[On Stage] The Bell Rang Again, Who Could It Be Wearing the Mask?

Close Friends' Cell Phone Sharing Game
Secrets Carefully Hidden by Each Revealed
2018 Hit Movie... Premiered Earlier This Year

Actors Seated in a Row at a Long Table
The Charm Lies in Unconcealed Psychological Observation

A scene from the play 'Perfect Strangers' (Photo by Shownote)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] A few days ago, a story of a man who discovered that his wife had been pretending to be a divorcee and having affairs with dozens of men was featured as a major news item on a portal site. The husband confirmed through his wife's Google Timeline that she had visited motels 30 times over eight months, and he said his heart was shattered. Another major news report on the portal was about the discovery of the phone belonging to A, a friend of a university student who went missing at Hangang Park and was later found dead. The police began digital forensics to find key clues to solve the case.

In today's world, where humans are called 'Homo Smartphonicus,' mobile phones serve as a human black box. It is no exaggeration to say that almost all information about a person?location and payment data, call and message logs, preferences, search history?is stored in their phone. The truth accumulated in a phone, regardless of the owner's intention, can be a Pandora's box that should never be opened for some, or a key to solving cases for others.

Here are three couples and one single person. They are close friends who met at a dinner gathering. One friend proposes an interesting game: "Let's share all the calls and messages we receive on our phones throughout the evening." Some coolly hand over their phones, while others hesitate but reluctantly comply. Seven phones neatly placed on the table. Each person's gaze upon them carries a strange mix of fear and anticipation. Outside the window, a lunar eclipse is slowly progressing as the moon is covered by Earth's shadow.

This is the opening scene of the play Perfect Strangers. Premiered earlier this year, Perfect Strangers depicts the psychological changes and conflicts that arise as each person's hidden secrets are exposed through their phones. It is based on the 2016 Italian film of the same name directed by Paolo Genovese. The Korean remake in 2018 was a box office success, attracting 5 million viewers.

Actor Im Semi, who played Bianca in the play 'Perfect Strangers'. (Photo by Shownote)

In the play, audiences can closely observe characters' facial expressions that are not visible in the film. While the film shows seven people gathered around a square table, the play arranges the actors in a single row along a long rectangular table at the front of the stage. This may feel somewhat artificial, but it allows the audience to better perceive the changes on their faces. The actors move not only around the table but also between the sofa, kitchen, terrace, and bathroom, bringing the drama to life.

There is a term called 'persona.' It originally referred to the 'mask' worn by actors in ancient Greece. Later, mixed with Latin, it became the root of the words person and personality. Carl Gustav Jung (1875?1961), who first used the concept of 'persona' in psychoanalysis, defined it as "a kind of performance to hide the self and true nature and to impress a good image on those around." Jung also claimed that humans have a thousand personas that they take out and use according to the situation.

Perfect Strangers strips away the personas people wear through the phone-sharing game. It then asks whether we can truly be confident that we know the real selves of our close friends, family, or lovers. It even makes us wonder if knowing the truth is truly desirable, or if living in ignorance might better preserve relationships. However, as the lunar eclipse deepens, just as a full moon awakens a werewolf, the voyeuristic desires of the seven participants intensify. It feels like playing Russian roulette where you only need to avoid one bullet.

Unfortunately, no one benefits from sharing their phones. Revelations of affairs or strange hobbies only damage their relationships. Even sexual identities that had never been spoken of since childhood are exposed. The relationships that spiral into ruin within hours may never be restored.

A scene from the play 'Perfect Strangers' (Photo by Shonote)

The ending scene begins with the characters not playing the phone game but simply seeing each other off after dinner. It remains unclear whether the game actually took place or was fictional. Bianca, unaware that her husband Cosimo has impregnated another woman, looks at him with loving eyes. Rocco, unaware that his wife Eva had an affair with his close friend Cosimo, suggests they work toward a better marriage. Perhaps this is the true nature of love and peace.

To become perfect beings to others, the 'true self' hidden behind passwords, patterns, and biometric authentication may be more beautiful when completely concealed, like a total lunar eclipse.

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