Musical Actor KAI Shares Encouragement for Those Hesitant in Love Due to Trauma

Musical actor KAI has shared a message of encouragement for those who hesitate in love due to trauma.

Since October 31, KAI has been performing in the musical 'Phantom,' and on the 12th, he met with reporters in Gangnam, Seoul, to express his thoughts on the 10th anniversary of 'Phantom,' a production he has been part of since its premiere.

'Phantom' is a musical based on Gaston Leroux's novel 'The Phantom of the Opera.' It is a separate work from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name, created by playwright Arthur Kopit and composer Maury Yeston. It premiered in 1991 and was first introduced in South Korea in 2015. KAI has been with 'Phantom' from its premiere to this 10th-anniversary performance, excluding the revival.

In the musical, KAI plays the role of the Phantom, a character with a genius for music who hides in the basement of the Paris Opera House due to his disfigured appearance. His trauma regarding his face prevents him from easily approaching his beloved Christine Daaé, causing him to hesitate in the face of love.

KAI stated, "This work uses the metaphor of a person with a disfigured face wearing a mask to cover their shortcomings, but the larger meaning of 'Phantom' is that we all have wounds, pain, and twisted hearts."

He continued, "However, many people cover themselves with their own masks to adapt to the world," adding, "I think it contains such hidden metaphors."

He further expressed, "It may sound like a joke, but I think life is too short not to meet someone who loves you just as you are."

He added, "Of course, initially, Christine is so frightened by my face that she runs away, and there are naturally ups and downs, but despite that, I have thought that life is too short not to approach someone who can love you for who you are, including your shortcomings and appearance."

By Dayeon Jeong, TenAsia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr