On His Son's Mysterious Death Anniversary, Family Wounds Revealed... Kang Shin-il Stars in Play "The Force of Fate"

Opens on August 25 at Theater Kum in Daehangno

The theater company Jebikkot announced on August 18 that the play "The Force of Fate," which follows a family and friends who have gathered for the first time in a long while to share long-buried memories and wounds on both a geologist's retirement day and the anniversary of his son's mysterious death, will be performed at Theater Kum in Daehangno from August 25 to September 6.

"The Force of Fate" is a psychological drama that explores how guilt and regret, accumulated through fate, choices, and family relationships, shake up one's life.

The story begins on a summer night that marks both the retirement day of Han Unsa, who has devoted his life to geology, and the death anniversary of his son Han Sojin, who died under mysterious circumstances. As the family gathers after a long time, joined by longtime friend Kim Inseong and his son Yeonwoo, memories and truths buried in silence for many years gradually come to light. Each character faces their own wounds, guilt, love, and regret, unraveling the complex web of their relationships.

The play questions whether fate, which appears to govern human lives, is truly predetermined or whether it can be transformed by personal choices and relationships. In the production, "water" is used as a central image symbolizing fate and the flow of life. Just as water streams flow in different directions, the characters live out their lives, repeating encounters and partings, conflict and reconciliation.

Directed and written by Choi Changgeun, the play marks his return with a new work after 15 years. Choi began his career in playwriting in 2001 with "One Fine Spring Day," which won the 38th Dong-A Theatre Award for Best Play, and has created original works such as "The Story of December" and "Where the River Flows." Since founding the theater company Jebikkot in 2009, he has directed literary readings and international performing arts projects both domestically and abroad.

Kang Shin-il plays the protagonist, geologist Han Unsa. Kang has worked extensively across stage, film, and television, appearing in plays such as "Miner Painters," "Red," and "Chilsoo and Mansoo," as well as in movies like "Public Enemy" and TV dramas such as "Mr. Sunshine" and "Descendants of the Sun." His accolades include the 2005 KBS Drama Award for Best Supporting Actor, the 1999 Dong-A Theatre Award for Best Acting, the 1999 Seoul International Theatre Festival Acting Award, and the 1995 Seoul Theatre Festival Modern Theatre Acting Award.

Cho Youngjin takes on the role of Kim Inseong, Han Unsa's longtime friend. Cho has appeared in plays such as "Medea," "The Cherry Orchard," and "Lear," as well as films like "Secret Sunshine" and "The Unjust." His awards include the 2002 Dong-A Theatre Award for Acting and the 2013 Seoul Theatre Festival Acting Award.

The cast spans generations, featuring actors such as Kwon Il, winner of the 62nd Dong-A Theatre Award for Best New Actor, and Lee Yujin, a member of the National Theater Company of Korea's seasonal ensemble, among others.

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