Listen: ‘KPOP – Original Broadway Cast Recording Album’ releases
Sony Masterworks Broadway has released the digital version of the original Broadway cast recording album for “KPOP.”
Jointly composed by Helen Park and Max Vernon, the album is packed with 19 songs from the Broadway production. Although most of the songs list “Original Broadway Cast of KPOP” in the credits, some credit individual cast members such as f(x) member Luna.
“KPOP,” which had its Broadway run from November to December 2022, centers around fictional K-pop stars preparing for their U.S. debut.
Cast members include some K-pop idols like former Miss A member Min, former SPICA member BoHyung and former U-KISS member Kevin Woo.
Rounding out the cast are Abraham Lim, Aubie Merrylees, Amy Keum, Eddy Lee, James Kho, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, John Yi, Joshua Lee, Jully Lee, Julia Abueva, Kate Mina Lin, Lina Rose Lee, Major Curda, Marina Kondo, Patrick Park, Timothy H. Lee and Zachary Noah Piser.
Rounding out the cast are Abraham Lim, Aubie Merrylees, Amy Keum, Eddy Lee, James Kho, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, John Yi, Joshua Lee, Jully Lee, Julia Abueva, Kate Mina Lin, Lina Rose Lee, Major Curda, Marina Kondo, Patrick Park, Timothy H. Lee and Zachary Noah Piser.
Despite its short stint on Broadway, with only 44 previews and 17 regular performances, the musical garnered Park a historic Tony Award nomination for best original score, marking the first time an Asian woman has been nominated in the category.
It also received nominations for best choreography and best costume design of a musical.
The show was not without its controversies, however.
In addition to its abrupt cancellation, which sparked backlash about the theater industry at large, cast members called out New York Times chief theater critic Jesse Green for describing the show’s lighting as “squint-inducing” in a review of the show.
“By using language in such a way as one of the many white, male gatekeepers of the Broadway world, Jesse Green cast a show of mostly Asian bodies as the ‘other,’” Abraham Lim, who made his Broadway debut in the role of Jae Ik, previously told NextShark.
“Reading such ignorance and seeing his language weaponized against even things like my mother tongue as a reason to deter people from seeing our show made me want to hold him accountable and protect us,” he added.
The 76th annual Tony Awards will be held at the United Palace in New York City on June 11.
The physical version of the “KPOP – Original Broadway Cast Recording” album will be released on May 12. Listen to it below:
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