| A scene from the musical, "Sandglass" / Courtesy of Insight Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Among all the Korean dramas that have aired to date, SBS' "Sandglass" (1995) is the third most-viewed series ever. Starring acclaimed actors such as Choi Min-soo, Ko Hyun-jung and Park Sang-won, the mega-hit drama was reportedly so popular that there were hardly any people on the street when it was on the air.
The final episode of "Sandglass" scored a 64.5-percent viewership rating. Although viewership ratings for dramas were higher in the past, as there were not many alternatives to TV, this figure is still remarkable.
Set in the 1970s and 1980s, "Sandglass" is reputed not only for its nail-biting plot that gives a picture of the painful and turbulent history of Korea under dictatorships but also for its long-lasting message of hope. Its musical adaptation ― which returned for its second run on May 26 ― also attempts to bring back the strengths of the TV series, although 160 minutes doesn't seem long enough to unfold all the stories included in the 24-part drama.
Nevertheless, the musical is a sincere love letter to the original work, which tells people not to succumb to the challenges of life even if they feel powerless and lack a voice.
| Actor On Joo-wan, who plays Park Tae-soo, performs on stage. Courtesy of Insight Entertainment |
Musical "Sandglass" follows three friends who are subject to the storms and vicissitudes of life: Park Tae-soo, Kang Woo-suk and Yoon Hye-rin. After graduating from high school, Park becomes a political gangster after failing to enter the Korea Military Academy, as his father was known as a left-wing activist. Kang becomes a lawyer to fight for justice, but then gets kidnapped for doing so. Yoon, who used to be a student activist, ends up inheriting her father's lucrative casino business to save Park, who was sent to Samcheong Re-education Camp by her father. Samcheong Re-education Camp was a concentration camp established by military dictator Chun Doo-hwan in the late 1980s, where ruthless human rights violations took place to "reform" people who were considered by Chun's regime as "threats to society."
All these hardships seem to suggest that the three characters give up on pursuing what they believe is right. Society shows no signs of improvement despite their efforts and each one of them is likened to a grain of sand that is too helpless to make any change. The musical, however, emphasizes that they should not stop, because if they join forces, they can become a lump of sand and turn an hourglass upside down, thereby bringing meaningful change.
The number, "Sandglass" ― sung by Hyerin ― clearly delivers this message with lyrics that read, "We may look like a small grain of sand, but if we work together, one day, we will see a different future."
The actors are also flawless in playing their roles. It must have been demanding to portray characters that face such an emotional maelstrom, but On Joo-wan (Park), Nam Woo-hyun of K-pop boy band Infinite (Kang) and Na Ha-na (Yoon) are capable of doing so.
The musical, "Sandglass," is scheduled to run until Aug. 14 at the D-Cube Arts Center in western Seoul.