Kevin Woo, Min, More K-Pop Stars Join Luna in KPOP on Broadway
Fantastic, baby (yes, that's a BIGBANG reference)! A slew of Korean pop stars are joining Luna in the Broadway premiere of KPOP. Other cast members from the music genre, originally announced in April, are Kevin Woo, formerly of U-KISS; Min, formerly of Miss A; and BoHyung, formerly of SPICA and half of the duo KEEMBO. (When you finish reading this, head to Spotify and check them out).
Rounding out the ensemble are Julia Abueva, Major Curda, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, Amy Keum, James Kho, Marina Kondo, Joshua Lee, Jully Lee, Lina Rose Lee, Timothy H. Lee, Abraham Lim, Kate Mina Lin, Aubie Merrylees, Patrick Park, and John Yi. Audiences might recognize two of these names: Lee recently stepped on as Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton and Piser starred as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen. 19 others are making their Broadway debuts.
As previously announced, previews begin October 13 at Circle in the Square Theatre. An official opening night is set for November 20, 2022. The show is the first musical on Broadway to directly celebrate Korean culture; it follows several global superstars as they put everything on the line for a special one-night-only concert. Together, they face struggles both cultural and personal that threaten to dismantle one of the industry’s hottest labels.
Conceived by Woodshed Collective and Jason Kim, KPOP features a book by Jason Kim; music, lyrics, music production and arrangements by Helen Park; and music and lyrics by Max Vernon. Teddy Bergman directs with choreography by Jennifer Weber and music direction by Sujin Kim-Ramsey.
The production also features scenic design by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn, costume design by Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, lighting design by Jiyoun Chang, sound design by Peter Fitzgerald and Andrew Keister, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Mia M. Neal, makeup design by Joe Dulude II and Suki Tsujimoto, and casting by Tara Rubin Casting. The production stage manager is Cherie B. Tay. KPOP is produced by Tim Forbes and Joey Parnes.
An earlier version of the show, produced by Ars Nova in association with Ma-Yi Theater and Woodshed Collective, played to sold-out crowds Off-Broadway in the fall of 2017.
