Professor Lee Kyungsung Invited to Festival d’Avignon, 

First in 28 Years for Korean Theater

- The 80th Festival d’Avignon Selects Korean as Its Official Language for 2026 

and Unveils Seven Featured Artists

- The Jeju 4.3 Documentary Play I<sland Story> Conveys Messages of Peace 

and Mourning Alongside Nobel Laureate Han Kang

The play <Island Story>, directed by and starring Professor Lee Kyungsung of the Department of Theatre, has been officially invited to the Festival d’Avignon in France, the world’s most prestigious performing arts festival. This invitation marks a significant achievement for Korean theater, accomplished approximately 28 years after 1998, and serves as an opportunity to once again demonstrate the excellence of Korea’s performing arts on the global stage.

The Festival d’Avignon, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, is a dream stage that invites a carefully selected group of the world’s leading artists each year. Notably, the festival’s organizing committee has designated Korean as the official language of the 2026 festival and unveiled the invited artists during a press conference held in France on April 8. The list includes seven prominent Korean artists, including Professor Lee Kyung-sung, Nobel Prize–winning author Han Kang, pansori creator Lee Jaram, Ibsen International Theatre Award recipient Koo Ja-ha, and actor Lee Hye-young.

▲ Festival d’Avignon Poster

Officially invited works to the Festival d’Avignon are selected through a highly rigorous evaluation process conducted by the festival’s organizing committee. Over the past two years, the committee has carried out in-depth research and interviews within the Korean arts scene, ultimately selecting works distinguished by both artistic achievement and social message. During the festival period, from July 4 to 25, the invited artists will not only present performances but also engage directly with global audiences through various programs such as “Meet the Audience” sessions and the “K-Stage Rendezvous.”

Professor Lee Kyungsung and his theater company Creative VaQi’s <Island Story> is a documentary play that depicts the process of exhuming the remains of victims of the Jeju 4.3 Incident. Based on real events, the work artistically represents historical trauma on stage and conveys a profound message of mourning for the wars and massacres occurring around the world today. In particular, during the festival, Professor Lee plans to present a total of five performances, including the reading performance <We Do Not Part>, featuring author Han Kang, world-renowned actress Isabelle Huppert, and actress Lee Hye-young, emphasizing the value of peace.

▲Creative VaQi <Island Story> Poster

Professor Lee Kyungsung commented on the invitation, stating, “It is an honor to stand on the stage of Avignon alongside world-renowned masters, and as a member of Sungkyunkwan University, I will do my utmost to promote the strength of Korean theater to the world.” Meanwhile, prior to departing for France, Island Story will hold its final performances in Korea for domestic audiences from April 15 to 19 at the Daehangno Quad Theater of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture.