Korean pop music and its many singers have won over the world. Now, the phenomenon is taking over Broadway with the new musical KPOP. Get KPOP tickets on TodayTix.
Do you love going to concerts? Do you want to see K-pop stars live in New York? Do you enjoy shows with catchy songs, fun choreography, and plenty of glitz? If so, KPOP is for you. You won't hear existing K-pop hits from bands like BTS and Blackpink, but the show has Drama Desk Award-nominated, original K-pop songs you won't hear anywhere else. The cast includes K-pop and musical theatre stars from America and Korea, so get ready to experience the combined talent and energy of a stadium concert and a mega-musical. KPOP is also the first Broadway show in history to celebrate Korean culture.
The KPOP musical sees three K-pop bands under the fictional RBY Entertainment label preparing for their NYC debut. Audiences will experience electrifying concert performances, but they'll also get an exclusive look behind the scenes at what it takes to be a K-pop star. The performers have worked tirelessly to achieve global stardom, but they all have secret struggles that, if word got out, could bring down a major K-pop label. KPOP celebrates the incredible talent of K-pop stars and gives a seldom-seen look at the sacrifices these celebrities make for their careers in a high-stakes industry, with the eyes of the world watching.
K-pop fans will recognize some familiar names in the KPOP Broadway cast. Luna, of the girl group f(x), stars as a K-pop star named MwE. There's also BoHyung, of the group SPICA and the duo KEEMBO; Min, of Miss A; and Kevin Woo, of U-KISS. They're joined by stars from hit musicals like Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and more. So whether you love theatre, love K-pop, or simply love pop music and concert-going, you're bound to enjoy the talent, songs, and sheer excitement of KPOP in New York.
Get KPOP tickets on TodayTix.
2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission
October 13th, 2022
By: Jason Kim
Songs by: Helen Park and Max Vernon
Director: Teddy Bergman
Choreography: Jennifer Weber
Cast list: Luna (as MwE), BoHyung (as Tiny), Min (as Riya), Kevin Woo (as Jun Hyuk), Eddy Lee (as Sky), Julia Abueva (as Sonoma), Major Curda (as Camera Operator), Jinwoo Jung (as Juny), Jiho Kang (as Lex), Amy Keum (as Ivy), James Kho (as Wooyeon), Jully Lee (as Ruby), Abraham Lim (as Jae Ik), Kate Mina Lin (as Miyeon), Aubie Merrylees (as Harry), John Yi (as Danny), Joshua Lee (as Timmy X), Zachary Noah Piser (as Brad
Lighting: Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew
Sound: Peter Hylenski
Design: Gabriel Hainer Evansohn
Costume: Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi
Other info: Music direction by Sujin Kim-Ramsey, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Mia M. Neal, makeup design by Joe Dulude II
Water fountain, hearing assistance, elevators and escalators, wheelchair access, restrooms, accessible seating
K-pop only exploded onto the international music scene in the past 10 years, but the genre has been around since the 1990s. The boy band Seo Taiji and Boys, formed in 1992, is credited with pioneering modern K-pop, which blends traditional Korean music with elements of international styles like hip-hop, rock, disco, jazz, reggae, folk, and even classical.
The 1990s also saw the rise of "idol" culture, inspired by the American popularity of MTV. Record labels train and promote select K-pop "idols" as talented, trendy, and attractive to global audiences. Passionate, often young, fanbases form around these idols — think of them like the members of today's boy bands. These stars have a lot of pressure to maintain a carefully curated, hyper-public image, which the KPOP musical explores.
KPOP first premiered in 2017 as an immersive Off-Broadway production at Ars Nova. In that version, audiences walked through multiple rehearsal spaces, recording studios, and backstage areas to meet K-pop performers, looking for feedback on how to get America interested in K-pop. KPOP on Broadway has been reworked for the intimate Circle in the Square Theatre — the show is no longer immersive, so audiences won't be included in the action. However, they'll still learn how these performers are asked to distance themselves from their culture, work to exhaustion, and become perfectionists to achieve international popularity.
In addition, the immersive theatre company Woodshed Collective, which designed KPOP off Broadway, is on board for the Broadway transfer, so audiences will surely get swept up in the show's world in exciting ways.
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