A theatrical adaptation of Nobel laureate Han Kang’s novel ‘I Disappeared Alone,’ titled ‘Bird,’ is set to captivate Seoul audiences this autumn. This production, which made its world premiere at the Avignon Festival in France in July, is directed by Julie Deliquet, artistic director of the Théâtre National La Colline in Paris. It features acclaimed French actor Isabelle Huppert and South Korean actress Lee Hye-young.
The play’s first Korean performances are scheduled for October 10-11 at the Mary Hall Grand Theater at Sogang University in Mapo-gu, Seoul. This presentation is part of the 26th Seoul Performing Arts Festival (SPAF), running from October 8th to 25th. SPAF will showcase a diverse range of performances across several key venues in Seoul, including the National Theater of Korea, Daehakro Arts Theater, and Arko Arts Theater, highlighting both international and experimental domestic productions.
SPAF 2024: Exploring the ‘Multiverse of Art’
This year’s SPAF, themed ‘Multiverse of Art,’ aims to present various artistic perspectives on contemporary life through works that explore the intersection of different cultures, memories, and perceptions. A significant portion of the festival is dedicated to its international lineup, featuring seven productions that transcend traditional genre and medium boundaries. These include performances spanning drama, dance, visual arts, and extended reality (XR).
A notable aspect of this year’s festival is the collaboration with the Avignon Festival. Among the co-presented works is ‘The Distance Between Us,’ directed by Tiago Rodrigues, the artistic director of the Avignon Festival. This play, which received critical acclaim at the Avignon Festival, explores the generational and relational distances through the narrative of a father left on Earth and his daughter who has left for Mars.
Another Avignon collaboration is Malick Bauer’s documentary-style performance ‘The Edge of Memory,’ which brings personal and urban memories to the stage. It was well-received at the 2024 Avignon Festival.
Beyond the Avignon collaborations, SPAF will also present other significant international works. These include ‘Soafra, Installation’ by Mathilde Monnier, a leading figure in contemporary French dance, and ‘Lumen’ and ‘Her Two-Dimensional Life’ by Floe Lise, whose visual performances push the boundaries of theatrical expression through technology and imagery. ‘Blur: When Borders Blur,’ a work selected for the Immersive Competition at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, will also be shown. This XR (Extended Reality) piece merges live performance with virtual reality, offering an experience rarely encountered in Korea.
New Creations and Collaborative Projects
SPAF is also spotlighting five new commissioned works through its ‘SPAF Collaborative Artist’ program. This initiative fosters long-term partnerships between creators and production entities, supporting the development of new performance forms and production methods from the initial stages. The goal is to facilitate the expansion and distribution of these completed works both domestically and internationally.
One such commissioned work is the opera ‘The Third War.’ Selected in 2024 through a joint call with the National Asia Culture Center, it underwent a preview at SPAF in 2025 before its full premiere. Following its debut in Gwangju in May, the completed opera will be staged at SPAF in October. The play and opera’s libretto are by Park Bong-se, an artist known for his unique blend of powerful narratives and musical elements, drawing attention from both Germany and Korea.
The production features a notable cast, including soprano Lim Sun-hye, actress Kang Ae-shim, and Anupam Tripathi, who gained international recognition for his role in Netflix’s ‘Squid Game.’
The festival will also introduce other new works that expand the boundaries of genre and form. These include Kim Jae-hoon’s ‘Mars Exploration Practice,’ which explores new performance languages by integrating music, movement, and media art. Hwang Soo-hyun’s ‘Hihistory’ experiments with non-verbal forms, pushing beyond the visually apparent to explore other forms of silent expression. The theater company ‘Elephants Laugh’ will present ‘Charna’s Moment,’ a participatory performance that creates a space where play and memory coexist, inspired by the concept of a ‘moment.’ Jang Young’s ‘Moonlight Okinawa’ connects the historical wounds of Okinawa and Gwangju.
Showcasing Korean Talent and Asian Collaborations
In partnership with the Seoul Arts Market (PAMS), SPAF presents ‘PAMS x SPAF Choice,’ featuring five domestic productions selected for their artistic merit and potential for international distribution. Among these are the dance piece ‘Ssireum’ by the company ‘All That Dance’ and the theatrical work ‘”It cannot be that the entirety of life is to live without being hit”‘ by the theater company ‘Here, of course, Theater.’
Furthermore, SPAF is actively nurturing emerging and mid-career artists from the Asia-Pacific region through its ‘Creation Lab.’ This program collaborates with performing arts organizations across Asia and the Pacific to discover new works. This year, the lab will present two play readings by Hong Kong and Japanese playwrights. These include ‘Neometropolis’ by Hong Kong playwright Pat To Yan, which explores the relationship between nature, technology, and control in a future city, and ‘A Tale Descending the Long Pit of Valparaiso’ by Japanese playwright Gamisato Yudai, which traces memories of migration and war.
The festival also includes a range of educational and networking events, such as lectures, masterclasses, a young dancers’ workshop, and a forum for international festival representatives.
Early bird tickets, offering a 40% discount on selected performances, are available for purchase until October 21st. Tickets can be bought through the official SPAF website and designated ticketing partners, with a limit of four tickets per person.
For more information, please visit the official Seoul Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) website at http://spaf.or.kr.
