[Interview] "I Wanted to Talk About Division and Unity Through the Human of Day and Night"

Play 'Taeyang' Directed by Kim Jeong
Questions Coexistence and Humanity Through Two Humanities Divided by Virus

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “I haven’t decided yet whether to become a creature of the night.”

The play The Sun, which depicts the future of humanity divided into the new species ‘Nox’ and the old species ‘Curio,’ is set in the near future, about 40 years after a biological terror incident in the early 21st century. After a virus drastically reduces the global population, the new species Nox, who have developed antibodies, discriminate against the existing humans, the Curio. The Sun conveys a message of coexistence amid hierarchy and conflict between the two classes. Written by Japanese author Maekawa Tomohiro, the play was recognized for its artistic value by winning the 63rd Yomiuri Literary Award for Drama.

Kim Jeong, Resident Director of Gyeonggi Provincial Theater Company. [Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Theater Company]

Director Kim Jeong, who is directing The Sun for the second time since its domestic premiere in 2021, explained, “The polarized society in the play became more tangible through the COVID-19 pandemic. At first glance, The Sun seems to be about a virus, but it is a metaphor that contains a story about the extremely divided relationships among humans.”

The National Jeongdong Theater selected the play The Sun as its first co-produced work in 2023. Co-produced with Gyeonggi Arts Center and Gyeonggi Provincial Theater Company, the play returns to the stage after two years to meet audiences again.

Contemplating Whether Theater Can Speak of Human Harmony and Reconciliation

When creating the polarized near-future humanity, Director Kim focused on Maekawa’s description of the two groups’ reality as a “division.” While preparing for this production, he said, “It’s not about ideological splits, but a society extremely divided even though people live mixed together. I wondered if any brilliant politician could resolve this situation. I thought hope for that had disappeared. What I do is theater, and I spent a lot of time pondering whether theater can truly speak about human harmony and reconciliation.”

A scene from the play "Taeyang" during its premiere in early 2021.
[Photo by Korea Arts Council]

In the play, the new species Nox gain strong and youthful bodies through antibodies but become vulnerable to ultraviolet rays, forcing them to avoid the sun. With their emergence, ordinary people, the Curio, are soon classified as the old species. Maekawa embodies the vampire figure?who does not age or die?through the nocturnal Nox and questions whether living as the form humans most desire truly brings happiness. Director Kim identifies himself as “closer to Curio than Nox.” “When I first saw the play, I felt it was about the conflict between nature and the city, but later I thought Curio are abandoned ruins, and Nox are something chosen and created as useful. While I don’t want to deny the reason and speed represented by Nox, my tendency seems to lean toward the old-fashioned direction like Curio. Isn’t theater a medium that originates from prehistoric times?”

The original work deals with longing, despair, and hope between the two classes but also carries a tragic sentiment. In this production, Director Kim intensified the dystopian nature of the hopeless future depicted by Maekawa. He pointed out the changes in this revival, saying, “The era when the two divided groups shake hands and understand each other is over. I thought about what the most noble meaning is that only humans can achieve, something no one else can do, and tried various artistic concepts to visually express this.”

The nine characters appearing in The Sun each hold different views about the sun. From Ikuta Soichi, who believes a day passes only when the sun rises and sets, to Kaneda Yoji, who says one should not live with their back to the sun, and Ikuta Yu, who is unsure if becoming a creature of the night (Nox) is good. Director Kim, who felt the sun as an overwhelming light that illuminates the time humans open and close their eyes and embraces nature, made great efforts to create a sun on stage that would make the audience tense. “The staff worked hard to create an overwhelming light embodied on stage, not just vague ideas from the actors’ words,” he said with a smile, adding, “Whether it’s the sun or anything else, the overwhelming light that makes the audience tense is the goal. I hope the sunlight leaking through the stage devices evokes emotions in the audience that are beautiful, sad, or beyond words.”

Director Kim Jeong said, while preparing the reenactment of "The Sun," "It was a time of repeated reflection on whether a play can truly convey harmony and reconciliation in human relationships."
[Photo by Gyeonggi-do Theater Company]

"Only Humans Possess the Value of Devotion and Sacrifice That Can Change the World"

Having worked closely for six years with theater master Han Taesuk as assistant director and making his directorial debut in 2015 with The House of Bernarda Alba, playwright Kim Jeongeun gained attention in the theater world with three works: The Guests (2017), The Sense of a Wife (2018), and Whether Human or God (2021). Captivated by The Sun upon first encountering it through translator Lee Hong’s recommendation while searching for new works, he took on the directorial role for the premiere through the Doosan Art Center’s planned performance opportunity following his Doosan Yeon Gang Arts Award.

After depicting the two polarized groups, his gaze on contemporary society has paused at the movement “to avoid being hurt or misunderstood.” He emphasized, “Society is no longer a world where people realize things through debate and conflict. If we can see ourselves and others anew in a world where people avoid fighting and keep distance from those with different opinions, what could be more valuable? I want to accomplish that through the theater we create.”

Director Kim confessed that his pessimistic thinking deepened during the COVID-19 period but that he has been recalling the value of someone’s devotion and sacrifice that can change the world. “I have no one to lean on either. Nevertheless, the values we talk about are coming back. So I’ve been digging through old books and works, thinking it’s time to ask fundamental questions.”

The play The Sun runs at the National Jeongdong Theater until the 26th. The original author Maekawa Tomohiro will attend a talk with Director Kim and the audience after the 2 p.m. performance on the 12th.