Latest news with #Simcheong
Korea Herald
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Did Simcheong truly want to give herself up for her father? 'Pure Heart' asks
With dreamlike underwater realm, fresh emotional lens, latest Simcheong story brings new depth to beloved folktale At the prow of a boat amid crashing waves, a small girl plunges into a vast ocean. The iconic scene of Korean folktale "Simcheong" is the epitome of filial devotion: The girl casts herself into the Indangsu Sea to restore her blind father's sight. In 'Pure Heart,' the National Jeongdong Theater's latest reinterpretation of this age-old tale, Simcheong awakens after plunging into the shadowy abyss not in darkness or deep blue, but in soft pink light and waves, in a glowing, luminous undersea realm. The Dragon Queen — not the Dragon King of the original tale — gently lifts and welcomes Simcheong. Dressed in flowing robes of rose and blush and holding a lotus-shaped fan, a court of handmaidens circles her in synchronized harmony. There is no suffering here, no sorrow, no pain. Simcheong beams and leaps lightly across the stage — radiant, embraced by this new, gentle world. Directed by Jung Ku-ho and choreographed by Jeong Hye-jin — the creative team behind sold-out success 'One Dance' — 'Pure Heart' is a dance drama that strips back the traditional narrative to focus on Simcheong's emotional journey. 'We wanted the sea to feel like a place of warmth and welcome (to Simcheong). And we wanted to give her that motherly love she had long been missing," Jung said during a press conference on Thursday, adding that the Dragon Queen serves as a maternal figure for Simcheong, who lost her own mother at birth. 'We asked ourselves: How do we remake this folktale in a way that feels different and fresh?' said Jung, a fashion designer-turned-creative director known for visually striking interpretations of Korean tradition in works like 'The Banquet' and 'Scent of Ink,' both rare sold-out successes in the Korean dance scene. 'We chose to follow Simcheong's emotions closely,' he added. So rather than beginning with her childhood, the performance opens on the night before her sacrifice. On a sparse stage, Simcheong wrestles with her decision. Her inner doubts take form as a shadowy double in black, echoing her hesitation and fear. 'Even if filial duty was considered absolute in the past, would Simcheong truly have been content to give herself up?' Jung mused. 'We wanted to separate her outward actions from her inner voice — and follow that voice, too. Every scene is selected based on Simcheong's emotional perspective, with minimal storytelling.' Veteran screen actor Chae Shi-ra makes her stage dance debut as the Dragon Queen, leading a nearly 15-minute sequence of graceful, sweeping movement. Dressed in flowing pastel silks, Chae anchors the fantasy with elegance and gentleness. 'I never imagined the word 'dancer' would be attached to my name,' Chae said, laughing. 'This felt like training for a new profession. The rehearsal process was grueling — I'd call it more training than practice. Choreographer Jeong (Hye-jin) worked tirelessly to guide me.' If Act II is a dream, Act III returns to solid ground. Here, Simcheong is brought back to life and rewarded with royal marriage. The final act is a visual homage to Korean heritage, featuring costumes inspired by 1920s royal court dress and stylized interpretations of state ceremonies. 'Each act has its own tone and texture,' said choreographer Jeong. 'Because the narrative is carried almost entirely through dance, the costumes and visual language had to be expressive. In the final act, we wanted to highlight the beauty of Korean tradition, blending historical references with a modern sensibility.' 'Pure Heart' runs from Thursday to June 28 at the Jeongdong Theater, with 50 performances by two alternating casts scheduled over two months — an unprecedented run for a national performing arts company in Korea. 'We believe traditional performances can resonate with contemporary audiences — and with international visitors as well. I hope a longer run gives more people the chance to see it,' said Jeongdong Theater CEO Choung Soung-sook. hwangdh@
Korea Herald
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
With dreamlike underwater realm, fresh emotional lens, latest Simcheong story brings new depth to beloved folktale
Jeongdong Theater dance production 'Pure Heart' runs until June 28 At the prow of a boat amid crashing waves, a small girl plunges into a vast ocean. The iconic scene of Korean folktale "Simcheong" is the epitome of filial devotion: The girl casts herself into the Indangsu Sea to restore her blind father's sight. In 'Pure Heart,' the National Jeongdong Theater's latest reinterpretation of this age-old tale, after plunging into the shadowy abyss Simcheong awakens not in darkness or deep blue, but in soft pink light and waves, in a glowing, luminous undersea realm. The Dragon Queen — not the Dragon King of the original tale — gently lifts and welcomes Simcheong. Dressed in flowing robes of rose and blush and holding a a lotus-shaped fan, a court of handmaidens circles her in synchronized harmony. There is no suffering here, no sorrow, no pain. Simcheong beams and leaps lightly across the stage — radiant, embraced by this new, gentle world. Directed by Jung Ku-ho and choreographed by Jeong Hye-jin — the creative team behind sold-out success 'One Dance' — 'Pure Heart' is a dance drama that strips back the traditional narrative to focus on Simcheong's emotional journey. 'We wanted the sea to feel like a place of warmth and welcome (to Simcheong). And we wanted to give her that motherly love she had long been missing," Jung said during a press conference on Thursday, adding that the Dragon Queen serves as a maternal figure for Simcheong, who lost her own mother at birth. 'We asked ourselves: How do we remake this folktale in a way that feels different and fresh?' said Jung, a fashion designer-turned-creative director known for visually striking interpretations of Korean tradition in works like 'The Banquet' and 'Scent of Ink,' both rare sold-out successes in the Korean dance scene. 