Jin Ju, a playwright, graduated from the Department of Korean Language and Literature at JBNU and completed a Ph.D. at graduate school. She is our talented alumni who has not left the campus and has been teaching writing at JBNU. Here, the JBNU Globe introduces the story of a passionate writer, her philosophy on writing, and how everyone can become an artist.

Teaching about Writing to Students and Learning from Them

Since 2013, she has been teaching at JBNU. She was so glad to have the class filled with students’ feedback, reading, and listening. However, as the class turned into a non-face￾to-face class, she felt regretful. She worried students might feel pressure to complete their writing alone during writing classes these days. Therefore, she explained and taught us how important it is to ‘complete’ to the end, and that writing is a kind of ‘skill’ that requires ‘training.’

She commented, “Everyone has their own stories inside them. The moment we pull them out, we all become artists.” In particular, she hopes that they share the beautiful languages hidden inside them. By sharing their works in class, they can think about confidence and possibilities together. She said, “I expect them to accept writing as a good guide and enjoyable experience.”

She added, “whenever I have a writing class with students at school, I regain my faith in the power of writing. During class, students express something without realizing it and are surprised by themselves. This image of the students reminds me of how I am a playwright and a person who cares about the value of life. This also inspires me.”

A Story of Me Starting a Playwriting

When she was young, she performed several plays in her church and school club every year. In her eyes, adults and friends who were in the play looked so happy. She said, “There is a particular pleasure when we make and stand on stage together, rather than writing alone.” Since elementary school and middle school, she secretly wrote plays in her notebook. At that time, she was interested in comic books about a play called ‘Glass Mask.” Through trial and error, she was able to complete her first play when she was a high school student. “The play cannot be played again. The biggest attraction was that it existed only at that moment and disappeared and that it never came back. It was good that all these people could run fiercely for just one moment.”

Being Connected, Challenge Together

Jin is a member of a project team ‘Writing and Stage,’ which consists of four female artists, a director, and a producer. Pursuing a co-creation method as their top priority, the team strives to find various ways; from simply sharing subjects or time and spaces to an expansion of creating and connecting characters together. When she co-creates with her fellow playwrights, she can jump into more experimental challenges in subject matters or composition. Jin claims, “as everyone has their own familiar method to work, we often run into conflicts and sometimes need many discussions. 
Still, work continues based on our confidence in each other. Often playwrights are isolated. Co-creation taught me that connection is important for us.”

For Those Hidden Behind Society

The playwright talks about people who are invisible or hidden behind society in her plays, such as women, sexual minorities, and multicultural families. “They are stories of ordinary, little people that resemble us. At least I and the space I’ve lived in do. Naturally, my mind was drawn to those of minor, trivial and recognizable only when being looked close enough. I had no choice but to write about them.” 
Her plays often feature the violence of the nation and patriarchy. She tries to be more careful when dealing with these things. What is most important is not to let violence and stimulation dilute the real message and not to hurt anyone by them. Therefore, she tries to capture the context of the violence rather than reenacting the violent situation itself and tries to report the structure of violence by featuring it metaphorically.

Unbreakable Routine for Steady Work

She is a ‘multitasker’ who handles many things at the same time. Usually, she researches materials for new synopsis while already working on another script. Simultaneously, she prepares for classes, reads necessary books, and goes to see plays. Her long time spent as a student helped her manage this routine of continuity. “It’s like working on an assignment for class A while reading materials for class B and preparing a group activity for class C all at the same time. It itself has impetus.” But of course, she needs a break. When feeling exhausted, she goes for a long walk or watches videos of puppies and kittens on YouTube. Sometimes she reads her favorite plays over and over again.

Jin Ju was named one of the DAC artists of the year, breaking through the 95-1 competition. It is a program that supports artists under forty in the field of performing arts to continue their creative activities. As this year’s DAC artist, She already prepared the stage for last June’s ‘Doosan Art Lab’ performance. Jin Ju is scheduled to perform at Doosan Art Center from September to October, 2022.

By Kim Ju Myeong(Editor), Kim Eun-ji(Reporter)