Singer and actor Lee Ja-ram, who has lived as Song-hwa in the musical 'Seopyeonje' for 16 years, is parting ways with the production after this season.
Following her performance on July 5, Lee shared her thoughts, stating, "For 16 years, I have met audiences every season as Song-hwa in the musical 'Seopyeonje.' Thanks to Song-hwa, I received so much love in the musical genre and even won major awards. It has been a time filled with gratitude."
She continued, "One day, a sentence strongly crossed my mind: 'It is time to leave a beautiful exit.' I did my absolute best throughout this season so that I would have no regrets regarding this thought. Thanks to everyone on and off stage who worked with me, I feel I have done well without any regrets."
She also offered encouragement to her fellow actors, saying, "When you empty something, it is filled with something new. I sincerely hope that new Song-hwas will happily come to fill the space I am leaving behind." She added, "As the performances continue until July 19, I am quietly substituting my final stage greeting with this letter. Thank you so much," leaving her final farewell.
Previously, ahead of her final performance this season, Lee expressed her deep affection for the work, saying, "I have received so much love through 'Seopyeonje.' There were so many incredible, unbelievable things, and I think my nickname was even created through 'Seopyeonje'." She added, "I will finish well until the end. Please love not only my performances but the 'Seopyeonje' of all the many Song-hwas, Dong-hos, Yu-bongs, and the ensemble."
Lee is an actor who has grown alongside the history of the work, playing the role of Song-hwa for 16 years since the premiere in 2010. She has been praised by audiences as "Song-hwa herself," delicately portraying everything from the innocence of the young girl Song-hwa to the life of an artist who endures everything for her music. She established herself as the face of 'Seopyeonje,' winning honors at various award ceremonies, including the Korea Musical Awards and the Yegreen Musical Awards.
The musical 'Seopyeonje' is based on the novel of the same name from Lee Cheong-jun's short story collection 'Namdo People.' It has been loved as a representative work of Korean original musicals, unraveling the lives of step-siblings Song-hwa and Dong-ho, and their father Yu-bong, who teaches them pansori, through traditional Korean music and sentiment.
Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon | Produced by SBS Entertainment News
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