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| From left, actors Kim Myung-gon, Cha Yoo-kyoung, Lee Hwa-young and Chung Han-young pose for a photo. The play "A Story of an Old Couple" will be performed from Sept. 21 to Oct. 13 at Jayu Theater at the Seoul Arts Center. Courtesy of Seoul Arts Center |
By Anna J. Park
Since the original play "A Story of an Old Couple" was first staged in 2003, the "silver generation" love story has been staged in many cities, and now the Seoul Arts Center's Jayu Theater has decided to give a breath of fresh air into this popular play.
For three weeks from Sept. 21 to Oct. 13, the newest version of the 90-minute play will be performed by renowned actors Kim Myung-gon and Chung Han-young, alternating the male lead role of Park Dong-man, while actresses Cha Yoo-kyoung and Lee Hwa-young will play the female lead.
Original playwright and director Wi Seong-sin said the play's set has been changed for this production.
"The original play was set against the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Sixteen years have passed since the birth of the play and we are now changing some of the script to make set it in the early 2000s," Wi said during a press conference held Aug. 29 at the Seoul Arts Center.
Wi continued that he hopes more attention and care will be paid to senior citizens.
"Despite the extended life expectancy of Korea, we still do not have much interest in the silver generation. It was more so back in 2003, when the play was first staged. Seeing that we lack artistic content on senior citizens, I hoped to shed light on this older generation," director and playwright Wi said.
"I think what truly matters in older life is to have new excitement, happiness and satisfaction. If all their daily lives are only filled with worries about their offspring, their quality of life cannot improve. What matters until the end is not money or honor, but being together with dear people. That's why I wrote this work about the final, last love story. Although a parting is predestined in this love story, I wanted to make in a way that was not too sad," he added.
Seoul Arts Center CEO Yoo In-taek, who is also a theater expert, stressed that he will put more focus on works about older people.
"We are now heading to a society of some 15 million senior citizens, but we lack performing arts content for them. As the Seoul Arts Center hopes to contribute to the development of the nation's theater industry, the arts center plans to continuously stage well-made original plays like this one at the Jayu Theater. We will also plan to stage women-centered plays to support the nation's female population," Yoo said during the press conference.
