The October People’s Choice Award goes to…

Posted by on November 18, 2022

The people have spoken… The October People’s Choice Award goes to Matthew Park for his short play, Jung, presented as a staged reading Simulcast & On-Demand via Vimeo Live on October 24th. Congratulations, Matthew!

Courtesy of Matthew, we’re pleased to share the first few pages from the award-winning script. Enjoy!

Jung
by Matthew Park

CHARACTER NAME BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Mija Yang – An elderly Korean woman with a prickly disposition
Julie Williams – A Korean-American woman in her 30s

The dingy room of a nursing home. MIJA, an elderly
Korean woman, lies in a cot. A metal tray above her
stomach holds a bowl of porridge. Her breathing is slow
and labored.

JULIE, a Korean-American woman, enters the room.
She’s wearing a N95 mask that obscures most of her face.

JULIE
Mija Yang?

(MIJA opens her eyes)

MIJA
너 누구 야? (Who are you?)

JULIE
I’m Julie. Sorry, my Korean isn’t the best. But I have these.

(JULIE pulls out two devices from her tote. She places
one on MIJA’s tray. The other she holds to her mouth)

JULIE
(speaking into the device)
These are translating devices. (이것은 통역을 도와주는 도구입니다.)

(Her words are translated into Korean, and spoken in a
slightly robotic, Siri-like voice. MIJA’s eyes widen)

JULIE
They’re not perfect, but we should be able to communicate. (완벽하지는 않지만,
이것으로 의사소통은 할 수 있습니다.)

(MIJA inspects the device suspiciously)

MIJA
What happened to Lina? (리나는 왜 안왔냐?)

JULIE
She’s taking the day off. (오늘은 리나가 못나왔어요.)

MIJA
That is strange. She has never missed a day of work. Did she give a reason? (한번도 그런
적이 없었는데 무슨 일이야?)

JULIE
She wasn’t feeling well. But I can help you with whatever you need. (몸이 좀 안
좋대요. 제가 리나 대신에 좀 도와드릴 수 있어요.)

MIJA
I doubt that. There have been many girls, but Lina is the best. She is the only one with a
sensible mind who can find a vein. She reads to me and shows me movies. And she talks
to me like I am an equal. The others speak to me like I am a dog, or a small child. (일하는
애들이 많았지만은 리나같이 잘하는 애는 없었어.그 아이는 분별이 있는 아이이고,
나의 정맥을 찾을 수 있었던 유일한 아이였어. 그리고 그 아이는 나를 사람대접
했지만, 다른 사람들을 나를 개취급했다.)

JULIE
Well, I’ll try my best. (이제 제가 최선을 다할께요.)

(JULIE opens her tote, revealing a bag full of apples)

JULIE
Lina told me you like apples. (리나가 나한테 어르신은 사과를 좋아한다고 했어요.)

MIJA
I only like honey apples from Gyeongsang. (경상북도에서 나는 꿀사과만 좋아한단다.)

JULIE
Oh. Then I can bring you something else – (그러면 제가 다른 걸 찾아올게요 -)

MIJA
No. Apples move the bowels. Peel them. (됐어.사과를 먹어야지 변을 보지. 깍아.)

(JULIE takes a paring knife and begins to peel. MIJA
watches her carefully. Once JULIE is finished, she hands
MIJA a slice. MIJA inspects it and tuts)

MIJA
Lina can skin an apple so cleanly. But this is acceptable. Cut them into my porridge.
(리나는 아주 얇게 잘 깍는단다.맛이 그런대로 괜찮네. 잘라.)

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Join us for our next Monday Night PlayGround on November 28th! For more info, click here!