Learn about the real-life K-pop stars in 'KPOP' on Broadway

The new musical features singers from hit girl groups and boy bands.

Gillian Russo
Gillian Russo

In recent years, Korean pop stars have become just as universally recognizable as Hollywood stars. Groups like BTS and Blackpink have amassed worldwide followings and awards recognition. So it's no wonder that, as American pop music has come to Broadway, K-pop would soon follow.

In the KPOP Broadway musical, music and theatre stars play fictional K-pop artists preparing for their first American concert, and the stakes are high to get it right and propel them to international fame.

You won't hear any chart-topping K-pop hits in the Broadway musical, which instead features new K-pop music from Helen Park and Max Vernon. But you will see four actual K-pop stars, who have already become global sensations with successful bands, solo careers, and more. All are making their Broadway debuts, but some have performed in theatre, and they all know how to put on a good concert. There's no question that they'll bring the energy and the talent to KPOP — but you'll have to get tickets to see for yourself.

Get KPOP tickets now.

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Which K-pop stars are in KPOP on Broadway?

Four real-life K-pop stars are in the KPOP musical: Luna, BoHyung, Min, and Kevin Woo. Each have found success both in K-pop groups and as solo artists. Learn more about each of these internationally successful performers below.

KPOP

Luna

Luna leads KPOP on Broadway as MwE, a fictional K-pop superstar trying to break into the American market. Luna herself knows a thing or two about that already. Talent agents discovered her in 2006 during an appearance on the reality show Truth Game at just 13 years old. But Luna truly exploded onto the scene in 2009 as the lead singer and dancer of f(x). f(x) was one of the first K-pop groups to get international attention and the first to perform at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.

Luna is still part of f(x), but she's also branched out by launching a solo singing career and even her own entertainment agency. And did you know she's also a theatre veteran? KPOP marks Luna's Broadway debut, but she's starred in Korean productions of hit musicals including Legally Blonde, In the Heights, Mamma Mia!, and High School Musical on Stage!

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BoHyung

BoHyung has been on the K-pop scene for 10 years and counting. She got her start with the group SPICA in 2012 and released her first solo single a year later. She stayed with the group until its breakup in 2017 and has since formed a new duo, KEEMBO, with fellow former SPICA member BoA.

Solos, duos, groups — BoHyung's been part of it all, and now she adds musical theatre to her resumé with KPOP. The show marks her theatre debut. Those awaiting a SPICA reunion (which BoHyung has publicly hinted at) can get their fill by seeing BoHyung as girl band member Tiny in KPOP in the meantime.

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Min

Min has gone from Miss A to Broadway. This K-pop star debuted on the music scene in 2010 with Miss A, a popular K-pop girl group. Miss A was the first act in history whose debut single ("Bad Girl Good Girl") reached the top of the Gaon Digital Chart, the Korean equivalent of the Billboard charts. Gaon also ranked "Bad Girl Good Girl" the best-performing single of 2010 — quite the accomplishment for a then-new group!

Min stayed with Miss A until November 2017. The group ultimately disbanded a year later, and Min has since launched a solo music career. While with the group, she also branched out into acting, performing in the South Korean films Countdown and Sooni: The Executioner's Daughter. Her musical debut was in the Korean adaptation of Boys Over Flowers The Musical in 2017.

KPOP is Min's second theatre outing and her Broadway debut. She plays Riya, a member of a fictional K-pop group called RTMIS.

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Kevin Woo

Audiences will cheer "woo-hoo" when Kevin Woo takes the Broadway stage as fictional K-pop star Jun Hyuk. Woo is best known as a member of the K-pop boy band U-KISS, which he remained with from 2008-17. From there, Woo took the world by storm as a solo artist. He started his solo career in Japan and later took it to the U.S., releasing songs in both Japanese and English. And that's in addition to his Korean music with U-KISS, remember — how many artists can say they have songs out in three different languages?

Woo makes his Broadway debut in KPOP, but he already has multiple musical credits under his belt. He and the singer Soohyun, also of U-KISS, performed in the musical Summer Snow, and he's also appeared in the musicals On Air Live, Maybe Happy Ending, and Altar Boyz. Just as Woo built an internationally successful music career, KPOP on Broadway might just be the beginning of an international theatre career, too.

Get KPOP tickets now.

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Originally published on

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