It's time to officially start rehearsing for your karaoke moment. The original Broadway cast recording of KPOP will drop May 12, according to the show's Twitter account. The musical features music, lyrics, music production and arrangements by Helen Park, and music and lyrics by Max Vernon. The album was originally announced to drop February 24.
On the forthcoming album from Sony Masterworks Broadway, listeners will be able to follow along as fictional K-pop girl group RTMIS, boy band F8, and solo artist MwE come together for a one-night-only concert—while facing a variety of personal and cultural challenges that threaten one of the Korean pop industry's biggest music labels.
Fittingly, the KPOP cast album release date coincides with the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which occurs annually in May.
New music from KPOP will be here before you know it! The album will now be released on May 12th. We can’t wait for you to hear it. Stay tuned for exciting updates coming soon 😉💜 pic.twitter.com/1BqBUrRJHA
— KPOP The Musical on Broadway (@KPOPBroadway) February 22, 2023
KPOP began previews at Circle in the Square Theatre October 13, where it opened November 17 and ran through December 11. The show's abrupt end followed public discord between the show's company and New York Times theatre critic Jesse Green, whose negative review was described by KPOP's producers as "casual racism." KPOP struggled at the box office throughout its run, both before and after Green's review was published. In a recent interview, K-pop star Luna (who made her Broadway debut as the show's solo artist MwE) spoke about feeling responsible in the midst of the musical's struggles and learning how important it is to pursue what she wants to do.
Music producer Harvey Mason, Jr. is producing the album. The show's cast features (in addition to Luna) Min, BoHyung, Kevin Woo, Marina Kondo, Joshua Lee, Lina Rose Lee, Zachary Noah Piser, Eddy Lee, Julia Abueva, Major Curda, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, Amy Keum, James Kho, Jully Lee, Timothy H. Lee, Abraham Lim, Kate Mina Lin, Aubie Merrylees, Patrick Park, and John Yi.
The show previously dropped "HANGUKNOM" as a teaser from the musical's boy band F8, posted to KPOP's Instagram.
Director Teddy Bergman helmed the production, which featured choreography by Jennifer Weber, music direction by Sujin Kim-Ramsey, scenic design by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn, costume design by Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, lighting designer Jiyoun Chang, sound designers Peter Fitzgerald and Andrew Keister, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Mia M. Neal, and makeup designer Suki Tsujimoto. Cherie B. Tay served as production stage manager, and casting was by Tara Rubin Casting
KPOP also previously released a teaser for "GIN & TONIC" from its girl band RTMIS via Instagram.
Conceived by Jason Kim and the Woodshed Collective, KPOP features a book by Kim; music, lyrics, music production and arrangements by Helen Park; and music and lyrics by Max Vernon. It first opened Off-Broadway for its 2017 world premiere at Ars Nova. Ma-Yi Theater and the Woodshed Collective also contributed to bringing KPOP to the stage, and the musical ultimately took home three Lucille Lortel Awards (including Outstanding Musical), the 2018 Richard Rodgers Award, and an Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience.
