I don't know if they're going to send a CUNY, but we are lucky to be in this really legendary New York, Lower East Side location. Please do look it up. Not only Ellen Ginsburg, many, many others in the original cafe have read their work in this place, so it's very dear to us, and it's one of the few spaces we feel left that make New York, New York, and Manhattan, and the scene, what makes it so, so, so different and exciting. My name is Frank Henchman. I'm the director of the Segal Center. We had the great privilege to be part of Penn World Voices. It's the great festival of the Penn Writers' Organization, one of the greatest organizations I admire. They do combine literature and human rights activities. They give us the most significance awards you can get, and they also get Writers' Outer Prism and help people who are still in there. So please follow their work and become a member of our writer. The festival is, one week, it's coming to the close. I think today is the last day over 80 writers, great great writers from all over the world are in the city right now and sharing their voices and their views. It has been created by Paul Oster, Salman Rushdie, Michael Roberts, and others during the first years of the Bush government where they felt the tunnel vision of the American government is really not what could be accepted compared to now. I think it's even more significant than what we hear. 95% of all books, and Penn always asks me to say that 95% of the books you can get in any bookshop here are from the English writing countries. 5% that's left. Half of it is German or French because it's subsidized. Only two or three out of those other books come from around the world. Just imagine you're a musician and you only listen to what happens in your own country to one or two others. It would be unacceptable. It would be in the way of development, the own views of the world and artistic creation. So we are doing our share here and we listen to voices from all around the world. We had great writers from Australia, from the Ukraine, from Turkey, and Brazil, from Guinea, from Germany, Syria, Palestine, and now we come to a play from a country we also hear a lot about but we don't really hear voices from there from the South Korea. And one of the things also is the relations between those two countries. So we are very, very excited to hear this and to hear how it's put into a dramatic form. Also how do the playwrights do it? What's the graph? And also how do the directors do it? Here on this small stage and how will the actors give you their story? The play is called Sister Moon Nan. And the writer is Un Song Kim. And where is he here? So he came to us. The translator is Da Yong Jong. And directed by Sun Jae Kim. We still talk to each other because it's not only a good sign after this. So this actually concludes our brilliant three days we have. And it's available in case there's any interest or if you really would like to thank our Seagull Center team, the producer, Brooke, and my co-curator, Anche-Högel, Soraya, Soria, Chung who was an assistant curator, Brad and Michael at the keyboards and Bella and Rebecca and so many, many others who I will forget now who we have. Alma. And everybody else from the Seagull Center, please, they wouldn't have been possible to get the tenable voices for letting us collaborate with them. We really highly do respect their work. We have a celebratory drink afterwards. So I hope you will stay here. The Neuricampoets Cafe agreed as an exception to keep the bar open. So please go have a drink, talk, also talk to the artists and the writers. And if you have a cell phone, please do take it out. I'll do the same. And find that little switch where it says off. I'll do the same. Here. Again, so right now, sister, Moon-na. Thank you. Classics choreographer, Cho Moon-na's mother, Cho Dae-ja, South Korean female, 55, room salon owner and soul. Ko Jae-san, South Korean male, 36, PhD in Korean history, unemployed, Cho Dae-ja's eldest son. Ko Tae-gang, South Korean male, 33, college professor, Cho Dae-ja's younger son. Ko Tae-young, South Korean female, 30, novelist, Cho Dae-ja's youngest child. Koseb, you're South Korean female, nine, elementary school student. Kim Jong-il, North Korean male, 41, member of an anti-North Korean organization and North Korean refugee broker living in South Korea. Oh Young-hwan, South Korean male, 48, film director. Kang Guk-sik, Korean American male born in Tokyo. 66, businessman living in LA. Cho Sung-ho, North Korean male, 55, painter, Cho Moon-na's father. Bae Myung-hee, North Korean female, 30, member of an organization for reunification, folks that are living in South Korea. Yuk Sun-young, South Korean female, 33, elementary school teacher. Song Hyeong-young, North Korean female, 15, middle school student. No Mi-rae, South Korean female, 21, room salon escort. Hwan Buseong, South Korean female, 23, college student. Bim Young-chul, North Korean male, 32, North Korean defector who returned to North Korea. Kook Sang-chul, South Korean male, 32, assistant to a congressman. Kyung Sung-wook, South Korean male, 34, secretary of a South Korean conglomerate company. Jong Shin-kyun, South Korean male, 34, doctor. Seo Hyeong-do, South Korean male, 25, college student. Chan Won-san, South Korean male, 20, pizza delivery guy. Korean female, take a portrait of Kim Il-sung upstage with his back towards the audience. And Hotei-san is downstage staring at the audience. Seoul, North Korea, auditorium, festival for the union of displaced parents. Cho Moon-na and Bae Myung-hee in thick makeup and colorful humble sing a North Korean pop song. Hyeju. South Korea, church chapel. And Hyeju, North Korea, square. That was the moment. That was the moment of horror. In the land of darkness without a glimpse of moonlight, suddenly they're shown a bright light. Go, follow the light. Thunder roared and a path was revealed to me. I betrayed my country and dreamed a treacherous life, dreamed to find a better life for myself. Yes, I chose a traitor's life for rice and roses. But what roses? What roses? Cruel South Korea didn't even let me touch a grain of rice.  To the Republic of Korea will I go. I will get there in one day. I will testify why I chose this path and how my father risked his life for me. Amen. I was interrogated again and again by the puppets of South Korean Joseon regime. In that process, many defectors were butchered like dogs. Our Heavenly Father saved me from the miserable pit of fire. He sustained my life throughout the perilous journey through the Two-Man River, China, Mongolia, Thailand, and all the way to the Republic of Korea. Friends, even a feast can fill your stomach if your heart is not pure. But if your heart is pure, even a gruel and straw shoe will content your heart. If it were not for the love of Jesus, I wouldn't be standing here today. Amen. From today until the end of my days, I will follow Jesus and praise only his name. This traitor of revolution who deserves nothing but being hung, drawn, and quartered has been embraced. The English words of Venus are taking their clients up for the gymnastics under the moonlight.  Hensie, footsie, central massage, girlfriend experience, Blue Dragon Roller Coaster, and shebang. What have you been doing? Peaches. The reviews say that we are serving. From now on, you better not get kicked out during halftime. If you notice any cheap John who might not close his tab, hit up the manager.  When I spot pray, I eat it for my dinner. Player, manager, senior manager, madam, queen, madam. The bite itself and has moved on to the second box. There's a pile of empty boxes of pizza and fried chicken and bottles of coke. Like it swung. What's the finger licking? Put these on shoves of finger down his throat. He vomits. I'm hungry. South Korea. Is the novel? Would you commission a painter to paint a painting without paint? Would you ask a chef to prepare a feast without fresh produce? There's no need to be so emotional here. Just spice it up. Okay, give me some notes or at least a voice recording. If a congressman doesn't have any time for that, I believe I've given you enough source material. It's not enough. How am I supposed to ghost-write an autobiography with that? You're novelist, right? They're writing novel. Sorry? It isn't easy to write something that didn't happen as if it happened. It isn't easy to write something that didn't take place as if it took place. Writing something that did happen, something that did take place, who doesn't know how to do that?  You think an autobiography is a novel? You're not getting any of this, are you? Why are you smirking? What's so funny? Was there enough to be smile about? Why did you hire me? Because I wasn't asking for a blank check? Because I come cheap?  You think an autobiography is a novel? Sure, great. Okay, let's just say that it is a novel.  You know why? Because your characters don't want anything. Oh, a want. You know what a want is? You don't, do you? Because it's quite expensive. That check you gave me can't buy it.  