[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that from the 24th to the 26th, it will hold the original performance "Wonder Ticket - The Village with the Guardian Tree," created to revitalize peace tourism in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), at the Woori Financial Art Hall.
"Wonder Ticket" is a performance tourism content planned to transform the DMZ, once a symbol of division and tension, into an international center for peace tourism. It features the "Rusty Locomotive" standing still on the Freedom Bridge in Paju and the "Hill of Wind" in Imjingak Peace Nuri Park as its themes. Singer Yoon Do-hyun and Yoo Hoi-seung, actors Lee Hwang-ui and Lee Seo-young, among others, play major roles. This performance, enhanced with Korea's advanced information and communication technology (ICT) such as holograms and video projection technology, is expected to provide audiences with rich visual experiences and deliver even greater emotional impact.
The performance begins with the earnest wish of a granddaughter (Lee Seo-young) for her elderly grandfather (Lee Hwang-ui), who longs for his old love and beautiful hometown separated by division. This wish summons Pungbaek, the wind god from the Dangun myth (played by Yoon Do-hyun and Yoo Hoi-seung). Then, Pungbaek moves the rusty train that has not run for 70 years, traveling back in time to reflect on the painful past caused by war and division and to hope for a peaceful future, concluding the performance.
Last year, due to the unprecedented situation of COVID-19, the performance was released online without an audience. However, this year, following new quarantine guidelines, the stage has been moved from the outdoor performance venue at Imjingak in Paju to the Woori Financial Art Hall to share the meaning of the performance and the value of peace directly with the audience. Additionally, to ensure safe viewing, the performance will be presented as a small-scale event for audiences who have pre-booked tickets while strictly adhering to quarantine guidelines.
For domestic and international audiences who cannot attend the performance in person, the performance video will be provided free of charge through online media (such as YouTube) at the end of this year.
In particular, this year, separated families who wish for peace on the Korean Peninsula and officials from 13 local governments bordering the DMZ, including Paju, Yeoncheon, and Cheorwon, will be invited to watch the performance together. This aims to offer some comfort for the longing for hometowns they cannot visit and to gather hearts toward revitalizing border area tourism and peace.
A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official stated, "Since the performance will be held indoors to share its meaning more vividly with many audiences, we hope that the audience will enjoy the show and unite their precious hearts toward peace." The official added, "The Ministry plans to utilize the DMZ’s unique ecological, historical, and cultural resources as tourism assets to develop the DMZ into a tourist destination enjoyed by people worldwide."
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