The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 425

I particularly love today’s offering for the G.O One Shot. For the past ten days I have sprinkled the countdown with moments revisiting G.O’s time on the musical stage as well as celebrating his arrival to the silver screen with his film debut in 아바는 딸 [Dad is Daughter]. I cannot deny that my favorite aspect of G.O’s artistry is his music; however, I am enamored of his ability to take the joy and pain he has experienced, the ups and downs of life, the struggles and the triumphs, and let them all simmer deep in the well of his artistic soul ultimately manifesting themselves through him as an actor.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 422

The sound of a voice that is authoritative, abrupt and cold begins to flood his heart with the memory of a deep and painful loss. His mind is transported back to when she left. His heart is reminded of the void he is still suffering. He longs to hear her comforting voice and not his abusive tone. Dong Ho is devastated. Lost. Heartbroken. The intensely emotional 소리기억 [I Remember The Sound] in 서편제 [Seopyeonje] is a flashback moment from the mind of Dong Ho who relives the tragedy surrounding the death of his mother. A death he squarely blames on his stepfather, Yoo Bong. Continuing on my spring Seopyeonje revival, the heart-wrenching 소리기억 [I Remember The Sound] is the subject of our Fan-Camming Friday today.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 421

I would like to continue with our little Road to Seopyeonje retrospective as we look back at G.O’s preparation for his role as the fractured and fragile Dong Ho. The role of Dong Ho required a versatile musical actor. He had to act, sing and believably play the 소리북 [sori buk], a traditional drum used to accompany pansori. G.O accomplished it all and deserved all of the praise, accolades and the musical award he received for his tender and honest portrayal of the complex Dong Ho. Putting the serious aside for a moment, let’s revisit the rehearsal studio where G.O, along with his fellow actors he shared the role with (Michael Lee and Song Yong Jin) learned the way of the sori buk.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 420

After seeing G.O’s stellar performances in both Seopyeonje and 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds], I knew his talent stretched far beyond music. When news hit that he had been cast in a supporting role in director, Kim Hyung Hyeop’s 아빠는 딸 [Daddy You, Daughter Me], I was elated. And yes, it may only be a supporting role; but the way I see it, supporting roles can very well pave the way to the leading ones in the future. I am very excited for our dashing  young actor!

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 399

Three years ago today G.O made his Korean musical stage debut with his first performance as the troubled pansori artist Dong Ho in the haunting musical Seopyeonje. I cannot believe it has been three years. Oh how I would love to see this musical revived again with G.O returning to reprise his role as Dong Ho. For the moment, I will simply hold on to that dream while revisiting G.O’s first curtain call on the Seopyeonje stage on this 399th day of his service.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 376

I think it is true that many of G.O’s most playful moments probably happen during fan meetings and fan signs. I know that G.O has shown us playful moments during variety programs, and even in the closing moments on the concert stage where often times a sort of playful chaos and mayhem break out. But the fan signs . . . well, they breed a special kind of playful.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 350

I suppose it is rather obvious that I have been having deep (and perhaps emotional) longing to travel back in time to the spring of 2014 when everything seemed to be wonderfully in place for both G.O in his independent pursuits on the musical stage, as well as with MBLAQ as they settled into promoting their 6th (and truly brilliant) mini album, Broken. I left Seoul in mid-April of that year after a lengthy stay, and therefore missed the impromptu meet & greet G.O held in the lobby of the Universal Arts Theater on 5 May 2014. I was momentarily disappointed when I learned of that meet & greet, but that dissipated quickly as I reminded myself how fortunate I was in any event to have experienced not only G.O’s amazing fan service, but his incredible performance in 서편제 [Seopyeonje]. It is Day 350 and seems like a great day to celebrate G.O’s Fabled Fan Service as he met with fans back on that sunny day in early May.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 344

There were many intense scenes played out on the musical stage during 서편제 [Seopyeonje]. The combative battle between stepfather and son during the argumentative 철없는 혈기 [Immature Passion] was particularly explosive. Imagine living day to day under the suffocating control of an abusive father, devastated by the loss of an adoring mother, and longing for the freedom to pursue a happier life. Watching G.O interpret the pain, confusion, and desperation of the tormented Dong Ho was simultaneously harrowing and magnificent; particularly so in the violent argument with an equally angered and volatile Yoo Bong.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 343

I cannot seem to let go. I cannot move the memory of G.O’s tender and brilliant performance of Prince Ho Dong in the musical 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds] during those wonderful warm days of May 2014 from my heart or mind. A little bit of a musical-inspired few days here for this Countdown series. Even as another year is set to begin (the Lunar New Year, that is) and we continue to move further and further from those amazing performances, I am unable to forget and am compelled to also have you remember. The early rehearsal moments captured of G.O effortlessly falling into the fragile psyche of Kingdom’s child prince were exciting and breathtaking. And yes, it may have only been his third musical over a three year span, it was nevertheless clear that a musical theater star was gently but with great passion, being born.

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