The Seoul Metropolitan Theatre will be bringing “Bongsunhwa,” a play depicting the experiences of the Korean “comfort women,” to the North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie, Ill., this Saturday, Aug. 2, at 7 p.m. English subtitles will be provided.
The performance is being supported by the Korean American Coalition of Chicago (KACC), which will be partially subsidizing the price for a number seats, in an effort to help educate the public about the historic injustice.
“Bongsunhwa” is the Korean word for a flower popularly known as the “touch-me-not” in English because of the way its ripe seed pods burst explosively when touched. For generations, Koreans have used the flower to dye their fingernails a shade of orange in the late summer, and tradition holds that, if the orange color lasts until the first fall of snow, then the person will marry their first love.
This definition is painfully symbolic and telling in the context of “comfort women,” the estimated 200,000 girls and women, predominantly Korean, who were forced to provide sexual services to the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War.
KACC is offering its members a subsidized price for a number of premiere center viewing seats (Section S). To view discounted member prices for the tiered seating, click here for the Facebook event. For other ticket inquiries, call Korea Daily at (847) 228-7200 (ext. 122).
Saturday, Aug. 2
7 p.m.
North Shore Center for Performing Arts
9501 Skokie Blvd
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Check out other events in the Korean American community in the KoreAm calendar.
Top photo via alextheatre.org.
