‘The Merchant of Venice’ is opening its curtains at a grand theater with two legendary actors.
A press conference for the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ was held on the afternoon of the 12th at NOL Seokyeong Square SCON Hall 1 in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by 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, Jo Dal-hwan, Park Myung-hoon, Han Se-ra, and director Oh Kyung-taek.
Based on Shakespeare’s representative comedy, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ focuses on the clash between law and mercy, and revenge and choice. This production maintains the classic structure while reconstructing it to vividly highlight the emotions and conflicts between characters.
Director Oh Kyung-taek explained, “‘The Merchant of Venice’ is called a representative comedy, but in modern times, it is classified as a problem play.”
He continued, “I’ve named the genre a courtroom drama that begins as a comedy and ends with questions of tragedy. Starting with the universal stories of money and love, I want to do my best to present this great classic this summer, posing heavy questions about what mercy and justice truly are.”
Shin Goo will take the stage for ‘The Merchant of Venice’ just one month after finishing his performance in ‘The French Safe’.
Regarding his reason for returning to the stage, he shared, “I do it because I want to, and because the time I spend doing it is joyful and rewarding.” He added, “As I get older, my body doesn’t always follow my will. Despite my efforts to compensate, I cannot beat time. However, I still have strength left, so I intend to use that as my driving force to participate.”
Park Geun-hyung explained his continued participation in classic plays, saying, “Although our country’s status is global, unfortunately, there are no creative plays. There is no movement to revitalize playwriting.” He added, “Returning to the theater world, I see no change from 50 or 60 years ago. To show how we can present good, true theater, I’ve stood on stage for nearly four years starting with traditional plays. I will continue to do traditional plays, and since creative plays are needed, I hope you can help good works emerge.”
Kai, who plays Antonio, explained his reason for joining: “I have always loved Shakespeare’s works.” He added, “Musicals and plays differ in form. The element of an actor speaking to the audience and to themselves is the biggest factor that drew me to the theater stage. I want to feel and express the most beautiful parts of language.”
He also expressed his respect, saying, “Furthermore, it is an honor to act with masters like Shin Goo and Park Geun-hyung, and their presence is one of the biggest reasons for my participation.”
Lee Sang-yoon, who is part of the single-cast alongside Shin Goo and Park Geun-hyung, mentioned that performing as a single cast member for about a month during a regional tour of ‘Death of a Salesman’ was a great experience.
He explained, “When I heard the teacher was doing both Shylock and the judge alone, I also felt a greed to do it alone. Thankfully, a double cast member wasn’t found, so I ended up doing it alone.” He added, “Since I can perform twice while others practice once, it’s a great experience and I enjoy the chemistry with other actors.”
Han Se-ra, who plays Nerissa, shared her feelings about working with Shin Goo and Park Geun-hyung: “It’s a celebration for my family. Usually, they don’t keep track of the works I’m in, but this time, there’s a lot of interest and they say they’ll definitely come.” She added, “My colleagues also say they are envious that I get to work with such wonderful masters. I feel like we are already prepared.”
Won Jin-ah, who plays Portia—a character who changes the flow of the court with wisdom and wit—explained, “Since it’s a classic, it inevitably reflects a specific era. The director adapted it so it could be more acceptable, but the spirit of the times remains. However, I believe that theater, film, and drama should not only aim for the future but also represent and show the past we’ve passed through.” She added, “I hope you watch it with an open mind regarding the era, and look forward to seeing the differences from now and how much the social status of women has changed.”
Choi Soo-young, who also plays the same role, explained, “The character of Portia seemed elegant when I first read it, but the more I encountered her, the more witty she became. I wondered how much wit, playfulness, and adventurous spirit would be needed to disguise herself as a man and participate in a trial for the man she loves and for justice. I’m trying to make her a multi-dimensional character.”
Kim Ah-young, making her theater debut with ‘The Merchant of Venice’, showed her ambition, saying, “I’ve fulfilled a wish this year. I have a burning desire to grow and want to pursue the essence of acting and grow as an actor, and I’ve met this honorable opportunity.” She added, “I feel that the teachers and seniors have a lot of inner strength. I want to grow into an actor whose inner strength is built up step by step.”
Meanwhile, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ will be performed on July 8th at the Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Jung-gu, Seoul.