Chungcheon, North Korea, a schoolyard. Nam Kun-sa is leading the North Korean middle school students. Comrades, today we are going to master a highly technical collective move. Collectively circling forward with your hands under a comrades' waist. Let me explain the significance of this move. This move symbolizes the satellites circling around the sun. Comrades, what does the sun represent? Yes, that's right. It is our father, our general. Therefore, you student comrades, our baby satellites, circling around our father, our general. All right, now watch and follow me. Ready? Set. Let's all get... Are you looking for something? Yes, I am looking for my glasses. Good job! Eight. Ten. Three times one equals three. Three, six. Eight. Four times one equals four. Four, seven. Twenty-eight. Wow! There's some chases after them. Bwonju, South Korea, college classroom. Kotegang is standing at a podium. Thus spoke Ingeborg Bachman. To avoid separation, each of us should sense the schism. In a shared void, we should feel the same slash. We talk of the boundaries. Boundaries drawn by each and every word, possessed by an astoucher, we will cross over the boundary, and we will create one harmony with all places. What does this mean? What do these words mean? You have no idea what this means, right? Neither do I. I'm not sure. That's it for class today. You know, I've heard rumors that the department is going to be shut down. But how would that even happen? I'll do what I can to prevent that, so don't worry too much. Why are you crying? Don't. Just don't. Okay, this isn't Alphonse Donday's last story. This won't be the last lesson, okay?  Can you even call that a university, a school, a country? Let's just go get drunk, okay? Come on, stop crying, just stop. Sol, auditorium. Youth convention for the Union for Democratic Reunification. Zhou Mengnan plays her accordion. We'll return to Pyeongyang. No matter what, I will go. I'm not talking nonsense. I'm not being silly. I'm serious. I have to walk. I'm Jin River. My introils boils. It boils, you half-wit. You offered up your security deposit on top of the resettlement fund? She took pills? Why did you pick her up?  She's been completely cleaned out. She doesn't have a single coin in her pocket. Pyeongyang riches to salt rags. Jamsung Academy, elite. What good is being an elite when her wits aren't in her brain but in her toenails? You simpleton. A crab is a crab.  Bloodsuckers.  They should be burned to death. You know what bites a swordfish's tail? Another swordfish. You should have alerted me by the way when it happened you told me. I didn't know. How should I have known? I'm not a psychic. You should have hired a reliable broker. 50 million is more than enough to bring somebody from North to Seoul. With 50 million, you can even go back to living in Pyeongyang. You know Myeongju, right? The country bumpkin from Pyeongyang who used to come to our meeting? The guy who got wasted and sobered up only when he got a taste of my fist? That fool took 50 million and returned to Betulsan.   Yes, he bundled up his money and crossed the Duman River once again. And? And he didn't die? Died? He became a hero for bringing all that money. No, I can't believe you. Woman, why can't you believe your husband's words? Is that just him? There are at least 100 people who went back. You bring the money and you'll forgive it. Tell me another. Is that true? Is it really possible to cross over to Joseon again? Is it true? You shouldn't bluff. Why would I bluff? So is there really a way to go back to Joseon? You want to go back? Why? I want to live with my mother. Yeah? Then you can rescue her out of North Korea. Is that all? That's the real reason. I do not want to spend another day in this much shithole. Yeah? Well, tell me more. Nobody's more patriotic than my mother. I want to live in my motherland with her. Kim Jong-il slaps Jong-un now. Look, Pyongyang and Lee Jong-un run. You trust me? Can you send me back to Joseon? You have the money? How much will it take, sir? Will 50 million won do? How much will it cost if only I can go back to Joseon? I will build a bridge to the heaven. Are you sure you're not going to help Kim Jong-un? Hear my name clearly. Once and for all. Kim Jong-un? Look. What was I doing? What's called, sir? Kim Jong-il. I am not a shoe factory worker, Kim Pyong-suk. I am no longer Kim Pyong-suk who had to live in a gutter. I am a citizen of the Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il. You know why I changed my name, sir? Changing is one thing, but changing it to a name that makes you shudder in fear. The name of the great general is completely another. I changed it. Yeah. But why change the name of Kim Jong-un in the castle's name that makes your limbs quake in your sleep? I put my life on the line.  All the brokers who claim to be the best have nothing on me. Why? Because I am Kim Jong-il. You want to go back to Joseon? Bring me the money. Jong-un pours a drink in his glass. Yes, yes. Pour it to the top. You know what they say? Put three blind comrades together and they can see the whole elephant. Take a shot and let's gather a collective wisdom. Real Joseon style. Raise your glass all together. Rip it! Dressings on his wrist. Cho Dae-ja talks to Jong-shin Yoon who came for a house call. So when did he break up with her? Five years ago. He must have loved her very much. How long were they together? How long? He was dumped after dating her for 100 days. Before they started dating he followed her around for 10 years. He doesn't have a job. Doesn't look like he has one. What about school? Does he have any degree? PhD. What? PhD? What, you can't believe it? In what? Korean history. I think it would be best to hospitalize. A shrink trained in the US might be different. It's not like I have major potion from the States. It's important that he wants to get better. He wants to get better. Make sure he doesn't forget any prescriptions regularly. He has a severe case of psychosomatic inordination. In other words, it's psychosomic disorder. It would be an understatement to say that the chances of him committing suicide is well above the range. First, he should take prescriptions regularly. Your first prescription? Determination, attention, affection. None of those cliches you tell all your patients. What is your professional opinion as a doctor? What's the fix? Is there anything experimental? There's nothing like that. It's like, let him be loved. Make the depressed sing. A positive prognosis depends on whether he can be moved to sing or not. Sing? So play some good tunes. Okay, I gotta go. I'm running late. It's time for me to head out.  She hands him an envelope with money. Come to the salon sometime. I'll pick the cream. That was seven. Yes, my baby. You said we should just kill ourselves. No. Come on, you did. No, I didn't. Under the comforter? No.  No. Are you crying? It's okay. Life is supposed to be painful. No. Putigang studio apartment. Soul, January. Putigang is hungover. Chaya and me is looking for something in the drawers. You haven't deleted my number? Do you still act like that when you get drunk? You don't even remember, do you? Aren't you even curious? About what? She holds out her cell phone. This isn't why I have this. Oh. Give me the cash there. 9,401. I don't have any cash. What do you want me to do? Wire it to me. Okay. Text me your account. Chaya and me takes a brown photo album from the drawers. What's that? My old photos. I've always felt so uncomfortable about these. Chaya and me takes your photos out of the album. Kept a photo album? We won't stop you looking after the other album. Putigang studio apartment. Soul, South Korea, January. Putigang is naked under the comforter. Oh Young-Pwon is wearing nothing except for his shorts. He drinks his coffee as he reads a magazine. Can you hand me my clothes over there?  Oh Young-Pwon picks up the clothes thrown about the bed. Putigang dresses under the comforter. What happened last night? You don't remember? No. It's a bit blurry. I was totally wasted. Don't worry. I took the caution. Did I? Counted me once, yeah. But you don't owe me, okay? Not a chance. What was the fourth grader? Times five. What's three? You're ancient.  You remember that? So, we were talking about the screenplay and, oh right, the war movie about the Vietnamese war, right? Then I blacked out. You don't remember the pinky promise? What was that for? I actually forget about it. Sorry, you're the one who has photographic memories, aren't you? Are you really shooting this time? Not yet. I'm working on my seventh draft. So why are you writing about the Vietnamese war? It's all been done before. What's the plot? A Korean soldier falls in love with a Viet Congarella in a battle field.  That's why the only thing on your IMDB page is your debut film. You don't laugh. I'm this close to getting it produced. You know I don't know a thing about the craft. You're gonna do great. I bet you can structure a really tight plot. I can write dialogue for a minute. Structure in the plot is my forte.  You said you weren't disillusioned about the whole thing.  