I'm a Journalist in Korea 15: “GWANGJU – The Musical”
Review by Kim Miso aka Rahel Limor, April 24, 2021
“Remembrance is not a duty imposed on someone out of responsibility,. Our histories and memories are part of what constitutes our lives and beings.” - Lee Sun, Sooyoung Learn
An event occurred in the city of Gwangju that forever changed the nature of South Korea. The “Gwangju Uprising / 오일팔” began on May 18 and continued until May 27, 1980. An estimated six hundred (600) people were killed. It all began when a group of students set out to protest against the authoritarian government. This resulted essentially in what could be regarded as a massacre when the government sent in troops to squelch the protesters. Following the incident local citizens took up arms initiating what was to become a movement or movements around the country for the democratization of South Korea. The uprising is also known as the “Gwangju Democratization Struggle / 광주 민주화 항쟁”, the “May 18 Democratic Uprising”, or the “May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement / 5·18 광주 민주화 운동”.
It is extremely important to remember historical events so that history does not need to repeat itself over and over again. In today’s world there are actually movements trying to erase history. They are tearing down statues, rewriting history books and even denying that some events never occurred. This is not the case in the city of Gwangju. Every two years the city hosts a wealth of artists from all over the world whose works represent and commemorate this and other similar world events. The “Gwangju Biennale” inspires and reminds us of the importance of preserving history and, more-so, the obligation to inform generations to come.
Visual arts is one thing but, honestly, I was surprised when I heard that a musical had been produced to this aim. How could such a tragic event be reworked into song and dance? Musicals are meant to be entertaining not tragic! Artistic director, Koh Sun-Woong explains, “The musical is trying to show the nature of the past of Gwangju which is to tell the truth. It is the story of ordinary people who happened to be there in Gwangju at that time. The key message is to stand up, sing, dance and love.” Indeed! It is a good message and a fantastic way to present history. Especially to today’s entertainment-obsessed generation!
“Gwangju’s” lead character, Park, played by Min Woo-hyuk and CNU of B1A4, represents a Gwangju born new recruit sent to suppress the uprising. After seeing the residents’ sincere desire for democracy he ends up sympathizing with them and helping them fight against the authoritative government he had become part of. He eventually apologizes to the victims 40 years later. Apparently the original performance that was launched in 2020 resulted in a real-life apology by a former soldier who had participated in shooting the protesters.
I was impressed by the high energy performance which kept the actors on their toes throughout. One scene bled into another. The choreography seemed to mimic the movements of actual protesters; fists raised high towards the skies, lots of jumping, running, and foot stomping in unison. It proved to create a powerful energy that I’m sure was felt by the audience. In fact that was the intention of choreographer, Shin Sun-ho who explains, "Some may say individual movements, such as stomping, are too simple. But I think it is closer to the actual body movements of the people. Also, I wanted to show that collective stomping by many people could create lots of energy."
I’m not sure if it was the intention of the composer but I noticed the distinct dissonant nature of the music. This musical choice was the perfect and most appropriate support for the tragic narrative. Dissonance is usually not very pleasant to the ear and can make one feel a bit tense. Composer Choe U-zong explained, "History books record history. But music records personal stories. I tried my best to include those stories in music. Also, I came up with songs, such as ‘Hula Hula’, which were also sung by the people during the pro-democracy movement back then so that people could feel that they are with the people."
I have no doubt that much research, thought and consideration went into the making of this musical. It was a challenging project that definitely succeeded. I noticed that the audience was both young and old. I would be curious to hear their reactions to the musical, Especially the older audience members who would likely remember the uprising.
“Gwangju – The Musical”, was produced in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Gwangju Metropolitan City to mark the 40th anniversary of the uprising. It is definitely an innovative and very effective way to commemorate those who fought and gave their lives for the cause of democracy, human rights and peace. History should never be forgotten, denied or erased if humanity is to evolve and progress. This is an important musical that is a must-see for everyone! If you cannot attend the performance you can view some scenes on YouTube here: (2) 콘텐츠제작사라이브 - YouTube
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