CreatripTeam

The 12th Edaily Cultural Awards announced four nominees for the theater category: Cornerstone’s “He, Yutnori Nobody Wants Anymore” (a play referencing yutnori, a traditional Korean board game), Story Forest’s “Arcadia,” Bului Jeoncha’s “Place,” and Trunk Theatre Project’s “Each Room Project: n Safeties.” A judging panel evaluated works on artistry, originality, and potential, plus theater-specific criteria like contemporaneity and audience appeal. Notable trends this year include strong work by directors in their 40s, plays engaging social issues and injustices, and bold experimental approaches—“He, Yutnori…” was praised for philosophical depth and sparse staging, “Arcadia” for director-translator creativity, “Place” for its long-term focus on Zainichi (재일한국인, ethnic Koreans in Japan) themes, and “n Safeties” for expanding stage narratives into real-world conversations about safety. Winners will be announced next month; the grand prize will be decided by judges, online votes, and the organizing committee, with the ceremony on December 2 at Sejong Center in Seoul.