"Understood Even Without Subtitles"... Korean-Language Play 'The Cherry Orchard' Sells Out in New York

[Anchor]

A Korean-language play has taken the stage in New York, the global center of performing arts. The performances, which sold out early on, are drawing roaring standing ovations from audiences.

New York correspondent Kim Hyunwoo reports.

[Reporter]

This is the Park Avenue Armory, located in the heart of Manhattan, New York.

Known as a sanctuary for contemporary art in New York, the venue is currently hosting a theatrical production with all dialogue delivered entirely in Korean.

Anton Chekhov's final play, which tells the story of a family declining amid rapid shifts of the era, has been reimagined into a story set in 21st-century Seoul.

This marks the first time a Korean production has been staged at this venue, which has showcased works by world-renowned artistic masters.

Local audience interest was so intense that all seats for the 11 scheduled performances sold out in advance.

As the curtain rose, Korean actors delivered a relentless stream of Korean dialogue inside an overwhelmingly massive, transparent glass house.

[I will put my pride aside for a moment and apologize. I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry.]

English subtitles were provided simultaneously on both sides of the stage.

Spectators were quickly drawn into the work, captivated by the performances of actor Jeon Do-yeon, a winner of the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, and actor Park Hae-soo, familiar to global audiences from Squid Game.

Outbursts of laughter erupted during a scene where the main character talks about New York, where she lived before returning to Seoul.

When the nearly three-hour performance concluded, a standing ovation erupted from the 1,200 packed seats.

[Jeon Do-yeon / Actor: The audience's response was more than satisfying, and when it was all over, hearing the sound of their applause almost brought me to tears.]

It was a stage that demonstrated how language barriers are no longer an obstacle in theater.

[Corey / New York: There were moments where I didn't look at the subtitles at all and could understand everything that was happening just by watching the actors. That is theater.]

Along with the Wall Street Journal praising it as a phenomenal production, local media outlets are showering praise on this adaptation that reinterprets a Russian classic with a Korean backdrop.

(Camera filming: Lee Hee-hoon, Video editing: Kim Ho-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.