Son Sook, "It's Been 60 Years, I've Always Been Thirsty to Act"

"It's been 60 years since I've been in a play. For 60 years, I've done good works and met good writers, directors, and audiences, but I've always felt thirsty".

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Son Sook (79), who showed a practice scene for the play "Tokata" to commemorate the 60th anniversary of her acting career at the Shinshi Company practice room in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 1st, said this.

In 1963, while attending Korea University, Son Sook took the first step in her theater life by starring as the main character in the play "Triangle Hat". At that time, it was a great shock to see the play "Long Journey to the Night" by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. Usually, actors' commemorative performances are staged again, but "Tokata" is a new play written by Bae Sam-sik and directed by Son Jin-chaek.

Son Sook said, "I expected a sweet romance because it was a commemorative performance", adding, "I thought of a performance like a party, but it was meaningless. I was surprised when I saw this work. The first feeling was so fresh", she said. "I felt a lot of new things while practicing this time. My body is very tired, but my head is very clear. I'm having a happy time because I'm excited to go to practice in the morning".

"Tokata", derived from the Italian word 'tocare', which means 'contact (touch)', tells the story of human-to-human contact. It is a work inspired by the shock, sadness, and solitude left by the disconnection of relationships and sudden death caused by COVID-19.

On the stage where the piano melody flows, three people appear; an old woman (Son Sook), a middle-aged man (Kim Soo-hyun), who was infected with the virus and was in critical condition, and a dancer (Jung Young-doo).

Son Sook said, "I looked back on my life while doing this work. It's the story of an old woman as a young woman, the happy times when raising her children, beautiful moments with her husband, and being lonely after her dog passes away first. I'm 80 years old too, and I thought it was the story of my life. I put everything down this time. I'm relaxing".

The play is performed at LG Art Center U+ Stage in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul from the 19th to the 10th of next month.