The world that each person dreams of is different. That is why, as they move forward to create the world they envision, they sometimes encounter fierce conflicts. A musical and exhibition are being held to highlight those who believed in the ideal direction and went toward it.
●Musical ‘Kyungjongsujeongsilrok’… Three men’s run toward the world they dream of
King Gyeongjong, the 20th king of Joseon. He cannot relax for a moment because of the forces that threaten his throne. When it becomes known that he suffers from narcolepsy, his royal authority becomes even more shaken. His half-brother Yeoninggun (later King Yeongjo), who is vying for the throne, puts pressure on King Gyeongjong. Historian Hong Su-chan silently records the history of these two brothers.
This is a creative musical that will be performed for the third time, following 2019 and 2021. It sharply delves into the rupture that erupts when the role of the king and the position as an older brother clash, highlighting King Gyeongjong, who was relatively inconspicuous among the Joseon monarchs. It also convincingly portrays the inner self of Prince Yeoning, who struggles against the fate of being born a prince and having to prepare for death if he fails to become king. The mysterious inner thoughts of Hong Soo-chan, who distances himself every time when King Gyeongjong, who has no one attached to him, tries to lean on him, also add to the curiosity.
As a three-person play, the actors each empathize with the complicated situations they are in. It brings to mind a triangle that is tense but also fills the stage with stability. The role of Gyeongjong is played by Joo Min-jin, Park Gyu-won, and Yoo Seung-hyun. Yeoning-gun is played by Kim Ji-on, Park Jun-hui, and Hong Ki-beom. Kang Chan, Yoo Tae-yool, and Lee Jin-hyeok were chosen to play the role of Hong Soo-chan.
Joo Min-jin plays King Gyeongjong, who appears weak but realizes that inclusive politics is impossible without strength, and he firmly suppresses the Noron faction that is shaking the royal authority one by one. His appearance as King Sukjong, a powerful monarch, and his trauma over his biological mother (Jang Hee-bin) who was killed by his father is pitiful. Hong Ki-beom plays Prince Yeoning, who seems confident but is intimidated by his biological mother (Suk-bin Choi) who is of low social status, with appeal. Yoo Tae-yool smoothly portrays Hong Soo-chan, who suppresses his inner feelings but takes unexpected action.
The solid and well-structured story is compelling. The political situation unfolds rapidly and three-dimensionally, while the complex inner thoughts of the three characters are vividly depicted. Many viewers shed tears in the scene where King Gyeongjong and Prince Yeoning finally reveal their true feelings in the face of a harsh fate after repeated conflicts.
The numbers that blend exquisitely with the flow of the play also add power to the piece. The part where Kyungjong repeatedly sings, “Let me dream,” lingers in our ears for a long time.
Until November 10th. T.O.M. Building 1, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
●Exhibition ‘REAL BANKSY: Banksy is NOWHERE’… Ingenious imagination that twists reality
“Banksy-ed.”
This is what happened when Banksy’s ‘Girl with Balloon’ sold for 1,042,000 pounds (about 1.7 billion won) at an auction at Sotheby’s in London in 2019, and then the painting fell down from the frame and shattered on its own. This was because Banksy had installed a device in the frame in advance as part of a performance.
Banksy, a ‘faceless artist’ from the UK, calls himself an ‘art terrorist’. This exhibition consists of about 130 of his works and performance videos. It is the largest Banksy exhibition held in Korea. You can see famous works such as ‘Flower Throwing Boy’ (2003), ‘Monkey Queen’ (2003), ‘Napalm’ (2003), ‘Happy Helicopter’ (2003), and ‘Pulp Fiction’ (2004). ‘Girl with Balloon’ is not the shredded work at Sotheby’s, but a different edition is on display.
Since Banksy hides his identity and operates, authenticity can be confirmed through ‘Pest Control’, a certification agency established by Banksy. The exhibition will display 29 Banksy works that have been officially certified by Pest Control. The exhibition hall organizes Banksy’s activities through infographics, starting from Bristol, England in the 1990s and leaving graffiti on streets and building exteriors around the world. You can see the process of elevating graffiti, which was perceived as illegal and low-quality, to popular and meaningful art.
The exhibition consists of four sections. You can appreciate it by going up one floor at a time, starting from the 4th basement floor. ‘Monkey Queen’ is a work that satirizes the Queen of England as a monkey. It satirizes the structure in which status, such as royalty and nobility, is determined at birth. ‘Happy Helicopter’ criticizes war by attaching cute pink ribbons to helicopters mobilized for killing people. Rats appear frequently in Banksy’s work. Rats represent people who exist everywhere in society but are ignored, such as homeless people, vagrants, and immigrants.
Banksy, who opposes violence, war, institutional oppression, and the evils of capitalism, humorously delivers social messages through works that ingeniously twist reality.
Until October 20th. Ground Seoul, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
2024-09-24 00:15:52