Actor Baek Ji-yoon / Courtesy of Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center and Kim Yoon-hee

For 15 years, a mother and her daughter have walked along the beach together every day. The daughter Kelly, a 27-year-old with Down syndrome, is independent and capable of taking care of herself. Her mother, Agnes, has sacrificed much and fought hard for Kelly over the years. Their peaceful daily routine is suddenly disrupted when Kelly announces that she has a boyfriend.

Kelly dreams of living a normal life — raising a child with her non-disabled boyfriend, Neil. However, Agnes grows increasingly anxious, fearing that her daughter might be getting deceived.

The play "Jellyfish" by British playwright Ben Weatherill explores themes of love, independence and societal attitudes toward disability. Its Korean adaptation, premiered on March 18 at the Modu Art Theater in Seodaemun District, Seoul, features Baek Ji-yoon in the role of Kelly, continuing the play's tradition of casting actors with Down syndrome to authentically portray its central character, highlighting issues of representation and disability rights.

Baek's performance in "Jellyfish" — transparent and heartfelt like a jellyfish — draws deep empathy and tears from audiences, making every stage appearance feel like a miracle.

Her life story is equally inspiring. In 2010, her journey of overcoming discrimination through ballet was featured in a KBS documentary and she performed "Giselle" solo during the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics. Baek also appeared in dramas "Go Go Song" (2019) and "Our Blues" (2022), broadening her horizons as well as public perceptions of actors with disabilities in Korea.

Baek Ji-yoon is seen in the play "Jellyfish." Courtesy of Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center and Ok Sang-hoon

Confronting attitudes toward disability

The 33-year-old actor said that while preparing for the play, the hardest part initially was making eye contact with people.

"Most of the gazes I encounter from those around me aren't positive. Most people look at me as if I'm just a disabled person. I don't like how people stare directly at me on the subway. I wanted to avoid their gazes. Whenever I was on the subway, I always felt like running away," she shared during a recent interview with The Korea Times at the theater.

But a simple piece of advice from Min Sae-rom, director of the Korean production of "Jellyfish," shifted her mindset. "Don't run away — face it with confidence," the director told her. Those words, combined with the warmth she felt from her colleagues, helped break down emotional walls she had long held up.

"Listening to encouraging and supportive words from the director and others around me made me feel their sincerity," Baek said. "It seems like my prejudices and barriers toward non-disabled people have greatly diminished. They genuinely like me and the director's words changed me. Through this play, I've changed the most."

Baek said her biggest fear of participating in a stage play for the first time was that people might not come to watch the play because of her disability. Initially she even felt upset when the play was promoted with the phrase "Down syndrome actor."

"I worried that audiences might view me with prejudice because I have Down syndrome and that they might leave halfway through the play," she said.

Like others with similar disabilities, Baek often faces challenges with clear pronunciation. During rehearsals, she was determined to do well, but some sounds proved particularly difficult, at times bringing her to tears out of frustration. Despite the struggles, she said the experience ultimately became a turning point.

"Through that process, I feel I've grown as an actor," she said.

Baek Ji-yoon, second from left, is seen with prompters who help remind her of her lines during the play "Jellyfish." Courtesy of Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center and Ok Sang-hoon

About 50 to 60 percent of the play's script consists of Kelly's lines. She cheerfully and confidently said, "I think I'm good at memorizing anything. It's like the script is all stored in my head like a photograph."

In the play, Kelly confidently tells her mother that she can put on her shoes by herself when her mother tries to help. She is also the one who makes the first moves, boldly asking her non-disabled boyfriend, "Do you like me? Do you want to kiss me?" Kelly's confidence certainly mirrors Baek's.

Still, to ensure smoother and more relaxed performances, crew members also support the cast as prompters, ready to assist actors if any lines slip in the moment.

As strong as Kelly

Kelly's mother, Agnes, worries in the play that her daughter might be vulnerable or taken advantage of by a non-disabled boyfriend, prompting her to attempt matching Kelly with someone who also has a disability. Baek shared a similar experience from her own life, recalling how her mother once tried setting her up with a boy who had the similar condition.

In response, Baek clearly and firmly told her mother, "If you're going to introduce me to someone just because they're like me, don't ever introduce me to another guy again."

Much like Kelly, Baek openly expressed her desire to date someone without a disability. "Because of my disability, I worry about potentially having to raise a child who also has a disability," she said candidly. "That thought alone makes me uncomfortable with the idea."

A poster for the play "Jellyfish" / Courtesy of Korea Disability Arts & Culture Center

Baek's most memorable line from the play is when Kelly says to her boyfriend Neil, "So if you want to abandon me, go ahead. I'll understand. But it can't be because of Mom. It has to be because you don't like me." Neil, though sweet-natured, is indecisive and somewhat fearful of their uncertain future, despite his love for Kelly.

"While acting, I wanted to show that Kelly is deeply loved and also help Neil realize that he is equally deeply loved by Kelly," Baek explained.

Baek has many dreams. After starting ballet in fifth grade because she admired the beauty of its movements, she once dreamed of becoming a ballet teacher. Later, she aspired to be a pianist. Currently, apart from performing on stage every night, she is focused on training for a black belt in taekwondo.

Describing her mother as "a mom who feels like a friend," she said it was when her mother was diagnosed with cancer that prompted her to learn taekwondo.

"I wanted to protect myself and my mom. To do that, I thought I needed to become strong," she said.

"After my grandfather passed away, my mom went through a really hard time. I also became very depressed and lost confidence. I wondered if I could take care of my mom until the end. Because my mom had been sick, I felt the need to protect her and that's why I started taekwondo."

Baek also finds solace and inspiration in poetry, especially the works of Sister Lee Hae-in.

"They are easy to understand and have given me a lot of comfort. Whenever I feel down, reading her poetry gives me strength," she said. "I really love landscapes, the night sky and stars. I even write poetry inspired by them."

Though she has explored various forms of performance, including ballet and drama, theater remains her greatest passion, partly because actors with disabilities often have limited screen time in dramas. She hopes to continue acting in plays, taking on diverse characters — not just roles specifically for disabled people. She dreams of playing charismatic and intense leading characters like those from dramas such as "Penthouse" or "Cinderella Game."

"I want to show that people with disabilities can also perform and shine brilliantly in theater," she said. "This isn't merely a personal wish. It's about demonstrating the miracle and possibility of continuous growth."

"Jellyfish" runs through April 13.