Guri City to Hold 14th "Park Wanseo, Actors Read Again" Recitation Performance

Recitation Performance on February 25
"Was That Mountain Really There?"

Guri City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Kyunghyun) announced on January 20 that it will hold a commemorative recitation performance at the Cosmos Grand Theater in Guri Art Hall at 7 p.m. on February 25, marking the 15th anniversary of author Park Wanseo's passing. The event aims to reflect on the author's literary world and achievements and to share their significance with the citizens.

Guri City Holds the 14th 'Park Wanseo, Actors Read Again' Recitation Performance. Photo by Guri City

Park Wanseo, a towering figure in Korean literature who debuted in 1970 with the novel "Namak," settled in Achiuul Village in Guri City in 1998 and continued her prolific writing career there until her passing in 2011.

Since 2012, the year after the author's passing, the Guri City Library has held an annual commemorative recitation performance titled "Park Wanseo, Actors Read Again." Now in its 14th year, the event has become a representative literary occasion for Guri City.

This performance is a multidisciplinary art content that reinterprets literature, traditionally enjoyed as text, as stage art. It has introduced citizens to a new way of appreciating literature in a more accessible and engaging manner. This year, the performance will be a recitation adaptation of the novel "Was That Mountain Really There?" and is expected to leave a deep impression and resonance with the audience.

"Was That Mountain Really There?" is an autobiographical novel by the author, depicting the story of a woman who experiences the loss of her family and personal suffering amid the horrors of the Korean War. The work delicately portrays the protagonist's intense inner struggle to transform the scars and trauma left by war into art. It offers a profound reflection on confronting tragedy and finding ways to live life anew beyond pain.

This year's performance will be a multidisciplinary literary event that combines a recitation format, capturing Park Wanseo's unique literary style and worldview, with theatrical elements. Through background music and restrained direction that suit the emotional tone of the work, the performance aims to offer audiences both the pleasure of listening and an immersive visual experience.

In addition, to encourage continued reading after the recitation performance, an interactive literary program titled "In-depth Reading: Revisiting Park Wanseo" will be offered. This three-week program, led by reading culture planner Kwon Ingeol, will provide an opportunity for participants to read and discuss Park Wanseo's literature across generations, deepening their understanding of the meaning and value of her works.

Baek Kyunghyun, Mayor of Guri City, stated, "This commemorative recitation performance is a meaningful opportunity to lower the barriers to literature and allow citizens to connect more deeply with the works of Park Wanseo. Guri City will continue to strive to become a cultural city that enriches citizens' lives through literature and the arts."