ENTERTAINMENT
Teen Top's Niel Marks 21 Years in Musicals with 'Secretly Greatly: THE LAST'
On the afternoon of the 29th, a press call for 'Secretly Greatly: THE LAST' (directed by Choo Jung-hwa) took place at the NOL Theater Woori Card Hall in Daehangno, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by Oh Jong-hyuk as Won Ryu-hwan, Niel as Lee Hae-rang, Seo Dong-jin, Young-bin, Lee Ji-ham, Jo Yong-hwi, and Kim Joo-ho, Baek In-tae as Kim Tae-won, who shared various insights about the production.
Niel began his musical career with the opera 'Nabucco' in 2005 and has since appeared in numerous productions such as 'King Arthur', 'The Time of Dogs and Cats', and 'Dream High'. After 26 years in musicals, Niel joins 'Secretly Greatly' for the first time. He expressed, "The production is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and although I've encountered it through media, I've never participated directly. I'm happy to be part of a project I've always wanted to do, and it contains a variety of emotions and fun, so please look forward to it."
In this production, Niel plays Lee Hae-rang, the son of a high-ranking official in the Republic and an aspiring rocker. The character hides his wounds behind his cheerful demeanor. Niel explained the similarities and differences between himself and Hae-rang, saying, "The similarity is our love for singing, but the difference is that I debuted as an idol, whereas Hae-rang never did."
'Secretly Greatly' is based on a webtoon of the same name, which has over 10 million readers. It tells the story of elite agents from North Korea's 5446 unit who infiltrate a South Korean neighborhood under the mission of unification, disguising themselves as a village fool, an aspiring singer, and a high school student. The story was also adapted into a film in 2013, starring actor Kim Soo-hyun. The musical will run from March 30 to April 26.
By Dayeon Jeong, Ten Asia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr
