Actors appearing in ‘Combine War‘ by writer Song Min-ah, who won the 2024 Gangwon Ilbo Spring Literary Contest in the play category, are engaged in final rehearsals on the stage of Bomnae Theater in Chuncheon on the 9th. Reporter Park Seung-seon
Written by Song Min-ah, winner of the 2024 Gangwon Ilbo Spring Literary Contest in the play category. ‘Graveyard War: Tomb War’On the 12th and 13th, he went on stage at Bomnae Theater in Chuncheon. The work created by the collaboration of Gangwon Ilbo, Chuncheon Theater Festival, and Chuncheon Theater Association, which celebrated its 79th anniversary, raised the status of local theater and ended with favorable reviews.
The play ‘Combine War’, which raised expectations with its lively development, was brought to life on stage under the direction of director Son Ki-ju. The work cheerfully depicts the struggle of three grandmothers to be buried next to their dead husbands at a time when polygamy was tacitly accepted.
What is the meaning of the fight between the living over the grave? For the three grandmothers, the grave next to their dead husband was their last chance to wash away the resentment of the past years.
On this stage, actress Lee Mi-kyung expressed the sorrow of the first wife who could not give birth to children, and actress Ji Yu-hyeon expressed the injustice of the second wife who could not put her children on the family register. Actor Jeon Eun-joo also increased the level of immersion in the play by vividly conveying the wounds of the third wife, who had lived her entire life unable to speak for herself.
The battle for the grave ends when the son asks, ‘After you die, can you tell whether you will be buried in the ground and rot or be turned into powder and scattered?’ The battle for the grave ends, but the setting is moved to the charnel house where the royal class is assigned, and the war over the grave begins again. The play ended with an unfinished battle for the grave, and the laughter that continued throughout the performance left a deep lasting impression.
The winner of the 2024 Gangwon Ilbo Spring Literary Contest in the play category, ‘Tomb Battle: Tomb War’, was successfully performed on the stage of Bomnae Theater in Chuncheon on the 12th and 13th. After the last performance, Kangwon Ilbo President Park Jin-oh, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Ceramic Arts Association Chairman Lee Jae-han, Chuncheon Cultural Foundation Chairman Park Jong-hoon, Chuncheon Theater Chairman Lee Hae-gyu, and Chuncheon Arts Association Chairman Park Jong-seo, who watched the play, are taking a commemorative photo with the actors and the production staff. Reporter Park Seung-seon
Prior to the final performance on the 13th, a welcome party was held to unite culture and arts. On this day, Park Jin-oh, president of Gangwon Ilbo, delivered development funds to the Chuncheon Theater Festival. At the welcoming party, Chuncheon Cultural Foundation Chairman Park Jong-hoon, Ceramic Arts Association President Lee Jae-han, Chuncheon Arts Association President Park Jong-seo, Chuncheon Theater Association President Kim Jeong-hoon, Chuncheon Literary Association President Shin Jun-cheol, Gangwon Provincial Theater Artistic Director Kim Gyeong-ik, My Mist Yoo Jin-gyu, Donggang Photography Village Steering Committee Member Sim Sang-man, and Choi Ji-soon, former ceramic artist. People from all walks of life, including the general chairman, attended.
Lee Hae-gyu, chairman of the Chuncheon Theater Festival, said, “It is very meaningful as it is the only case in the country where the winning work of the Spring Literary Contest is turned into a play through collaboration between local media, festivals, and theater people.” “We will continue to put on enjoyable performances so that we can become an asset,” he said.
Park Jin-oh, president of Gangwon Ilbo, said, “After reviving the Spring Literary Play category in 2022, Gangwon Ilbo and Chuncheon Theater Festival are bringing the imagination of plays to life on stage through collaboration with local theater artists every year.” He added, “More than ever before, we are bringing the imagination of plays to life on stage.” “We will do our best to revitalize local culture and arts at a time when interest in the arts is increasing,” he emphasized.
