[On Stage] "What Play? My Start Was as a Child Actor, Not an Idol"

Theater 'Les Mis?rables' Cosette Role Ham Eun-jung "Contemplating the portrayal of a character with deficiencies... A work that allows intense discussions"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] During the interview, the word 'discussion' stood out impressively. It was because of the clear image or prejudice imprinted in my mind. Singer and actress Ham Eun-jung. A member of a girl group who reached the top as a singer. However, the group had many troubles. So I was curious about what story he would want to convey on the theater stage he is challenging for the first time. Ham Eun-jung will appear as 'Cosette' in the play 'Les Mis?rables,' which opens on the 7th at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center.

Ham Eun-jung used the word 'discussion' twice while talking about why she is challenging theater and her impressions of 'Les Mis?rables.' "I didn't want to do it because I was pushed by something, but I really wanted to try the process of dissecting and analyzing each line and each action deeply, discussing it, and then making decisions." "While reading 'Les Mis?rables' to study Cosette, I thought, 'Ah! This is why it's a masterpiece.' I thought it was a work that people could fiercely discuss."

The reason for challenging theater seems to be that she wanted to tell a different story from what she showed as a singer. She said she was glad to have the interview opportunity. "The public might think, 'Why is she suddenly doing theater? Did something change for her to do theater?' But I started acting as a child actor when I was eight years old. Even while promoting as a singer with T-ara, I continuously acted. Although this is my first time in theater, acting has never left my mind. When I was in middle school, I also appeared as 'Wendy' in the children's musical 'Peter Pan' at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. I consider myself someone who has acted continuously without limiting the genre."

[Photo by C-JeS Entertainment]

Ham Eun-jung graduated from Dongguk University’s Department of Theater. She is familiar with acting, but the theater stage itself is unfamiliar. "I think I have never dared to step into the field of theater until now. I have cautiously taken one step. I consider it another chapter in my journey as an actress." She added, "Starting with 'Les Mis?rables,' I won't only do theater but will act across various media without limitation."

The reason she challenged the theater stage is because of the work 'Les Mis?rables.' "When I heard about 'Les Mis?rables,' I immediately thought I wanted to prepare and do it. It's a novel I really like. It's a masterpiece, and so many people love it. Because it's 'Les Mis?rables,' I wanted to do it."

Ham Eun-jung read the original novel of 'Les Mis?rables,' which consists of five volumes. It was the first time she read the entire original book, not an abridged version, while preparing for the play.

"After reading it, I liked it even more. The detailed psychological descriptions and expressions that make you feel as if you are living and breathing in that era, even though I didn't live in that time, made me think it truly is a masterpiece. Above all, the greatest charm of 'Les Mis?rables' is that it asks the same questions regardless of the era. Whether someone read it 100 years ago or is reading it now, it makes everyone think the same way. It makes you ask yourself, 'What if I were Jean Valjean? What if I were Javert? What choices would I have made?' Because the line between good and evil is not completely clear. It places people on ambiguous lines. It makes you think, 'What would you have done? Is Javert really a bad person? Did Jean Valjean receive a punishment too harsh for his crime?' Ultimately, it is a work that makes you reflect on yourself and ask, 'What kind of person am I?' It also makes you think about what is right and wrong in the era you live in and how you should live in this era."

Ham Eun-jung said she watched not only the novel but also all the dramas and movies based on 'Les Mis?rables' since the 1950s. She even watched British and French dramas without Korean subtitles. The most impressive work was the BBC-produced 'Les Mis?rables' drama. "The interesting point is that while the core remains unchanged, the rest varies in many ways according to the flow of the times. The personality of Cosette in every production is also slightly different. That gave me courage. I thought I could create my own charm, my own Cosette."

Ham Eun-jung and Ji Sang-hyuk as 'Marius'
Photo by C-JeS Entertainment

Among the characters appearing in 'Les Mis?rables,' Cosette, whom Ham Eun-jung plays, is the character with the least worries in some ways. Ham Eun-jung agreed. She also said that although she was interested in other roles, she thought she should take on those after gaining more depth.

"Cosette is the only character in 'Les Mis?rables' who has a bright and colorful aura. However, Cosette also clearly has deficiencies. She had deficiencies in her childhood, but with her father's (Jean Valjean's) love, she completely transforms into a different, bright character. I think she is a character who superficially shows that a person can change like this when loved and living a stable life. The challenge is to portray young Cosette and adult Cosette as if they are completely different people. But ultimately, I think Cosette is also the same 'Les Mis?rables (poor people)' with deficiencies. So I am pondering how to express Cosette, who lived a bright life, in the final part of the conclusion."

Ham Eun-jung finally asked the audience for a 'challenge.'

"I like theater, and if I hear that it's fun, I tend to go. Without information, it's hard to know if it will be fun, so it was difficult to watch theater. Having experienced this difficulty, I understand that it is hard for audiences to come to the theater. So I am scared. Now, I hope the audience will take on the challenge even without information. I think I must prepare responsibly to that extent."