Dr. Lee Ban is a university professor and a playwright with a gift for telling the stories of Korean people from a deeply spiritual perspective. Dr. Lee is also Chairman of Korea Lutheran Hour (KLH) and has contributed a number of plays that the ministry center has used to share the Gospel. In 2015 Dr. Lee combined his two roles again to help reach theatre audiences with Heaven, Wind, Star ... Crane, a Christian-themed drama about peace and healing.
The play is set in 1945, near the end of the Japanese Colonial Period in Korea. Yun Dong-ju, a popular young poet, has been jailed for taking part in anti-Japanese activities, and he is dying. In a journey of the mind, Yun becomes outraged and embittered as he witnesses how politicians and swindlers have brought about pain in the lives of people he knows. An angel appears and leads him on a different journey that reminds him of the ideals of humility and sacrifice—which he learned growing up as a follower of Jesus.
To round out the drama's theme of reconciliation and healing, dramatist Lee also weaves in actual poetry by Yun Dong-ju, as well as the Japanese legend of the Thousand Paper Cranes.
"Thirty professional volunteers took part in the production," says Korea Lutheran Hour Director Dr. Lee Jie-Sung. "More than 500 people attended the performances, which we held in the small Daehangno Jayu theater in Seoul. We received responses from 330 people and were excited to be able to refer 83 to local churches.
"We will be working with Dr. Lee Ban on a new play in 2016," the KLH Director adds. "The work deals with Crown Prince Sohyeon, who first spread Christianity in Korea. Actors are rehearsing it now!"
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