Jiyeon’s discovery of her husband Cheolsu’s infidelity and her unconventional plan for retribution set the stage for Hangover, a captivating comic detective play. Despite being performed at a small theater, the performers skillfully immerse the audience in the show, twisting the mundane into the unexpected. The show’s intricate web of plot twists, emotional confrontations, and morally gray characters captures its audience completely. Wait until the end; as the story unfolds, a shocking plot twist promises to leave the audience in a state of awe and wonder.

Following the revelation of her husband’s betrayal, Jiyeon wants Cheolsu to apologize by organizing a staged kidnapping through an event planning company. Taemin, a representative from the event company, attempts to help Jiyeon in her plan by playing along with Cheolsu, who also organized a birthday event for Jiyeon through the company. Though it looks like things will end with a Cheolsu apology, Jiyeon’s sudden death at a motel kickstarts the beginning of an entirely different story.

Finding Cheolsu sleeping with Jiyeon dead next to him, Taemin panics and moves Cheolsu to room 507, renting the room for four hours. However, there are two more individuals in room 507 – K and Emma – who are bewildered to find themselves in the same room after a night of drinking. Amid the haze of uncertainty, Cheolsu seems to be the prime suspect because he was drinking with Jiyeon the previous night. However, Cheolsu’s memory proves unreliable, leaving a puzzle yet to be solved. If the police were to burst into the room, all four would become accomplices. So the four characters begin to share their alibis and coerce confessions from one another. Because the situation demands that they reveal everything within four hours, the secrets of each of the four start to unravel, one by one.

Unraveling Truth Amid Chaos

Not knowing how they ended up in the same room, the characters profess their innocence by unveiling secrets on the stage and creating an atmosphere of tension. Screaming and accusing each other of being murderers, the performance’s tone transforms from lighthearted to somber, as emotions mirror the volatility of the unraveling mystery.

Taemin reveals that he had previously been behind prison walls in the past for a misdeed, while K makes the extraordinary claim of being a psychic capable of seeing into someone’s past. Though no one believes him at first, K proves his abilities are genuine by recalling the past of the other characters. 

Particularly captivating is K’s passionate performance when reaching into the past, accompanied by singing lyrics that encourage the audience’s involvement and movements that dominate the stage. In the heavy atmosphere of determining who the murderer might be, K’s interaction with the audience helps to ease the mood, making the audience laugh. Meanwhile, Emma shares her initial purpose of visiting the motel – to end her life – which gives way to a revelation of her darker history as an arsonist. Initially showing extraordinary charisma and evoking a sense of unease, Emma’s character reveals a gentle side akin to that of a young girl who likes dolls. But the tension does not let up – a hidden plot twist related to Emma serves as a captivating catalyst for the narrative’s climactic resolution.

An Intriguing Web of Deception

Beneath the surface of Hangover lies a hidden romantic relationship that adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the story. The performance’s classification as a “comic detective play” is not a mere marketing label. Moments of tension are highlighted with well-placed humor, as laughter mixes naturally with suspense. Yet the true brilliance of the performance becomes evident as the audience becomes unwitting participants in the unfolding mystery. As secrets are revealed one by one, the audience is called to piece together the puzzle, as if they are solving an intricate riddle. With the intrigue of a psychological thriller and a character-driven narrative, Hangover transforms the audience from spectators to active participants.

With the characters believing each other’s’ lies hook, line, and sinker, the performance delivers an unforgettable experience that keeps the audiences’ hearts racing for 90 minutes. This performance will resonate strongly with fans of psychological thrillers, as well as those who like solving riddles. Because the key elements brought by multifaceted characters – deception, betrayal, confessions, and unexpected alliances – expose human complexity, it will also be an absorbing watch for those captivated by the moral ambiguity of the characters. With the only condition that one is over 18, people from every generation will find themselves captured by the show’s allure. As the curtain falls on Hangover, audiences will find themselves thoroughly hooked from the very first scene to the show’s conclusion.

Performance Information

Venue: Jung Theater

Date: May 15, 2021 ~ Open Run

Running Time: 90 minutes

Ticket Price: 15,000 KRW on weekdays, 18,000 KRW on weekends.