In this episode of The Hang!, Joomin Hwang talks about his journey from Seoul to New York City and eventually to Broadway.
Joomin grew up in South Korea and started breakdancing when he was 12. Years later, while performing in London, he saw Billy Elliot and something clicked. He saw dance, music, acting, emotion, and storytelling all happening at once, and it made him realize he wanted more than competition. He wanted a life on stage.
That decision eventually brought him to the U.S. at 29, without speaking English, to study vocal performance and chase a dream that probably sounded impossible to a lot of people.
We talk about his path to Broadway, including The Prom and the original Broadway cast of & Juliet, and what representation started to mean to him once Asian fans began thanking him at the stage door. Joomin also shares what it was like going through hundreds of auditions, dealing with rejection, staying grounded, and learning to think of dreams as something you do, not just something you reach.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
\* How Billy Elliot changed the direction of Joomin’s life
\* Why representation on Broadway became personal for him
\* How he handled 500+ auditions and constant rejection
\* Why he created the Rule of Five Journal to help artists protect their mental health
If you’re into Broadway, musical theater, dance, acting, artist stories, or honest conversations about chasing something bigger than yourself, you’ll get a lot out of this one.
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https://www.instagram.com/joominhwang
https://www.joominhwang.com/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7934697/
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