Opening at Sejong Center M Theater on September 5
On July 30, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced that the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre's acclaimed play "Tungsosori" will be restaged at the Sejong Center M Theater from September 5 to 28.
"Tungsosori" is based on "Choecheokjeon," a novel by Jo Wihan, a mid-Joseon Dynasty scholar. The play was adapted and directed by Ko Sunwoong, the artistic director of the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre, and premiered at the M Theater in November last year. It received critical acclaim, winning the 2024 Best 3 Plays of the Year Award from the Korean Theatre Critics Association, the 2025 Korea National Brand Awards Grand Prize in the Culture category, and the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Play Award.
The play "Tungsosori" follows the 30-year journey of the Choecheok family, who led an ordinary life during the Joseon Dynasty but were scattered by the Imjin War, the Jeongyu War, and the turbulent Ming-Qing transition period, before finally reuniting. The dramatic narrative, which spans Joseon, China, Japan, and Vietnam, prompts audiences to reflect on the horrors of war and the pain and wounds that ordinary people must endure, themes that remain relevant today.
Ko Sunwoong, the artistic director and director, stated, "War is evil and devastating, but ordinary people endured and survived, allowing humanity to continue. 'Tungsosori' is the story of our ancestors."
All the actors who were selected through a competitive audition for the premiere, including Seoul Metropolitan Theatre members Kang Singoo, Kim Singi, Choi Nara, and Lee Seungwoo, will return for the restaging.
Jung Saebyeol, who was nominated for Best Actor in the Theater category at this year's Baeksang Arts Awards, and Park Youngmin, who received praise for his stable and immersive performance, will once again play the lead roles of Okyeong and Choecheok, respectively. Lee Hojae, a towering figure in Korean theater who has won the Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor, the Lee Hae-rang Theater Award, the Dong-A Theater Award, and has been awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, will play the elderly Choecheok, opening and closing the story of "Tungsosori."
Jang Taepyeong, the music director of "Tungsosori," will enhance the musical experience by adding string instruments, delivering an even more moving performance with a six-member live ensemble compared to the premiere.
Information about the play "Tungsosori" can be found on the official social media channels of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre.
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