[Better Together] Office workers find life's meaning as amateur musical actors

Kim Min-ji and An Yeon-gyong -- a 28-year-old marketer and a 26-year-old career consultant, respectively -- get off work in the evening like many other workers in South Korea. But their voices and movements change completely when they step into the light-filled, floor-to-ceiling mirrors-covered studio of The Passion Musical -- a local musical group that has been around since 2014 -- in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul.

The pair say they are more active after the sunset.

“I take an acting lesson once (or twice) a week -- guided by veteran actors who have performed multiple shows in their careers -- come to group practice on Saturdays and practice on my own during my free time," Kim said, sharing her weekly schedule in an interview with The Korea Herald on July 25.

“I was not an aspiring actress, nor was I a fan of musicals or had studied acting before. But my musical activities have been my biggest motivation, giving me a lot of strength in my life ever since I joined the crew in 2022,” she said.

Though her friends and colleagues worried that she might be doing too much, Kim confidently expressed that The Passion Musical is her biggest consolation, adding that she cannot imagine her life without The Passion Musical.

An, another passionate amateur member in the musical group, felt the same way as her musical friend.

The young actor shared that it feels like a complete escape from her day job the minute she walks through the studio door.

“The Passion Musical made me concentrate on my next lines, dances and songs. There is no room for job-related matters to enter my brain,” An told The Korea Herald.

“This experience is amazing. I can feel that I am truly living a life for myself, not for the company or anyone else,” she added.

The two actors continued to explain the amount of work, time and energy they put into their projects, expressing their passion to become better performers.

“We are not the only ones though. Almost every member of our crew is serious about acting. We don’t want the audience to feel that we are enjoying the musical as a mere ‘hobby.’ The musical means more than that to us,” Kim said.

According to An, the sense of accomplishment goes beyond being a member of other “donghohoe” -- a Korean term similar to club, in which the members share similar interests and goals.

“Acknowledgement from the audience is a sign that proves their sincerity. Hard work and teamwork are successfully delivered to the audience,” she added.

The actors shared that many of their work colleagues, who were once worried about them having a heavy schedule, became their biggest fans and root for them after watching the show.

Lee Hwa-jeong, one of the managers of The Passion Musical, said the actors deserve all the credit.

Unlike other musical donghohoe that accept applicants after confirming their ID and receiving monthly activity fees, The Passion Musical holds an audition, not to check applicants’ abilities, but to see their sincerity.

“The Passion Musical is more than a place to find friends who have similar interests or to build new social networks. We (the actors, instructors and musical staff) are a team trying to put together a memorable project,” Lee said.

The manager, who has been with the crew since 2016, highlighted that The Passion Musical hopes more people join the musical journey to create more diverse shows.

“We may be amateurs, but our approach to the musical is sincere,” the manager and actors told The Korea Herald.

The crew welcomed nearly 40 new members this year, hoping to present to them the same kind of stunning musical experience that they and their predecessors had felt.

“I hope more people get inspired by our project, because we can do more incredible work with more people. I can’t imagine my life without The Passion Musical now. This has become a huge part of my life without me realizing it,” musical actor Kim told The Korea Herald, her face beaming.

Koreans find friends and build connections beyond their existing social networks by meeting people who share common interests in clubs, called "donghohoe" in Korean. The Korea Herald introduces some unique clubs in this series, giving a peak at social life in Korea. This article is the last in the series. -- Ed.