This is a scene from the stage play “A Story of Old Thieves,” where a policeman interrogates two old burglars. The thieves claim that everything is a mistake and they’re innocent.

The story centers around two old burglars, who find themselves penniless after spending 30 years behind bars. They decide to carry out their last big heist, but things go wrong, very wrong from the very start. The play has only three cast members and no stage prop to speak of, but the show has always been sold out for 24 years, since it first debuted in 1981. Here’s culture critic Kim Seong-soo.

This play was a huge hit from the start. The political situation at the time was more hopeless than today, so the audiences were delighted to see us make fun of those in power. Nowadays we can often see satire in comedy programs, but back then there was no other channel, except on the stage, to see a political satire piece, which is why people so loved the play. It helped release all the dissatisfaction and stress we felt in our real lives. It’s a vicarious thrill, but people loved it, because their urge to criticize was fulfilled in the play and they found the energy to correct the mistakes in real life.

Decades of imprisonment left the two burglars clumsy and half-witted, but what they said had a sharp insight worthy of a political commentator. Their words cut deep through the hypocrisy of the political world. The audience says they feel so much better after watching the two old characters say whatever was in their minds.

- It was fun and refreshing. Some of the issues were sensitive ones, but it was good to see them exposed and discussed like that.
- Ordinary people can’t normally speak out like that, but this play does. There should be more plays like this, so politicians can be kept on their toes.

Disappointing politicians, a sluggish economy, a widening gap between rich and poor, and insidious discrimination against the lower class – these are some of the unfair and unjust dealings suffered, but rarely attacked, by ordinary people. Perhaps that’s why this political satire play is so hot: It gives people a proxy outlet to vent out their frustration and a chance to laugh with silly dialogues spewed by the characters. This is what attracts people to come and see “A Story of Old Burglars” year after year.

The play begins with two burglars, released from prison on special presidential pardon, breaking into a large house. It was supposed to be their last and biggest sting, burglarizing a great mansion, not some dime store, so they could retire and live in comfort. But their break-in looks awkward and haphazard for seasoned burglars who spent half of their lives in prison. They bumble around even after they enter the place, eliciting pity and compassion from the audience. Here’s actor Han Dong-gyu who plays one of the burglars.

A story about young burglars, who still lack life experiences, or of overly sharp criticism would have been rejected by the audience. This tale of old burglars, who have experienced all the trials and tribulations of the world, is so full of pathos and life lessons that the audience is just drawn to it. It would have been a hard play to like if the characters were not old like the two burglars.



But the mansion they sneaked into turns out to be an art gallery. They have been so isolated from the real world that they couldn’t tell a gallery apart from a mansion. It’s no surprise that they do not realize the full value of all the paintings inside the gallery.

Multimillion-dollar masterpieces of Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Jean Fautrier are just funny pictures to them. With all these priceless artworks around, their sight is set solely on finding a safe. But during their search, they come upon a liquor cabinet and begin to drink a shot after shot, and start talking about their rueful past.

Looking back on their lives, although they have made burglary their trade, they have never stolen anything valuable or hurt anyone. But they spent thirty years behind bars. The older burglar then takes a medal from one of the displays and awards it to the younger one.

It’s a laughable scene, but also a pitiful one. They stole from others just to survive, but society failed to understand them and their families and friends have deserted them. Their lives were lonely, unfulfilled, and unappreciated. So the audience feels rather heartbroken at the two praising and honoring each other. Here’s the play’s director Min Bok-ki민복기 to tell us more.

They are petty criminals. The scene where the two award medals to each other is tragic in nature, but causes us to feel sympathy and compassion toward them. Who wouldn’t feel that way watching those two pathetic old men pinning medals on each other?

Watching these petty burglars, our thoughts naturally turn to bigger and bolder burglars in our society, who live in wealth and fame despite their crimes.

Finally they find the safe, but no matter how much they try, they can’t seem to open the door. Frustrated and anxious, the two old men begin to argue.

They gripe about the difficulties of working together and in the process slip in the names of politicians. The situation is as far removed from politics as possible, but the audience sees through the apt satire of the current political situation, because these bungling thieves mimic real politicians who squabble and betray one another at every turn. Satiric scenes like this are rewritten every time the political atmosphere changes. Here’s culture critic Kim Seong-soo.

The play changed the names of politicians when political situations shifted. But the scenes where a string of people in leadership position who abused their power are cleverly skewered stayed the same. Also the current events that are referred in the dialogues are also constantly updated. If they talked about an incident back in the 60s or 70s, the audience wouldn’t understand the context. So the play maintains a political basis, but writers and actors keep the political events and figures up to date for their mocking dialogues.



Over the years “A Story of Old Burglars” has upgraded its techniques of satire and humor and has now become a model of political satire. But if the play only had satire, it wouldn’t have lasted for 24 long years. Here’s director Min Bok-ki again.

The play itself has to be funny and interesting. Satire is like seasoning, an ingredient making the play more appealing. That means the existence of satire doesn’t make or break the play, but making satirical references should count toward something. It should make people think about the meaning of the play. Satire must exist within the fun and enjoyment, and the play should have class.

The burglars fail to open the safe and end up triggering the alarm. With their dream of comfortable retirement gone down the drain, they get arrested by the police.

Yes, they broke into the gallery, thinking it was a mansion. Yes, they went into steal something. But they didn’t get to take anything. So they deny any wrongdoing, infuriating the interrogating officer. But then the police think maybe these seemingly bungling fools are spies or leftist terrorists. Having spent most of their lives imprisoned with their freedom and rights taken away, the burglars don’t know what to do except bow their heads and claim their innocence.

In the last scene the police officer yells at the burglars to fess up. Then the two miserable old men blow into the face of the officer. And that’s when the stage light goes off and curtains fall.

It’s an open-ended story. We don’t know whether the burglars were charged and sentenced to prison again, or released with a lecture. But that’s not the point of the play. The point is the old burglars’ story makes us think about what is true justice in our society. Just like Jean Valjean in “Les Miserable” the two old men were just trying to survive in the tough, unforgiving world, while the real thieves, with their riches gained from abusing their power and exploiting the weak, continue to live in luxury. Here’s director Min Bok-ki again.

Some people live by the principle of making lots of money. The play makes us think about what principles we should follow in our lives. Also, there is much irrationality in the world around us. Maybe the old burglars came to be who they are because of the society’s irrational systems, practices, and perceptions.

Political satires have been entertaining the public since the ancient times. Sometimes they launch scathing criticisms against society and sometimes they comfort the pains of ordinary people and speak on behalf of the little people. By seeing such satirical plays, people are inspired to listen to the calls for justice and make a difference in the world.