By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
The car accident and subsequent absence of Dae-sung, the member of popular idol group Big Bang who was scheduled to star in the musical ''Shouting'' alongside Victory, also of the group, seemed to cast a dark cloud over the show.
However, Victory wiped out all worries and stole the limelight in the musical based on the trials and tribulations of the group.
The show is the first joint production of YG Entertainment, a local pop agency, and Seol & Company, one of the country's major musical production companies.
The musical has drawn much attention due to the casting of the pop stars, and aims to attract the teenage market.
It features the two stars and uses their real names to portray the dreams and efforts of young wannabes who shoot to stardom after working as stage staff at a broadcasting company. It is partially based on the group's best-selling autobiographical book, ''Shouting to the World.''
Without Dae-sung, Victory proved his singing ability and successfully worked alongside Kang In-young, an understudy who took the role of Dae-sung.
Victory dazzled the audience with his charismatic showmanship, brilliant dance moves and powerful vocals.
His voice drove the songs forward and provided a rich and soothing spirit tinged by his nasal yet attractive style. Victory also proved to be a proficient and effective actor who knows how to engage the audience.
Although he looked little nervous while acting, his performance has significantly matured from his previous work, ''Sonagi (Rain Shower).''
Kang, who actually physically resembles Dae-sung, performed well and lived up to the expectations of the audience.
Also, veteran actress Hong Ji-min, who played Effie in the blockbuster musical ''Dreamgirls,'' and actor Joo Won-sung supported with stable acting and singing.
Though the storyline is a bit weak, the musical successfully offers comical characters, catchy musical numbers and an impressive stage set.
The show entertains not only teenagers but also 20-to-30- somethings, due to its inclusion of classic numbers from Deux, Fin K.L. and Hyun Jin-young, along with new songs such as ''Shouting to the World.''
Previously, Dae-sung performed as the sexy rebel cat Rum Tum Tugger in the musical ''Cats,'' while Victory appeared as a pure country boy in "Sonagi (Rain Shower)."
Dae-sung sustained injuries to his nose and back in the car accident on the Pyeongtaek Express Highway, Gyeonggi Province, while returning to Seoul after shooting the SBS television program ''The Family is Out!'' Due to his injuries, YG Entertainment has canceled his engagements, including the musical, during his recovery, which is expected to take six to eight weeks.
Dae-sung and Victory made their debuts with Big Bang's three other members ― T.O.P., G-Dragon and Tae-yang ― in 2006. Since their debut, the group has garnered fans with their stylish looks and distinctive sounds. The five members have also pursued individual paths as well, with Dae-sung and Victory starring in musicals, Tae-yang and G-Dragon releasing solo albums and T.O.P. appearing in television dramas.
''Shouting'' will be on stage through Aug. 23 at KEPCO Art Center in southern Seoul. Tickets cost from 66,000 to 88,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-8425.
chungay@koreatimes.co.kr