35th Geochang International Theater Festival, Korea's Largest Outdoor Stage, Concludes

A Beautiful Ten-Day Journey of Nature and Theater Comes to an End

The Geochang Cultural Foundation announced on August 4 that the 35th Geochang International Theater Festival, held at the Susungdae area in Geochang from July 25 to August 3, concluded successfully with enthusiastic support from audiences and participating groups.

On the closing day, August 3, the official closing ceremony, which had been scheduled, was inevitably canceled due to heavy rain that fell unexpectedly, in consideration of the safety of both the audience and performers. Instead, the event was relocated, and only the awards ceremony for the competition works was held, attended by County Governor Koo Inmo, Gyeongnam Provincial Council members Kim Ilsu and Park Jueon, and promotional ambassador Kang Buja, ensuring the event concluded safely.

In the group awards category, the grand prize was awarded to "Changjakjipdan Geogi Gamyeon - Mask Theater ," while the gold prize went to "Geukdan Sangsangchangko - One Morning I Woke Up and Had Become an AI."

Geochang County 35th Geochang International Theater Festival Performance.

In the individual awards category, Baek Namyoung (Changjakjipdan Geogi Gamyeon) received the Best Director Award, Choi Joochan (Changjakjipdan Geogi Gamyeon) was selected for the Best Actor Award, and Kim Siwon (Geukdan Minye) was chosen for the Best Actress Award. A total of 10 groups participated in the finals of this competition, and outstanding works and artists were selected as winners through a fair evaluation process.

Koo Inmo, Governor of Geochang County, stated, "It is unfortunate that the closing ceremony was canceled due to the heavy rain, but I sincerely thank the officials who worked hard to prepare for the festival, the theater artists who participated, the audience, and the residents of the county." He added, "We will prepare next year's festival with even greater innovation so that the Geochang International Theater Festival can continue to grow as a pure art event and a global platform for cultural exchange."

Held under the slogan "Human, Connection in Nature, Dramatic World!" from July 25 to August 3, the 35th edition of the festival featured 57 theater troupes from seven countries, presenting a total of 76 performances over 10 days. The stages, including the Turtle Theater set against the backdrop of Turtle Rock, Guyeon Seowon, and Bamboo Theater, unfolded amidst nature and, despite the ongoing heat wave, delivered unforgettable experiences to both audiences and artists without a single safety incident.

This year's festival attracted more than 22,000 visitors. Notable works that achieved sold-out performances included the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards Young Theater Award winner "These Days, No One Wants to Play That, Yutnori" (Geukdan Cornerstone), the musical "" (Geukdan Geolpan) which tells the story of growing students' dreams and hopes, and the competition entry "The Imaginary Invalid" (Geukdan Yaganbihang). The Gangwon Provincial Theater's "The Cat Who Taught Seagulls to Fly" and the Chungbuk Provincial Theater's "The Oasis Laundry Attack Incident" also received enthusiastic responses.

In particular, among the international invited works, "Small Fables" (Belgium/Gare Centrale), an official selection of the 2016 Avignon Festival; "The Way Back" (Taiwan/Double Theater), which showcased the magical charm of theater; and "Whatever Inspiration Does Is Always Right" (Bulgaria/Creddo Theater), planned as part of the 200th anniversary of Andersen's birth in 2005, were staged at Susungdae, offering audiences fresh and unique performances.

Additionally, a special performance musical, "Paris Jangseo" (Geukdan Sup), planned and performed by students of Geochang Theater High School, was presented at Gaon Theater, providing a meaningful opportunity to showcase the creativity and artistic potential of local youth.

As part of the side events, renowned French performing arts director and actor Kim Jungju was invited to conduct a workshop for students of Geochang Theater High School, fostering the development of local artistic talent and contributing to the festival's sustainability. Other attractions, such as the Hwangsan Village Traditional Life Photo Exhibition, World Folk Museum, and the Children's Dream Pop-up Playground, added a variety of experiences and performances, making the theater festival even richer.