You've got no car, no money, no wife. You have only one thing in plenty. Your age. So why are you following me around? Sexy wrinkles. That's room salon. Soul, February. On a sofa, Kang Guk-sik is lying on his stomach. Cho Dae-jaj hops on Kang Guk-sik's back and massages him, giving it her heart and soul. How does it feel, sir? It feels like I'm back in Korea. How long are you staying this time? Three months. Oh, three months? What's keeping you for so long this time, sir? English time. Wouldn't that be too risky? I don't know, sir. I don't know, sir. My name, my name. You should play a part, too. Me, sir.  Money management. Recruiting the answers. Yes, sir. If things go well, you'll get an aquarium. Thank you, sir. How's your business? Is there any problem? How are you? I'm fine. Sponsors? How you got to your back? Can't deal with sentimentality. I apologize. Your Japanese has improved a lot, by the way. Thank you very much. Help is the most important thing in life. I haven't gone peach-speaking in a while. Oh, yes, sir. No bidet! Bidet, meaning future, right? No bidet walks in, takes gone-to-cheeks by his arm and head. It is Zhou Mengnan. Mengnan. A wild magnolia. The name fitting for our courtesan. Where in China are you from? I'm from Pyongyang, man. I heard that there is an opening for a pianist. I saw the advertisement. Have I found the right place? A million won a month by playing the piano. Is this the house of adult entertainers? I understand. I would leave family. Are you any good with it? Be accordionate? It's no matter now. I will see myself out immediately. Hoteisan's studio apartment. So, March. Hoteisan is sleeping with his comforter over him. Hoteisan pours rice wine in a bowl all the way to the top and drinks it up. Sun's not down and you're drinking already. I've never seen you two come together. Look how lovely it is to see you two together. Mom, you gotta think of your health. Think of your age. It's alright. It's been a while, just had one drink. Here, take one. Both of you. Out of all my mom's different personas, I get to see the drunkard the most often. She's got swag. She's got casting.  The college professors are the top... No worries though. The world is changing and our bunch might go extinct soon. Why? Don't tell me you got drunk and got yourself in trouble. Did you just screw a girl in your class? Please. You call this the crack of dawn for drunken shenanigans? I had to butter... So what's new? Young. What did I tell you? What is your eldest brother's name? Oh, here we go. You want me to take the hammer out? Okay, son. The mountain. And what is your elder brother's name? Ha Taekang, the river. And you? Ha Taekang, the sun. That's right. Taeyang. There's a mountain. There's a river. But no matter how high the mountain is, no matter how deep the river runs, they are nothing without Taeyang, the sun. You know what I mean? You are the light and the warmth... Selling booze. Are you satisfied? And what's this hammer? This is the one thing that your father left when he died at the age of 26, working shitty manual labor. It is the last thing your father left when he went thousands of miles away to Saudi Arabia so that he could work himself to death. Nothing.  You didn't visit him until it got this shudders with anger, you motherfucker. If Taesan dies like that, we're gonna smash our heads with the hammer.   Stop all this from God's sake. Toiling him. Look at this. Look at us.  You don't like this. You don't like that, huh? If you don't want to live, let's just end everything.  Sure thing, Taesan. Pick up the hammer. All right. Let's die here. No! Stop! So, April. Professor Ho, I really wasn't gonna say this. You're drunk. You can do that. I heard you got a job at another university. Everybody knows. Just drink. What are you, huh?   Don't live like that. Why are you studying philosophy? Tell me. Won't do so on you. Why are you so silent? You want me to spell it out for you? It's because that is the only department your grades allow you to apply for. You wanted to get into a reputable college, but you couldn't choose a popular department. No? You gonna say I got it wrong? That's not true. You can't say that. Not true. I can't say that. Why?  It's so hard to get transferred to another department, and the university administration says that you could choose whichever department you want. Wonderful, isn't it? It's so much better than graduating with a degree in philosophy that gets you nowhere. You just can't get any better. What serendipity, no? Don't indulge yourself by playing a martyr. Professor Hu, I'm really disappointed in you. Come on, let's go.  Oh, you're not coming? Come on, let's go. Sit down. I'm not finished.  You ain't no philosopher.  So, can you philosophize? Hey, you philosophy major from a shithole college.  You better stop. Okay, let's go over it one more time. A tune commander, Chang Min Hyuk, who was ambushed during a search mission is left all alone in a jungle. When he opens his eyes, Su An taking care of him. When the village is about to be mercilessly attacked by the U.S. Army, Chang Min Hyuk prevents it. Through this incident, Min Hyuk and Su An fall in love. Even after Min Hyuk returns to his platoon, the romance continues. But, it turns out, Su An is a secret Viet Cong agent. Chang Min Hyuk's platoon is ambushed by the villagers who turn out to be guerrillas. Even in the midst of this, Min Hyuk tries to save Su An. But Su An heartlessly pulls the trigger and mingles up. Su An is then shot to death by the Korean soldiers. The producers said the same thing. What could we do? So, let's say I'm Chang Min Hyuk and you are Su An. Did you even love me? Or is it that you love me, but your patriotism made you pull the trigger? Or did you take an advantage of me pretending as if you loved me? How do we make this convincing? You know, sometimes you can't figure out your own feelings. She wants Min Hyuk's heart to manipulate him, but as time goes by, she starts having feelings for him too. Maybe she kills Min Hyuk because she wants to rein in her feelings for him. But at the last moment, Min Hyuk doesn't shoot her, even though he can. She looks into his eyes and she realizes I've been in love with this man. So, she takes Min Hyuk's hands and disappears into a secret chorus the jungle where elephants roam around, as you said? That's ridiculous! We can still think about the ending.  That's the formula!  Got it, got it. No got-it-all word and doubt. But it's definitely a cliche. No offense, but I feel like I've heard this story before. What did you just say? What have we changed the genre? Well, what about an action or a thriller? I've spent years doing research, investigating and interviewing. I can write a fabulous melodrama, a mystery melodrama. Leave me alone. I need some space. This is my place. This is my room. Where are you going? And plays the Labyrinth of Love by Choi Jin Hee on her guitar. Sing it again. Pardon? That song you were singing. Sing it again. Wondering whether my- You know, you should never mess around with music. Pardon? You've got the lyrics all along.  I mean, do you even know what the title of the song is? Mounting back to where the sunrise is. Oh, my goodness. It's Labyrinth of Love. Labyrinth of Love. Look, repeat after me. No matter how much I try. No matter how much I try. I just can't grasp love. I just can't bless love. My heart blinded by love. Cries because of the truth. Never minds, just write it down.  In a corner of your heart, I plant all my love for you. Please don't ever hurt me. Never, ever, with no end or beginning, infinite, oh, the Labyrinth of Love. Done? Sing it like that on that one. Don't make a love song political. Where's the fun in that? You must love this song very much, sir. Of course. As young as you. Sir, I know you're not just acting now. I loved her very much. I've been a star of the party. How long has it been since the last time you saw her? Nothing makes your heart ache more than longer for someone you can't see. It's been one year for me. But it feels like it's been ten years. But they can't feel longer when you're young for someone. Your heart feels like it's been tripped by a stone again and again. It feels like you're sinking under the ground deeper and deeper. Hey. I understand. Please forgive me for rambling, sir. You know that feeling? That feeling that your heart is being tripped again and again? Your heart's sinking underground. Deeper and deeper. You know that. Even when you're still, your heart's sinking under the ground. You know that. Even when you're still, your heart drops.  You walk and walk, but you circle around the man-man in the field of breath. Even if you lie down to sleep, you feel like you're sinking all by yourself in an empty lung. And then all of a sudden, all the way down the cliff, you feel like you're falling. Yeah. Have you ever been on a pirate ship, right? What about the blue dragon roller coaster? You guys don't even have a swing boat. Are you talking about dance and cereal cups? What cups? Do you mean the one that pulls from high place like this? Yes! You can write that it gets in you first, sir. Do you have that? Are you talking about the swing boat? We have that, too. I've tried one. Yeah. How does it feel? It was fun, but it felt so weird. It felt like my body was falling. Ju...ju... Yes. And the fall that feels like it's endless without a bottom. I mean, what do you think? Doesn't that feel similar to that feeling that your heart is sinking under the ground? That sounds right. Can you think of it? It does feel like when you're on a swing boat. I'm glad we're on the same boat.  Breathing is like a surge. Living is like being on a pirate ship. I can't. I just rest with the night. It's coming again. Coming again. Ah! Are you feeling all right, sir?  Do we know what we call light bulbs in Joseon? In North Korea? We call the light bulbs in the balls. And do you know what we call tubular bulbs? Tubular bulbs are long balls. Chandelier is a kind of balls. Candle bulbs are peanut balls. Isn't it funny? Put these on, hands are a packet of gum. Open it. Jo-mong-dan unwraps the gum and hands it to Hotei-san. In my mouth. Jo-mong-dan puts the gum down in front of Hotei-san. What? Are you kidding me? I refuse to do this. Shouldn't you do what you pay to do? Hotei-san takes his pants off.  I seem to understand your meaning, sir. Thank you, sir. For what? Madam Jo said that I will get paid a million won every time you left. What do you call it? Oh, that's good. Yeah, I'll put in a good word for you, but you're pretty funny. Aren't you glad that I am? How can you feel so tired after so much sleep? I wish I could sleep properly for once. Deep in the sound. Hotei-san takes the pills. Puts the pill box near his head and lies down. Are you going to sleep? I will, soon. Jo-mong-dan heads to her sleeping spot away from Hotei-san's. She takes her pills and lies down. You want to sleep next to me? Please? I don't know. We'll just cuddle. I have a third degree black belt in Taekwondo. You have been once, sir. But I really can't. This will make it easier for you to force me. And on that ice shot, lips closed empty your mind. Tell yourself. It turns to her place and lies down. She sits up and she looks at the piece of paper. Where, how much should I try? Be my only sublease department. So, may. So, you are getting paid 3 million per month? Let's see. Then you got to save every penny for at least a year and a half to make 50 million. In a condition that I'll get paid in a lump sum, at the end of the year, I will be paid 50 million. Yeah? Can you rely on them? They're not the kind of people who fool around with money. But, oh, you have hit the jackpot. About the thing that you promised me to look into. How did that go? Are you determined to do it? Yes, sir. On your life? Yes, I am. Right? This Kim Jong-hyo found a fail-so-safe route. Are you absolutely sure about it? One person each in Incheon, Shinyeon. It's quite a project. It's twice. Rice harder than taking somebody out of North Korea. You should never think that 50 million is too much. I understand. So, you'll be prepared with the money before the end of the year? Everything else will be taken care of by then. So, don't worry about anything other than the money. I'll let you eat the New Year's Rice Cake Soup in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. You are so fortunate. Things are working out so smoothly. Everything should be fine. If you want to take a carriage to the wedding, if you want things to go smooth, watch your mouth. Anyway, why isn't it not here yet? No one expects a voice with an empty stomach to appreciate the majesty of mountain Gyeonggung. Oh, oh, oh! Turn it on now. It's time for the lottery. Oh, right. Turn one song comes in with a pizza. What took you so long? I'm sorry. It's $15,901. Kim Jong-il, take the pizza and hand him the money. Excuse me. I said it's $15,901. I know. You still need to pay $901.  I'm sorry. I got lost. You got lost. I'm new to this job. I'm sorry. Listen to me. That $15,901 includes a price for the promise that you will deliver it on time. You are 15 minutes late. So should I pay you the $901? I'm sincerely apologize, sir. Where is your work ethic, huh? I apologize, please. Kim Jong-il, hands him $1,001. Work hard. Got it? I'm sorry. Thank you, sir. Give me a leave. He was lucky I was in a mood for mercy. It's starting. Oh, yeah? Kim Jong-il and Bae Min-hee, hold the lottery ticket and watch the TV. Eight. Yes, I got it. 15. Oh, why can't I get one right? Six. No. 25. Seven. Let's see. 17. Why can't these numbers be in unison? They're all dodging. Huh.  Putty's on some studio apartment, Seoul, July. Putty Young is watching a platoon. Jong-il Na is teaching Putty's on how to play accordion. Pay attention to the bean sprouts. See how the bean sprouts are divided in different sections? Be the collars of the bean sprouts. I can't do it. I can't achieve anything at the first step, sir. Okay, let's try again. Yo, we're here for a sec. Putty Young makes Jong-il Na sit right next to her. Putty's son practices accordion by himself. So, North Korean? Yes, ma'am. I'm just really curious. The TV presenter in the North Korean news, you know, the older woman who is always in the traditional Hanbok. I just want to know, you know, what happened to her. How are there so many secrets? And, you know, the new one? What's wrong with her? That lady has got to do something about her hair. Is hairstyle like pareditary too?  When something's dumb, things rarely change, ma'am. Dictatorship must be in your nature. It must be. You know, air can't come in unless there's a hole for it to get out. In your country, seriously need some ventilation. You need fresh air. What did you do on the day when Kim Jong-il died? He cried in a corner, didn't he? Say something. North Korean, you cried when Kim Il-sung died, didn't you?    I can tell you're lying. Have you seen the statue? Of course. On TV, it disgusts me. It is so tacky. I mean, a statue slathered with gold. If you behold it, you will be moved, and tears will well up.  How can human hands create something like that? Is it really possible to create something like that with human hands?  You are so naive. It's not that you can't make it. You just don't make it. When I first came to Seoul, the statue of the senator of East Asia started with me. There it was at the center of the city, like a dwarf, black, brownie. I thought he was a chap. Korea, that much, just go back. Just cross the border again. Why did you run away? I did not run away, math. Then what? What? Can't you speak? You got into trouble, didn't you? You're quite ready. Did you hit on a married man? You know, somebody high up in the labor party? Yeah? You're frowning. You're scary.  What, you're gonna start a military provocation? You're not too bad, you know?   How long are you staying there? I'll be here as I'm sailing through the winter. Until the winter? If you're gonna leave, just leave. Don't go breaking his heart. You slept with him, didn't you? I...no, I did not. Oh, thank you. Why do you treat people like that? You should not talk to other men. Why do you speak of such nonsense? Please don't blow the British trumpet. Please warped. You watch American films in the North? Why not? We have everything except for the things we don't have around. I heard that you guys can even watch Korean TV shows. In Korea, all American films have the same title. Yeah? What do they call?  When Nam? When Nam? He's warped? Why wouldn't I know, ma'am? Oh, right. I guess you guys also took a course on world history or something. My grandmother was a When Nam war hero. Right. Wait, hold on. That doesn't make any sense. What do you mean, ma'am? Your grandmother is Vietnamese? No, she's not, ma'am. Then how? How can a North Korean woman be a hero of the Vietnamese war? Because she was. She was a war hero, ma'am. What's so strange about it? Really? Did the North Koreans participate in the Vietnamese war? Yeah, I don't think you guys did. I merely told you what I've been told, ma'am. I've heard this story many times since I was a child. I haven't seen my grandmother's medagas, too.  Oh, wow. It's for real. North Korean government admitted that they have dispatched platoons to Vietnam only when memorials were found in their country. What they got walks in through the door with a book. Oh, look at you. Looking cozy. Hey. This looks like home.  Hold on. I'm in the middle of something.  Nobles anymore.  Looking good, looking good. How have you been? Sir. Jong-wook Nam goes to put his hand and helps him with the accordion. You really came. You don't have lectures today? Nope. I've got nothing for a while. Why? You don't want to know. All right. What happened? Why did you summon me? If we don't take care of him, mom's going to cut off our monthly allowances. I knew it. You'd never do anything for free. Is he catching up fine? He's good. He's a good working heart, sir. That's great. Really? Thank you. It is my pleasure, sir. Put a gun, gives Hote-san a book. If you get bored, read this. The title is filthy, but it's a fun read, all right? Thanks. You know a bit about history, don't you?  It's much better than Korean history. I mean, how do you call that history?  Even the title stinks so much. I wouldn't even use that thing as a coaster. Do you think you're so much better than that? It was published by the publisher that boycotted you or not. I told you I'm done with novels. Why? You remember the pretty girl in your university, one of the younger ones? She's become a big shot. She came on TV the other day.  