TVXQ member Changmin will make his debut as a musical actor in the upcoming production of Benjamin Button, as EMK Musical Company announced on March 25.
The musical, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short novel, will take audiences through the Jazz Age and depict the unique life journey of Benjamin Button, who ages in reverse.
Changmin will portray the titular character, Benjamin Button, a man born elderly who paradoxically grows younger with time.
Actors Kim Jae Beom and Kim Sung Sik will join him. Actresses Kim So Hyang, Park Eun Mi, and Lee Ah Reum Sol will portray the female jazz club singer Bleu Lou Monnier.
Star-studded cast
Additional cast members include Ha Eun Seom as Kim Na Yoon, Kim Ji Seon as Mama, and Min Jae Wan and Park Kwang Seon as Blue Lou Monnier’s manager, Jerry.
The musical will run at the Sejong M Theater in Seoul from May 11 to June 30.
Changmin, part of the widely recognized South Korean pop duo TVXQ, has been an active figure in the entertainment industry.
Originally debuting as part of the five-member group DBSK (Dong Bang Shin Ki), known as Tohoshinki in Japan, TVXQ quickly gained fame with hits like “Hug” and albums such as “Tri-Angle,” “Rising Sun,” and “Mirotic.”
Changmin, recognized for his multifaceted talents as a singer, songwriter, and actor, boasts an impressive IQ reportedly reaching 155, the highest in SM Entertainment.
His commanding vocals have been integral to TVXQ’s distinctive sound, contributing to their widespread domestic and international success and playing a pivotal role in the global spread of K-pop.
Popular as a group and solo
He has also ventured out independently, releasing solo albums in Korea and Japan. His Korean solo debut, “Chocolate,” in 2020, was well-received. Changmin has participated in writing and composing songs for TVXQ and his solo works.