On Jan. 23, I managed to catch the fantastic production of “Sell Me: I am From North Korea” at James Madison University’s Forbes Center for the Performing Arts. Written and performed by Sora Baek, this one-woman show tells the story of 15-year-old Jisun, who makes the heart wrenching decision to sell herself to try and raise money for her sick mother. Jisun was born and raised in North Korea, and is well acquainted with hardship. Even so, it is deeply tragic to hear her contemplate that she is a commodity, a valuable object that can buy the medicine that her mother desperately needs. The story of Jisun jumps back and forth between the present and the past, as we see how the authoritarian state of North Korea both harms and indoctrinates its people, along with the chaotic and confusing world Jisun discovers outside of the constrictive embrace of her Supreme Leader.

“Sell Me: I am From North Korea” is inspired by the stories of the many North Korean defectors that have fled the repressive authoritarian regime of their homeland. Baek, a second generation North Korean herself, tells this story using simple props and staging, with only a single wooden trunk filled with her various props and wigs. The show opens on her struggling to push this trunk across the stage, with visuals from North Korea playing behind her as she is shrouded in darkness. 

Baek makes use of a screen along the back of the stage to display backgrounds and images from North Korea. Without these scene changes I would have been far more confused by the non-linear structure of the play, as Baek bends time to suit the story she is telling. Baek manages to shift between various characters with simple wig or clothing changes, like the shift to her third grade teacher’s dire warnings about Christians. Most often though, she does not need costumes to change character, with lighting and characterization differences making it clear who is doing the talking. 

Although the play is mostly written in English, Baek often switches to Korean for short periods of time, which adds an element of confusion to the play for us English speakers that I think works well when taken with Jisun’s lack of knowledge about the world outside of North Korea. Although the story deals with deeply upsetting and emotional themes, Baek manages to blend humor into her dialogue, keeping the audience engaged and on their toes. In the end, the show finishes on a hopeful note which stays with you as you leave the theater. 

All together, this is a wonderful show that gives a new perspective on how people live in North Korea, and what it can take to survive. I’d definitely recommend giving it a watch! Baek’s masterful acting and playwriting creates a story that keeps you engrossed, although I will advise you to stay locked in through its entirety to catch all the shifts in time and place.