Marionette Musical Drama 'Mapo Samhaeju Story' to be Released Online on the 9th of Next Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The Mapo Cultural Foundation will release the marionette musical drama "The Story of Mapo Samhaeju" on July 9th through the Mapo Cultural Foundation's YouTube and Naver TV channels as part of the "3rd Mapo M Gugak Festival."

Now in its third year, the Mapo M Gugak Festival has met audiences under the new title "Korea Rhythm Touch." In March, it presented "Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut Homage," a reinterpretation of the Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut ritual that holds the pain of displaced residents of Bamseom Island. In June, it showcased "Rock and Roll Aeogaebonsandae Nori," which added rap and tap dance to the 300-year-old Bonsandae Nori tradition.

The final performance of the Mapo M Gugak Festival, the marionette musical drama "The Story of Mapo Samhaeju," features the traditional liquor "Samhaeju (三亥酒)," designated as Seoul City Intangible Cultural Property No. 8, as its protagonist. Samhaeju, made at Mapo Naru during the Joseon Dynasty, is named for its brewing process that begins on the cleanest day, the Haeil (亥日, Pig Day), and is brewed three times every Haeil. While the performances in March and June were homages to traditional culture, the biggest feature of this performance is that it is an original play created purely based on the story of Samhaeju.

Munsuho, Representative of Theater Company Mokseong

The direction is led by Moon Suho, representative of the Mokseong Theater Company, who is the first Asian to major in alternative theater and puppetry at the National Academy of Performing Arts in the Czech Republic (DAMU). Moon Suho, who studied marionette production and direction in the Czech Republic, the birthplace of marionettes, holds a unique position in the field of marionettes in South Korea. He has been active internationally, receiving the UNESCO award at the 2007 Prague World Stage Design Exhibition, being selected as the Artist of the Year at the 2014 UNIMA (International Puppetry Association) Festival, and chosen as an artist at the 2019 Prague World Stage Design Exhibition.

In addition, he directed puppet performances at the 2018 Yeongwon Danjong Cultural Festival and the 2018 Pyeongchang Cultural Olympics, and recently designed and produced puppets for the National Theater Company's 70th anniversary commemorative play "Faust Ending." Moon Suho, who is gaining attention through various activities including performances and video work, conveys the story of Samhaeju in "The Story of Mapo Samhaeju" through original direction using marionette puppet theater, traditional Korean performance arts, and image plays utilizing Joseon Dynasty genre paintings and landscape paintings.

The music for the performance is handled by Project Band M, led by music director Lee Jeongbong, who also worked on the first and second performances. The fusion gugak (traditional Korean music) combines traditional Korean instruments and Western instruments to express the abundant Mapo Naru, the protagonist’s craftsmanship toward Samhaeju, and the flow of seasons and time.

"The Story of Mapo Samhaeju" can be rewatched on the Mapo Cultural Foundation’s YouTube and Naver TV channels and will be widely used as educational material in the future.

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