The Cherry Orchard 벚꽃동산 at Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

Doyoung Song does not recognise this version of Seoul—tumultuous, free and unafraid of authority. Having left the country years ago after the death of her son, she returns to a city that is significantly unfamiliar, and a difficult situation: her family’s business is on the verge of bankruptcy, and her family home, gifted to her by her grandfather, is in danger of being lost.

Helmed by highly acclaimed director Simon Stone, this reinterpretation of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard is set in modern-day Seoul, South Korea. In a time of rapid and brutal change, a Chaebol family struggles to adapt to a world that has moved on without them, suffocated by a rising middle class and wealthy self-made entrepreneurs. Generational tensions erupt, and caught between hope and despair, tradition and innovation, the family is forced to eventually confront the cost of inaction.

Equal parts tragedy and comedy, The Cherry Orchard was Chekhov's final play, and considered one of his masterpieces. This adaptation by Stone premiered in Jun 2024 and marked the return of actress Doyeon Jeon to the theatre stage after 27 years. Well-known for her roles in You Are My Sunshine (2005) and Secret Sunshine (2007), for which she was awarded Best Actress at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, Jeon brings her acting prowess to the role of protagonist Doyoung Song. She stars alongside actor Haesoo Park of Squid Game fame, and a stellar all-Korean ensemble cast. The story unfolds on a masterfully designed set by celebrated architectural designer Saul Kim.

An intimate, bittersweet portrait that is deeply South Korean and yet universally moving, this must-watch take on The Cherry Orchard is a timely reflection of loss, change and social transformation.