National Jeongdong Theater "Expanding to 29 Performances This Year, Utilizing Jeongdong's Historical and Cultural Value"

Jung Seongsuk, CEO of National Jeongdong Theater, Holds First Meeting
Total of 29 Performances Including 'Dilkusha' and 'Bimil-ui Hwawon'
Reconstruction to Begin Next Year with Completion Targeted for 2026

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "We aim to preserve the identity of Wongaksa, Korea's first modern-style theater, as a space that continues its cultural tradition, while developing it into a balanced cultural resting place within the city."

Jung Seongsuk, CEO of the National Jeongdong Theater. [Photo by National Jeongdong Theater]

On the 14th, the National Jeongdong Theater held the 2023 Jeongdong Season press conference and announced that it will present a total of 29 performances this year, including plays, musicals, and traditional arts.

At her first press conference since taking office, Jeong Seongsuk, CEO of Jeongdong Theater, explained the theater’s operation plan, saying, "We want to creatively develop the theater while maintaining its identity as a cultural space that harmoniously advances various genres of performing arts, plays a role as a cultural resting place in the city, and inherits and expands the value of traditional arts."

This year, Jeongdong Theater will stage a total of 29 works in 427 performances, including 4 plays, 7 musicals, 4 dance performances, 6 traditional performances, 6 concerts, and 2 performances/festivals. It will expand audience contact points through 277 performances of 15 works at Jeongdong Theater and 150 performances of 14 works at Cecil Theater.

On this day, CEO Jeong also revealed the theater’s three major goals and five plans under the slogan "Relentless Leap Toward the Future."

The three major goals of Jeongdong Theater, as explained by CEO Jeong, are ▲a cultural resting place for the people that enriches and brings happiness to their lives ▲creation of a healthy performing arts ecosystem ▲strengthening professionalism and capabilities through people-centered management.

The five plans to be pursued include ▲enhancing the theater’s status ▲increasing the theater’s intrinsic value through excellent performances ▲leading the development of the performing arts ecosystem ▲strengthening the role of the national public theater ▲revitalizing the National Jeongdong Theater Arts Troupe.

First, Jeongdong Theater will sequentially develop repertoires utilizing the historical and cultural value of the Jeongdong area in Seoul where the theater is located. The first work is the musical "Dilkusha," which will be presented in December.

"Dilkusha" is a work developed last December and will be newly presented to audiences this year with an improved story. It is a hopeful story about all the lives that have protected the house "Dilkusha," built by the American couple Albert Taylor during the Japanese colonial period.

In March, the original musical "The Secret Garden," based on the novel of the same name, will also be staged. The musical "Bernarda Alba," praised for its high completeness and popularity, and "Showman_The Fourth Double of a Dictator," which received favorable reviews at Jeongdong Theater last year, will be performed in June and September, respectively.

National Jeongdong Theater '2023 Jeongdong Season' Announcement Press Conference. Center of the front row is CEO Jeong Seongsuk.
[Photo by National Jeongdong Theater]

Various traditional performances will also be introduced. In June, "Cecil Pungnyu" will feature performances by cultural heritage holders such as Chae Sangmuk, holder of National Intangible Cultural Property No. 27 Seungmu, and Yang Gilsun, holder of National Intangible Cultural Property No. 97 Dosalpurichum, as well as programs meeting senior, mid-career, and emerging artists.

The National Jeongdong Theater Arts Troupe, founded in 2021, will present a newly interpreted traditional play "Chunhyang" in May, and in November, it will return to audiences with the dance drama "Eoritgwangdae," based on "Baudeogi," the female leader of the Ansung Namsadang troupe.

Korean creative dance pioneers Kim Maeja, Bae Jeonghye, and Guk Suho’s best creative dance stage "A Midsummer Night’s Creative Dance" will be unveiled in August. The play "The Sun," which opened on the 3rd, is a program planned in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Arts Center and Gyeonggi Provincial Theater, symbols of performing arts in Gyeonggi Province, through public-private collaboration.

Jeongdong Theater will begin reconstruction next year with the goal of completion in 2026. Through this, special performances actively utilizing the existing theater and archiving work will also be conducted. CEO Jeong said, "We plan to promote special performances that create special memories for artists and audiences by utilizing the entire space."

Accordingly, the small urban garden "Jeongdong Outdoor Yard" will host "Jeongdong Dahyang," a feast of tea and performances, in October, and the serene cultural space "Jeongdong Maru," which embodies the depth and dignity of tradition, will operate the monthly Sarangbang performance "Jeongdong Dadam."

At National Jeongdong Theater_Cecil, from the 16th of next month to December 29, ten works of the 2023 "Changjaking" will fill the stage. Selected by experts in each genre, the performances include the play "Who and What," the musical "Anthemosa," the musicals "13 Fruitcake" and "Platero" selected through open calls, the plays "This Is Not a Love Story" and "Kyrie," the traditional performances "Long Long Night" and "Heungbo’s Wife Divorce Lawsuit Case," and the dance performances "Stone" and "Don’t Lose Your Smile," all welcoming audiences in a newly renovated space.

As this year is the last year to welcome audiences in the existing building before reconstruction, CEO Jeong said, "We want to present a variety of performances to as many audiences as possible, thinking of this year as the last time to meet audiences in the current building."

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