You know how her novel got so popular? There was a TV show with Wonbin, you know, the hottest male actor, and her book was on his desk. It's ludicrous. Somebody's jealous. Okay, don't. Taeyang, history is dying. Literature is dying. And philosophy is dying. We can't let this happen. I will philosophize until the end of my days, and you should do the same with your novels. I know things are difficult, but we should be the watchers of the age. Words, pretty words.  And you, you're kind of like that. You're on the break of fooling yourself. The way I see it, there's no one more conservative than you. You are no progressive. Poteon takes a call. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Did you take a look at it? Yes, I said yes. They did send the platoons. Yes, I know, right? Poteon succeeds in playing a section with the accordion. You've done it. As I have promised, here is your reward, sir. Jo Monan picks up her guitar. It's so nice to hear the sound of a guitar. It's been a while. You know, maybe I should take a guitar lesson. Yeah, I thought you were pretty decent. No, no, no, no. I tried and I could not play C I gave up. Did you? Monan, can we talk for a sec? Poteon makes Jo Monan sit next to her. So your grandmother fought in the Vietnamese? No, no, no. The Nguyen Nam? Yes? Your grandmother fought in the Nguyen Nam War? Yes, ma'am. Okay, platoon leader Cha Minh Hyuk is ambushed during a search mission and is left alone in the jungle. When he opens his eyes, he is at a peaceful village in a forest and finds a Vietnamese maiden, Su An, treating him. Suddenly, the village is about to be mercilessly attacked by the American troops but Cha Minh Hyuk and Su An saved the day. In this incident, Minh Hyuk and Su An fall in love. But! But Su An, whom Minh Hyuk believed to be Vietnamese turns out to be Jo Monan, a North Korean soldier. Hold on. And I wanted to bring this up for a while but don't you think the name is a weird Nguyen Nam? Why? That makes sense. It turns out Su An is not Nguyen Nam but the real Nguyen Nam, North Korean woman. Minh Hyuk conceals the fact and returns to the platoon. Soon, American troops request a mission. Obliterate the village. And Minh Hyuk volunteers as an advanced guard to inform Nguyen Nam and rushes to the village. But under Nguyen Nam's leadership, the guerrillas in the village have already commenced an attack. In the middle of a Vietnamese jungle. Cha Minh Hyuk, a South Korean man. And Nguyen Nam, a North Korean woman. Take a gun at each other. Oh, who will pull the trigger first? Or can these star-crossed lovers overcome their fate with love? Oh, ideology or love. Oh, war? I'll sit across from each other. A hammer is placed between them. All right. All right. What do you do? The whole department has been shut down. So how are you going to pay the bills? I'm leaving this country. Let's see. Professor Kim dropped by. A job opening at the end of the year. Go get it. 50 million and all that. It's not that. Why did he say that? The university isn't in soul. But I heard that it's more prestigious than the university you taught at. With a rich history. Stop it. Listen to me. Seriously, I don't want to do it. I can find something else on my own. Just? You'll clean your house. And you'll dress up. You're going somewhere? No. Just for a change. Strike the iron while taught. Stay there. No matter what. All right? I'll do what I can. So no more intervention, please. What about you, Mom? You look pale. Rough days. Or was it not rough? Why, Mr. America isn't helping you out these days? He's in a crisis, too. Tomorrow is a mystery. Really? Only those who survived the inciting incident and exposition get to experience the crisis. Should you wish to stay alive as a protagonist through the climates until the end, you have to spin the crisis into an opportunity. Okay. Happy ending is not the only sort of ending. I heard that taste on us getting better. Yes. I can finally breathe. That North Green made it. She's going to be my sister in law one day, huh? Young, healthy, wholesome, with common sense. It's hard to find a girl like that these days. Why? You want to have a taste? Mom! I'm hitting up.  Did you really come out of my womb? I have some baby. He takes a bottle of wine and glasses from a bookshelf and places them on a table. He plays classical music on a record player. He opens the door. Jo Mung Nan walks in. She has put on makeup and is wearing a skirt. You look breathtaking in purple. Oh, please, take a seat. It's September and it's still hot. Sir? He points the wine into the glasses. If you haven't practiced, I'm never going back. I heard you're like, why? We should celebrate. It's been one month since you started teaching me. Yes, it's been a month. And you still can't play chords, sir. What did you come? You're making me nervous. Let's just finish this glass. Poh Tegang raises his glass to propose a toast. Jo Mung Nan raises her glass, too. Clink! Poh Tegang gulps down the full glass. Jo Mung Nan doesn't... Jo Mung Nan doesn't drink a drop. Poh Tegang brings his guitar. He plays basic chords. There's nothing right about melody or rhythm. Have you really practiced, sir? Yes, of course. His marvelous fingers are wasted on you. Jo Mung Nan takes the guitar and demonstrates. Do it like this. Alright? Try again. Poh Tegang pulls the guitar. No, I told you not to do it like that. Jo Mung Nan corrects him. Would you sing a song for me? No. He turns off the music later. If you'd sing me a song, I'd get inspired. If you'd sing me a song, my hidden talent might start to shine. What am I supposed to do with you, sir? Jo Mung Nan picks up the guitar. What's in my heart? For a seat? Now let's practice.  Are you seeing someone who doesn't have a secret boyfriend? Please? It sounds funny. He suddenly holds the guitar like a professional musician. You gave me goosebumps. How did you like the song? Sounded a lonesome song. And sing an invigorating song. Why did you lie, sir? You're such a wonderful musician. Why did you lie all this time? How could you do that to me? Poh Tegang and Jo Mung Nan are sitting with a big box, and you can't open it, sir. Would you like me to put it back again? Just throw it away. No. You made up your mind of me with your old hands, sir. Jo Mung Nan holds his hand. She leads his hand to the box so that he can open it. Poh Tegang opens the box. The box, including gifts and letters. Why are you keeping empty cans? We drank from them. The first time we had a date by the Han River. What in the world? You can throw them away. And what are these? She gave me some kimchi in those Tupperware. Does she even know that you've kept all these? Jo Mung Nan takes shopping bag handles that are cut from the shopping bags. What are these? The shopping bags she gave me. And where are the shopping bags? Young Ang was holding them in her hands. I just couldn't throw it away. Can we stop, please? It feels like my guts are being ripped away from me. How are you going to throw them away if you're not going to lose them? Jo Mung Nan brings in a garbage bag. Are you going to throw them away? Good riddance. Jo Dae Ja walks through the front door. Great job! That's disturbing. What are you doing? It's embarrassing. It's the garbage I know. You came to see your brother. Good girl. No, I favor. Young Ang takes a script out of her bag and takes notes. How would North Koreans say you underestimated me, didn't you? You underestimated me, didn't you? Comrade, you gave me a cursory glance, didn't you? They're right. What about I regret the day I met you? Meeting you, comrade, was an error. Great. What literature are you talking about? Yes. What is it about? It's a war movie. Did you use the story about my brother? Why? How much are you getting paid to write this? How much? Fifty million. Fifty million what? It's nothing. You can't call yourself a successful writer unless you write a hit play that pays you at least a hundred million. So how should I say my fist is shattering and bellowing? How can I make that sound more aggressive? My fist is your burning flame. Oh, that's great. That's great, right. Okay, what about my fist is crying that I should beat you down?  Put me on. How does he sleep these days? He still needs his pills. You need to get off the pills. You're the only one who can do it. I'll make it happen by the end of the year, Mark. By the end of the year? Why are you going somewhere next year?  You look into my eyes. Look. Are you seeing someone? Pardoned? No, I'm not. I'm not. Then where are you going? I just have somewhere to go. Ask you just one more time. Are you seeing someone or not? No, I'm not. Are you sure? I will take your word. Make your decision swiftly over consideration.  This can't go on. Tessan shouldn't develop feelings for you anymore. If you two are going to bond, be committed.  And others call it a chance that you'll never get a good life.  I'll stay. If you're going to have a second thought, you take it back now. It's not too late. No. No. I'll stay. I'm glad you made the choice to sometime in spring but don't tell. Let's put the biggest haul there to the grand ballroom. Madam Jones, we have to pay me the salary in December. A 50 million? Sure. What do you plan to do with that? I really need to send him the money somewhere. Where? To the north. Ask the details. 