Kim Junsu's boldest role yet

Singer-turned-musical actor Kim Junsu has built a reputation for leaving a lasting impression with nearly every character he takes on.

From the enigmatic genius detective L in "Death Note" to the brooding Count Dracula in "Dracula" and the flamboyant Genie in "Aladdin," his performances have consistently blended vocal power with a highly physical, larger-than-life stage presence.

That's why taking on the chaotic title role in "Beetlejuice," a high-energy dark comedy packed with rapid-fire dialogue, swearing, audience interaction and mischievous humor about life, death and everything in between, came with unusual hesitation.

“It was a production that brought incomparable levels of concern and worry -- both as an actor and in terms of the work itself,” Kim said in an interview on Monday in Seoul. “There were so many things I had never tried before in a single show. When the casting was first announced, many people found it unexpected, and I felt a strong burden to convince audiences that the choice made sense.”

The relief he felt after opening night, he added, was therefore unlike anything he had experienced before. Positive audience reactions validated months of uncertainty surrounding a role that demanded a dramatic departure from his previous performances.

The scale of the challenge was immediately apparent. Kim described the dialogue load as roughly three times heavier than in most productions, delivered at a pace that left little room for error. Unlike conventional musical dialogue, in which actors can partially rely on emotional flow to recall, "Beetlejuice" requires near-mechanical precision.

Yet the greatest concern was not the workload. Kim worried about how audiences would react to a character who swears.

“I had never used swear words publicly, even as a joke,” he said. “I wasn’t worried about saying them — I was worried whether my fans would feel comfortable accepting it.”

To ease the transition, Kim began acknowledging the shift directly during performances, joking to audiences that the show contains “a few swear words — enjoy it, because it’s a rare moment,” a line that quickly became a recurring laugh point.

The production’s structure encourages such flexibility. Unlike more tightly scripted musicals, "Beetlejuice" frequently breaks the fourth wall, allowing actors to respond to audience reactions in real time. Some improvised moments introduced during rehearsals have since been incorporated into the official script.

That spontaneity, however, presents challenges for international viewers unfamiliar with Korean wordplay and cultural references. According to Kim, foreign audience members — particularly from Japan — account for roughly 10 percent of attendees at some performances.

Grateful for their continued support, he hopes technological solutions such as subtitle systems or wearable translation devices can eventually make the experience more accessible. Until then, he occasionally adapts within the performance itself, greeting overseas fans in their own languages — gestures made possible by the mischievous, rule-breaking nature of the character.

For Kim, the unpredictability of "Beetlejuice" ultimately reflects what has kept musical theater compelling after 16 years on stage: The live exchange between performer and audience. Today, being a musical actor is not only his profession but also a defining part of his identity.

The 39-year-old made his debut two decades ago as an idol singer with TVXQ, one of K-pop’s most influential boy groups. After leaving the group in 2009 and forming JYJ with two former members, he launched a new chapter of his career in 2010 with the musical "Mozart!"

“I wouldn’t say I’ve simply continued doing musicals — musicals have become my main profession,” Kim said. “In many ways, they’ve become who I am.”

He has also watched his fan base evolve alongside his career.

"Many of my fans didn’t just remain fans of me — they’ve become musical theater fans in their own right,” Kim said. “Some of them now go to see productions even when I’m not in the cast. Of course, they still support me the most, but they’ve essentially become devoted musical patrons.”

“Because of that, I feel an even greater responsibility to choose good projects. I know their expectations have grown over time, and that makes me much more careful when selecting roles. Whether a show is simply entertaining or not is one thing, but I kept asking myself a different question — would people who come to see me actually want to watch this character?”

"Beetlejuice" runs at LG Arts Center in Magok, Seoul, until March 22.