The Fangirl Lane

Tag Archives: Seoul Arts Center


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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 473

It is now June 2017 and even as we move closer to G.O’s discharge from the Army, I am still nostalgic for many things in the past. With June’s arrival, I cannot help but think back on MBLAQ’s comeback as a trio in 2015. As exciting as it was, there was still a sense of the unknown as to what the new music would sound like (it was and still remains great) as well as what the trio dynamic would be like (that too, was and still remains great). Since the future is uncertain, we really only have the now, and we definitely have the then. For my G.O One Shot today, I travel back to the days leading up to the release of Mirror and relive the sensational excitement of the teaser photo released in anticipation of the comeback.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 458

On 20 May 2014, G.O took his final bow on the Seoul Arts stage following his performance in the closing show of 바람의나라  [The Kingdom of the Winds]. These nine days of Kingdom have ignited so many memories and with those memories, so many emotions. I have enjoyed revisiting some of the G.O moments I have shared these past nine days of his time in Kingdom. Today, I will close this sub-series with a charming curtain call moment with the adorable musical actor whose performance of the sweet Prince Ho Dong filled so many of us with empathy for the tragic young monarch in a dangerous kingdom.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 457

As I continue my remembrance of G.O’s impressive portrayal of Prince Ho Dong in 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds], I turn today’s Fan-Camming Friday cam to one of his more sublime moments in the musical both as a vocalist and actor. When we meet Ho Dong for the first time, his mother Queen Yeon, has already passed away leaving him vulnerable and alone. Yet in a scene that is perhaps a dream or a vision, Ho Dong and Yeon sing together. For me, the two of them singing together was one of the truly poignant moments in the show. And vocally, it was astounding.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 456

Taking this journey back to The Kingdom of the Winds has flooded my heart with emotion. It is the poignancy of G.O’s performance that calls me back over and over again to revisit the moments he spent on the Seoul Arts Center stage. Today I am offering a Vocal Virtuosity moment, but not from the stage. I choose the moment G.O and his co-star from the musical, Go Young Bin visited the Culture Bookmark show, talked about the musical, and performed the haunting 무휼과 호동의 노래 [Muhyul and Hodong’s Song].

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 453

It was very fortunate that there was so much buzz around the revival of 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds] which actually kind of amazes me since it had its first run in 2006, and remained relevant and popular eight years later. It is a fascinating story that weds history with mysticism and fantasy during turbulent and violent times when unstable kingdoms were breeding grounds for war, betrayal and tragedy. I have mentioned often (but I am SO proud of G.O for being a part of this magical musical), that the 2014 production was particularly special because of G.O being cast as the vulnerable Prince Hodong. Today, in keeping with my celebration of Kingdom, a short musical stage moment captured during early press previews.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 452

As I was so very enchanted by G.O’s performance in Seopyeonje while in Seoul back in April 2014, I almost missed the announcement of him being single-cast in the role of Prince Hodong in 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds]. Admittedly, I was so focused on G.O’s musical of the moment and it wasn’t until I returned home that it hit me how hard he was working as rehearsals for Kingdom began while Seopyeonje was still running and, even more important, while he still had a number of remaining performances. Still, the buzz of G.O being the first artist from Korean popular music to be cast in the demanding role of Prince Hodong, and the first to perform with the prestigious Seoul Arts Group, was electric.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 451

Remember when the press sat in on one of the rehearsals for 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds] and we all were able to watch G.O begin to bring the sweet, playful Prince Hodong to life? At the time, I had no idea what the story was about, but watching G.O begin to absorb the persona of the cherubic prince was exciting and magical.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 450

On 11 May 2014, G.O stepped into the role of the gentle and innocent Prince Hodong in 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds] for the first performance of the show’s run, marking another first: this was the first time an artist from Korean popular music had set foot on the Seoul Arts Center stage with the prestigious Seoul Arts Group in a musical theater production. I recall waiting for the pics and cams – but more importantly, wanted to hear about his performance which of course grew accolades from his adoring A+ in the audience that evening. I want to celebrate that night of firsts for G.O with a short fan cam of his first curtain call on the Seoul Arts Center stage that evening.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 449

It was three years ago this very day when G.O would once again step upon the Korean musical theater stage and make history by way of his poignant portrayal of the young and innocent Prince Ho Dong in the Seoul Arts production of 바람의나라 [The Kingdom of the Winds]. Inasmuch as I truly feel his role as Dong Ho in Seopyeonje was the pivotal moment in his career that made fans and critics alike sit up and take notice of his ability to command an important role in a masterpiece musical, his work in Kingdom sealed it. For today’s G.O One Shot, I honor him on the anniversary of his first performance as the delicate Ho Dong.

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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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