50 million? That's your problem. That's nothing. She strokes Mona's hands. Mona. Our son is old, short, and ugly. I'm not. As you know, he has a heart of gold. His eyes won't stray away from you. Once he falls in love, that's it. Make a baby. Chaudita takes the hammer out. This hammer is the keepsake left by your grandfather in law during the Japanese occupation. This hammer, safe house for our founding father, Kingu.  His hammer was then handed down to his son which traveled from Manchuria, Ongnan. Use this hammer. What happened? Sunglass is on. She holds a wine glass looking out the window. He'll take out the pours of wine in her glass. You like her that much. That glass is so much. What about me? You what? Do you think she'd have been a good match for me? You can do so much better than that. Are you? I was just joking. I was just joking. What's happening today, by the way? Something's up. You haven't taken your hammer out. Hang on a second. Something's funny with you. Is that the cigarette in your hand? Who? Mr. America? Chaudita puffs the smoke out. How bad is it? Air raid siren battle. What's it got to do with that English tower or something? He stole from the Ants sideways and dove into the Pacific Ocean. He stole from me too.  We should find him. I might get arrested. I'm going to be a wanted woman very soon.  How did you let things come to this? I'm going to lie low and be out of reach. We should go separate ways. Look out for ourselves. Tessan's going to be fine with Mon Anso. Please take good care. Up there. Chaudita puts out the cigarette, takes an envelope out, and gives it to Joteta Gang. What's this? 50 million. Forget about it. We have bigger fish to fry. I scripted, saved everything I have left. Take it. Come on, Mom. I'm going to the safe house. So let me have a piece of mine. Joteta Gang receives the envelope. How long do you think it will take? Spring will come. Joteta Gang holds Joteta's hands. When this is over, let's live a new life. Not like this. A different life, please. Black Momo will be finished that easy. You know who I am. Winter. Putesan Studio apartment. Seoul, December. Putesan practices accordion on his own. Jomongnan is sitting leaning against the wall. Where have you been? To love, Mr. Ho. Putesan stops playing. Jomongnan approaches Putesan. I've been to the salon. It looks like it's been closed for a while. What's happening? Um, I'm not so sure. Please don't lie. Where's the matter? I've already told you. I'm so sorry. But there's nothing we can do other than wait. Just take it easy. Things will get better. Just just tell me what's happening. She's not showing up here. She's not picking up the phone.  So what's happening? Is she on the run? Why? Is it because she's out of money? Is that what's happening? Probably. Don't be so ambiguous. I'm drowning and you're flunking.  When is she coming? Is she coming back this year? You said that we should give her just one more day and it's been 15 days. When is she coming? I can't just say anything. I don't know. Let's stop all of this. Then what about my money, sir? Who's giving me the money? Huh? Please say something. If only I had the money. I'd give it to you. I'm sorry. I'm not saying that I won't give it to you or that you should wait for years. Let's just wait for a few months. Did you just say a few months, Mr. Huh? Instead of your days adjustable a while ago and now you're seeing a few months? She won't break in that much money just in a day when things get better. You know my mom. She's not a kind of person who can't afford that much. A day? When is that day, sir? What is the point?  Hey, hey, just calm down. What's wrong with you? Look, you're not yourself. Okay, I'm not my- Puteyang studio apartment. So, December. Chomong Nan and Puteyang sit facing each other. How am I supposed to find 50 million out of nowhere? Move out of this apartment and give me the deposit. Wow. Look at you. Look at you? Me? What's wrong with me? Hey! Why are you doing this?    I ain't the one who's scared to death! You're gonna move our old one. How would I do that? This property has been seized already. Where is your mother? William, I don't care how you're doing. Just give it to me. Or you and I, we're gonna die here. All right. Let's just kill ourselves here. You got paid for the film literature, right? 50 million won. My grandmother didn't hear me. You think I wouldn't know that you stole her story? Give me that money. I haven't been paid yet.  I really haven't been paid yet. Can't trust you. Money! Put it on cause, Ooyong Kwan. Ooyong Kwan does not pick up. She leaves a voicemail. Your phone is still off and I really need to talk to you. So, please pick up the phone. I'm begging you. She hangs up. Why didn't you say anything about the money? There's a good reason. Call me again. No. John Lennon takes the hammer out. Can't just see what I'm capable of.  Put it on cause, Ooyong Kwan, again. Ooyong Kwan does not pick up. She leaves a voicemail. Please, please pick up the phone. Pacted by Ooyong Kwan? 15 million will get more affection for the real Moonan, the North Korean woman. Although I rejoice at the success of the film, I cannot help but think about the fact that the peninsula is still divided into the North and South. The pain of the divide reverberated far away in the Vietnam War and it is still shared by us today and now. And I have a conviction that the reunion will approach us an inch by inch as we share this agony and continue to ruminate on it. Kote Gong Studio apartment, Seoul, December. Lying side by side. I used to dream of going to a warm, southern beach. When I was younger, I wanted to go to Jeju Island. I wanted to see Hanyas dive in the blue ocean. Hand in hand with my comrades. I wanted to frown on a warm, southern beach. There's a place named Yangtang-do-Hesang, near the Han River. I was in the propaganda squad there. In Joseon, you can make your dream come true unless you serve in the military. My mother was a dancer and I wanted to be a musician. And one day, somebody came and claimed to be my father's friend and asked me to take his lunch for a few days. And I did as he did the next day. My close comrade working for the security department came to the propaganda squad. With a very pale face. A smuggler is wrapping your name. Do you know the man? He was a sky-classing. It wasn't just any smuggler, but a porcelain smuggler who sells Korean food and porcelain in South Joseon. My comrade told me that all of my family will be arrested as political prisoners.  What about the only thing I could do? What about your parents? Do you know who they are about? I heard that they have been expelled from Pyongyang. And that they are in Chungcheongnam. Be safe. I mean, though, that things are not easy for them. Then you need it soon. I wish you would that. So sorry. He stands up and paces. He rushes towards her and hugs her tight. He kisses her passionately. He kneels in front of her. Stay with me. We should leave South Korea together. Let's leave the peninsula together. Let's just go as far away as we can from here. Canada, Australia, Africa. Just run away as far as we can. What do you mean, mister? We'll take all the stands up and take some round photo album from the... What is that? 50 million won. Let's send this money to the north and leave without any regrets. Yeah? Seoul, January. In a shabby band park somewhere, Kim Jong-il at the driver's seat, Banyun at the passenger seat, and Yeomong not at the back seat. I knew this was going to happen for the beginning. I just let it because you weren't making such a fuss about it. I got it, so stop it. Not a jot of blood was mixed. So how could we consider her our child? I thought pity was more than enough to find us. Pity? Listen to yourself. You talk like a demented hag. Well, I've never seen a girl like her. She just wouldn't say anything. I haven't even heard her talking her sleep. You don't think she's become a mute, do you? Who knows? There are people who are born normal than one day. They can't speak anymore. Didn't she speak fine at the detention center? Yeah, right, right. She used to sing well too. There she comes. Yeomong not gets in the back seat. She has sunglasses on. Wow, I almost didn't recognize you. Great, look at you.  That's the way to go. Who could possibly tell that you're heading all the way to Pyongyang?  