Hwang Jungmin of "Mrs. Doubtfire": "A Show the Whole Family Can Share"

First Musical in 10 Years Since "Okepi"
Opening at Charlotte Theater on September 27

"The story of 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which centers on love, is something the whole family can share and talk about, so I really wanted to take on this project."

Actor Hwang Jungmin explained that he chose "Mrs. Doubtfire" as his first musical in 10 years because of its themes of family and love, speaking at the production presentation held on the 2nd at Ewha Womans University Samsung Hall. "Mrs. Doubtfire" will open at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa-gu, Seoul on September 27 and run until December 7.

"Mrs. Doubtfire" is based on the 1993 film of the same name starring the late Robin Williams. The protagonist Daniel, played by Hwang Jungmin, disguises himself as the nanny Mrs. Doubtfire in order to see his children after a divorce, and approaches his family once again. The story delivers both laughter through the chaos caused by his disguise as a woman and a deep sense of family love.

Actor Hwang Jungmin is taking a commemorative photo after the press conference for the musical "Mrs. Doubtfire," in which he is appearing for the first time in 10 years.
[Photo by Sam Company]

The musical "Mrs. Doubtfire" had its world premiere in Seattle, USA in 2019 and debuted on Broadway in 2021. In Korea, it premiered in 2022 as the world's first licensed production, winning the Producer Award and Makeup Design Award at the 7th Korea Musical Awards.

Although Hwang Jungmin is a leading figure in Chungmuro with three films-"Ode to My Father," "Veteran," and "12.12: The Day"-each attracting more than 10 million viewers, he has never hidden his affection for stage performances. At press events, he often says that he wants to do at least one stage production a year. At the press conference on this day, he said, "The reason I love the stage and try not to miss out on stage performances is to give myself breathing room as an actor."

This marks Hwang Jungmin's first musical appearance in 10 years since "Okepi" in 2015. He said, "Whether it is a musical or a play, I think all performances on stage are almost the same," adding, "So I never really distinguished between them, but I simply had more opportunities to do plays rather than musicals." He jokingly added, "Since the outcome of 'Okepi,' a musical I both acted in and directed, was not very good, I became a bit cautious about doing musicals again."

In "Mrs. Doubtfire," Jung Sung Hwa and Jung Sang Hoon also play the role of Daniel. Of the three, only Jung Sung Hwa played Daniel in the premiere; for Hwang Jungmin and Jung Sang Hoon, this is their first time in the role.

Hwang Jungmin said he watched Jung Sung Hwa's performance in 2022 and commented, "I really liked the intent and theme of the show, which allows multiple generations to watch and talk together," adding, "Daniel is an incredibly charming and wonderful character."

The cast of the musical "Mrs. Doubtfire," which will open on September 27 at the Charlotte Theater, is taking a commemorative photo after the production presentation held on the 2nd at Ewha Womans University Samsung Hall.
Photo by Sam Company

Jung Sung Hwa said, "Daniel is an extremely challenging role that requires not only makeup on stage but also tap dancing and a lot of lines. Each actor also needs to bring out their own comedic points."

In response, Hwang Jungmin said that comedy acting is truly difficult. "It's not just about being funny; you need to have real emotion (pathos) and be able to perform comedy depending on the situation. Since I haven't done it much recently, I've lost a lot of my touch," he said. "Fortunately, since Sung Hwa performed it first in the premiere, I am learning a lot by watching him."

Since the original musical "Maybe Happy Ending" won six Tony Awards in May, public interest in musicals has grown even higher. Hwang Jungmin said he is trying to fulfill his sense of responsibility and duty by working hard.

He said, "Honestly, the role of Daniel is a bit overwhelming, but I am working hard to show the audience my very best. I definitely have a sense of responsibility and duty to show my juniors that I always give my all until the end."