Lost Face 1895

Lost Face 1895 was inspired by the real mystery of Empress Myeongseong who left behind no pictures of herself. Even now, the last empressremains as a controversial figure; some see her as the Korean version of Joan of Arc while some see her as the woman who brought ruin to the country. As the empress who had to live through the most turbulent time in Korean history, the story focuses on the last empress as a woman who struggled to protect herself and her family. The production asks its audiences tocontemplate on the choices made by the last empress in a different light, and to review her life like a puzzle work based on the contradicting judgements we have of her. The story is told in the format of historical faction– a fictional story based on facts – and it introduces not only the historical factsat the time but also includes fictional characters and events. In addition, using photographs as a stage design as to view historical figures and history itself, the production has been praised for the insightful and intriguing rendition of ahistorical story of the last empress.