Shinhwa's Kim Dong-wan speaks about his role during a press conference for the upcoming opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Kim Dong-wan, 44, a member of the first-generation K-pop boy band Shinhwa, will make his operatic debut in an exciting new role this April.

He will portray Puck, a mischievous sprite with magical powers, in Benjamin Britten's opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Seoul Arts Center from April 11 to 14.

Adapted from William Shakespeare's play of the same name, the opera tells the enchanting tale of fairy king Oberon and fairy queen Titania. Puck enters the story as Oberon asks Puck to fetch a special flower that makes its bearer fall in love with the first creature he or she sees upon waking, and Puck's blunder leads to unintended romantic entanglements, causing affection to blossom between the wrong individuals.

While Britten's opera first premiered during the Aldeburgh Festival in Britain in 1960, this marks its Seoul debut and it is one of the few English-language operas to be staged in Korea.

According to its organizer, Korea National Opera (KNO), Oberon is played by British countertenor James Laing and Korean countertenor Jang Jung-kwon, while fairy queen Titania is alternated between Korean sopranos Lee Hye-jung and Lee Hae-gee.

Kim is confident that he can deliver an ideal portrayal of the mischievous sprite, a character of small stature yet significant impact.

"I'm quite suited to this frantic, goofy and confused character [because I myself am like that]," the singer is quoted as saying during a press conference Monday for the opera at the Seoul Arts Center.

"During the rehearsal, I try my best to come in harmony with other opera singers. I've worried a lot since the genre is still new to me. But now I feel the music is full of variations that don't allow audiences a second to get bored," he said, adding that he had never seen an opera before.

Poster for opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Courtesy of Korea National Opera

His portrayal of the whimsical Puck is expected to infuse the opera with liveliness and cheer, adding a rare celebrity touch to the opera scene.

Choi Sang-ho, general director of KNO, said that he wanted to add a celebrity cast as Puck from the beginning.

"At first, my first pick for the role was RM of BTS because this role [requires] singing with a good British English accent," Choi said. "But going through meeting after meeting, Kim emerged as a strong contender for this character, and finally, he was cast for this opera."

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" has been reimagined across different genres, but Britten's opera remains notably faithful to the original text. However, being a modern opera, it is not performed often, owing to the perception that modern music presents challenges to audiences.

Heading the Korean production are two Germans. Director Wolfgang Nagele aims to engage the audience with thought-provoking questions, while conductor Felix Krieger promises to offer a fresh perspective on the British classic, combining elements of traditional Italian opera and modern musical styles.