Universal story and very Korean, 'Cherry Orchard' kicks off world tour on a high note

HONG KONG -- With two of Korea’s most celebrated actors, Jeon Do-yeon and Park Hae-soo, in the lead roles, the Korean production of “The Cherry Orchard” opened the Hong Kong Asia+ Festival 2025 to sold-out houses, successfully kicking off its international tour that will run through 2026.

The play, which ran Sept. 19-21 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s 1,700-seat Grand Theater, was the festival’s official opening program. Tickets for all three performances — more than 4,200 seats excluding restricted-viewing sections — sold out within 15 minutes, living up to the hype.

While Korean culture has been attracting unprecedented global attention, it is rare for a play performed in Korean to reach such international stages, given the constraints of language and cultural context compared to nonverbal performing art forms like dance.

But the reception underscored the production’s universal appeal. Subtitles in English and Chinese accompanied the 2-hour and 30-minute performance, yet much of the humor transcended translation. Bursts of laughter rippled through the audience at moments of deliberate comic relief.

“I was nervous and even a little afraid, since it was our first overseas performance,” Jeon said after the opening night. “But sharing the energy with Hong Kong audiences on stage was an unforgettable experience. Their laughter and applause gave us the greatest energy.”

Park echoed the sentiment, noting, “The audience brought us back for three curtain calls — that was a first for us.” Speaking later during a post-performance meet-the-artist session, he added, “I am truly grateful that so many people filled the theater for the very first stop of our overseas tour.”

"Simon Stone’s version of the theater classic is surprisingly Korean, featuring a remarkable stellar cast who bring each character vividly to life, giving our audience a chance to appreciate Korean culture through the performing arts," said Connie Lee, Chief Manager of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, responsible for the festival.

Produced by LG Arts Center and premiered last year to 40,000 theatergoers in Korea, “The Cherry Orchard” is a reimagining of Chekhov’s 1904 classic. Written and directed by Simon Stone, the Australian theater-maker known for his adaptations of canonical works, the play resets Chekhov’s tale of decline and displacement in contemporary Korean society.

Jeon plays Song Do-young, a third-generation chaebol heir on the brink of losing her family’s company and estate. She and her family remain in denial about the looming crisis, while Hwang Doo-sik (Park), the self-made son of their family’s chauffeur, offers solutions they refuse to accept.

Though set in Korea, the drama echoes Chekhov’s critique of inertia in the face of upheaval — a commentary on which values endure in times of social transformation, and one that resonates far beyond national borders.

“Russia in the late 19th century was facing a lot of questions about what the future means, what the past means," said Stone.

“I think of it as a critique of people who, in a moment of crisis, would be in a position to change something but instead stick their heads in the sand. And I think we're witnessing that a lot all over the world at the moment sadly.”

The tour will continue Nov. 7-9 at Singapore’s Esplanade, followed by stops in Australia in February and in New York in September 2026. The original Korean cast of ten, including Jeon and Park, will remain with the production throughout.

“We hope to share the excellence of Korean theater and the talent of our actors with audiences worldwide,” said Lee Hyun-jung, CEO of LG Arts Center. “Our goal is to create a work that conveys deep resonance and empathy across cultures.”