Not Just Uncle Vanya, but Uncle Lee Seo-jin! A Rollercoaster of Laughs and Tears [Curtain Call]

※ This article contains spoilers for ‘Uncle Vanya’.

It wasn’t just ‘Uncle Vanya’—it was ‘Uncle Lee Seo-jin’ himself.

Actor Lee Seo-jin has returned to the theatrical stage for the first time in 27 years since his debut through the play ‘Uncle Vanya’.

‘Uncle Vanya’ is one of the four great comedies by the Russian literary giant Anton Chekhov. It delicately portrays the stories of ordinary people whose lives are shaken by cracks in their daily routines, including ‘Vanya’ and ‘Sonya,’ who have dedicated their lives to their homes, families, and the order within them.

Vanya (played by Lee Seo-jin) lives his entire life on a rural estate, supporting Serebryakov (played by Kim Soo-hyun), a university professor and the husband of his deceased sister, alongside his niece Sonya (played by Go Ah-sung). However, he realizes at Serebryakov’s retirement ceremony that the man he thought was great is actually quite mediocre, leading to feelings of resentment and rage toward Serebryakov, who returns to the estate with his young wife, Elena (played by Lee Hwa-jung).

Sonya secretly harbors a crush on Astrov (played by Yang Jong-wook), Vanya’s friend and a doctor. While Vanya also feels love for Elena, Astrov enters into a secret relationship with her.

As everyone heads toward a catastrophe, Serebryakov suggests selling the estate. Finally exploding, Vanya points a gun at Serebryakov. After the incident ends in attempted murder, Serebryakov and Elena leave the estate. Vanya and Sonya remain, enduring their difficult lives once more, saying, “We must keep living. And someday, we will find rest.”

Notably, instead of using the traditional formal tone of theater, Lee Seo-jin incorporated his natural way of speaking into the role, reducing the distance between the character and the audience.

Vanya, who is full of complaints, overlaps with the ‘grumpy’ image of Lee Seo-jin seen on variety shows. Scenes such as him flirting with Elena while drunk or making Elena lean against a wall when she says she has “nowhere to lean” remind viewers of variety-show Lee Seo-jin, sparking bursts of laughter.

But it wasn’t just the variety-show ‘Uncle Lee Seo-jin’ on stage. When he screams, “I’ve wasted the most brilliant years of my life!” he brings tears to the eyes of the audience. This was made possible by the strength of the filmography he built over 27 years of dramas and movies.

Previously, Lee Seo-jin shared, “Since I was suffering from andropause even before taking on the role of Vanya, it wasn’t hard to understand him. Vanya’s situation is much worse than mine, but the relationships with people around him are similar to what I feel now. It’s been very helpful in performing this play. Rather than thinking I’m playing a completely unfamiliar character, I feel like I’m playing a modern version of myself.”

This production features a single cast for all 22 performances. Lee Seo-jin is responsible for every single show throughout the nearly month-long run.

Many likely hope that ‘Uncle Vanya’ won’t be Lee Seo-jin’s final project. Despite his ‘retirement’ jokes, where he said, “It’s too hard. I hope this is my last work,” we look forward to seeing him on stage again in the future.

Running time: 145 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission). Rated 12+. Performing at LG Arts Center Seoul, LG SIGNATURE Hall until May 31.