Translation result
[News Culture reporter Noh Gyu-min] The best age to begin
A new trailer captures the lively, restored rhythms of life for a group of grandmothers who have reclaimed their sense of purpose.
On the 27th, production company Live released a trailer for the musical ‘Ojige Jaemitneun Gashinadeul,’ which opens May 15 at the Haneul Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. The preview vividly captures the boundless energy of women who learned Hangul in their eighties and embarked on a new chapter.
One striking image shows the women tracing letters and posing with the poise of models — a playful, confident tableau born from their hard-won literacy. The scene follows their transformation after attending a literacy school and learning to read and write. Later, to lyrics that translate as \”We Are Gashinadeul,\” \”The Best Age to Begin,\” and \”The Best Age to Write Poetry,\” the trailer flashes them back to their youth, visually conveying the joy they rediscover through learning and self-expression.
The trailer intercuts present-day shots of the grandmothers with images of them in school uniforms, offering fleeting glimpses of the radiant school years they once imagined but never finished. Props — picture books, a microphone, volumes of poetry and name tags — serve as icons of each character’s story and invite curiosity about the four women’s lives. Also present are documentary director Seok-gu, who watches them with affection, and Gaeul, the literacy school teacher — figures who signal the warm emotional tone the production seeks to deliver.
‘Ojige Jaemitneun Gashinadeul’ is based on the documentary film ‘Chilgok Gashinadeul’ and the essay ‘Ojige Jaemitge Naideum.’ It dramatizes the true stories of grandmothers who learned Hangul in their eighties and began writing poetry. More than 20 poems written by actual literacy-school students have been adapted into musical numbers, creating a deeply affecting theatrical experience. The 2025 premiere swept the 10th Korean Musical Awards, taking Best Work (under 400 seats), Best Direction (Oh Kyung-taek) and Best Script (Kim Ha-jin).
This revival pairs the original cast that moved audiences with new performers who add fresh energy. Yeong-ran — who once feared the picture books her grandchildren held because she couldn’t read — will be played by Gu Ok-bun and Kim Ah-young. Chun-sim, who never gave up her dream of becoming a singer and still enters singing contests, will be played by Cha Cheong-hwa, Park Chae-won and Kim Na-hee. In-sun, who found comfort in a Pushkin poem taught by her first love, will be played by Kim Mi-ryeo and Heo Soon-mi. Bun-han — whose name, meaning \”frustrated,\” felt shameful because she could not bear a son — will be played by Kang Ha-na and Lee Ye-ji. Documentary director Seok-gu, who records the women’s sparkling daily lives, will be played by Kang Jung-woo, Kim Ji-cheol and Jang Min-su. The literacy-school teacher Gaeul will be played by Ha Eun-joo and Shin Jin-kyung. Together, the ensemble promises a rich, emotionally resonant production.
News Culture — Noh Gyu-min pressgm@nc.press
Most Commented