After Three Tries, Jang Ji‑hoo Wins Colin Role in Rent: A Turning Point
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Actor Jang Ji‑hoo (37) finally secured the role of Colin in the musical Rent after auditioning three times and previously playing Roger in two seasons. Speaking at a round interview at COEX Artium in Seoul, the 15‑year veteran said he first played Colin in a college production and never forgot it like a “first love.” Rent, a sung‑through musical based on Jonathan Larson’s modernized version of Puccini’s La Bohème and set in New York’s East Village, explores artists’ struggles and the value of life. Jang described Colin as a warm, amusing character who grows through love and illness (AIDS), and said the role aligns with his own curiosity about people. He called Rent a work that showed him why he exists and credited director Andy Señor Jr. for pushing him to use his inner life in performance. Jang also discussed the challenge of switching from Roger — whom he played in 2020 and 2023 — to Colin and the satisfaction of audience feedback that he no longer evokes Roger on stage. He plans to keep challenging himself and even write a 365‑topic essay next year.
