Thespians bridge Korea, Japan
A scene from Hideto Iwai’s play “Outer World” / Courtesy of Doosan Art Center
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The year 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. Despite this, the relationship between the two countries remains frosty and it is difficult to find cultural events celebrating the occasion.
However, non-governmental exchanges between Korean and Japanese thespians are more developed than ever as more Japanese plays and musicals are staged in Korea.
A series of Japanese productions are currently being staged or are lined up for Korea this year. Starting with Shiro Maeda's "The Great Life Adventure" that ran in January, "The Outlaw Hero Jirokichi" by Ryuzanji Company in February and "The Memoir of Komachi" written by Ota Shogo presented in April, now is a fertile time for Japanese theater in Korea. The National Theater Company of Korea also staged the critically acclaimed production of Tsukuda Norihiko's "Cast-Off Skin" in the first half of June.
Japanese actor-director Hideto Iwai's "Outer World" wrapped up its Korean premiere at Seoul's Doosan Art Center, Saturday. The theater has been at the frontline of introducing Japanese plays to Korean audiences and has arranged collaboration between Korean and Japanese theatre figures.
The play revolves around Tomio, a hikikomori (a Japanese term describing reclusive people who shut themselves off from social life) who becomes a counselor for hikikomori. Hikikomori was a phenomenon in Japan, but became a social issue in Korea as well, allowing Korean audiences to better understand the play.
Kim Yoahen, executive producer of Doosan Art Center, said Japan has a longer history of modern plays than Korea and has developed in a multifarious way.
"In the 1990s, or during the Japan's Lost Decade, Japanese dramatists produced plays reflecting the social situation after the Japanese economy’s collapse. These plays signaling extended low economic growth could resonate with the current social and cultural context in Korea," Kim said. "Since Korea lifted its ban on Japanese culture in the 1990s, Koreans have accepted Japanese culture widely and the time is ripe to introduce Japanese theatrical productions."
Sponsored by the Doosan Group, Doosan Art Center mainly imports non-commercial plays, written by contemporary Japanese playwrights, instead of Japanese classics.
"We introduced Oriza Hirata and other young Japanese artists to Korea. These dramatists have been writing plays related to social issues that translate well in Korea, as well as theatrical works that offer an objective understanding on Korea," Kim said.
Doosan also endorses Korean thespians collaborating with their Japanese counterparts. Sung Ki-woong with the 12th Tongue Theatre Studio has adapted a handful of Japanese plays for the Korean stage and also worked together with Japanese troupes to produce new works such as "Kamome" (2013), which shifted the setting of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" to colonial-era Korea, alongside Junnosuke Tada of Tokyo Deathlock.
In July, Sung will present a new play "Kings of the Roads 2002," co-written and directed by Oriza of Japanese theater company Seinendan. It is the sequel to Oriza's play "Kings of the Roads 1980" ― which portrayed Japanese tourists in Istanbul in the 1980s ― and the new play will feature Korean and Japanese travelers in Istanbul in 2002 amid the Korea-Japan World Cup.
"Sung and Oriza are both interested in each other's culture and this has led to cultural exchanges between the two countries. A joint production is an ideal way to do this as the playwright and director discuss contemporary issues," Kim said.
Not only serious plays reflecting social phenomenon are welcome in Korea, but many other productions have proven popular too.
Mega-hit Japanese manga series "Death Note" was adapted into a musical in Tokyo in April and the Korean version opened at Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province, Saturday after a preview Friday.
The musical, composed by Korean's favorite Frank Wildhorn and penned by Jack Murphy, starred Kim Jun-su of boy band JYJ as detective L and musical actor Hong Kwang-ho as Light Yagami.
Japan's top comedy writer Koki Mitani gained acclaim in Korea with hit plays such as "University of Laughs" and "If I Were with You." Well-known for his comedic scripts full of wit, Mitani’s strong box office appeal is apparent in Korea.
His new work "Jekyll and Hyde with Alcohol and Tears," which adds a funny twist to Robert Louis Stevenson's novella "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," is currently on stage at Dongsoong Art Center in central Seoul through July 5.
In addition to his well-received plays in Korea, one of Mitani's rare musical creations "Okepi!" will have its Korean premiere at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul in December. The musical will tell the tale of musicians in the orchestra pit, starring top actors Cho Seung-woo and Hwang Jung-min.