Vietnam water puppetry introduced in RoK

The group will stage a total of 20 shows, with each lasting for 50 minutes across the cities of Seoul, Gyungju, Yungduk, and Chuncheon from August 10 to September 6, reported Radio The Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

They will use the platform to introduce classic water puppetry plays to Korean audiences, such as fishing, buffalo fighting, dragon, and phoenix dances.

They will also spend time holding exchanges alongside local audiences to discuss the traditional Vietnamese art form.

Vietnamese artist Phan Thanh Liem, one of the four puppeteers, shared that he felt delighted at receiving an invitation to perform in the RoK, especially after two years of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will mark the fifth time that Liem has performed in the RoK since 2003. He said Korean audiences had shown great interest in Vietnamese water puppetry in previous performances.

Liem was born into a family that has been preserving the art of water puppetry in Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province, for seven generations. His father is famous puppeteer Phan Van Ngai, who created the mobile water puppetry stage. Ngai also made the puppet Chu Teu, a humorous farmer, which is currently on display in France’s Louvre Museum.

He is also the very first artisan to create a mini water puppetry stage which hosted regular shows at his private house on Kham Thien street in Hanoi since 2000.

He has been invited to bring his mobile theatre to many international puppet festivals around the world, including in the UK, the RoK, Thailand, China, Italy, Canada, and the US.