uninitiated, here’s what the original “Fan” by Epik High sounds like. [ zShare download ]

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Actor Go Soo won’t be discharged from the military for a couple months yet, but already people are looking to his comeback — and while most other actors choose to drum up press and make their triumphant returns to celebrity in high-profile films or dramas, Go Soo’s return will be, unusually enough, in theater. Or maybe it’s not so unusual — of all the actors and celebrities summoned to fulfill their civic duty, usually with endless fanfare and bids for attention, Go Soo has been one of the more understated servicemen, remaining low under the media radar. He began his service not long after his last drama, To Marry A Millionaire, wrapped in late January 2006.

As his release will come at the end of April and the play begins running in May, he’s not giving himself much time to enjoy the break and is jumping right back in the thick of things. In fact, he’ll spend his last leave rehearsing for his role. The play he’s chosen as his return project is The Return of President Eom, to which he was invited to perform upon the recommendation of his acting senior Jo Jae Hyun, whom he met while working on the 2001 SBS drama Piano. According to a source close to Go Soo, “After acting in Piano, Jo Jae Hyun is the senior whom Go Soo most respects.”

In the play, Go Soo plays the young scapegoat of the titular President Eom; his young, simple-hearted character is reduced to heartbreak and tragedy. Normally I don’t love tragic dramas, but theater is a different beast, and boy would I love to see that.

Via IS Plus

SONG OF THE DAY

Urban Note - “Friday Night” [ zShare download ]

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