[Interview] How to live as 'Dracula' Junsu Kim from 'Shacula'

 

When Junsu Kim appears with his hair dyed red, fans now feel that the time has come.

Xiah Junsu Pyo Dracula. Junsu Kim, who has been called 'Shacula' and has been on stage in the form of coveted, intense, and sexy Dracula every season since its premiere in 2014, is still leading the success of the musical 'Dracula' this season with his solid ticket power despite the overall difficult situation in the performance world.

The style that used to dye his hair red to emphasize the character has now established itself as a representative image of Junsu Kim. He is also grateful for the intense memories of his fans who saw his performance, and he is making the hearts of fans pound with his red hairstyle as always this season. He met through a video on the 14th, emphasizing 'beginner', and explained that he was 'doing his best' not only in acting but also in style.

“Actually, it is not easy to perform for several months with a red hairstyle. There are some embarrassing parts, such as having to sleep on a towel because the water drains well. However, the audience cheered for it, and although it may be acceptable to some extent, I am keeping it in case I don’t do it, so I don’t want to look like I’ve lost my original intention.”

“I do my best every time I perform. All the actors are attractive and lead well with their own interpretations, but I have to say that I am a bit psychotic. I’m trying to express and highlight something a little more human, cynical, creepy, and eerie.”

In order to express the eerie Dracula, he pays a lot of attention to hand gestures, gestures, and intonation. It may be classic, but I have a lot of trouble with not looking like a person. In particular, Dracula in the musical 'Dracula', which is based on the premise of love that has been around for hundreds of years, is a transcendent being, and as human parts coexist, analysis is more important than any other character.

Kim Junsu found the 'reason for what he had to do' in Dracula's behavior. I tried to portray unusual love in a more unique and distinctive way. Confessing love or clumsy, uncut like a beast. Wasn't the raw appearance of Dracula the reason why he was able to stimulate his imagination while earning steady public love?

“I wonder if there will be another question or a new approach, but it is new every time I ask. They also change the lines for yesterday and today and tomorrow performances. Even small differences such as 'You're already married, you're married to me, you're already married to me', the reaction that hits me and the audience is different. I think the ad-lib in the train scene (Dracula awakens the previous life of the heroine Mina), which shows the uncut 'most human side', is also important. Since he was born, he was not Dracula, but 'who received a cursed life from his soul' and was originally a supreme human being. Although it seems light, I think it is important. That’s why I feel even more desperate when I’m neglected.”

When Dracula sees Mina, the fiancee of lawyer Jonathan, he has a gut feeling that it is the reincarnation of his lover, Elizabeth, who died 400 years ago. Transformed into a young man with Jonathan's blood, he promises 'eternal life' to Mina and constantly seduces him, but in the end, he intuitions the catastrophe of one-sided love. In the premiere, there was a problem with the lack of a link to this change of heart. However, as the performance repeats and some scenes are added, the flow becomes more comfortable. Nevertheless, he wanted to solve this 'homework' perfectly.

“At some point, while Mina looks at the portrait (Elizabeth), she realizes Dracula's sincerity, and all of a sudden, Dracula rejects her and tries to let her go. That journey is like homework every time I perform. Dracula thought that love was to have. I thought that making Mina immortal and living an eternal life was love for her and for me. However, while watching Van Helsing (chasing Dracula to find his wife), what I thought was love might be wrong. I wondered if it was selfish to live out of being chased, hungry for blood, and sleeping in coffins.”

“It’s like watching the movie ‘Passengers’. I thought that eternal life was more precious than gold, but behind the scenes, not being able to die is not just happiness. The way I thought might be wrong. I thought this scene was very important, and even if it takes a long time, I think that the finale can be connected naturally by taking time to convince the audience.”

In this way, not only the emotional changes of the poles but also the music of various genres are mixed in 'Dracula' every season, besides Kim Junsu, other actors have been with them. This season, Jeon Dong-seok and Shin Sung-rok were cast as Dracula, and Jo Jung-eun and Lim Hye-young and Park Ji-yeon were triple casted as Mina. As they are actors who have established their own positions, they are meeting the expectations of fans with various combinations of colors.

“Actor Jeon Dong-Seok is a close brother, and we have been together since reenactment, and he expresses the profound Dracula well because he has a profound feeling and strong bass. I met Shin Sung-rok for the first time, and I had never seen a performance before, but I thought, 'Is he an actor who can sing like this?' He's a really good person, and I feel that he expresses Dracula in the most classic way.”

“I first met Park Ji-Yeon as Mina, and she is very good. He's firm and stubborn rather than hesitating, not knowing whether to go to Jonathan or Dracula. I will come to you when you come. Jo Jung is really good at delicate acting, so I think she expresses Mina's mysterious attraction really well. Actress Lim Hye-young is the most lively and lovable Mina with a lot of laughter, and I can clearly see when she fell in love with Dracula. At the end of the scene where I cry while holding the coffin in, I always get salty when I hear that cry.”

It has been 11 years since the musical debut, and only 'Dracula' is the 4th season. The musical he met while he was away from the greatest precipice made him dream of a second dream, and he did not miss the opportunity. Mozart in 'Mozart!' is genius, Elisabeth's death (Tod) is cynical and cool, and Jiwook in 'December' is human and affectionate. explained.

“Actually, every character was a challenge. When death came in, I was very scorned, and so was Dracula. I wondered if I could do it personally. Let's try it even if it breaks... 'Death Note' L also had a lot of core fans, so I thought I couldn't touch it even more. With a spirit of challenge every time, I actively participated in creative plays, and I think I was lucky. Not all of them were well-chosen by me. It was always a challenge.”

Even from last year to the middle of this year, due to the spread of Corona 19, performances have been suspended or seats are unavoidable. Kim Junsu recently went into self-quarantine for two weeks during the practice period, but with a positive mind, he promised a new stage. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 gave me an opportunity to feel through my skin how precious it is to meet the audience while performing.

“Even if there are some of my works that have been loved more, ‘Dracula’ is the only work that has posted 4 series. As I challenged the musical, I thought, 'It's going to be a very difficult road. It has more weight, so it is burdensome in a different way from the premiere, but I am working hard every time as if today is the last to impress the people who come to see it.”

“Recently, I celebrated the 100th episode of 'Dracula' by a Bangladeshi actor, right before the performance, and while calling me a fighting call, he suddenly said to me, 'Be healthy Junsu Oppa until you play 1000 times.' 'Then I don't think it's necessary to put on old people's makeup, so what about young people?' If you find me by then, of course, I want to participate in every season.”