In 2002, the FIFA World Cup of soccer hosted by Japan and South Korea boosted already flourishing cultural exchanges between the two countries in areas such as pop music, shopping and television dramas. The same year, the scriptwriter and director Oriza Hirata, who founded the Tokyo-based Seinendan Theater Company, put together a coproduction with a Korean theater group at the New National Theatre in Tokyo. Their play, "Across the River in May," won prizes in both countries and became a trigger for international collaborations throughout East Asia.
Now, the 44-year-old Hirata is coproducing a play at the New National Theatre with the 45-year-old Chinese director Li Liuyi and eight Chinese actors. Titled "Kashuson (Lost Village)," the production explores the question, "What is history?"
Why was your collaboration with the Korean group such a success?