Aura of a Genius Actor

Jin Seong stared at the first article ever published under his own name, overwhelmed with emotion.

[The Cruel Taxidermy of Immature Children — Peter Pan Strikes a Chord Deep Within the Heart]

The day before, after hearing that he had managed to secure an interview with Nam Hui Do, the Culture Editor had immediately decided to replace the scheduled article.

Nothing could be done about the tenth edition, which had already gone to print that evening, but beginning with the fortieth edition, the feature would be replaced with coverage of Peter Pan.

After the premiere, press tickets would become available. Today was the only chance to secure an exclusive.

The editor's swift judgment, combined with the incredible fortune of landing an interview with Nam Hui Do, had transformed a rookie reporter's debut into a spectacular success.

"Good work."

The editor passed by and gave his shoulder a couple of approving pats.

Just as Jin Seong had predicted, audience reactions to Peter Pan were beginning to set the internet ablaze.

Other newspapers would likely spend the afternoon gathering those reactions and publishing their own articles.

Which meant that, for now, the stage belonged almost entirely to Friendship Daily.

He read the article again.

Even though he had written it himself, it somehow felt unfamiliar.

"I lined up outside the designated ticket office for fifteen hours, starting at seven o'clock the previous evening, just to reserve tickets for this performance."

— Interview with a Peter Pan audience member

A storm has swept through the theater world.

The highly discussed stage production Peter Pan officially premiered on May 27.

The play stars actor Yu Myeong (26), who rose to the ranks of ten million ticket stars with Late Goryeo, Early Joseon despite being only in his second year since debut, alongside actor Ryu Shin (28), who retired as a child actor before making a remarkable return through Artist Jang Nok Su, earning acclaim for his exceptional acting ability.

Attention toward the production intensified further following yesterday's broadcast of the KBK documentary Actor, which highlighted the play's unusual production process.

(...)

The article was divided into four sections.

Tickets sold out within thirty minutes on reservation day; audiences line up overnight for same-day tickets.

A brutally immersive tragedy. A new perspective on fairy tales.

Their names may be less famous, but their acting is not. Growing attention toward Seol Su Yeon and Chu Se Mi.

Former Korean Theater Association Chairman Nam Hui Do: A production that demonstrates new possibilities for theater.

The most eye-catching part of the feature, which occupied over half a page at the top of the culture section, was undoubtedly the interview with Nam Hui Do, often referred to as a living piece of Korean theater history.

Former Korean Theater Association Chairman Nam Hui Do, who attended the premiere of Peter Pan, stated: "Both the script and the performances are extraordinary achievements unlike anything I've seen before..."

Jin Seong could still hear the interview clearly in his ears.

"Ever since the controversy began before opening night, I kept wondering something. If actors want to stand on stage and act, why are so many people arguing about their intentions and predicting the results before they've even seen the work?

From the moment I saw those actors on screen, I knew they would perform well. Acting changes somewhat depending on the medium, but actors capable of delivering film performances at that level aren't suddenly going to become terrible because they're standing on a stage.

The only thing I was curious about was how deeply they understood theater itself."

The interview began with a sharp criticism of those who had rushed to judgment.

Then continued:

"Honestly, I was amazed. I've never been this impressed even by actors I personally trained.

First of all, the message was exceptional.

Fairy tales almost forcibly impose the protagonist's perspective upon us. Yet this production asks whether the 'good' within those stories is truly good. That question landed with tremendous weight.

And what impressed me even more was the cast's understanding of stage acting. They portrayed characters who were beautiful in the manner of a fairy tale, yet covered in wounds beneath the surface. The clarity with which they conveyed that deserves praise.

I could hardly believe these were still such young actors."

The interview went on to praise both the originality of the script and the performances.

"My personal favorite character was the Doctor.

At first glance, the Doctor appears neutral. But is an adult who locks immature children inside a psychiatric ward, passively watches from a detached third-party position, then permanently isolates them and turns them into preserved fairy tales after they deteriorate... truly normal?

Could that not also be abnormal?

Could that not itself be a cruel fairy tale?

In truth, I don't think the Doctor represents a physician at all.

I think the Doctor represents all of us who believe ourselves to be normal."

The interview continued into Nam Hui Do's deeper interpretation of the production.

That final section had not been included in today's article.

It could be considered a spoiler.

Once the performance run ended, however, it could become an article of its own.

And then there were the words Nam Hui Do had shared off the record.

"This isn't something I'm saying to Reporter Yoon Jin Seong of Friendship Daily. This is something I'm saying to Yoon Jin Seong, longtime theater fan.

The truth is, I had another reason for attending the premiere."

"What reason...?"

"Cheon Sang Yeon."

He spoke a name he had never forgotten.

"I judged Perfume years ago.

Even for someone who devoted an entire lifetime to acting, it was a performance that left me stunned. I wondered whether I had briefly fallen into a dream.

Yu Myeong's physique and appearance resembled that actor somewhat, so I found myself wondering."

"Could they possibly be the same person?"

"No, no. Impossible.

Their acting styles are different. The texture they project is different.

Yu Myeong's acting was extremely impressive, certainly.

But Cheon Sang Yeon's performance back then was beyond what I would call human.

No matter how talented Yu Myeong is, to claim he's the same person as Cheon Sang Yeon would be..."

"It was really that incredible...?"

"It was."

Even today's Peter Pan, which had shocked Jin Seong beyond belief, supposedly could not compare to Cheon Sang Yeon's acting.

He couldn't imagine it.

The only thing he could do was swallow down the disrespectful thought that perhaps time had simply polished Nam Hui Do's memories into something grander than reality.

Whew... back to work.

I've got enough to worry about without chasing impossible stories.

Tap tap tap.

Jin Seong pushed the thought aside and returned his hands to the keyboard.

The follow-up article wasn't going to write itself.

When the tide comes in, you row.