SS501 Kim Kyu-jong to star in musical “Goong”

Kim Kyu-jong of SS501 [Group 8]

SS501 member Kim Kyu-jong will star as a male lead in the latest season for Korean musical “Goong,” informed the musical’s producer Group 8 on Tuesday.

According to a press release by Group 8 today, Kim Kyu-jong from five-member boy band SS501 will play crown prince Lee Shin in the musical set for its first performance overseas in Kyoto, Japan from June 11 to July 1.

“Kim Kyu-jong has already proved himself worthy of the role through his outstanding singing and dancing skills. He also showed much enthusiasm for the role, having steadily built up his career through modeling, DJ and other works with his good looks,” an official at Group 8 was quoted as saying in the statement.

Other popular male idols that have been cast for the role in the past include U-Know Yunho of TVXQ who contributed to raising the ratio of the foreign audience up to 60 percent.

The female lead role will continue to be played by musical actress Kwak Sun-young from last year.

Meanwhile the show’s venture to Japan was realized through invitation from top Japanese entertainment companies Shochiku (松竹), famous for traditional kabuki performances and talent agency IMX that has introduced Korean hit dramas to Japan such as “Hotelier” and “Boys Over Flowers” starring Hallyu actors Bae Yong-joon and Lee Min-ho, respectively.

"Goong," whose story is about ordinary girl named Shin Chae-kyung who suddenly finds herself engaged to a crown prince of Korea in an alternate universe where the country stands as nation of constitutional monarchy, is originally from a popular comic book series by Park So-hee that was also re-adapted into TV series “Princess Hours” starring Yoon Eun-hye and Joo Ji-hoon in 2006

Kim debuted as one of the members in boy band SS501 along with Kim Hyun-joong, Park Jung-min, Heo Young-saeng and Kim Hyung-jun with their first self-titled album in 2005. The group released various hit songs such as "Snow Prince," U R Man" and "Love Ya."

In June of last year however, the members of SS501 sought out individual careers after their contract with DSP Media expired and signed with new agencies.

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