Baekje Musician Who Spread Instrumental Music to Japan, Play 'Mimaji!'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Theater company TheNanhee is performing the play 'Mimaji!' at Hansung University Entrance Bom Small Theater until December 6.

Kim Myunghwa, CEO of Theater company TheNanhee, is the playwright and director. After a reading performance in November last year and a tryout performance in June this year, the work's completeness was enhanced.

Founded by playwright Kim Myunghwa, Theater company TheNanhee was established in 2018 and has been attempting a series exploring the origins of theater, starting with 'Naengmyeon.' They have performed 'Hamlet, the Dead Do Not Speak,' a modernization of Shakespeare's work, and 'Dionysus Under the Magnolia,' a contemporary interpretation of the origins of Western theater. The current performance, 'Mimaji!,' explores the origins of Eastern theater.

The play 'Mimaji!' is based on a brief record in the Nihon Shoki about 'Mimaji (味摩之),' an artist from Baekje who transmitted gigaku (伎樂) to Japan. The play was created by researching materials, visiting Baekje regions, and imagining the story.

Gigaku is a masked silent drama performed at temples, which became known in Korea when scholar Lee Hye-gu accidentally discovered this fact while browsing old Japanese books in the mid-20th century. There is also a brief record of gigaku in the 1233 educational text 'Gyohuncho' written by Komano Chikasane, who appears to be from an artist family that came from the Korean Peninsula.

The play 'Mimaji!' compiles these materials to explore and imagine the artistic world of Mimaji, the first Hallyu star who expressed and lived a life traversing religion and secularism with his whole body, and the reality of the gigaku he created. The drama woven by Mimaji and contemporary figures (Princess Seonhwa, Baekje King Mu, Emperor Suiko, Prince Shotoku) is structured in connection with each act of gigaku (Lion Dance, Ogong, Garura, Baramun, Gonryun, Chwiho King, etc.).

Actors Baek Ik-nam, Shin An-jin, Jang Jia, and Kwon Il, who participated from the tryout performance, appear, with Choi Kang-hyun and Lee Da-hye newly joining. Movement by Geum Bae-seop and live performances of the piri by Seon Min-cheol, percussion by Jeong Ju-ri, and geomungo by Hwang Hye-young are added.

The theater company stated that according to government quarantine guidelines, they will implement socially distanced seating, maintain visitor logs, and thoroughly disinfect the theater to ensure a safe environment for the 'Mimaji!' performance.

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