[On Stage] Actor Kim Hwan-hee "Performing with Yuki Kuramoto... A Christmas Gift for Me"

On the 24th, 'Yuki Kuramoto and Friends' Concert
Songs including 'A New Life' from 'Jekyll & Hyde'

"I feel like I've been invited to a Christmas party. Dream-like things happen to me so often. Performing with Yuki Kuramoto feels like becoming a 'Seongdeok (successful fan).' He is such a great master. It makes me think, 'I have truly succeeded.'"

Musical actress Kim Hwan-hee shared her overwhelming excitement about appearing on the stage of the 'Christmas Concert Yuki Kuramoto and Friends' at Lotte Concert Hall on the 24th. Kim Hwan-hee will be responsible for the first part of the two performances held at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM that day. We met the busy Kim Hwan-hee, who is currently starring as the female lead 'Lucy' in the musical Jekyll & Hyde at Blue Square while also preparing for the concert with Yuki Kuramoto, at a cafe in Yongsan-gu on the 20th.

Yuki Kuramoto is a Japanese pianist especially beloved by Koreans. He gave his first performance in Korea in 1999 and has performed in Korea every year since. From May to June this year, he held a 25th-anniversary concert tour in Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, Gumi, and Pyeongtaek. At the end of the year, he holds a concert titled 'Yuki Kuramoto and Friends,' and this year Kim Hwan-hee joins as one of the friends.

Musical actress Kim Hwan-hee [Photo by Blue Stage]

Kim Hwan-hee, who listens to various genres of music and songs without discrimination, has often shed tears while listening to Yuki Kuramoto's pieces. Even during the first rehearsal at Gangdong Art Center on the 16th, she was moved seeing him deeply immersed in practice.

"I arrived at the rehearsal room a little early, and the master was so focused on practicing that he didn't even notice I was there. His dedication was so impressive. (The staff) said they would call him, but he said it was okay. He didn't want to be disturbed. The music was so enchanting. It just touched my heart; it was somewhat strange. The music itself had a soft, dreamy feeling, which made me think of someone I love, so I ended up crying while listening to his performance."

At the Christmas Eve concert, Kim Hwan-hee will sing three musical numbers and two Christmas carols: 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' and 'Oh Holy Night.' "'Oh Holy Night' is famous for Mariah Carey's version, but I plan to sing the version by Tori Kelly, which I like."

The three musical numbers are 'How 'bout a Dance' from Bonnie and Clyde, 'Popular' from Wicked, and 'A New Life' from Jekyll & Hyde. Unlike Wicked and Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie and Clyde has not been performed in Korea since 2014. Kim Hwan-hee described 'How 'bout a Dance' as "I love blues and jazz so much, and I feel this song suits me very well."

Since she is currently playing Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde, she thought there was no need to hesitate about singing 'A New Life' and decided she must perform it.

"Since I started doing musicals, I studied Lucy's numbers 'Someone Like You' and 'A New Life.' I often imagined how it would be if I sang this song on stage."

Kim Hwan-hee also said she never forgets watching the 10th-anniversary performance of Jekyll & Hyde before her musical debut. She debuted on the musical stage in 2015 and had the chance to watch the 10th-anniversary performance of Jekyll & Hyde at Blue Square’s third floor, far right corner, starring Cho Seung-woo and Rina, after getting an invitation ticket by chance in 2014.

"I watched from the very corner on the third floor without opera glasses, but the thrill the play gave me was immense. It's amazing that I am now performing the same work in the same space. When I am on stage, I often think about the emotions I felt back then."

Lucy is a showgirl working in a tavern called 'Red Rat,' run by a cruel pimp, where she suffers abuse. Jekyll, who is engaged to Emma, visits Red Rat with a friend, sees Lucy's performance, and develops feelings for her.

She said, "Lucy is a character with more diverse facets than Emma, emotionally turbulent and evolving, so I auditioned for Lucy without any hesitation."

Musical actress Kim Hwan-hee [Photo by Blue Stage]

This year, Kim Hwan-hee appeared in the most productions since her debut. Starting with Next to Normal, she appeared in Hadestown, Kinky Boots, and Jekyll & Hyde, totaling four productions. The number of productions she appears in each year is increasing, and she is also performing more on large theater stages like Jekyll & Hyde. "My shoulders feel very heavy. The sense of responsibility and burden grows. However, the fact that I am in an environment where I can keep growing is really good. I am learning a lot."

She said the concert with Yuki Kuramoto would be an opportunity to show a new side of herself.

"It is a stage I am truly grateful for because it gives me a chance to perform songs I really like and have wanted to sing but never had the opportunity to show before."

Kim Hwan-hee originally majored in practical music because she wanted to sing, and she started musicals at the suggestion of a professor. She said being a musical actress is her calling. "I wanted to play and sing on stage. Becoming a musical actress instead of a singer might be God's grand plan."

She said she is not particularly interested in acting in front of cameras for movies or dramas. However, she does have ambitions for theater stages, which she has not yet tried. "When I sing musicals or concerts, understanding the lyrics brings out richer emotions. Expressing those emotions on stage and conveying them to the audience is so enjoyable. So, I want to try theater someday, where I can show a lot emotionally. While my vocal cords are healthy and I can sing well, I want to do many concerts like this one."