[On Stage]12 Bodies and the Letter M: The Psychological Battle Between Two Men

Jang Jin's New Production "Danforth Was Right"

A Serial Killer Suspect and a Profiler

A Tense Thriller of Confrontation in the Interrogation Room

A profiler determined to uncover whether the suspect of a 12-person murder spree is truly the real killer.

The suspect's name is John Zhou, commonly referred to as "M." This is because he left the letter "M" on the bodies of all 12 victims. The profiler is named Jonas Boton. Boton's mission is to determine whether Zhou is really M, and if so, uncover M's motive for the serial killings. Boton arranges to meet Zhou seven times, each for 30 minutes, in the interrogation room.

The play features only two characters. The plot development is simple and straightforward: Boton and Zhou meet in the interrogation room, and this conversation scenario repeats seven times. The structure that emerges through their dialogues is as elaborate and intricate as M's crimes, who was apprehended after committing 12 murders. "Danforth Was Right" is a gripping two-person psychological drama.

The audience naturally finds themselves empathizing with Boton, who stands on the side of justice. Like Boton, they become curious about whether Zhou is truly M and why he committed the serial murders. However, Zhou is not talkative. It is ambiguous whether his attitude reflects resignation over finally being caught after 12 murders, or, on the contrary, a sense of superiority expressed as "you will never be able to catch me."

In contrast, Boton's attitude while interrogating Zhou is interesting. Rather than behaving like an interrogator, he acts as though he has encountered an intriguing acquaintance. During the interrogation, he sometimes displays cheerful behavior. Seemingly upholding the principle of presumed innocence, Boton appears to consider the possibility that Zhou might not be M.

Boton is always impeccably dressed in a suit and tie. His approach to interrogating Zhou is as gentlemanly and courteous as his attire. When Zhou asks for coffee, Boton takes the trouble of bringing expensive beans and personally makes coffee for him in the next meeting. When Zhou says he wanted to drink cold coffee, Boton brings ice the following time. He even brings fried chicken wings from a popular restaurant.

This gentlemanly and considerate attitude is part of Boton's subtle psychological strategy. For a profiler, it is standard practice not to reveal their own name to the suspect. However, when a phone call comes in during questioning, Boton casually says, "This is Jonas Boton," thereby indirectly revealing his name to Zhou. After the call, in an aside, Boton reveals that he had deliberately asked the investigation team to call him to lower Zhou's guard.

Boton also lies to Zhou, claiming that M's former rival is dead, even though the rival is very much alive, to gauge Zhou's reaction. Zhou was once a member of the national fencing team and even won an Olympic gold medal. However, after being caught for doping, his medal was revoked.

The character Danforth, referenced in the play’s title, adds to the intrigue. Danforth is a fictional figure created by director Jang Jin and only appears through Boton's explanations. Danforth is a surgeon—intelligent, but someone who, since childhood, derived strange excitement and pleasure from the smell of blood. Believing that he might one day become a murderer, he kept a meticulous record of his urges and eventually ended his own life to avoid becoming a killer. The audience is left to wonder: Is Zhou perhaps a similar type of person as Danforth? The curiosity reaches its peak.

The truth of the case is revealed during the seventh and final encounter between Boton and Zhou. As explained by director Jang Jin, from this point onward, the story accelerates into deliberate excess. Yet it is a satisfying kind of excess. Unexpected facts come to light one after another, adding the signature twists and excitement characteristic of a mystery thriller. Earlier stories about Zhou’s family and Boton’s childhood accident are gradually connected, like pieces of a puzzle finally coming together at the end.

Director Jang Jin explained that he originally conceived the work as a five-person play, but completed it as a two-person play instead because he wanted to focus on the intense psychological battle between the characters. The result, as intended, presents a fierce contest of wits between the two.

Regarding his decision to change from a five-person to a two-person play, Jang said, "It felt too much like a movie." Wanting to stage it as a play first as originally planned, he completed the two-person script last year and added that someday he would like to adapt it into a film as well. He mentioned that the movie script was completed long ago.

The original play, "Danforth Was Right," will be performed at Seoul's Daehakro YES24 Stage 3 Hall until August 30. The role of Jonas Boton will be played by Park Gunhyung, Choi Youngjun, and Kang Seungho, while the role of John Zhou will be played by Go Sangho, Kim Hangyeol, and Lee Hyunwoo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.