Kim Jun-su sings during a preview of the musical “Death Note” at Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul, Dec. 19.
/ Courtesy of C-JeS Culture
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The musical “Death Note” returns to Seoul after two years, as well as its star Kim Jun-su from JYJ. Kim will bid farewell for the time being with this show as he will start his mandatory military service next year.
The musical premiered in Japan in April 2015 and made a successful debut in Korea three months later. Featuring music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy from a story by by Ivan Menchel, the musical revolves around a fierce battle of wits between Light Yagami, a high school student who metes out his own justice, and Detective L, who tries to put a stop to him.
The show relies the most heavily on Kim, who plays the eccentric Detective L.
Kim, who debuted in SM Entertainment’s five-member boy band TVXQ in 2003, left the company to form a trio JYJ with two other former TVXQ members Jaejoong and Yoochun. Amid difficulties in appearing on television shows, Kim made a brilliant debut as a musical actor in “Mozart!” in 2010, becoming a definite game changer in Korean theater. All tickets for his shows were sold out and he soon became highly sought-after among theater producers. Kim’s agency C-JeS Entertainment entered the theater industry in 2015, producing “Death Note” and “Dorian Gray.”
Kim was praised for his portrayal of L in 2015 with his signature metallic voice and his concentration on the character. He said he is now putting in even more effort to develop the character, prior to his military service.
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