[On Stage] A 9.8 Billion-Year-Old Ghost Living Alone... Perfect 'Otherworldly Tension'

Musical 'Beetlejuice' Yoo Jun-sang

Analyzes character during daily morning hikes
Fast-paced development and physical exhaustion
A 17-year musical veteran
Repeats "Why did I do this?" and "I'm glad I did"

Actor Yoo Joon-sang, who played the role of Beetlejuice in the musical 'Beetlejuice'. (Photo by Ronette)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] The energy radiating from actor Yoo Joon-sang (52, pictured) was extraordinary. His unique positive attitude and cheerfulness evoke a pleasant chuckle from those sitting across from him. However, when he talks about his life and works, he quickly becomes serious. His words, which bear the marks of deep contemplation rather than image-packaging remarks, naturally make one nod in agreement.

Marking his 26th year in acting this year, Yoo Joon-sang returns to the stage with the musical Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice is a musical adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name directed by Tim Burton, first premiered on Broadway in New York in April 2019. The production company CJ ENM acquired the world’s first license and will hold the Korean premiere from the 18th of this month until August 7.

The protagonist Yoo Joon-sang plays is also named Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice is a ghost who has lived alone between the living and the dead for 9.8 billion years. He is a quirky, comical, bizarre, yet cute character. The core of the story revolves around the events that unfold when Beetlejuice temporarily stays in the human world for some reason. Yoo Joon-sang described Beetlejuice as "a character who might be fun to follow around but is sometimes truly scary," adding, "He might be comparable to a dokkaebi in Korean folklore."

Actor Yoo Joon-sang, who played the role of Beetlejuice in the musical 'Beetlejuice'. (Photo by Ronette)

Yoo Joon-sang devoted four weeks solely to analyzing the character Beetlejuice. He would wake up early to mutter to himself and climb a mountain every morning while memorizing the overall flow of the play and his lines. He explained, "I endlessly pondered how a ghost who came out into the human world after extreme loneliness would be different from and similar to humans. In the case of replicas (imitations), it can simply be an act of copying the role, so I paid a lot of attention to approaching it with Korean sensibility."

Even as a veteran with 17 years of experience in musicals, the rehearsal period for Beetlejuice was more grueling than any other work. The play progresses at a fast pace and requires precise timing in many scenes. He recalled, "The most difficult part was the repeated training to hit the timing in a split second?1 second, 0.5 seconds, even 0.3 seconds. Around the third or fourth week of rehearsals, I even wondered, 'Why am I doing this?'" He added with a smile, "Now, at the end of rehearsals, I feel glad I did the show, but it seems like a work that’s physically demanding to do for a long time."

Because the rehearsal process was so tight, the completeness and freshness of the production are unique charms guaranteed by him. "Not only the actors’ movements but also the orchestra and lighting must all be synchronized with a single cue, or the performance cannot flow. If the staff or actors don’t focus at that moment, everything stops. The thoroughness of this organic, gear-like operation was the biggest freshness for me. I’m already excited and thrilled to present this on stage to the audience. I will show you a stage with ‘otherworldly tension.’"

Actor Yoo Joon-sang, who played the role of Beetlejuice in the musical 'Beetlejuice'. (Photo by Ronette)

Yoo Joon-sang is also very interested in film directing. He was a film student deeply immersed in directing during his time at Dongguk University’s Department of Theater and Film. In April, he released his third feature film and first commercial film, Spring Song. Next month, he plans to release a short film. Yoo Joon-sang said, "I started making films because I wanted to share personal thoughts that I couldn’t express as an actor. I’m enjoying trying various things and will keep going as long as I can."

He recently spent a lot of time contemplating the theme of ‘death’ for his next film project. For a while, he couldn’t find an answer. But through his role in Beetlejuice, he found a clear answer.

"Beetlejuice is a being who has lived alone in the afterlife for 9.8 billion years. In the ending scene, he talks about his experiences after coming to the living world, and during rehearsals, tears welled up in my eyes. Since the lines contain key spoilers for the story, I can’t mention the exact dialogue. But I’m sure the audience will deeply resonate with the message conveyed by that brief, offhand line. I run around the stage with all my might for two hours and thirty minutes to deliver that one message."

Actor Yoo Joon-sang donated 100 million won to the Korea Musical Association last month.

The secret to Yoo Joon-sang’s versatility across drama, film, musicals, directing, and MC roles is his strong physical and mental stamina. He heals his tired body and mind through hiking. "My personal secret is that when I go to the mountains and talk to the trees, I feel all my energy being generated. Try holding a tree and talking to it once."

When he has no work schedule, he often goes down to Gyeongju to meet Park Dae-sun, a master of ink wash painting with whom he has long-standing friendship. Yoo Joon-sang said, "The teacher, who has been painting for 70 years, writes every morning. Seeing that makes me think, ‘I should be writing my script every morning,’ and I learn a lot as an actor."