Kim Min-kyu returns to K-pop roots in The Heavenly Idol
Does K-drama actor Kim Min-kyu have what it takes to be a K-pop idol?
In the new fantasy romance series The Heavenly Idol, the 28-year-old star has to prove his idol chops.
A breakout star from romantic comedy Business Proposal (2022), Kim takes on the role of a righteous celestial being known as Pontifex Rembrary, who is suddenly transported to Earth and into the body of unpopular K-pop boy band member Woo Yeon-woo amid a battle with a demon king.
Cast members of the fish-out-of-water series, which is available on Viu, tell The Straits Times over e-mail four things to know about their show.
1. Idol trainee roots
Prior to being an actor, Kim was, in fact, an idol in waiting. He once spent a month training to be a K-pop star alongside the members of popular boy band Seventeen before changing tracks to be an actor instead.
While that experience offered some help with his new role, Kim says the K-pop-related part of the role was still a challenge. He received some dance training and also went for recordings to sing and rap for The Heavenly Idol.
“Everything from dancing to singing was just too tough,” he recalls. “I did, however, get a glimpse of how hard my idol friends have had it since their days in training.”
And he also received “a considerable amount of help from his ‘colleagues’” and pal Hyuk from boy band Vixx.
2. A H.O.T. crush
Aside from Kim, the drama also stars actress Go Bo-gyeol as Kim Dal, a die-hard fan of Yeon-woo’s who becomes the manager of his band, Wild Animal.
The 34-year-old was once a fan of Tony Ahn from H.O.T., which debuted in 1996.
“When I was in (primary) school, I liked him and wrote diaries then. They had names that started with To, like Toto and Tosuni.”
3. K-drama comeback
The Heavenly Idol also marks a return to television for veteran singer and variety show personality Tak Jae-hoon, who has been appearing in dramas only in cameos. He plays a veteran singer who looks down on Yeon-woo.
The 54-year-old says: “As it has been a long time since my last drama appearance, I was nervous, and it felt exciting, as if I were acting in a drama for the first time.“
Tak, who is part of the cast of variety series like My Little Old Boy (2016 to present), had to hold the more comedic side of himself back. He adds: “This is a proper drama, so even though I did want to throw in a lot of witty ad libs, I had to restrain myself from doing so, which was quite difficult.”
4. ‘Visual’ power
K-pop groups often task their members with different roles – rappers are assigned rap portions, dancers are given more difficult moves and vocalists belt out high notes. In The Heavenly Idol, Yeon-woo is the “visual” – the one regarded as the most physically attractive of the group.
When asked what role they would like to have if they were in a K-pop group, Kim, Go and Tak’s answers are unanimous – the “visual”.
“I would like to be a vocalist in a group, but as I don’t really have the skills to do so, being the main visual of the group – even if I’m an odd choice – would be great,” Go says.
Tak is more straightforward. He says: “Realistically, it’s impossible, but if I get to join an idol group, I want to be the main visual. I want to be the centre of attention.”
* The Heavenly Idol is available on Viu.
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