T-Max rapper and Boys Before Flowers actor Kim Joon isn’t the lead role in his musical debut, but no matter: his name still drew flocks of fans to the Coex Artium on his first night onstage.

The musical Youth March [aka March of Youth, 젊음의 행진] began running on July 18, but the 29th marked Kim Joon’s first performance (which is double-cast between him and another actor). Lest you doubt the pull of his name, the audience fill rate rose 30% on that night from previous nights, nearly selling out the theater completely. According to Kim’s management, this is due not only to the attendance of his domestic fans, but even that of fans who’d come from other parts of Asia, such as Taiwan.

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Clazziquai’s Alex is taking on a musical — the “third season” of the theatrical adaptation of the SBS drama On Air.

Is that confusing? Basically, he’ll be headlining On Air: Season 3, wherein each “season” employs different actors but continues the story of the same characters.

His character’s name is also Alex, but this is purely coincidence, even though the character also happens to be a popular singer and DJ. Past Alexes in previous seasons include Song Yong-jin (of the musical Hedwig), Kim Dong-wook (Coffee Prince), and Oh Jong-hyuk (who got his start as a member of pop group Click B). He shares a romantic storyline with a radio PD; in previous seasons, the character turned to radio after a public breakup with a famous actress, and makes a comeback.

Even disregarding coincidental character similarities, this should be right up Alex’s alley. Too bad most of us won’t get a chance to see it.

On Air: Season 3 opens on April 14.

Via Segye

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Actress Choi Jung-yoon is receiving positive reviews and lots of applause for her stage debut role in a play called My First Time — which, yes, refers to sex. (The play is rated adults-only for its sexual-themed dialogue.)

The play originated off-Broadway in 2007 and features actors relating first-time sexual experiences, taken from real people’s stories, presented Vagina Monologues-style. In this production, Choi takes the lead role and shares her character’s first time in a bright, comic segment (her first was an unexpected occurrence after spending the night with a gay friend in a college dorm room). Audiences are responding enthusiastically, enjoying and relating to the hilariously told stories.

Given the theme, many name actors were hesitant to take part, though Choi approaches the role heartily. (Although she’s played a number of good-girl characters in the past (Taereung National Village, Bad Couple), she also made a foray into more risqué fare with Sex and the City-esque cable drama Romance Hunter. The drama was all right but Choi was good; I think she’s really hitting her stride in her later career.)

The play premiered on January 1 in Seoul’s Daehakro Art Madang and runs through March 31.

Via IS Plus

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This seems… fast.

I know there are a lot of expectations for SBS’s new drama A Star’s Lover, what with its big-name leads (Choi Ji-woo, Yoo Ji-tae) and high production values. But it’s only just started airing, and its ratings have been modest, at that (8.8% and 9.5% for episodes 1 and 2, respectively).

Still, production company Olive Nine has announced that a theatrical production of the drama is in the works. However, “the play will feature a different ending from the drama.” As we have yet to see the drama’s end (and barely its beginning!), that factor is probably the least interesting to highlight at this point.

Furthermore, while there have been a number of theater and musical adaptations of popular movies (200 Pound Beauty, Radio Star, Rashomon), it’s not that common for a drama series to get the adaptation treatment. (Well, there was Hello, Franceska — although that was technically a sitcom adaptation, not a drama.)

Eager to count those chickens, Olive Nine’s rep also outlined expectations for the play’s run in Japan as well, given “Ji-woo-hime”’s popularity there.

Via Segye

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(My beloved) Lee Jung-jae’s been in show biz for fifteen years now, starring in films like Typhoon, Oh Brothers and Il Mare, but he’s just now taking his first foray into theater.

In December, he takes the titular role in Hamlet (the play, not the musical version). The play will perform at his own alma mater, Dongguk University’s Lee Hae-rang Theater, and is open to the public.

Lee began rehearsals at the end of October at Dongguk, which marks his return to the public eye following a hiatus after his 2007 MBC action drama series Air City wrapped. Next up: the release of his upcoming film Disturbance in Her Barroom [1724 기방난동사건], a period movie billed as an action comedy and co-starring Kim Ok-bin (Over the Rainbow, Dasepo Naughty Girls).

Hamlet will play near Christmas-time and run for four days.

Via DongA.com

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