Transgender performer's 50 years on nightclub stages come to life in play
Korean society in the 1970s and 1980s was rife with violence and control masked as institutions and social order. At 16, the world saw her as a boy, but she already knew who she was. At a time when even the term “transgender” did not exist in common parlance, she performed on nightclub stages, singing and dancing in heavy makeup. She even underwent a risky, illicit gender-affirming surgery under…
Korean society in the 1970s and 1980s was marked by violence and control, often disguised as institutions and social order. At the age of 16, the world first encountered her as a boy, yet she already understood her true identity. During a period when the term "transgender" was not part of everyday language, she took to the nightclub stages to perform, singing and dancing while wearing heavy makeup.
Her journey even included a dangerous, clandestine gender-affirming surgery performed in a motel room under only local anesthesia. Her life was undoubtedly a constant struggle against discrimination and resentment, a reality that is hard to comprehend today. Despite the violence and suffering that were all too common during her time, she never lost her confidence in her decisions.
A one-person play that brings to life the fearless life of 69-year-old transgender performer Saek-ja will be presented at the Seoul Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) on October 15 and 16 at the Arko Arts Theater in the Jongno District of Seoul. The play, titled "You Can't Make a Life Out of Not Getting Slapped in the Face," was first showcased at the Feminism Theater Festival in 2.
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