North and South Korea: On Stage, On Topic,and On the Wall at Woolly Mammoth

By Daphne Domingo

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company put the Koreas, North and South, under their spotlight during November. The world premiere of the play You for Me for You(see review, page 23) by Mia Chung took audiences into the lives of two sisters torn between North Korea and the U.S. The play has been accompanied by a series of events including an art exhibit, a reception with the Korea Society, panel discussions, lectures, debates, film screenings, concerts and readings.

Korea Society Ambassador Reception

On Nov. 15, the theater hosted a reception for Ambassador Thomas C. Hubbard, the former U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea, and Dr. Stephen Noerper, senior vice president of The Korea Society, based in New York. Hubbard, a longtime diplomat who served as Ambassador to the Philippines (1996–2000) and to South Korea (2001–2004), discussed his experiences and observations about U.S.-South Korea relations, and the situation in North Korea, in a conversation with Noeper

Hubbard said he found the amicable relationship between what he described as the “left-leaning” President Obama and “right-leaning” South Korean President Lee Myung-bak “an interesting mix.” Hubbard said the KORUS Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect last spring and is designed to give new opportunities for U.S. exporters to sell made-in-America goods and services to Korean customers, is “one of the most productive relationships we’ve ever had.” Hubbard explained that he thinks both countries will benefit from what he characterizes as the two presidents’ mutual respect for each other, versus “the previous administrations’ policy of no dialogue.”

With the harsh conditions faced by residents in the North on the minds of theater-goers who saw You for Me for You, Hubbard described it as a very sad, bleak place. He recalled a visit when two American pilots were shot down in 1994. He was serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the time, and two days after Christmas he was dispatched to the Communist nation to negotiate the release of the surviving pilot. During his travels, he noticed people digging into the hillsides. Curious, he asked his omnipresent North Korean guide, who said they were “harvesting mountain delicacies” as part of the holidays. Toward the end of the trip, the guide revealed the people were actually starving, and trying to dig up roots to eat. Hubbard relayed that information to USAID’s Food for Peace program, which later sent food.

Hubbard believes China has quite a bit of influence in North Korea, providing food and fuel and developing industrial zones. Because of tightened international sanctions, the North’s reliance on China for trade and investment has been increasing. “Markets pop up from time to time and they have to let the Chinese in,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard suggested that economic progress in Burma could serve as a good example for North Korea, but “North Korea needs to demonstrate credibility in reducing weapons,” which Hubbard says he, unfortunately, does not expect. He added there is not much hope for unification between North and South Korea in the near term. He said that while South Korea would welcome the opportunity eventually, he does not believe the country wants it right now. “The economic gap is much greater than the two Germanys, and the cultural gap is growing every year,” Hubbard said.

In the meantime, there is some cultural progress underway in North Korea. Cell phones and Internet access are available, but they are tightly controlled. Information from the outside world comes primarily from China, Hubbard explained, including DVDs, which he thinks may have more influence with the beleaguered citizens than anything else.

Art Exhibit by Song Byeok

The walls of Woolly Mammoth’s downtown theater have been covered with paintings by Song Byeok, a former Official State Propaganda Artist for North Korea. Byeok lost his faith in Kim Jong-il when he lost his father, mother and sister to the famines which began ravaging the country in the 1990s and have caused the deaths of millions. Song was tortured by the regime after he attempted to cross into China with his father in 2000 to search for food for their family. His father was swept away by the strong currents of the Tumen River, while border guards focused on arresting Byeok, letting his father perish. He escaped from a labor camp to South Korea in 2002 and is now dedicated to promoting freedom by satirizing repressive governments through his acrylic pieces. Byeok discussed his work at one of the theater company’s play-related events.

The exhibit featured over a dozen works of art, including four paintings that had never been displayed publicly, and Byeok created two new pieces specifically for the exhibition. A piece which seemed to draw the most attention is a parody painting of Kim Jong-il. . .as he might appear wearing Marilyn Monroe’s famous white halter dress in the film “The Seven Year Itch.” By coincidence, the painting was completed the very day the not-so-dear leader passed away.