Actress IVY spent millions on English training for Broadway debut

Musical actress IVY invested approximately 10 million won into an intensive 50-day English training project to prepare for her debut in the Broadway musical 'Chicago'. To overcome language barriers, she trained for 6 to 7 hours daily with nine native speakers to master the extensive dialogue required for the role of Roxie Hart.

Musical actress IVY, formerly a singer, revealed that she invested approximately 10 million won of her own money into English studies to facilitate her debut on Broadway. She disclosed that to overcome the language barrier that her long-standing skills on the Korean stage alone could not surmount, she trained for 6 to 7 hours every day with nine native speakers. The effort and cost required to stand on the dream stage were significant.

Appearing on the tvN entertainment program 'You Quiz on the Block' on the 4th, IVY shared the process of becoming the first Korean to join the cast of the New York Broadway musical 'Chicago'. Having garnered attention simply for entering Broadway, a symbol of world-class musicals, she spoke candidly about the long preparation process and her unique challenge that eventually led to her passing the auditions.

MC Yoo Jae-suk expressed surprise at IVY's Broadway debut. Noting that Broadway is a dream stage for actors and mentioning that 'Chicago' is one of the longest-running musicals, he expressed curiosity about how much preparation she must have undertaken to stand on that stage.

IVY explained her long history with the role of Roxie Hart. She stated that she first took on the role of Roxie in Korea in 2012, saying, "I have performed it so many times that I could do it even after waking up from sleep." The experience and proficiency she built by playing the same role over a long period served as the foundation for her Broadway challenge.

However, there was an unexpected obstacle: English. IVY revealed that she first received the offer to appear on Broadway during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recalling that she lacked confidence in her English skills at the time, she said her first thought was, "Me?" and that she could not readily accept the proposal.

When she was contacted again two years ago, the first thing she said was, "I am not good at English." The Broadway side advised her to study English first, and IVY began preparing by taking lessons from native speakers. However, she received no further contact for more than six months. She explained that while she was continuing her English studies almost like a hobby, she was contacted again and participated in a formal video audition.

It took a full year to pass. IVY had to prove her potential through several stages of auditions. When Yoo Jae-suk remarked that preparing lines in English could not have been easy, IVY nodded while mentioning the volume of Roxie's lines. Yoo Jae-suk pointed out that the total running time of 'Chicago' is 2 hours and 30 minutes, and approximately 40% of the total dialogue is concentrated on Roxie. IVY added, "It is probably the longest monologue in a musical."

The most surprising part was the cost of the English training. When Yoo Jae-suk mentioned that she spent about 10 million won of her own money on academy fees with nine native teachers, IVY replied, "It probably cost more." She introduced the intensive training conducted under the name 'Euljiro 50-Day Project,' stating that she worked on her lines for 6 to 7 hours every day with the help of nine native instructors.

The cost disclosed by IVY was approximately 9 million won of her own money for the 50-day project alone. To naturally deliver Roxie's lines on the Broadway stage, she invested significant time and money into refining her pronunciation, expressions, and delivery. It was a process of raising her linguistic perfection for an actual performance, going beyond simple English study.

Recalling her experience of immersing herself in studies after a long time, IVY drew laughter by joking, "If I had studied like this before, wouldn't I have gone to a prestigious university?" While a lighthearted comment, it illustrated how fiercely she prepared for the goal of Broadway.

After gaining public love as a singer, IVY expanded her field of activity to musical theater and has now embarked on another challenge based on the experience she built over a long time in Korea. Even with a familiar role, moving to an overseas stage is not easy. Facing the realistic barrier of language, she overcame it through intensive training, sparing neither her own money nor her time. Behind the result of her Broadway debut lie a year of intense auditions and 50 days of intensive English training that were as fierce as the glamorous stage itself.

Read the original (Korean)