Not a single day has passed since April 2014 when I have not thought at least once (and often more) about G.O and the musical Seopyeonje. Both he and the musical left an indelible and deep impression on me. I often long to go back to those moments when I was sitting at the Universal Arts Center Theatre waiting for the curtain to rise, waiting for G.O to take the stage. Waiting to be moved by the achingly tragic story about Song Hwa and her brother, Dong Ho.

Inasmuch as G.O had starred in a previous musical (Gwanghwamun Sonata), and had a successful run in the role of Kang Hyun Woo on the Japanese musical stage, Seopyeonje was special and different. Perhaps because it was his first musical on the Korean musical stage. While both musicals were each a masterpiece in their respective genres, Seopyeonje pushed G.O to a level none of his counterparts in Korean popular music had yet reached.

G.O was the first of his kind, his class, as it were, to be cast in the role of Dong Ho, and the first idol to be cast in the musical itself. It is not that an idol had never been cast in a musical, it was that an idol had never been cast in this musical that made G.O’s first moments on the Korean musical stage magical and very special.

Seopyeonje was an amazing opportunity for G.O to marry music with a character full of depth and emotion. Multi-layered and nuanced, he made us feel every moment of Dong Ho’s conflict and struggle. And even if he was nervous or worried about doing well, when he took his first bow at curtain call following his first performance on the evening of March 22, 2014, he must have been filled (and perhaps overwhelmed) with immense gratitude, accomplishment and happiness.

The smile and nod of approval from Cha Ji Yeon at the end teemed with encouragement and sweetness!

I am certain she was as proud of him as his fans were that evening.

I look back on G.O’s work in Seopyeonje and realize that I could not have met his artistry for the first time with anything better. It was the perfect introduction and I look forward with great anticipation to our next musical theater date.

~♥~

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