5th Anniversary of Children's Theater Opening... Hangul-Themed Performance 'Badasseugi'

Jongno-gu Presents Children's Theater 5th Anniversary Performance 'Badasseugi' from April 23 to May 8

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) will celebrate the 5th anniversary of the opening of the Idleul Theater, the nation’s first professional public theater dedicated to children, by presenting a new original performance titled "Badassugi" from April 23 to May 8.

This performance was planned around the theme of ‘Hangeul’ as part of Jongno-gu’s Korean culture revitalization project, which has been a major focus since the 5th local government administration for over 10 years. It aims to raise awareness among children and adolescents today about the importance and value of Hangeul. Additionally, by reflecting the modern tendency to forget the importance of writing due to excessive use of digital media in the characters, the play offers food for thought.

The story is told from the perspective of the main character, an elementary school student named ‘Seowoo,’ and presents four stories that arise from Hangeul within her family and friends.

The stories include ‘Wenillo? Wenillo?’ which depicts the conflict arising when Seowoo uses her smartphone’s help during a dictation test; ‘Geullogaeyakseo,’ where Seowoo struggles with the difficulty of Hangeul while interpreting an unfair labor contract for Mr. Chris, a foreign worker from the Philippines; ‘Bal Dallin Guk-eo Chaek’ (The Korean Language Book with Legs), about Seowoo’s grandmother who cannot read Hangeul and secretly steals Seowoo’s Korean textbook to study; and ‘Hunmaengjeongeum,’ where Seowoo’s mother tries to persuade her, who is accustomed to YouTube and smartphones and cannot understand why writing and reading books are necessary. These stories depict everyday situations that could commonly occur around us.

This performance is a collaboration between the Idleul Theater and the artistic group ‘Gongnori Club,’ known for their fresh and lively works that interpret contemporary stories from a novel perspective.

Child actor Woo Yohan plays the role of Seowoo, and veteran actress Lee Jae-hee, who adds depth to the production, plays Seowoo’s grandmother.

Also participating are actors Kim Sol-ji and Kim Bo-kyung, who are active across traditional music and theater, as well as Filipino actor Lagahit Christian, along with a creative team that brings imaginative ideas bridging reality and fantasy, raising expectations for the production.

Kang Hoon-gu, the representative and director of Gongnori Club, and the actors reportedly made various efforts to enhance the work’s completeness, such as actually doing dictation and interviewing children from the Jongno-gu Boys and Girls Choir, to rediscover Hangeul from a child’s perspective.

"Badassugi" will be performed from April 23 to May 8 at 7:30 PM on weekdays, and at 2 PM on Saturdays and Children’s Day. The theater is closed on Sundays and Mondays. The recommended viewing age is 6 years and older, and tickets are priced at 20,000 KRW for all seats.

Early bird tickets purchased by April 6 are eligible for a 40% discount. To prevent COVID-19 infection, seating will be arranged with social distancing except for companions.

Detailed performance information can be found on the Jongno Cultural Foundation or Idleul Theater websites.

Meanwhile, an arts education program prepared jointly by Idleul Theater and Gongnori Club in connection with this performance is also awaiting children. Supported by the Korea Culture and Arts Centers Association’s ‘Kkumdarag Saturday Culture School Arts Appreciation Education Operation Project,’ the creative team of "Badassugi" will serve as instructors to help deepen understanding of Hangeul.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong said, “Badassugi is an ambitious performance prepared to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the opening of the nation’s first professional public theater exclusively for children, established in April 2016.” He added, “Idleul Theater was the first single theater to introduce an artistic director system, consistently presenting high-quality children’s plays based on professionalism and operating various educational programs. We will continue to help children grow up upright and healthy through the arts.”

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