Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, who is currently playing Gwynplaine in the musical “The Man Who Laughs,” talked about his career as a musical actor.

He said, “After the first performance, I said I was satisfied, but I thought wrong. Looking back now, after having performed more, it’s getting better, and my immersion into the role is improving, as well.”

When asked what he uniquely brings to the character, he said, “My [version of] Gwynplaine is a character who’s happy when he’s happy, but also carries weight and severity when he’s being serious. It’s not something I tried to do from the beginning, but the director said to me after seeing my acting that when seeing a bright and innocent Gwynplaine fall apart in the end, it would have even more impact if there was a large contrast.”

On how he’s changed from when he first debuted as a musical actor in 2010 with “The Three Musketeers,” he said, “Comparing when I first started musicals to now, I really didn’t know anything when I started. Back then, when I received the script, I just memorized the lines and went with the flow, but now, I approach the work with more sincerity and the sense that I need to convince the audience members. I think I really started to feel this way during the musical ‘Werther’ [in 2015].”

He added, “It’s not like I’m on stage by myself, but since I am the lead character, I feel a sense of responsibility if tickets don’t sell. So I work hard to do whatever the musical promotion team asks (laughs). There are a lot of fans that support me, but that doesn’t mean I’m the kind of actor that sells out venues, so I’m always thinking about how I can get more people to come see the musical.”

Kyuhyun said, “Just when I was hoping for an opportunity to come up, I got the offer for ‘The Three Musketeers.’ After trying it, I found that becoming someone else and acting and singing is so fun.” Expressing gratitude toward fans, he said, “I read a lot of letters from fans, and when people tell me that I’m their reason for living, I’m so thankful. I want to become a great singer and actor so I can stand proudly in front of those people.”

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