'We chose to follow Simcheong's emotions closely,' he added. So rather than beginning with her childhood, the performance opens on the night before her sacrifice. On a sparse stage, Simcheong wrestles with her decision. Her inner doubts take form as a shadowy double in black, echoing her hesitation and fear. 'Even if filial duty was considered absolute in the past, would Simcheong truly have been content to give herself up?' Jung mused. 'We wanted to separate her outward actions from her inner voice — and follow that voice, too. Every scene is selected based on Simcheong's emotional perspective, with minimal storytelling.' Veteran screen actor Chae Shi-ra makes her stage dance debut as the Dragon Queen, leading a nearly 15-minute sequence of graceful, sweeping movement. Dressed in flowing pastel silks, Chae anchors the fantasy with elegance and gentleness. 'I never imagined the word 'dancer' would be attached to my name,' Chae said, laughing. 'This felt like training for a new profession. The rehearsal process was grueling — I'd call it more training than practice. Choreographer Jeong (Hye-jin) worked tirelessly to guide me.' If Act II is a dream, Act III returns to solid ground. Here, Simcheong is brought back to life and rewarded with royal marriage. The final act is a visual homage to Korean heritage, featuring costumes inspired by 1920s royal court dress and stylized interpretations of state ceremonies. 'Each act has its own tone and texture,' said choreographer Jeong. 'Because the narrative is carried almost entirely through dance, the costumes and visual language had to be expressive. In the final act, we wanted to highlight the beauty of Korean tradition, blending historical references with a modern sensibility.' 'Pure Heart' runs from Thursday to June 28 at the Jeongdong Theater, with 50 performances by two alternating casts scheduled over two months — an unprecedented run for a national performing arts company in Korea. 'We believe traditional performances can resonate with contemporary audiences — and with international visitors as well. I hope a longer run gives more people the chance to see it,' said Jeongdong Theater CEO Choung Soung-sook.
Korea Herald
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Simcheong reimagined: Genre-bending pansori theater is born
Korean tradition weaved together with opera by boundary-crossing director Yona Kim "Simcheong" is a story every Korean child grows up with — a tale of devotion, sacrifice, filial piety and transformation, told and retold in countless variations. Among them is "Simcheongga," the pansori version — Korea's traditional form of musical storytelling accompanied by a "gosu," or drummer. Even within pansori, multiple versions exist, each offering its own take on the enduring narrative. This year, the story of Simcheong is being reimagined as something entirely new: a pansori theater production that blends operatic structure with traditional Korean storytelling. Spearheading the production is Yona Kim, a Korean director based in Germany, known for her approach of crossing cultures as well as genres. Kim was named director of the year by Opernwelt in 2017, nominated for Germany's prestigious Faust Award in 2011 and 2020 and received critical acclaim for her production of 'Tannhauser' with the Korea National Opera in 2024. 'I've long been someone who has lived outside the boundaries,' Kim told reporters during a press conference on April 10. 'It feels like I'm crossing the borders of genre, like opera, and of language. There's a sense of anticipation, but also a bit of anxiety — like I'm standing on a border.' 'We often think of Simcheongjeon as uniquely ours, but Simcheong is both deeply Korean and universally human. Stories that mirror the structure of Simcheong are everywhere. Societies have always demanded sacrifice from the weak,' Kim explained, citing characters who sacrifice themselves for their blind fathers — such as those in Greek tragedies, like Antigone and Electra, as well as in German fairy tales. Yet this new Simcheong is not merely a victim. Drawing on her experience of reinterpreting classical works on global opera stages, Kim portrays Simcheong as a metaphor for someone who, rather than simply sacrificing for her father, chooses to stand for those even weaker than herself — someone who refuses to give up her beliefs and ideals. The blind father is reimagined as a symbol of patriarchal power and elite privilege, blind to the realities around him, Kim noted. With this production, Kim hopes to provide an outlet for a global audience to immerse themselves in a universal story, regardless of its genre definition. 'I don't want to assign a genre label to this work — not yet. I don't think I can. We're still in the process of discovering what it is.' 'I want even those who know nothing about pansori — regardless of their nationality, background, status, gender or age — to come in, spend about two hours and simply immerse themselves in a different world,' Kim added. "I hope they dive into the sea of storytelling, feel something, think something, and then come back out — that's all I wish for." 'At its core, this is undeniably a theatrical art form that expresses human stories and emotions,' Kim explained. 'So we decided to simply title it 'Simcheong,' and underneath it, we added just one line: Pansori Theater.' Joining the creative team are celebrated European talents: costume designer Falk Bauer, set designer Herbert Murauer, video director Benjamin Lutke and assistant costume designer Frank Schonwald. The production also features music by composer Choe Uzong and vocal compositions by Han Seung-seok. The pansori will be performed by members of the National Changgeuk Company as well as independent performers selected through recent open auditions. Over 130 performers will take the stage in this large-scale co-production between the National Theater of Korea and the Jeonju International Sori Festival. The show will premiere at the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on Aug. 13 and 14, then move to Seoul's National Theater of Korea on Sept. 3 and 6.
