The period and setting for this work is 1859-10 years into the reign of King Chuljeong in Yangju. Here one can find an official post house called ‘Boksanaru’ that is bustling and busy with a multitude of travelers. There are two private guesthouses in the area, which are run by an old man Mr. Lee with the nickname of ‘King of Fish’. Being of old age, he decides to pass down the ownership of his guesthouses, land and other assets to one of his three daughters, Ganwol, Igan and Geodal. One day, he brings his daughters together and tells them that what he owns will be given to the most devoted daughter in terms of filial piety.

In his mind, he really wishes to give all his assets to his youngest daughter who is gentle in disposition as well as being smart. The two eldest daughters give him sugarcoated responses, but their eyes are clearly on the property and money, while the youngest daughter is too blunt.

Seeing that the youngest is sure to lose to her elder sisters, he then decides to coerce her into expressing her true mind and orders her to get out of the house. Taking her father’s words literally, she leaves the house at once and the two elder daughters take over his assets and ownership of the guesthouses. 

Three years have passed since then, and to his greatest disappointment, the filial piety promised by the two elder daughters is nowhere to be seen. They are only interested in increasing their own share of the wealth. By instigating their respective husbands, Moon Dae-Gu and Ga Pil-Rok, the disputes and confrontation between the two elder daughters ultimately divides the house of Lee into two factions.

Seriously fed up with her husband, the eldest daughter, Ganwol, takes her brother-in-law as her lover, while Igan carries out an affair with the former-warrior, Mak Pae-Du, employed by the establishment. Eventually they both scheme with their lovers to kill their respective husbands.

The younger brother of Moon Dae-Gu murders his brother and Mak Pae-Du, accidentally kills Mr. Lee in his attempt to kill Ga Pil-Rok.

After this, he soon suffers from guilt for having killed his employer to whom he owes his present status. This guilt leads to hallucinations and he starts mumbling to himself, “Mak Pae-Du has killed sleep!”

Out of the blue, a vagrant by the name of Guigap tries to soothe Mak Pae-Du when he learns from the old fortune-teller of the area that “He is soon going to have the guest houses in his hands.” Galvanized by the prediction, he sets up a plan to take control of the guesthouses by taking advantage of the family feud.

He spreads the rumor that the Moon Dae-Gu family has murdered Ga Pil-Rok in the village. Having no other choice, the two sisters are forced to take him in as a new member. Hence begins the conspiracy of Guigap…

This piece is a parody of the thirty-seven pieces of work by Shakespeare including the four major tragedies of King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello. It is also one in which the desires and disappointments of life are woven together intricately to create a single piece. Playwright Samshik Pai, well known for his insightful composition and lucid lines, has presented an entirely new piece that brings us to the period of King Chuljeong at the end of the Chosun dynasty.

The original work upon which it is based is Shakespeare in Year 12 of the Reign of Tempou, a parody of the thirty-seven Shakespearean dramas based in the Edo period by the Japanese playwright, Inoue Hisashi. Samshik Pai has adopted his play from Hisashi’s original one. The time frame is the end of the Josun era in the tenth to thirteenth year of the reign of King Chuljeong. On the surface, the piece is rich in linguistic play and intricate composition. However, a closer inspection shows that the piece is more of a human drama that portrays the desires and disappointments of life offered to people who are the economically poor social underdogs. In combination with dance and songs that are representative of the Michoo Theater Company, previously acclaimed for plays such as YeolHa Diary Manbo and King Lear, this work will provide a heart-warming and dynamic version of the broad spectrum of Shakespearean drama.