"Happy World" in the Unhappy World

  Freed from the burden of classes during the winter semester, and having a-long-waited vacation, many students seem not to be able to leave campus. From the early morning they are willing to take language classes, to have group studies, or to stay at the library all day long. In some aspects, those who are preparing for their future look vigorous, but in other aspects, I feel sorry that they seem to be lacking in freedom, which they should enjoy in the springtime of their life. But there seems to be no choice for them. Everyone says that these are hard times and the difficulties of getting jobs are still being voiced noisily in daily newspapers.

  In such dreary times, I had a chance to go see a play entitled “Happy World.” Happy World? At first, I thought the title sounded so naive that I guessed that its meaning would be rather ironic. Anyway, in a provincial city like Gwangju, the opportunity to enjoy a play doesn't occur everyday. First of all, there are not many theatrical companies in our city and furthermore, except on special occasions, they don't gain much interest from the public. According to an interested person, there are only about 7~8 theatrical companies in Gwangju, and all of them don't run plays regularly. They are always fighting hard against financial problems and yet without support of cultural organizations, they can't survive. (It's a shame that I, myself, go to see a play only once or twice a year.) On the day I visited the theater downtown to see “Happy World,” it was a weekday and there were only 6-7 people in the audience at the theater. The stage was small and humble and it was very cold inside. 

  The play "Happy World" is based on the TV animation series of the same name. The stage adaptation of this TV series began in Seoul originally, and became very popular. In Gwangju, the play is being performed by Chung Choon, a theatrical company. I remember watching this animation series several times on TV. According to my memory, each story was very short, with a running time of just 4~5 minutes, and especially the pictures were very simple and unadorned but beautiful pastel drawings. I can't recollect many things in detail, but the characters of each story seemed to be just common people and the matters of the stories were also common people's ordinary affairs. Some of them, however, were so impressive and moving that I sometimes felt a lump in my throat.

  The stage adaptation of "Happy World" consists of five episodes that focus on friendship and the love between family members. The first story is about a family who has three daughters. Though the family already has three kids, their mom is going to have another baby because their grandmother wants a son. In the end, however, the mom gives birth to another daughter. If you are Koreans, more particularly old Korean women, you will know how bitter this situation is. But, contrary to our expectations, the grandmother makes us burst out laughing by saying to her granddaughters that "your mom has a consistent will from first to last.” Her humor, behind which her disappointment must be concealed, impresses us.

  "A Hair in the Lunch Box" is the third episode. It is said to be one of the most touching episodes and received a lot of applause from the audience. Jung-su's high school friends always find a hair in Jung-su's lunch box and often make fun of him. But Jung-su never loses his cheerful look. One day, Jung-su's friends are invited to Jung-su’s birthday party and they find out why there is always a hair in his lunch box.  Surprisingly, Jung-su's mom is blind. Jung-su's and his friends have a merry birthday party. Their friendship evokes memories of our schooldays and makes us miss our old friends.

The Last episode, "A Letter from a Little Girl,” is also a very touching story. It deals with the friendship between a blind man who has been in desperate situation and a seven-year old girl. The two meet in the hospital and become good friends. At first, the blind man would not open his heart, but he became comfortably warm with the innocence and warm-heartedness of the little girl. In the last scene of the episode, the girl gives the most valuable gift, her eyes, to the man. The man, who used to neglect his family and even himself for success in his life, realizes the true value of living.

  Obviously, it seems that the play tries to give some messages that happiness is not something great at all and it is rather something small and simple, and it is not far away, it is near at hand. So, if you are suffering for the bitterness of the present, remember the beautiful old days and regain the valuable thing which you lost in the past. Considering that this play is made for the sake of viewers of all ages, more particularly families, friends and lovers, the themes of this play are acceptable. Furthermore, an easy and relaxed play like this will be helpful in retrieving the interest of the public.

  On the other hand, I doubt whether these kinds of topics or plots can appeal to the present world. Aren't we too complicated and complex to sympathize with such a simple approach to happiness? Frankly speaking, the messages of this play seem to be too naive and too conventional. Or, am I too dreary and pessimistic about the world?

  Obviously, to see a play must be a special experience. Above all, unlike films, we can feel the living breath of the performers on the stage. There is something raw and genuine in plays. However spectacular and thrilling Hollywood films are, they are artificial and somewhat exaggerated. Plays can represent much more the realities of life than films. Thus, just as life itself never results in easy settlements, plays should go on with struggles for the realities of life in their own way.

 [#264 Review]