Reimagined 'Shimcheong' swaps dutiful daughter for revolutionary

The National Changgeuk Company premieres a new traditional Korean opera reimagining Shimcheong as a symbol of resistance against societal oppression.

Director Yona Kim, left, directs a rehearsal during a press event for the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s new production of "Shimcheong" at the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul on July 30. [YONHAP]

A reimagined “Shimcheong” strips away the traditional image of a dutiful daughter and recasts the character as a symbol of resistance and voice for the marginalized in modern Korean society.

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea announced July 30 it will premiere its new changgeuk (traditional Korean opera), “Pansori Theater Shim Cheong,” at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul from Sept. 3 to 6.

The new production is a reinterpretation of the 19th-century pansori work “Shimcheong-ga,” which focuses on filial piety. In contrast, this version presents Shimcheong as a socially oppressed figure pushing back against the expectations and constraints placed upon her.

During a rehearsal open to the press on July 30afternoon, actors performed a scene inspired by the blind men’s banquet — a key episode of the original work in which Shimcheong seeks to reunite with her blind father, Shim Bong-sa.

Yu Eun-sun, artistic director of the National Changgeuk Company, called the production “unprecedented,” adding: “It’s a radical reinterpretation of a classic. We took traditional music and infused it with new meaning.”

A large-scale production with a cast of 157, the changgeuk was written and directed by Yona Kim, a Korean German director working in Europe. Kim was named Director of the Year by German opera magazine Opernwelt in 2017 and was a finalist for Germany’s prestigious Faust Prize in 2020. This is Kim’s first time directing a work based on pansori, a Korean musical genre performed by a drummer and singer.

Kim Jun-su, right, performs a scene from the upcoming production of "Shimcheong" during an open rehearsal and press roundtable at the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul on July 30. [YONHAP]

“I wanted to explore the depth and breadth of the Shimcheong narrative,” said Kim. “I aimed to create a character that transcends time and space — one that can be understood intuitively, even across language barriers.” She noted that hanbok, traditional Korean dress, will appear in only one scene.

Kim Yul-hee, a newcomer selected through an open audition in April, and Kim Woo-jung, who has played major roles in previous changgeuk such as “Chunhyang” and “Byeon Gang-soe,” will alternate in the role of Shimcheong.

“In the traditional Shimcheong-ga, Shimcheong is a flat character who accepts everything and sacrifices herself for her father,” said Kim Yul-hee. “This version gave me space to express the discomfort and questions I had while learning the original, such as, ‘Why must she go this far?’”

The role of Shim Bong-sa, Shimcheong’s father, will be played by Kim Jun-su — often dubbed an “idol of gugak,” or traditional music — and Yu Taepyungyang, both leading members of the company. Their portrayal diverges significantly from the original.

Kim Yu-ri, right, who was cast as Shimcheong through an open audition, performs a scene from "Shimcheong" during an open rehearsal and press roundtable at the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul on July 30. [YONHAP]

“Everyone in the story carries karmic burdens, including Shim Bong-sa,” Kim Jun-su said. “He regains his sight, but what truly changes is the way he sees the world.”

“In the original, Shim Bong-sa is a naive character focused only on his daughter,” said Yu. “In this version, he is a powerless father who fails to care for her.”

Actor Lee So-yeon plays Baengdeok Eomeom, a character traditionally portrayed as antagonistic to Shimcheong. In this version, she has a more prominent role, designed to show different dimensions of Shimcheong through other versions of the character, such as “Young Shimcheong” and “Old Woman Shimcheong.”

The production’s ending has not yet been finalized, but the creators have made clear it will differ from the original.

Director Yona Kim, third from right, delivers opening remarks during an open rehearsal and press roundtable for "Shimcheong" at the National Theater of Korea in central Seoul on July 30. [YONHAP]

“The original ending felt like a fantasy that masked the guilt over sacrificing a young girl,” said Yona Kim. “There’s no fairy tale resolution here — no underwater palace romance.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY HA NAM-HYUN [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]