I Watched a Play in Korean! [Man from Earth]

I had an opportunity to watch a play “Man from Earth” in Korean this weekend with some close friends in the Hyehwa (혜화) area. My first impression of the theatre was how small it seemed compared to the other theatres I’ve been to in Canada. In the past, I’ve watched a few musicals and plays in spacious theatres that could fit around 1,000 people. But this one, to my surprise, could only house around 300. The closeness of the audience to the stage made many parts of the production incredibly memorable. It felt like the stage extended to the back of the theatre, and that the audience was in fact part of the play.

Due to my lack of Korean ability, I could only understand 10% what the entire play was about. I believe this was what made the play less interesting for me during many parts. The play is heavily focused on dialogue and not so much on action – it consists of intellectual arguments between a retiring professor and his friends. For this reason, I would recommend this play to native Korean speakers or people who are quite fluent in Korean.

I received a free ticket from my friend, who is a regular and could get the ticket at a cheaper price. If you’re interested in this production, you can purchase the tickets for 40,000-50,000 won on interpark (front row tickets are slightly more expensive) or in person. http://ticket.interpark.com/Ticket/Goods/GoodsInfo.asp?GoodsCode=14010857

The theatre is located close to Hyehwa Station (혜화역) exit 2 (come out, head straight and turn left). The theatre is inside a grey building on a street with many Korean restaurants. It only has one entrance, so I was able to take pictures with members of the cast after it ended.

It was a fascinating experience to watch a play in a language I’m not familiar with.

Aside from the language, there weren’t any obvious differences between Western and Korean plays. Though it could also be because this play is a remake of the 2007 American movie. Regardless of your Korean ability, give this play a chance if you enjoy theatre and arts.

Article by Sharon from Canada