Back in April I wrote about being woken up at butt o'clock in the morning, ushered into a van, and driven all the way across the country for some 4 hour seminar. It was on that most unfortunate trip that I found a very special bus. The entire side of the bus was decked out in an advertisement for "Jack The Ripper- The Musical" and painted larger than life in one of the lead roles was Lee Sungmin, one of the members of a band here called Super Junior (They're pretty popular back home as well, and I have seen them perform in New York).
I had to go.
So as soon as I got home (at balls o'clock at night this time), I hit the internet. I searched for dates Sungmin would be performing (he shares the lead role with 3 other actors). I wanted decent seats. It had to be a weekend. Finally I found a ticket for Sunday, 4th row center and quickly ate it up. Then promptly realized I had no idea how to get back to Seoul, how to get to the venue, or how to get home when it was all said and done. Long story short, it got settled with the help of a friend, and I was all set to take a bus that would let me off no more than 1 subway stop and a 3 minute walk away from the show.....all I had to do was wait for June 23rd and I was golden...
And then I went and missed the bus.
In a panic, I got a rush ticket for the next bus to Seoul. Now, the show was in a place called Seongnam, which is in Seoul but really far from the center. I wouldn't know until the bus arrived what part of Seoul I was being dropped off in. I had never taken the subway. So when I got dropped off in Gangnam, I ran to the first old lady I found and asked for help. People understand my Korean much more easily in Seoul- I don't know if it's the fact that I learn standard Korean and they speak a country dialect where I live, or if they just expect to see more foreigners who speak Korean and can talk with them. Whatever the reason, the lady and I understood each other and she told me I picked the right subway, nodded at me when my stop came, and pointed at a list of transfers so I knew I wasn't done traveling yet. 10 more stops on the second subway and I arrived. I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself. Except for apparently buying the wrong kind of subway pass and regrettably having to do a little elbow-throwing through the turnstile in Seongnam (>.>....) I made it to the Art Center with a half hour until showtime.
They were pretty clear on their no-picture policy, and I kind of stand out with three feet of blonde hair in a sea full of Koreans, so I didn't get any pictures of the show, but I did get a nice shot of the Art Center's Opera House flying the colors on my way up the hill to the show.
The show was FANTASTIC! Of course my initial interest was Lee Sungmin (and my unhealthy fascination with serial killers...), but even if I had gone on a night he wasn't performing I would have been just as happy. The guy who played Jack really stole the show for me. And the two female leads were SUPER talented and really beautiful. There wasn't a single performer who didn't give 200%. It went by so fast.
After the show I met a hapkido friend from home who had to go to training in Seoul for the weekend, we got some dinner and the bus home, taxied together from the bus terminal, played with my kitten, parted ways, and saw each other again less than 4 hours later for double-combo Hapkido/Korean practice- the Exhausted! edition.
To sum all of this rambling up, for one day I lived the life I've always wanted here in Korea. My town isn't all that bad, but there is nothing to do unless you bus out at least 20 minutes. I turned down positions in Seoul because I wanted to start off getting the realest idea of Korea. Seoul is Korea of course, but definitely the most Westernized part of it. I think I'm learning more Korean and more traditional culture here living in the backwoods where not many foreigners have dared to live. But I also wanted to have new experiences, not just get stared at by people as I walk around town for a lack of anything else to do. I want to see art and plays and concerts and festivals. That's something I've really missed out on. And after being stuck working 2 to 10 every day with my nose pressed to the grindstone for a boss who you can smell talking and who appreciates nothing? Jack the Ripper was welcome company.
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