‘Drama Special 2024’ The third one-act play ‘Youngbok, Sachiko’ proved the power of the one-act play master with the perfect harmony of high-quality directing, story, and great acting of the actors.

On the 26th, the third one-act play ‘Youngbok, Sachiko’ (directed by Park Dan-bi, written by Go Woo-jin) of KBS2‘Drama Special 2024’ stimulated the tear ducts of viewers with the warm friendship and love for humanity between Youngbok (played by Kang Mi-na) and Sachiko (played by Choi Ri) that transcended nationality.

‘Youngbok, Sachiko’ opened with the image of Youngbok waiting for her husband Im Seo-rim (played by Ha Joon) whom she had never seen before in a small mountain village a year before the outbreak of the Korean War. Youngbok got married and came to the village where she had no connections in order to avoid being taken to a comfort station. Her husband, who had gone to study abroad in Japan, had been missing for five years. In the meantime, the country was liberated, and Yeongbok became a widow, mourning the deaths of her parents and in-laws alone.

Seorim, who did not know about Yeongbok‘s marriage, returned to her hometown with her Japanese wife Sachiko. Yeongbok, who had only seen her husband in pictures, was shocked to see his Japanese wife Sachiko with him. Seorim told him that she could not accept her marriage to Yeongbok and asked him to leave the house. However, Yeongbok declared war, saying, “You’re telling me to leave? What right do you have to tell me to leave?”, piquing the interest of the viewers.

Seorim, Yeongbok, and Sachiko, who had unintentionally become the husbands of two wives, began living in two houses under one roof. Sachiko, who was pregnant with Yeongbok and Seorim‘s child, became a rival in order to take over her husband, and Seorim, who was in an awkward position in the middle, didn’t know what to do.

Serim began to feel affection for Yeongbok, who had taken care of all the housework while she was away from her hometown. Yeongbok‘s cheeks turned hot like a fireball when Seorim said that they would do everything together from now on, and he felt love for the first time. Sachiko, who overheard their conversation, regretted coming to Seorim’s hometown across the sea and felt anxious.

On the other hand, the reason Seorim returned to his hometown was also revealed. He was taken to prison for participating in a reading group in Japan to study Korean, and contracted tuberculosis. Yeongbok, who heard the shocking news, expressed his anger and resentment to Sachiko, which made the onlookers feel sorry.

On the day Sachiko‘s child was born, Seorim, whose condition worsened, passed away suddenly. The sight of Yeongbok and Sachiko crying in each other’s arms in deep sorrow touched the hearts of viewers.

The Korean War broke out before they could even begin to mourn the loss of their husbands, and Yeongbok and Sachiko were gripped by extreme fear at the sound of bombings and gunfire from dawn. Yeongbok, who was hiding in a hut with the villagers, told Sachiko, “No matter how chaotic the world is, you and I are destined to live bravely and overcome it,” and placed a picture of Seorim in her arms.

At that moment, the People‘s Army burst into the hut and grabbed Sachiko by the hair and pulled her, and Yeongbok succeeded in escaping with Sachiko with all his might. In a tense situation where they were being chased, Yeongbok decided to shake off the People’s Army alone, and gave Sachiko a silver ring that he treasured as a treasure, telling her to use it for the fare to Japan. She said her final goodbyes to Sachiko, who was crying loudly, saying, “Goodbye, Namhaengja. Haengja Unnie.”

Yeongbok, who had been fighting a desperate chase with the People‘s Army alone, eventually met his death. He decided not to go to Japan and to keep the silver ring that Yeongbok left behind for the rest of his life. The ending of Sachiko’s memories of missing the moments she had with Yeongbok even as an old man left a deep lingering impression.

The fourth one-act drama of ‘KBS Drama Special 2024’, ‘When You Turn the Corner’, will air on Tuesday, December 3rd at 10:45 PM.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com reporter jhj@donga.com