Lea Salonga on 'KPOP The Musical' on Broadway: 'I felt an immense sense of pride'

Lea Salonga took to social media to share her experience watching KPOP The Musical on Broadway.

"Tonight was my third time seeing @kpopbroadway. And I completed my set of Playbills, one for each time I saw the show at Circle in the Square," the Broadway star shared on social media.

The singer expressed how proud she was of the new generation of Asian performers and their incredible performances in the musical.  

"As an Asian performer sitting in that audience watching this new generation of Asian performers lay their hearts, bodies, and souls out for that crowd leaving everything on that stage, I felt an immense sense of pride. Besides that this group of youngsters is incredibly beautiful, they are immensely talented and fill that space with so much of themselves with grace and integrity," she said. 

Lea described the performances as honest and authentic. She highlighted that the show was also filled with joy.

"There’s a line in the show where one of the ladies from RTMIS says they aim for 'perfection,' but the truth is there’s so much more that they achieve night after night. They are showing every audience that walks in exactly who they are with truth, honesty, and authenticity. Those performances are not robotic. There is so much joy in every single actor up there, so much pride in being Asian (specifically Korean). And that joy is infectious, touching every single person in that theater," the Broadway star stated. 

The singer also encouraged those who are planning to watch K-Pop The Musical on Broadway to research about the Korean songs performed in the show.

"As far as fearing the language barrier, come on. If you can handle BTS, BLACKPINK, or any other K-pop idol group, you’ll get it. Like many serious stans, I’ve done the deep dives, searching out translations to ‘Blood, Sweat, and Tears’ and ‘Black Swan’, among other songs. It’s worth making the effort because of the depth of the lyrics, if you bother to take the time. Don’t let that intimidate you. Music is music, whatever the language," she said.

Lea said that she is planning to make more visits saying "this show has given me so much joy."

She also encouraged young Asians to watch the show to witness how representation on stage has come far.

READ: Lea Salonga named as Time100 Impact Awards honoree

"Young Asian folks should come and see this, if only to get a glimpse into what was impossible so many years ago when I was that same age, and to feel how much further forward and upward we can still climb. Asian performers of the past have passed the baton to the generations that came after. Folks that played in Flower Drum Song, The King and I, Pacific Overtures, Miss Saigon, and Allegiance, as well as being strong presences in other musicals like Hamilton, Aladdin, The Lion King, Les Miz, and so on. And now, the baton is passed on to these kids at KPOP, and they are handling it beautifully," she said.

According to kpopbroadway.com, the show is "packed with pulse-pounding new music and electrifying choreography, this original musical explores the relentless discipline, raw talent, and commercial ambition behind the international sensation."

The show tells the story of global superstars who put everything on the line "for a special one-night-only concert, they face struggles both cultural and personal that threaten to dismantle one of the industry’s hottest labels."

"Featuring a cast of K-pop and musical theater stars, it's a multimedia experience unlike anything else on Broadway," the website added.