I assume everything's set. Don't worry a thing. Kim Jong-il hands a document envelope to Yeomong not. Yeomong not puts the passport and documents into a secure place. Oh, here we go. Who's she? Nobody. We're just going to drop her in Incheon before we cross the border. Oh, and by the way, you two have the same name. That's true. Her name is Mofran too, Yeomong not. What a coincidence. She also from Pyongyang? Yes, we met her in Burma at a refugee camp. Her father was caught at the border and her mother died in the camp. Her mother died just a week before she was supposed to come to South Korea. What a pity. Where has she been since then? You won't believe it. Now that's how she insisted that we should keep her, at least just for a few months. Where is she at? Now, to where she used to be. Where else would she go? She's going back to the facility. Yeomong not wakes up. Yeomong not turns her head back towards the window. Spring, be afraid immigration. The capital is Ottawa and the symbol of Canada is Fleudera. There are four seasons like South Korea. I have been to Vancouver to travel. I see that I will be able to stay. First, I will look for a place to live. Then, I will look for a job as I master the languages. Why do I want to leave South Korea? For what? Jeveu. Hello. Secretary's office at a Korean conglomerate company. So, March. So, you want more drama and pizazz, right? Yeah. Who's to let you understand that? And I suppose the president doesn't have any time to give me a voice recording? No, he doesn't. Well, I don't have enough source materials, but I guess it will have to do. Are you sure? I'm a novelist, so I shall write a novel. Hmm, wonderful. Writing things that didn't happen as if it happened is not easy. Writing things that didn't occur as if it occurred is not easy. Writing things that did happen, that did occur. Who can't do that? I can't wait. I can't wait till I meet him. Right. Could you perhaps add a zero, please? Po-te-san's studio apartment, Seoul, March. Jo-te-za is lying down under a computer. Po-te-san is reading. Jo-te-za rises. She drinks rice wine from the bottom.  Do you have the sleeping pills, right? No. Just go to sleep.  You have to be on the run again. Hands on your stomach, legs straight. Eyes shut, lips closed. Enter your mind and tell yourself, everything is fine. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. He picks up the accordion. He press stage. Jo-san Ho is painting Kim Ho-sun's portrait still with his back towards the audience. Po-te-san plays accordion downstage. There are Korean history books piled up beside him. Between the two, there's nothing but the hammer. From stage left, there comes a faint melody of guitar from a red light district in China. The woman playing guitar reases her head. The lights get brighter. She's in a black bikini top and a glittering maxi skirt with a long slit. Cho-mong nan sings the labyrinth of love in Chinese. From stage right, Yu-mong nan walks in. She browses the stage and then looks at the hammer. As Yu-mong nan steps towards the hammer, her small shadow is elongated. Curtain. I had a Korean play at a Korean play. A little bit wild, like an ice hockey game, a back-and-forth part of this, fascinating and full of energy. And we all wanted to, I wish I could do it, but... So, um, and perhaps first, Han-jae, can you tell us a bit about... How do you know each other and how come you're interested in directing the play? Oh, yeah. So, Da-yeon is a friend of mine that I've met before. Can you all hear? Is that loud enough? Yeah? Okay, we all have to speak a little bit louder so we don't have mic. It sounds a little bit too loud, but then it's fine. So Da-yeon is a friend of mine that I go through, a mutual friend. And so we just connected as a couple of years ago. And I had the chance to direct a scene for one of Da-yeon's classes as a drama producer in Colombia. And it was the scene where Ha-te-san and Jong-un are, they first speak and they're sort of like, connecting over a piece, like, automatic-playing words that they've been spoken in North Korea. And I thought it was similar to when this play was part of this festival. I got to direct it. Any question for the playwright? So, tell us a little bit about what does this play come from? Well, thank you so much. So first of all, thank you so much for watching through that two-hour-long video performance because he understands that it could be quite taxing to such a meeting. There are so many characters in the play that live together. So, in a way, we have to live together in the future. So I think it's a small experiment. Actually, I'm not doing it well. So starting in 19-19, a lot of North Korean directors started moving to Korea or started living among the South Koreans. And that became the reality for South Koreans, for many South Koreans. And the hope is that they will be able to get along and find the living together or find a way to live together. But the reality of it is not necessarily that. He wrote this play as a possible experiment of exploring the possibility of how they are trying to live together. Yeah, I think we had this afternoon, we had plays from Palestine and from Syria. Marvin calcified the point that we speak in Arab theater. But it's so complex. There are so many communities. And especially here, you see, it's one country, you know, and it's still about how complicated and how complex the reality really is. So the question is, how is it related to his life and his experience or his family or friends? How personal is the story? Before he wrote this play, before this play became popular, before he wrote this play and made it available for the public, a lot of the stories or most of the stories that were being written about, you know, after it's brought about, those who were suffering even further in North Korea were starting to have such a hard time in North Korea. So the point is, it came from the reality. So those were the stories that he wanted to write this play that's about, that's not about the stories that happened. We didn't talk too much about North Korea. So he started reading, who and who is, who has received higher education in music because he had he met someone who received higher education in music. When he said that he's going to write about North Korea, he did not mean to talk about North Korea, but he, sorry. When I said that he wanted to write about North Korea, I didn't mean that. He interviewed North Korea as a real person, but he wanted to write about North Korea. Actually, the question is, how is it related to North Korea? When I said that he wanted to write about North Korea, I didn't mean that. He interviewed North Korea as a real person, but he wanted to write about North Korea. Actually, the question is, how is it related to North Korea? So he wanted to write about North Korea. And he wanted to, he was also saying that so through his interview, his research process, he found it was really interesting that he, sorry, he found their stories very interesting that they were telling the stories about how they are not giving into the North Korean society. And as he was doing his research, he found it an interesting, what he found, the other side of the story that he found really interesting was the ways in which that their stories actually paralleled with those who are South Koreans, who grew up in South Korea, the intellectuals who are actually those who are in North Korea, not just financial, social, cultural, so in those stories, he found a parallel so he wanted to explore that a little bit and he found a story. He also wanted to write the story about South Korea, he wrote the story about South Korea through the perspectives of those person that were out there. So those are the stories that he was reading. Certainly also the story that attaches on capitalism, on money, on dreams, on family hopes, and many things that I mean from Germany, so we had East Germany factor living in West Germany and West Germans going to East Germany, now the wall is down and still the wall is up in the head, so it's a great theme. And not to the translation, you did a wonderful job by saying it was like air raid ban and other, so how did you juggle all this and what were their challenges? So the source text was actually difficult for me to understand without a quote now because North Korean dialect is very different from South Korea. So it's really in North Korean dialect. Yes, and that's actually how systemally distinguished from other literature, Korean literature talking about North Korean refugees, because some of them do not employ North Korean dialects. But here, on top of that, we have this character, the room salon madame, who speaks in a very quoted language. So I had to navigate and negotiate between how to domesticate or the boundaries to domesticate and be thought of by the language because there's just so much politics around it. South Koreans or Koreans in general are others here to begin with and North Korean characters in this play, they are also underrides by some Korean characters in the play. So if I glorify their language too much, then it will be doubly underrides if that would make any sense. So that was something I had to do. I was walking on a tight road. Yes, and you might feel that and that highly crafted and abstract language are so vitally strong and I think, you know, you've heard from the audience reactions not only the hammer, but also the interactions, you know. But for the direction, how did it feel to do this play with that past, I assume they all from New York City living here, how did they, most probably many of them grew up here, how did they react to that, could they connect to that idea or was it as strange as the play from the Arab world, from France, or from South Africa? Yeah, I mean, about the cast, we have a mix of that from the play. Some people are Korean American or Asian Americans, but we do also have cast