I'm a Journalist in Korea 10: Along With the Gods 신과함께

* Published in this blog only.

Along With the Gods 신과함께

by Kim Miso (aka Rahel Limor)

People who laugh along with the gods.

People who cry along with the gods.

People who live along with the gods.

Along with the Gods; Two Worlds is the theatrical production of an original Webtoon series , Along with the Gods, which was written and illustrated by Joo Ho-min. It was first released on the Internet in 2010 with a printed version in 2012. This popular and well-loved “toon” saw a film release in 2017 and now this years’ high quality theatrical version.

The performance took place at the LG Arts Center in Seoul, a relatively new venue established in the year 2000. LG Arts Center offers a wide variety of contemporary performances in a comfortable and cozy setting. One gets the sense of actually being together with the performers as you enjoy the show.

Along with the Gods; Two Worlds revolves around the plight of a small boy who lives alone with his grandfather. The neighborhood is slated for urban redevelopment which requires the destruction of homes and displacement of families. To make matters worse a trusted but unemployed friend joins the demolition company and this puts him at odds with the family and very close-knit community. This is where the gods intervene. The appear in human form to try their best to protect the young boy, his grandfather and their neighbors. Sadly another god appears with the purpose of escorting the grandfather to the afterlife.

This is a story that may speak personally to some who may have experienced something similar. Loss is heartbreaking in any situation. We all also know that no-one is immune to progress which usually involves the destruction of existing infrastructures in order to make way for modernization. The performance was so well acted that even for me, someone with barely even the basic level of Korean, was brought nearly to tears at some of the more heartbreaking scenes. One really doesn’t need language to understand the pain of losing one’s home, family and friends.

I was highly impressed with the set design which set the mood and helped draw us in. The acting was superb. No doubt the main draw was popular and beloved actor, Ko Chang-Soek, whom I have seen in many dramas and movies. I was extremely impressed by the actor who played the young boy, 이 윤 우 (Lee Yoon Wu). His acting was perfect as was his singing. His smile was also contagious! Kudos to the team, the producers, directors and all who made this performance absolutely incredible.