'Life of Pi' Korean Stage Premiere Shows Puppet Magic and Two Faces of Pi
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Live on Stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi opened in Korea at GS Art Center in Gangnam. Producer Shin Dong-won said the show asks audiences to choose which version of truth they believe, framing it as a matter of faith. The production uses intricate puppet art to bring a Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, to life; three puppeteers operate head, chest and tail to create a single convincing animal. The Korean run features all-Korean puppeteers to preserve authenticity (한국어: Korean language), and the lead role of Pi is double-cast with film actor Park Jeong-min and musical performer Park Kang-hyun. Shin praised Park Jeong-min for deep, subtle inner acting and Park Kang-hyun for powerful stage presence, saying audiences will experience two very different interpretations of Pi. Puppet director Kate Rowsell highlighted the audience’s role as the “fourth puppeteer”: when viewers choose to believe, the puppet becomes real and the theatrical magic happens.
