Kim Ho-young is showcasing an incredible range, balancing his high-energy variety show persona with a serious role in ‘Lempicka’. While he is widely loved for his exaggerated character, his appearances in other media have helped clear up public misconceptions about who he really is.
On the afternoon of the 7th, we met with Kim Ho-young, who plays Marinetti in the musical ‘Lempicka’, at the Coex Artium Woori Bank Hall to talk about the production.
Generating buzz as its Asian premiere, ‘Lempicka’ is an epic musical based on the true story of Tamara de Lempicka, a real-life figure who maintained her artistic identity amidst the turmoil of the Russian Revolution and the World Wars. Kim Ho-young takes on the role of Marinetti, a Futurist artist who champions creation and innovation and engages in intense artistic debates with Tamara.
By taking on a role so different from his bright variety show image, Kim Ho-young is proving his impressive acting spectrum. When asked if he felt a sense of pride in being recognized for his versatility after receiving offers for characters so opposite to his usual image, he shared his thoughts.
Kim Ho-young first mentioned that he always maintains “self-objectification.” He replied, “I think a lot about where I stand. Despite showing a lot of myself on variety shows, it led to this result (playing a serious character). Even with my YouTube activities, although not intentional, I’ve been sharing serious stories. I think people appreciated that I’ve been following my own path based on my own convictions and choices.”
He then mentioned his YouTube activities, which helped reshape his image in the eyes of the public. “The production team of ‘Too Much Kim Ho-young’ was obsessed with the ‘too much’ aspect and tried to maximize it as a variety element. However, I felt that while I could act as an ‘alter ego,’ following my daily life should be done comfortably. I thought that within that, some people would find funny points, and others would discover a different side of me,” he said.
He continued, “I get a lot of DMs through YouTube, and many people send ‘confessions’ reflecting on their previous views of me. It means their image of me has changed. I’ve received many messages saying, ‘Actually, I didn’t view you favorably’ or ‘I didn’t like you, but after watching your videos, I realized you’re not that kind of person.’ Seeing this, I felt that if even one person believes in me or recognizes my sincerity, it can lead to new opportunities and roles.”
Meanwhile, the musical ‘Lempicka’ will run until June 21 at the Coex Artium Woori Bank Hall in Seoul.
