NANTA and The Painters: HERO to perform in Singapore

Imagine TV Network speaks to the producers of NANTA and The Painters: HERO about the creativity and innovation behind the two internationally-acclaimed Korean performances.

Imagine TV Network

Come June 2016, members of the public can watch two of Korea's high-energy art shows at Resorts World Theatre in Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.

NANTA

NANTA's producer Seung-Whan Song explains that his intention of using beats, tunes and rhythms, including incorporating samulnori, a traditional Korean instrument, into the show was to let audiences "have a peek into the Korean culture." NANTA, a non-verbal musical comedy that was first performed in 1997, has been watched by over ten million audiences and was the first Asia show to premiere on Broadway.

Three of the cast members also reveal that their most memorable scene is the opening scene of NANTA. Chang Kwan Ko, the head chef, describes the scene as "a great combination of Korean traditional elements and Western elements" and calls the prologue scene a must-watch moment of the show.

Song also shares that the set is designed specifically for the performance and says, "[w]hatever we can get our hands on, we will change them into musical instruments. We deliver rhythm and beats through the props and interact with the audience."

The plot of the show revolves around the kitchen cooks dealing with their ill-natured manager and his nephew, who comes to the kitchen wanting to learn how to cook. Later, the cooks are notified at the last minute by the manager about an upcoming wedding reception and this unexpected event throws the kitchen into chaos.

Tae Wan Kim, the ill-natured manager, shares that the 'teamwork' between the audience and the head chef is his favorite part of the show and Hye Jin Yun, one of the cooks, remarks that the ending scene is the climax of the show. "There is a feeling of catharsis that rises due to the drumming beats. Sometimes, people in the audience cry because of the overwhelming experience."

The Painters: HERO

Also a non-verbal art performance, producer Kyu Jeong remarks that The Painters: HERO "presents a new way of enjoying art" and "make[s] 'art' an interesting subject to approach." The show begins in a city devoid of colors, its people "living in hopelessness and stagnation without their heroes."

Jeong says,"[w]e focus on featuring all-time favorite superheroes transcending ages and making them some alive with different art techniques as we want to help people relive their childhood dreams of becoming a hero themselves."

The turning point comes when four paints living in the grey city builds a Drawing Theater in the center of the city and start performing their art for the people in an attempt to restore their memories and bring colors back into their lives.

"We have limited space to display all artworks... For the audience to witness the process of making art and maximize visual effects, we have also added... 3D projection mapping," Jeong adds. The use of 3D projection mapping, while useful for combating scenarios such as wet paint streaking down the canvas when it is placed vertically, is an issue of concern for him. "I don't want to lose the analogue aspect of the show."

However, the process of painting is still the highlight of the show; Jeong says they use 1,900 gallons of paint and 21,600 stumps of charcoal annually. The cast undergoes a minimum of six months of rigorous training and having an "extraordinary passion" is a prerequisite. "They need to push themselves to master painting skills... at the end of the training, they would be able to draw even with their eyes closed."

NANTA will be performed from 3rd to 5th June 2016 whereas The Painters: HERO will be performed on 10th and 11th June 2016. Both shows will be performed at Resorts World Theater in Resorts World Sentosa.