Still images taken from shows at Rufxxx / Courtesy of Rufxxx

By Agnes Yu

Theater can be unforgiving as a live audience doesn’t allow for any retakes, but at Rufxxx the performances make room for the unexpected. The shows here are a bit unconventional, slightly experimental, and an evolving production well worth watching.

Even more than once.

Located on the incline leading up to the Grand Hyatt Seoul in an alley that runs parallel to the street commonly referred to as Gyeong-li-dan, Rufxxx is not only a hidden gem because it’s not so easy to get there, but also a secret waiting to be told because once you’ve been there you can’t stop talking about it.

The project under the same name Rufxxx started in March 2010 and is described as a venture into “photography, film, music, dance
and fashion that has been combined to experiment with various methods and caprice in performance art.”

The theater is on the second floor of what would be considered a private residence that has been remodeled for commercial purposes. In particular the rooftop boasts some of the best nighttime views of Mt. Nam.

It was originally the studio for photographer and director Kim Hyoung-nam. He returned to Seoul six years ago after eight years of studying, living and working in London. While in London, Kim got an MA at Central St. Martin’s but more consequential was his exposure to the theater and performing arts.

During his first time abroad, Kim was exposed to pre-theater, the opportunity to meet others in the audience before a show started. The intermission provided a chance to reconnect, to actually make friends and dressing up to go to the theater, the shared anticipation... “warming-up time” to scan the audience of which you are a member.

In order to retain and reincarnate the creative vigor in the transition back to Korea, Kim envisioned conceiving a space that would incubate alternative art while mimicking this theatre experience he enjoyed in London.

Rufxxx is a kind of refuge for precisely that. With a main lounge-like area for drinks and food, the small theater space is concealed upstairs. It’s basically a room with tiered seating on one side in front of an open floor area that acts as the stage.

Members of the troupe are there to serve you and answer your questions in between acts.

Depending on the availability of artists involved, there is a repertoire of nine shows that modify to the moment, the space and the situation, integrating ideas from rehearsals.

Fed up with constricted corporate culture after years of towing the line, Kim has been able to break free and offer an extraordinary manner of expression. Gun shots, barking dogs, swearing in English, random screaming — all sounds and noises can be considered to accompany Jason Hwang, the assistant director, on the keyboard. The shows walk the fine line between art and perhaps things that can be considered offensive. It can shock some while enliven others.

For the avant-garde troupe, improvisation is a true art of the moment and once a moment passes, it’s gone, over, finished. Perhaps that’s what makes the performances at Rufxxx so precious.

In the future, Kim plans to “take the mercurial show to Japan while meeting lots of people, especially those who enjoy performing and communicating.”

At Rufxxx, expat and local creative spirits mingle, take in the magnificent view and watch a performance or two.

For more information call (02) 511-2570 or visit www.rufxxx.com.