CreatripTeam

Director-playwright Ko Seon-woong presents a new sound drama, 'Seopyeonje: The Original,' at the National Jeongdong Theater through Nov 9. Instead of following the popular film or musical adaptations, Ko adapted the original short-story series by Lee Cheong-jun closely, preserving the nameless wanderer characters and focusing on how 'han' (a Korean cultural concept of deep sorrow/resentment) is transformed into art. The production uses a rotating large circular stage with three smaller circular platforms to represent characters' lives and continuous journeys, and features 22 traditional pansori (a Korean narrative singing tradition) pieces — including key passages, danga (short solo songs), and folk songs — performed with north-south drum rhythms and vocalists. Cast includes National Changgeuk Dan member Kim Woo-jung and young gugak (traditional Korean music) talents; musical director collaborator Han Seung-seok returns after prior successful works. Ko said his goal was to make a version that Lee Cheong-jun would have been happy with, emphasizing fidelity to the novel and the 'aesthetics of emptiness' in traditional pansori.