[REVIEW] Korean struggles reflected in dueling renditions of Chekhov classic - The Korea Times

This combined photo shows Lee Seo-jin, left, who played Vanya in "Uncle Vanya" at LG Arts Center, and Cho Seong-ha, who performed the role in another production of the same play for the National Theater Company of Korea. Courtesy of LG Arts Center, National Theater Company of Korea

Two versions of an unhappy uncle have drawn Korean theatergoers this May, as Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” arrived in Seoul in contrasting productions at two of the country’s best-known venues.

The dueling “Uncle Vanya” productions opened weeks apart at LG Arts Center and the National Theater Company of Korea. The two stagings of the 19th-century Russian classic with television and film celebrities in key roles sparked buzz before the productions even opened.

Both succeeded in attracting audiences and selling out performances for reasons that went well beyond their celebrity casts. Many Koreans found they could relate with Chekhov's weary uncle and circumstances he was in.

A scene from the LG Arts Center’s production of "Uncle Vanya" / Courtesy of LG Arts Center