The reason Park Geun-hyung and Shin Goo are staging classics... "Unfortunately, there are no original plays" [The Merchant of Venice]

*This content was translated by AI.

When asked about the meaning of staging classics, actor Park Geun-hyung responded, "Unfortunately, there are no original plays."

A press conference for the play "The Merchant of Venice" (directed by Oh Kyung-taek) was held at NOL Seogyeong Square in Hwehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. Attendees at the press conference included director Oh Kyung-taek, actors Shin Goo, Park Geun-hyung, Lee Seung-ju, Kai Choi Soo-young, Won Jin-ah, Lee Sang-yoon, Kim Seul-gi, Kim Ah-young, Choi Jung-heon, Park Myung-hoon, and Han Se-ra.

"The Merchant of Venice" is restructured to center on the clash between mercy, revenge, and choice, based on Shakespeare's representative comedy, while maintaining the structure of a classic and highlighting the emotions and conflicts between characters.

Park Company, which made a huge impact with "Waiting for Godot," and director Oh Kyung-taek have reunited, and the news of actors Shin Goo and Park Geun-hyung's participation drew attention. Park Geun-hyung will play Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and Shin Goo will play the Duke, who symbolizes the law and order of Venice.

Shin Goo and Park Geun-hyung have been leading the theater world by working together on classics such as the plays "Waiting for Godot" and "The Merchant of Venice." When asked about the meaning of this, Park Geun-hyung said, "We are the second generation to start theater. We are the generation that started club theater during university." He added, "The reason my senior and I continue to perform classics is that while Korea's (artistic) status is world-class, unfortunately, there are no original plays. Novels win Nobel Prizes, but the theater world does not have that. There is too little movement to revive plays."

Park Geun-hyung explained, "After working in other fields to make a living and then returning to theater, I found that almost nothing has changed from 50 or 60 years ago. From the script to the structure, it was exactly the same. As I wondered how to present a good play, I thought it would be best to stick to traditional theater as much as possible. So, I have been on stage for nearly four years with my senior. So far, I have received many encouraging words that we have not failed and are doing well."

Finally, Park Geun-hyung said, "What we hope for most is our original plays. Please ensure that good original plays are produced."

Meanwhile, the play "The Merchant of Venice" will be performed at the National Theater's Haoreum Theater from July 8 to August 9.

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*This content was translated by AI.