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STAYC's Sieun has been cast as the lead role of Songhwa in the musical 'Seopyeonje'. While there is excitement, the casting decision has also sparked controversy.
'Seopyeonje' is based on the novel of the same name by Lee Cheong-jun. It explores the meaning of life and artistic value through the story of a family of traditional Korean singers, focusing on their conflicts, choices, and reconciliation through pansori, a traditional Korean musical storytelling. Songhwa is a pivotal character who leads the narrative from childhood to old age.
In the performances featuring Sieun, a separate actress will portray 'Elder Songhwa'. The pansori artist Jeong Eun-hye will take on the role of Elder Songhwa, performing the 'Simcheongga' in the latter part of the play.
From the production and directing team's perspective, this is a practical choice. The role of Songhwa requires a wide vocal range, from traditional pansori to ballads and pop numbers, making it a challenging role with limited casting options. Industry insiders note the difficulty in finding suitable actors for this role.
The production company must consider the show's success and recouping production costs. Sieun is the main vocalist of a popular idol group, and casting an idol can generate buzz and attract new audiences. This is a major reason why the musical industry continues to cast idols.
The introduction of the Elder Songhwa role and Sieun's casting have led to allegations of favoritism, but the production company Page One states that this was a consideration from the past. In their casting announcement, they explained, "The role of Songhwa is one that many actors aspire to but find difficult to choose due to the preparation burden. From 2026, we aim to expand the casting landscape of 'Seopyeonje' in a more open manner, encouraging young and promising actors to actively challenge themselves with the work."
There are concerns that if the lead actor does not perform the key pansori scenes in a work about the life of a traditional singer, it may reduce the audience's immersion. Particularly, 'Simcheongga' is a pivotal number that releases the emotional tension of the play, and having it performed by someone other than the lead actor is seen as disappointing.
Sieun's comments have also fueled the 'favoritism' controversy. She expressed on a fan communication platform, "It's challenging to portray a character in their 70s with my face. There might be a sense of dissonance. Being the youngest Songhwa adds pressure." However, there have been instances where young actors have played Songhwa in the past. Lee Ja-ram and Cha Ji-yeon took on the role in their 20s and successfully portrayed the character into old age. In musicals, the ability to convincingly express a character through acting and singing is more important than actual age. Ultimately, the issue is whether the actor can carry the role to the end, not their appearance.
This controversy cannot be attributed solely to a specific actor. The decision of which actor to cast and how to present them on stage ultimately lies with the production company. While new attempts are meaningful, there is a call for these choices not to undermine the message of the work.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr