I’m nowhere near South Korea during the run of the upcoming stage adaptation of Shakespeare in Love to run during the late winter 2023 season into early spring but I LOVE the cast of familiar talented K-drama faces so it’s a treat to follow along. The production released new character posters today that are like works of art, putting Asian stars in Elizabethan attire and coming out looking so exquisite in aura is the stuff of dreams. As an Asian loving classic English literature and to see Asian faces bringing that era to life in this day and age is so satisfying to see. The cast will alternate pairings but the three female leads are Jung So Min, Chae Soo Bin, and Kim Yoo Jung with male leads Lee Sang Yi, Jung Moon Sung, and Kim Sung Cheol.
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I find it weird that some people find it ’empowering’ to populate European works with non European characters… I might be missing something, but does something like this make your daydreams of living in the Elizabethan age attainable? Are you only able to relate to people who look like you? As a south Asian woman who loves Korean works because they are unique and rooted in the people/culture of South Korea, I would have comparatively little to read & watch if I felt this way.
I’m not saying works can’t be adapted any way a creator pleases but what I’m questioning is why something like this is considered empowering.
It’s kind of like when they cast black and Indian actors in Netflix’s period romance series “Bridgerton”. Usually those genres completely exclude non-white people, so it is empowering to see black and Indian actors in Bridgerton. Same thing with these Korean actors I guess.
I know in the the US, our culture is very Eurocentric and Western-centric. Most of the works we study in school are written by white Americans and British. Shakespeare was a huge chunk of our reading and a huge chunk of school theater. Our art is also embedded in that culture. Things are better now, but in the past, aspiring actors of non-European descent would be rejected because they weren’t white. Or be excluded from speaking or from more visible roles. No matter their talent! They would be told to find other opportunities – go find a Chinese role, an Indian role, an Ethiopian role. But those roles were rare (because there were few, if any, non-Eurocentric productions) or were stereotypes that they may feel ashamed of perpetuating about their culture. Stereotypes that exist due to limited representation.
It’s not just being able to relate to people who look like you. It’s seeing that someone who looks like you can be afforded the same opportunities to play leading roles. It tells young people of non-European descent who want to be in theatre that there is a place for them. It increases the confidence of groups that have been marginalized and increases the sense of belonging.
It’s mainly in Asia where you get to see an all Asian cast of something. So those who come from places where you don’t see Asians in anything and where people would not be open to an Asian person playing Shakespeare- seeing this feels empowering. Like women don’t get much representation in certain jobs, like being an astronaut. So seeing a woman astronaut or airplane pilot feels empowering.
They look so good!!!
I’ve always thought that Korea would do justice to Shakespeare or Austen. Every so often there will be a scene in a Kdrama that is just so, SO Austenesque. One on a rooftop with the second leads in Crash Landing, for example, or even a couple shots in Alchemy of Souls. Not just in looks, but mood–Korea can definitely pull off “Joseon England.” 🙂
Kim yoo jung the slayer!!!!
I wonder how they decided the pairings?