KIM JUNSU
The musical production “몽유도원” (Arang / Dream journey to the peach blossom land) was recorded as the first winner of the Grand Prize at the BAEKSANG ARTS AWARDS.
Musical theater superstar KIM JUNSU also became the protagonist of the “Inaugural Acting Award.”
The original musical “몽유도원” from the production company ACOM received the Best Musical award in the musical category during the “62ND BAEKSANG ARTS AWARDS WITH GUCCI” held on May 8.
This year, the BAEKSANG ARTS AWARDS established the “Musical Category” to mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of the Korean musical. The first Best Musical award was won by “몽유도원“, based on the novel “몽유도원도” by Choi Inho, which itself is based on the tale of DOMI.
Producer YUN HOJIN of ACOM, who directed the production, stated:
“From the preparation stage of the work, I thought a lot about how to launch it into the world. Thanks to the hard work of all the staff, there is not much time left before the work becomes a piece we don’t have to be ashamed of, anywhere in the world. I think we will go to Broadway in 2028. I will do my best to create better works and achieve good results.”
Director YUN HOJIN is a first-generation producer in the Korean musical world and the founder of ACOM, the protagonist who wrote the myth of original Korean-style musicals such as “명성황후” and “영웅“.
The Creative Award in the musical category was given to choreographer SEO BYUNG GOO, who presented delicate and dynamic choreography in “EVITA“, and KIM JUNSU, who challenged the dark comedy genre and broke his own limits in “BEETLEJUICE“, received the Acting Award. He won the honorary trophy for the first-ever Acting Award.
KIM JUNSU once again surpassed his own limits last year by perfectly portraying the role of the mischievous ghost stuck between the afterlife and the world of the living in “BEETLEJUICE“. During the awards ceremony that day, he began by saying:
“I really didn’t think I would receive this award, so I didn’t prepare anything at all”
and shared his impressions:
“I was already grateful to be able to participate in the BAEKSANG ARTS AWARDS, which I usually only saw on television, thanks to the newly created musical category this year, but it is an honor to receive such a meaningful award.”
He then stated: “I was happy just being in the same place as the actors nominated alongside me, and I feel the weight of this award” and “I consider this an award given to me to encourage me to progress further, and I will become an actor capable of reciprocating with good acting and good songs in the future.“
The jury members of the “Musical Category” newly created this year stated: “The emergence of works that have gained the support of viewers from various generations and possess competitiveness even in the global market proved simultaneously the qualitative and quantitative growth of the K-musical” and “The industry’s attention is focused on the fruits that the musical category, which has begun a new surge by expanding the boundaries of performing arts, will harvest at the Baeksang this year.”
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS KIM JUNSU
