Korean-Dutch Jeon onstage in Seoul
Jeon Na-young as Fantine in the Korean production of “Les Miserables” / Courtesy of KCMI
By Kwon Mee-yoo
In the Korean production of the much-loved musical "Les Miserables," staged at Blue Square in central Seoul, Korean-Dutch actress Jeon Na-young portrays deep maternal love and self-sacrifice of Fantine.
Jeon played the highly-coveted role in London's West End in 2013 and reprises the role in Korea this time.
"I saw Christopher Key, associate director of 'Les Miserables' whom I worked with in West End, was in Korea via a social network service and he told me to come and audition for the Korean production," Jeon explained how her acting career in Korea began. "I was always curious about life and culture of Korea as an ethnic Korean abroad and wanted to experience it. I also thought that performing in Korean would make me discover something new."
Unlike most second- or third-generations Korean abroad who use local names, Jeon's parents named her in Korean and raised her to speak Korean at home. That might be the reason why Jeon speaks Korean quite well and it is difficult to distinguish her pronunciation from that of other Korean actors, despite being born and having grown up overseas, and receiving rapturous ovations from Korean audiences every night.
"Korean was my first language after I grew up speaking Korean at home. I started learning Dutch later at school," Jeon said.
She grew up in a conservative family who insisted following Korean traditions even in the Netherlands, but at the same time she was brought up in a country known for its liberal attitudes.
"When I was young I was strongly conscious of that I look different, I speak differently and my home culture was different from that of others. But I grew up embracing it as a part of me," Jeon said. "The environment around me was complete opposite in and outside the home, which made me think more about myself and develop my own view of the world."
She even remembers watching the Korean film “Seopyeonje” at the age of four. The award-winning film directed by Im Kwon-taek revolves around a “pansori” (Korean traditional vocal music) singer finding her fate.
"I remember singing along with Arirang after watching the film. Later when I revisited the movie, I realized how it influenced my interpretation of songs at school," she said.
Jeon found her talent in performing arts and played Kelsi in "High School Musical" and Kim in "Miss Saigon" in Holland, before heading to London to take part in "Les Miserables."
Finding Fantine
The 26-year-old plays the single mother working at a factory who sacrifices her life to save her daughter Cosette in “Les Miserables.” Though she understands and portrays the role in a compelling way, Fantine was not the role in "Les Miserables" Jeon first auditioned for.
"I auditioned for Cosette in the 2012 Korean production, but I didn't make it. In West End, I tried out for Eponine, because I felt I would go well with the role. But at the final audition, the judges asked me to sing a song of Fantine," Jeon said. "I thought I was too young for the role, but Cameron Mackintosh found the depth of my voice, which is mature and more suitable for Fantine."
The actress interprets Fantine as a brave woman who does not fall into self-pity.
"Fantine has only one solo ― the famous 'I Dreamed a Dream ― but it is not enough for the audiences to understand the character fully. It is difficult for them to sympathize with a woman who abruptly tells about her past and 'living in hell.' So I want to grab the attention of audiences as soon as possible," she said.
Her understanding of the character came from imagining what her parents and grandparents had sacrificed to bring her up. "For Fantine, everything is about her daughter Cosette, not about herself.”
Jeon said 'Les Miserables' is a story of love. “The original novel was written some 150 years ago, but the story still resonates with us."
The young actress wants to be onstage for as long as there are "beautiful" roles through which she can help convey the message of the work.
"Should an opportunity occur, I would love to act more in Korea," Jeon said.
Ultimately, Jeon wants to perform her own work, instead of just acting existing roles. "Some 10 years later, I want to create my own piece ― which can be performed in Netherlands, in the United Kingdom, in Korea or anywhere in the world. It is going to be a story about me but it is a universal story that everyone can identify with."
The Korean production of “Les Miserables” runs through March 6. For more information, visit www.lesmis.co.kr or call 1544-1555.