[INTERVIEW] Singer Kim Dong-wan - Part 1

Kim Dong-wan [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

The most unfitting yet likely choice for Kim Dong-wan. This is what his decision to star in musical "Hedwig," raising its curtains on May 14, could be summarized as being. It is difficult to imagine the point of contact between the Kim Dong-wan we know and this legendary musical, based on John Cameron Mitchell's movie and about Hedwig who is an East German transgender rock singer. It is hard to try to even predict what this member of the first generation of idol groups, who debuted in 1998, still has a strong career, and seemed great as an actor as well, will look like in this strange yet attractive melodrama. However, it is the courage he showed when saying, "I've never been afraid of being evaluated for what I do" and that he did "not have even an inkling of thought" that "Hedwig" will be a dangerous choice for him, that this new challenge he takes on is all the more interesting. Below are excerpts from 10Asia's interview with the 32-year-old Kim Dong-wan.


10: I thought the first project you'd take on after being discharged from the military would have definitely been a movie or drama.
Kim Dong-wan: I was going to but if the drama or movie had good scripts, their roles didn't fit me, or if the roles fit me, the scripts didn't. Before, I used to think, 'I'll do whatever I'm given,' but I came to realize that you don't need to be humble when it comes to choosing a script. I came to think that you need to be cool-headed and selfish when it comes to making choices but once you've made your choice, you need to work with a humble attitude. I realized that I could become weird if I make my choice with humbly.

10: Did you not really think in that way before?
Kim: I didn't. I'm a fatalist so I tended to just do what's given to me and most of the time, it worked for me. And it was okay for my career as a singer because we're closer to being domestically produced, by our agencies, but it turned out that it wasn't okay for my career as an actor. I learned that the manager who reviews your scripts is important, that the producer is important and that you need to take people's advice.

10: Then why was it that you decided to do "Hedwig"?
Kim: To start with, it's hard to be handed such a huge opportunity. And by huge, I'm not saying it's on a large scale but that "Hedwig" is one of the top musicals in the industry. I also liked the fact that "Hedwig" is a very difficult character to play. Dr. Charles Ahn said that if he wants to find out about a field he doesn't know of, he sets up interviews related to it on purpose and studies about it for about a month so I too felt that "Hedwig" would be an opportunity for me to study about a lot of things. Of course, I'm never under the mindset that I'm 'studying' when I'm doing a performance. (laugh)

Kim Dong-wan [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

10: Well the response to news that you were cast for "Hedwig" was "surprising" and "unexpected." How did that feel for you?
Kim: And things like, "It doesn't suit him," "I'm worried whether he'll do well," "I think 'Hedwig' is becoming too commercial." To start with, it felt good to hear that the musical is becoming commercial. It's like how I felt in the past when I saw someone having written a comment about me on the Internet saying, "I think people become singers with their looks these days. How is it that someone like him is a singer?" (laugh) And I liked that people think the role doesn't suit me. I'm actually the type that won't work hard unless I'm told I won't be able to do what I'm supposed to do. The producer for "Hedwig" told me that I'm neither a great or bad singer which I completely agreed with. For a long time, I've been a celebrity who is neither particularly good nor bad at doing things so I'm hoping to lean more toward being good at what I do by working on something that doesn't suit me.

10: But there's also the possibility that what people expected in you as an actor or the faith they had in you is shattered because of this highly difficult project.
Kim: I shouldn't be acting at all if I was worried about that. I've never been afraid of being evaluated for what I do. People say that "Hedwig" is the triathlon of the musical scene because you need to dress up as a woman, you need to act that role of a character who is surrounded by prejudice and it's a monodrama. So there'll be a lot for me to gain but nothing to lose. It's almost as if my lung capacity is growing. I don't think there's any reason for my image to be ruined by playing Hedwig. I too don't want to work with someone who is prejudiced and close-minded toward the character.

10: How is it working with producer Lee Jina?
Kim: Instead of scolding me, she thinks that I'm pathetic when I'm not doing well. (laugh) She doesn't try to draw out what I don't have within me and she won't go where I'm not ready to go. It's kind of like she's saying, "Tell me when you're ready. Do your best and just touch on the things you're doing wrong." And I think that's the right way to go about it.

10: Well Hedwig is someone who is beyond being just a sexual minority... He also represents freedom, deficiency, loneliness and life as a stranger. Which aspect do you want to put an emphasis on in particular?
Kim: Forgiveness. Because in the end, he forgives all. And I think Hedwig is a beautiful, humane and artistic person. I like that he focuses on what he likes, no matter how difficult a situation he is in, and he maintains a world of his own.

10: Then what kind of vibe do you think the Hedwig you play will give off?
Kim: I think he'll be like who I am right now. Someone who has been through all sorts of hardships despite being young. I too went through a lot of things when I was in my twenties and at one point, felt that I was really alone. I'm sure what Hedwig went through is worse but I think we're similar in that sense. We're never very angry nor very sad and always composed, yet it all exists in the midst of the painful times we went through.

10: Well you'll be standing on the opening stage for the musical soon. Aren't you nervous about it?
Kim: I think I won't have fun and the audience will be bored if I'm too nervous. And "Hedwig" in particular is like a one hour and forty minute-long marathon so I'm waiting for my body to get used to it naturally and reach the point it won't get stressed about it. What I regret a lot about working on my movie "Spin Kick" was that I didn't drink once while filming it because I really wanted to work hard. But if I had drank with the cast at least once a week, I'm sure we would've had better chemistry. So I'm practicing letting go of such thoughts.

10: You've played several acting roles now but it's the first time you've taken on a character that is as unconventional as Hedwig.
Kim: There are times I feel embarrassed when rehearsing the vulgar scenes or when I talk about who I'm chasing but I think it'll be refreshing on stage. With time, I've aged so having the same image I did when I first made my debut could have been an obstacle for me. Hence I don't think I'll lose my fans from my idol days just because I break down some of that. (laugh)

10: The main image that the public has had of you is that you're one of the rare celebrities who stays on the straight and narrow so is there a catharsis you feel from shedding yourself of that?
Kim: Well what I was afraid of when I met producer Lee Jina was that she noticed that the 'nice' side of me wasn't all pure. She said, "You've had your share of fun, done everything you've wanted to, and lived in splendor before so that's how you can be kind in a pretentious way." (laugh) And it's so true. There's nothing I haven't done so I don't get angry about what I should and try not to mind whatever is not a big deal if it's not because nothing seems like a big deal anymore

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Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@
Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@