What were our honest feelings about the April 19 Revolution that took place as soon as year 1960 began? 

We had no clue. At the time, state of emergency was declared and it was a time of confusion in which all conventional orders were disregarded. 

The events in short story “Theater in Ruins” take place between April 25th, six days after the April 19th Revolution in 1960, and the 26th when then-President Rhee Syngman stepped down. But it wasn’t published that year, but eight years later, in 1968. 

When we woke up, the world was definitely not the same place.

But before long, we realized, as some philosopher had said, the futility of remembering an event that’s been overrated by a moment of excitement, and saw that there still stood firmly the forces that claimed that the great formality of disorder that we so arduously brought up was just a momentary isolation like a missing child from history. 

As if our tribulations in life, society, and history were beginning at that moment.

Interview by literary critic Jeon So-yeong

At the end of the story, the protagonist goes back to the Theater in Ruins and imagines what kind of new stage would be built there. If the writer wrote this story in 1960, he probably would have written a different ending. Park Tae-soon wrote this story eight years later to look back on the revolution objectively. Some of the protesters were quite violent, almost mad. Non-participants probably holed up in their homes to protect their interests and safety. Park is showing remorse for this day and urging the readers to think about what new revolution is needed and what new stage should be built here.

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Park Tae-sun (Born on Apr. 8, 1942 in Sinchon, Hwanghae-do Prov.)

: 1964 Debuted with short story “Gongalangdang” in literary magazine Sasanggye

2009 Won the 23rd Danjae Award

1968 Published “Theater in Ruins” in news magazine Monthly Joongang