Korea: DPA Show in Seoul, Korea Touches Art Professionals

On February 4th, 2009, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) staged its first of six shows at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul, Korea after a court ruled in favour of the hosting organisation. The Chinese Embassy exerted pressure on the theatre to cancel the show. However, the show went ahead and many professionals in arts and culture came to watch the DPA show and were impressed. Some asked for tickets for the shows on the following days.

Director Lim of the South Korea National Treasure Writers Association; Mr. Han, a renowned movie critic; Mr. Kim, a renowned ancient culture and treasure appraisal expert; famed actor Mr. Park, who starred in the South Korean TV series Jewel in the Palace; comedian Mr. Kwon; vocalists, an orchestra director, and a gallery director, etc. watched the DPA show on February 6th.

Director Lim of the South Korea National Treasure Writers Association: The show is so high level that words cannot express it

Director Lim of the South Korea National Treasure Writers Association is a poet and writer of prose. After watching the show, he rushed to the front hall to check if tickets were available for the following days. He wished to watch the show again. He said, "It is hard to express the inner meaning with words. Can our writings express the show well? I don't think they can."

Director Lim of the South Korea National Treasure Writers Association

Mr. Lim said excitedly, "I am shocked today. Do we have such art in Korea? The DPA show is so high level. I wish that South Korea had such art."

He continued, "I go to the theatre frequently and write articles. The DPA show includes fine arts and songs. It is comprehensive. Especially for us writers, we should watch more. Watching more shows can help us to write good articles."

He also pointed out, "After watching the show, I can find the ascended genuine human nature. The inner meaning is rich. You can learn and feel the spiritual information. When the Buddha appeared on stage, my heart felt very scared. But I felt I ascended to heaven with a calm heart."

A renowned ancient culture and treasure appraisal expert: Only after watching the DPA show can I know the costumes of heaven

Mr. Kim, a renowned ancient culture and treasure appraisal expert and a calligraphy expert, wore a traditional Korean costume to the show. After watching the show on February 6th, he came to an understanding about the costumes of the DPA performers on stage and the fairies depicted in heaven on the backdrop animations. He said, "I came to know today that the long-sleeve costume is from heaven."

Mr. Kim, a renowned ancient culture and treasure appraisal expert and a calligraphy expert

Mr. Kim said, "I generally wear traditional Korean costumes. Wearing traditional costumes can help discipline oneself. I think that ancient costumes may be the middle ground between humans and deities."

He continued, "Ancient costumes are more beautiful. I thought I would not be able to walk freely when wearing an ancient costume, but actually it is fine and convenient. Korean traditional costumes and Chinese ancient costumes appear graceful. I wish that ancient costumes could be further explored, not only for clothing exhibitions, but for wearing daily.

Mr. Kim said, "The DPA show is great. History and traditional culture are beautifully presented in the show. It is very good to combine Chinese traditions and history. The backdrop animation is vivid."

He continued, "The victim in the programme 'Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution' was persecuted. But didn't he ascend to heaven? Isn't it a heavenly principle?"

"DPA appears to revive Chinese traditional culture. Modern people are short of etiquette and moral values. With the Chinese Communist Party in power, Chinese people have lost traditional values. If DPA can tour to more places, the show will spread more widely. Then lower crime rates will be possible. The conscience of human beings can be revived."

Famous TV actor: Such good art should be pursued by everyone

Mr. Eun-Soo Park, a household name in Asia, played the strict medical instructor, Dr. Ik-Phil Shin, in arguably the most popular TV series in Asia over the past few years - Jewel in the Palace (The Great Jang Geum).

Mr. Eun-Soo Park, who played the strict medical instructor in Jewel in the Palace

Seeing Divine Performing Arts for the first time, the famous actor was taken with the show saying, "This is so beautiful!"

With a practised eye, he noted the details in the production. "The scenes on the backdrop are stunning. The stories depicted are also so great."

Mr. Park's role as Dr. Shin in Jewel in the Palace was a defining one and gained him respect from audiences around Asia.

After watching Divine Performing Arts, which is committed to the traditional values of Chinese culture, Mr. Park, a graduate of the Seoul Institute of the Arts, said, "Wonderful artistry such as that of Divine Performing Arts should be something that everyone pursues. Many people still don't know about this show yet. That's really a pity. Good shows like DPA should be known by more people."

In watching DPA, Mr. Park also saw the destruction of traditional culture in today's China under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.

"Such a splendid performing arts company deserves to be more well-known. If this show can eventually play in mainland China, then China will experience a 180 degree change."

Comedian from KBS University: DPA show is vivid and unique

On February 6th, Yeong-Chan Gwon, an award-winning comedian, attended the New York-based show in Seoul.

Yeong-Chan Gwon, an award winning comedian, praises DPA show

Mr. Gwon was impressed with the creative use of digital technology to enhance the themes in the DPA show. He said, "The use of technological backdrops is very vivid. The figures seem to walk out from the images and onto the stage. This cannot be seen in any other Korean shows. It is very creative."

Speaking Mandarin, Mr. Gwon said he had always been interested in Chinese culture and had, in fact, studied Chinese as a second major.

Despite his respect for Chinese culture, recent experiences with Chinese shows had led to low expectations for the night, he said. After seeing DPA however, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Before when I thought about a Chinese performance, what popped into my mind was acrobatics. However, today I saw various characteristics of Chinese classical dance. I feel that there is a lot to it," he said.

From DPA, he learned about the divinely-imparted traditional Chinese culture. Performances such as "The Monkey King Triumphs" are very interesting, he said, while "Dance of the Yi" touched him deeply. "This rich and glamorous minor ethnic culture really leaves a deep impression in people's hearts," he said.

Mr. Gwon won an award for his skills as a comedian from KBS University in 1992.

With an eye for the theater, he noted many details in the production, describing the colours and costumes of DPA as extremely "beautiful" and "luxurious."

Director of Fine Arts Association: As if experiencing it in real life

Mr. Kim, director of a Fine Arts Association and an illustrator, watched the DPA show on February 6th. He said that the backdrop images and stage performances were very harmonious, making him feel as if he were experiencing the scenes in real life.

Illustrator Mr. Kim

Mr. Kim said, "It makes one experience true feelings when the performers explain messages from divine beings. It also lets one imagine another world. Such a wide view of the world, heaven and earth, and human beings. The three realms appear like an illusion."

Mr. Kim said, "Chinese history is very long and China has traditional culture over five thousand years old. Actually, the earlier culture appeared to explain the relationship between heaven and earth. I personally like the culture at this level. I think the show successfully ascends to that point."

Mr. Kim highly praised DPA in combining modern technology and stage performance with the presentation of traditional culture. He said, "Using modern technology to show the scenes and dancing on stage, DPA presents heaven with computer technology. The dancers' rhythm indicates our life message."