Jeongdong Theater 25th Anniversary Performance 'Kim Juwon's Four Gracious Plants_Season of Life' Opens in October

Mae·Nan·Guk·Juk's 'Four Gentlemen' Theme Portrays a Timeless Story of 'Connection' Transcending Time and Space

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] The 25th anniversary performance of Jeongdong Theater, 'Kim Juwon's Four Gentlemen_Season of Life,' will open on October 22.

'Kim Juwon's Four Gentlemen_Season of Life' is a new work featuring ballerina Kim Juwon, who participates both as a performer and as the creative producer. Kim Juwon served as the principal dancer of the National Ballet of Korea for 15 years and retired in 2012. Since then, she has demonstrated outstanding producing capabilities through works such as the ballet 'Magritte and Armand' (LG Arts Center, 2013) and Kim Juwon's tango ballet '3 Minutes: Su tiempo 그녀의 시간 (Her Time)' (Sejong Center S Theater, 2019).

'Kim Juwon's Four Gentlemen_Season of Life' depicts a story about 'connections' using dialogue, movement, and stage video techniques. Inspired by the Four Gentlemen?plum blossom (Mae), orchid (Nan), chrysanthemum (Guk), and bamboo (Juk)?the performance weaves together four beautiful stories. It is a tale about 'connections' that can be seen as either four separate stories or one unified story. As the title 'Four Gentlemen' suggests, the work overall embodies Korean philosophy and sentiment. Kim Juwon has shown deep interest in 'Korean color' through performances that combine ballet and Korean traditional dance, as well as ballets that incorporate Korean philosophical themes. In 2007, during her time with the National Ballet of Korea, she participated consistently in ballet performances expressing Korean sentiment, beginning with her role as 'Lady Hyegyeong' in Kook Soo-ho's dance music drama 'Sado - The Story of Crown Prince Sado.'

The titles of the four chapters?spring (梅), summer (蘭), autumn (菊), and winter (竹)?are connected to each individual story and carry symbolic meaning. Each chapter unfolds a 'connection story' between two beings. Writer Lee-seon Ji created and linked the symbolic system and stories of the Four Gentlemen to complete the script about 'connections.'

The story beautifully explores the nobility of connections through beings who undergo reincarnation. Across spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the timeless meetings, partings, and reunions of two beings transcend time and space. From a single flower blooming with each step in spring, to the dance of a monk and a butterfly marking the end of cicada sounds in summer, to the lonely dance of a warrior and a sword spirit in autumn (菊), and finally to the dance of a dancer behind the stage just after a performance, dedicated to only one person in winter (竹), the dance of parting and reunion of connections repeated over countless lives and seasons is portrayed against the backdrop of the universe. In this work, the Four Gentlemen?plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo?go beyond simple seasonal symbols to act as temporal and spatial symbols.

'Kim Juwon's Four Gentlemen_Season of Life' actively utilizes hologram techniques as the most effective means to convey the timeless and spaceless message of 'connections.' The holograms are expected to provide a sense of spatial depth from another dimension and to realize the beauty and mystery of 'connections' on stage. Additionally, through scenes where dancers move in duet with actors' lines?what Kim Juwon describes as 'language and dance in duet'?the performance will deliver a message about the nobility and beauty of connections.

A large number of creators and performers representing the Korean arts scene are participating in the production of 'Kim Juwon's Four Gentlemen_Season of Life.'

Jung Guho, a creator renowned for his modern sensibility and sophisticated direction and a world-class designer, is participating as the artistic director. He has showcased works such as 'Mukhyang' and 'Hyangeon' at the National Dance Company of Korea, maximizing minimalism. Artistic Director Jung Guho and Kim Juwon first connected in 1998 at the National Ballet of Korea and have collaborated on performances including 'POISE' (2012), the 50th anniversary work of the National Ballet of Korea and Kim Juwon's retirement piece, as well as 'Two in Two' (2014) and 'Arts of Evolution' (2014).

The music is composed by musician Jeong Jae-il, who boasts a wide spectrum from traditional Korean music to punk rock. Jeong Jae-il gained further acclaim as the music director for the film 'Parasite.' He previously collaborated with Kim Juwon on the total theater production 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (2019).

Direction is by Park So-young, who directed musicals such as 'The Goddess is Watching,' 'Chami,' and the play 'Lungs.' This is Park So-young's first collaboration with Kim Juwon. The script was completed by writer Lee-seon Ji, who participated in adaptations of plays such as 'Model Students,' 'Pride,' and 'Kill Me Now,' and worked with Kim Juwon on last year's 'Tango Ballet' performance. Choreography is by contemporary dancer Kim Seong-hoon, who is actively working with the UK's Akram Khan Company and Korea's LDP Dance Company.

Actors Park Hae-soo and Yoon Na-moo will share the stage with Kim Juwon. Park Hae-soo, known for dramas such as 'Prison Playbook' and films like 'Quantum Physics' and 'Time to Hunt,' returns to the theater stage after two years since the play 'Nassim' (2018) at Doosan Art Center. Yoon Na-moo recently appeared in the play 'Kill Me Now' and the drama 'Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim 2.'

Ballet dancers Kim Hyun-woong and Yoon Jeon-il, both former members of the National Ballet of Korea, will also perform. Kim Hyun-woong served as principal dancer at the Washington Ballet in the U.S. and the National Ballet of Korea. Yoon Jeon-il, after his time with the National Ballet of Korea, performed as a principal dancer at the Romanian National Opera Ballet and is currently active as a choreographer for 'Dance Emotion.' Rising star ballerino Kim Seok-joo, a graduate of Korea National University of Arts, will also appear to enrich the stage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.