A journey through the last 20 years of Korean history told by a bunch of talkative rice cookers.
One day when his electric rice cooker informed him that his meal was ready, Jaha Koo experienced a deep sense of isolation. ‘Golibmuwon’ (고립무원) is an untranslatable Korean word expressing the feeling of helpless isolation that characterises the lives of many young people in Korea today.
Twenty years ago there was a major economic crisis in South-Korea, comparable to the financial crash in the United States and Southern Europe in 2008. This crisis had a huge impact on the young generation to which South Korean artist Jaha Koo belongs. He witnessed many endemic problems including youth unemployment and socio-economic inequality. Rising suicide rates, isolation, acute social withdrawal and a fixation on personal appearance are but a few of the symptoms.
In bittersweet and humorous dialogues, Jaha and his clever rice cookers take you on a journey through the last twenty years of Korean history, combining personal experience with political events and reflections on happiness, economic crises, and death.
Content warnings:
Footage and images of suicide, attempts of suicide, street violence, police brutality, war; loud music; fast-changing images; discussion of suicide and death.
Jaha Koo is a South Korean theatre/performance maker and music composer. His artistic practice oscillates between multimedia and performance, all of which include his own music, video, text, and installation. His performances are closely interwoven with politics, history, and his own personal issues.
Concept, direction, text, music & video: Jaha Koo
Performance: Hana, Duri, Seri & Jaha Koo
Cuckoo hacking: Idella Craddock
Scenography & media operation: Eunkyung Jeong
Dramaturgical advice: Dries Douibi
Technical: Korneel Coessens, Jan Berkmans, Bart Huybrechts (& Wim Clapdorp)
Production: Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek
Executive production: CAMPO
Co-production: Bâtard Festival
Support: CAMPO, STUK, BUDA, DAS, SFAC, Noorderzon/Grand Theatre, TelepART. Cuckoo was realised with the support of the commission of the Flemish Community.