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This Week's Cultural News

We came face to face with the original version of a top masterpiece drama called "Closer".

"Closer" is back with its story that sings a variation of tangled love stories of four men and women.

The play has been attracting public attention as actor Uhm Ki-joon and actress Moon Geun-young play the main characters Dan and Alice respectively.

[Interview : Cho Haeng-deok, Director] "The literary side of this play is brilliant, though it may be difficult for the average audience to understand at first. But, one should be able to understand it fully after watching it twice. Our play should be able to reveal the desires that we all possess, but like to keep to ourselves".

Dan has entered the writers' world by writing a novel about his lover, Alice. But, at the photo shoot for his book cover, he falls in love at first sight with Anna, the photographer.

Alice has a sexy and arrogant impression. She is a carefree strip dancer, and lives with her boy friend Dan. But she falls into a state of confusion as she watches Dan trying to start another love relationship with Anna.

In "Closer", four men and women meet coincidentally, fall in love as if by fate, and get hurt as a consequence of love. The play candidly and sensuously depicts complex emotions like lust and obsession and how they are expressed in real life.

[Interview : Moon Geun-young, Actress Role of "Alice"] "I found "Closer" to be an intriguing piece when I watched it as a movie and a play. That is why I chose the piece. I was attracted to Alice's approach to love".

Actress Moon Geun-young has been acting for almost 11 years now but this is her first on the theatrical stage. The public is already anticipating to see the character Alice, played by Moon Geun-young, who is known for confidently expressing herself through her truthful acting. Anyone who has experienced ups and downs because of love will be sucked into the realistic nature of the plot and Moon's genuine acting.

[Interview : ] "Would you be able to say that you don't love me[Interview : ] "I don't love you".
[Interview : ] "That's a lie!"

Love at first sight. Can this be called true love or just a momentary temptation[Interview : Moon Geun-young, Actress
Role of "Alice"] "Closer" well depicts what love is like around us everyday. It is a piece that makes you ponder upon how we express love through the eyes of 4 very different characters. "

"Closer" is a story that we all would have secretly imagined or experienced at least once. A truthful play that would make you think that someone almost read your deep secretive thoughts, is definitely worth watching.


You've waited a long time! Curtains have opened for "Billy Elliot", this time performed in Korean for the first time in Asia.

The musical "Billy Elliot" has a perfect set that took almost 2 months just for setting it up and rehearsing on stage. Now the Korean audience can meet the high-end performances that were shown in London's West End and New York's Broadway.

[Interview : Moon Mi-ho, Producer] "We spent 3 years on the preliminary production, and 4 months on strenuous rehearsals for this musical. "Billy Elliot" is a heart-moving musical that delivers a message of dreams and hope, as the main characters set a goal and tries vigorously to achieve it. "

"Billy Elliot" takes you back to a coal-mining town in northern England in the 1980s. It portrays how 11 year-old Billy, son of a coal miner, sets out to accomplish his dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer.

The musical is based on the true story of the eponymous dancer, and it replays the same emotions as the movie with the same title.

The fantastic acting of the young Billy Elliot as well as the flawless drama is a must-watch! Also, the background music, created by Elton John, has been upgraded a step further, hence notifying the birth of another top-notch musical.

The search for the 'right Billy' for the Korean performance was long and tiring, especially as the young Billy is the central part of the show. The search took over a year, from the first audition last year to the 4th one this January. More than 800 boys applied, and 4 were selected.

After the auditions, the boys were put through 16 months of intensive training in singing, acting, ballet, and acrobatics. These well-trained 4 boys will be able to overwhelm the audience.


[Interview : B.T. McNicholl, Co-Director] "They're a beautiful cast. Very emotional cast. Very willing, conscientious hard-workers. Also, they've excelled in so many different areas, that heretofor in Korea, they had no training, specifically tap. But the boys, the Billy Elliots, of "Billy Elliot" are the most special. And we've been lucky enough to find four terrific boys. "
After long and hard preparations, the talented actors portraying Billy make it difficult for the audience to take their eyes off this character. Since the acting is rather complex, a new system was implemented for the performances. Any of the 4 Billy Elliot actors who are at their best condition on the day gets chosen to perform. 1 of the 4 Billy Elliots, actor Kim Se-yong started ballet when he was 7, and came first in the ballet category in the Youth America Grand Prix. He has put a lot of passion into this musical.

[Interview : Kim Se-yong, Actor Role of "Billy"] "I had a lot of difficulties modifying my ballet lines for the musical. Practice was also hard because this was my first time acting, tap-dancing, and singing. I want to try very hard to show the audience a good time. I hope many of you come to see the musical. "

This drama about growing up will overwhelm you with tears and emotions. The hit "Billy Elliot" has met with over 4.8 million audience members in London and New York, and has been reviewed as one of the best musicals for the past 10 years. The touching story and the heart-moving music create a harmony that will soothe the emotions of the audience in Korea.

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