Tiffany Young and Kim Go-eun join 'Yumi' as she is reborn as a musical: 'Yumi's Cells' [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Yumi's Cells' is being reborn as a musical. The production team announced that they will realize the original work's sensibility and the cheerful world of cells on stage, while also presenting a new narrative unique to musicals through the original character 'Cell 109'.

On the 10th, a production announcement for the musical 'Yumi's Cells' was held at Ticket Link 1975 Theater in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Director Yang Jeong-woong, along with actors Tiffany Young, Kim Ye-won, Choi Jae-rim, Jung Taek-won, and Kim So-hyang, attended the event.

The musical 'Yumi's Cells' by author Lee Dong-geon, which achieved an unprecedented record of 3.5 billion cumulative views on Naver Webtoon, will be completed on the musical stage.

Director Yang Jeong-woong stated regarding the stage adaptation of 'Yumi's Cells', "Since the original work is so fun, presenting it as a musical for the first time was not an easy challenge, but there is a charm unique to live performances. I thought we could show a new fantasy through music and dance."

He continued, "We focused on the charm that can only be shown in a performance without damaging the original work. Unlike webtoons or dramas, a spin-off style with a different protagonist appears. We are preparing well with characteristics unique to musicals," expressing his expectations.

He further emphasized, "The original work is so vast, so we arranged scenes to fit the narrative of Yumi and Woong-i. In the drama, cell reactions were shown through animation, but on stage, various reactions are shown immediately. I think it is a feature unique to the stage that these can be organically mixed. The genre is also a romantic drama, so there will be many humorous scenes."

Tiffany Young and Kim Ye-won will play the role of 'Yumi', the protagonist living an ordinary yet special daily life.

Tiffany Young said, "After being offered the role, I researched the 'Yumi's Cells' webtoon and even the drama. While watching the work, I fell in love with Yumi myself. After finishing the webtoon, I made up my mind to portray Yumi well. My first line is 'An ordinary 32-year-old office worker', and I think my task is to find brilliance and uniqueness within that ordinariness."

She added, "Even in simple moments, there is much contained, and I think the character's growth is very helpful to me, which is why I decided to take on the role."

Regarding Yumi, Kim Ye-won explained, "I thought Yumi was a character similar to me. Regardless of gender, anyone who has experienced love can empathize with Yumi's heart, and I felt the same. There are moments of loving, sometimes putting the other person first, feeling pain from breakups, growing, and learning how to love oneself. One cannot be mature and strong from the start, so I thought of her as a character I always want to cheer for, considering the part where she grows as a human."

She also revealed the reason for deciding to join the production. "I was a fan of the drama, and the fact that this work came to me is an honor in itself. Although the weight of it being a premiere was felt, the excitement and anticipation were great. I thought Yumi on stage would be the same but have a different appearance. I was honored to participate because I wanted to try acting as Yumi on stage."

Choi Jae-rim and Jung Taek-won were cast as 'Cell 109', the original cell of the musical that had not appeared in the original webtoon, sparking curiosity.

The mysterious character 'Cell 109' struggles to save Yumi and helps her inner growth. The introduction of this new character is a strategic choice to effectively capture the vast original work within a limited time of about 150 minutes.

The production team aimed not to simply convey the original work's episodes but to reconstruct the narrative three-dimensionally through the medium of 'Cell 109', building an independent story that even audiences unfamiliar with the webtoon can immerse themselves in.

Regarding 'Cell 109', Choi Jae-rim stated, "He is a positive, energetic character, and in a way, somewhat naive. I am enjoying taking on a lively role that is similar to my own personality."

He continued, "As it is 'Yumi's Cells', the name itself serves as the cell's role, and '109' is the only one without a name. He is showing the process of finding his role. All cells wear blue costumes, but I am the only one in a white costume, so I think I will stand out on stage."

He further emphasized, "The story flows along two threads: the story of Kim Yumi and the story of cells reacting to events in Kim Yumi's life. I cannot go into details, but 'Cell 109' plays a very important role."

He said, "What is emphasized within the work is that 'Cell 109' receives and gives numerous helps in the process of finding his name. I am thinking about how to deliver that influence more effectively to the actors working together and the audience."

Jung Taek-won also stated, "The charm of 'Yumi's Cells' seems to be the greatest fun of being able to see living cells, and the energy it gives seems to be needed at this time. I was drawn to this character because it is not just about growing alone, but about the theme and power of growing together with everyone around me."

Kim So-hyang and Yuria, two divas who will Ji Keol-gye-reul (CEO) Korea, have confirmed their appearance as 'Love', the prime cell who is the leader of the cells and determines Yumi's top priority.

Kim So-hyang explained, "There have been many moments where I have played great and intense women, so I have suffered a lot, died, and cried. Sam Company CEO, who has watched me since my 20s, told me, 'It's time to show who you really are,' so I joined this work with a happy heart. I think this will be an opportunity to fully show the mischievous, bright, and cheerful parts within me. I am working happily every day with smiles."

'Yumi's Cells' marks the beginning of a strategic meeting between Sam Company and Studio N. The two companies have collaborated closely for five years since 2021. Director Yang Jeong-woong stated, "We have been preparing for years, from script development to preparation. We will present a good work to both original fans and musical fans. We will strive to make it a musical that will Han Guk-eul (CEO)."

Meanwhile, 'Yumi's Cells' can be seen from June 30 to August 23 at CJ Theater, Seoul Arts Center.

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*This content was translated by AI.