members from Korea and myself included. And so it was really interesting for me, actually the interesting parallel for me that Diane and I discussed and that I think is evident in the play is how the South Korean characters, especially the young siblings, they feel very millennial. They have the same values of capitalism and capitalism and obsession with success and money that we are accustomed to at Western football. And so I tried to bring that out of my direction and also tried to, it was like that, there was a lot of not only linguistic translation but cultural translation happening between me and Diane, between me and the actors in the room about, okay, well this joke makes sense in the Korean language because of this but we can't literally transfer that so let's come up with like a new joke that makes sense in this context. I thought it was wonderful to see the cast, the full cast of Korean actors or Korean American actors, I mean, not only our pinnacle voices, readings, we have a play from Pakistan and India where we really have full cast and this theme is actually not one of those minor characters who often do come up in plays written in the Americas or in Europe but it's really about this theme. To watch them I could only imagine how it would be if they would work together in a new place. Some of the actors actually will not. Yeah, sorry. They convinced me. Yeah, tell me what are your thoughts about it? I actually have a few questions, but I think we have to speed along. So I just want to read one thing that I found really interesting. I'll read it. We heard it, but Kootengan says, the scope of Ingeborg-Walkman to avoid separation, each of us would sense the schism and the shared void, we should feel the same slash. I'll skip down. Possessed by nostalgia, we will cross over the boundary and we will create one harmony with all places. And then the interesting thing is that we didn't get to hear is the translator's translation of the playwright's views. When asked, he responded that he does not remember. Thus, this is my translation of a Korean translation of which sorts I could not clarify. Any questions? Yes. Well, I also thought it was just very resonant with many of the language and dialect things that you're playing with language and dialect. In other words, I feel like in some ways, dialect you were grappling as you were translating. One of the things I wanted to ask, I think you responded, what is most challenging about translating this play into English, right? Yeah. But let me tell you about the English language poem first, right? Sure, yeah. He said that it doesn't feel very good to receive a question about a foreign language after traveling so far from Korea. Yeah. What would you like to talk about today? Well, in the title of the play, I would like to talk about a very cool line of language related to language. That's why I chose it. And strangely, in each of the spaces, it was really good. We had to feel that when we did that, we had the possibility to connect with each other. That's a big image of the play. So he thought he had to start that sentence of something a little lofty, a little lofty, a sentence that has a little bit of a lofty idea. He was looking for quotes that he could use for that sentence that specifically dealt with borders. He stumbled upon that form and he decided to use it. But he also thought that the line where he said everyone has to find Tizham in their own space which is the only hope for having a solidarity. He could sort of latch on to drug. Mia, I think he just caught that she was paraphrasing the quote. So Korean language and English language are just so different. For example, the sentence structure is not subject verb, object, and then verb which makes it very difficult for an interpreter to simultaneously interpret what's in some sense to you. And for me the main difficulty in translating this play was finding something that would be parallel to North Korean dialects. Because in the original, in the source text we see three different North Korean dialects. And we also see, I've not remembered the number exactly, but there are only five different South Korean dialects. So at first I was playing with ideas like should I find a North Korean dialect or should I replace Pyongyang dialect with Scottish accent. But for me that doesn't make any sense because Scottish accent has a completely different implication for American audience here as opposed to what North Korean or Pyongyang dialect might mean for Seoul audience. So what I aim to do hopefully was to find the equivalent effect that was intended for a South Korean audience in my translation so that it would feel it would have similar effect for American audience here. So I have been reading about how playwrights in Korea have been struggling with government censorship in these years. And I'm just wondering how is that possible. A few days ago there was a meeting held in the U.S. A few days ago there was a problem with the writers in the U.S. They had to help the artists so they could control the artists. There were many incidents and many injuries. But it was time to treat them well. So a few days before he left New York, there was a meeting with the filmmakers in Korea to discuss how to deal with the current situation. When he moves back there will be another meeting with the group of filmmakers. And additionally there was a meeting with the National Theater of Korea to try to work together. They are trying to work together to better the situation a little bit. But the bigger issue is that under the previous administration, the one before, the government was under the tendency that they could use the government money or the tax money to influence and force the arts to their benefit. That's the culture that they have to work with. So that's a bonus for a long road ahead. Okay, I have one question for Cindy. So I know that you born and raised in Korea and I'm sure you it sounds like you've gotten a lot of collaboration with Korean artists, but you've also had a lot of theater education in the U.S. And so I'm just wondering what can we borrow from each other? You're in a great position to tell us what can U.S. theater makers learn from South Korean theater and vice versa. I actually want to see if Daile wants to. I haven't had that much experience working in Korea and I've had some experience working with Korean artists, but I kind of want to share the mic. Well, to be honest I didn't exactly have theater education in South Korea either because I was studying English literature, but obviously the theater is really different from that of the United States because as you have heard from a South Korean theater is subsidized by the government in South Korea. I actually have some better people to talk about this issue in the cast. I can't find the actor who played Moonan. I don't know where she is over there. I think that one thing I want to say is in my very small experience I've been really impressed by the athleticism and the physicality that's in this play. I did some work with this Korean company Boa, which is a really famous company in Korea for their amazing physical adaptations of Shakespeare that's infused with Korean traditional forms. So I've been really amazed by some of the how disciplined actors and bodies are and what magic they create with their bodies and how I feel like in this country at least living room plays are easier to produce so I feel like sometimes bigger and epic plays like this one can get a little bit bigger somewhere they're like unproducible and it's just easier to have like two people talking and talking which can be great but every time I go to see a play at home or meet a new Korean theater company I feel like I'm always impressed by their physical workshops. Before we go to the bar and have our goodbye to the entire festival a last comment from Eun-Sol Kim I have an audience in New York what do you feel about that? Before I came to Korea Eun-Sol Kim it was only a few days before but it was the same for me when I saw the audience sitting here because I'm Korean so it's a good story but my family is broken so I don't know how to say it but I'm not in a good mood so I was in Japan a few years ago but if I have a chance I hope I can talk about it and meet So before we came another production of System Woman just completed a few days ago and he found it was really interesting as he was sitting here he found it really interesting that the points at which the Korean audience responded were similar to the points at which the New York audience responded He doesn't feel entirely at ease and comfortable bringing this particular play to the New York audience it is a story about the separation of the two countries the separation of the family or the division that he invested in he felt similarly when he brought this play to Japan a few years back and he hopes that one day he will be able to play about Korea that feels a little more happy a little more upbeat and positive the points at which the Paints are positive a little more positive a little more positive picture of Korea and Korea and I don't want to thank you so much for coming and sitting through four to two hours