Science Fiction Drama · 90 min · Korean with English Surtitles 

A science fiction drama questioning reality, memory, and the essence of human existence. 

SYNOPSIS 

Set in 2035, after more than a decade of war in Ukraine, Seon-uk continues to struggle with the loss of his wife, Sang-ah, who died in an autonomous aircraft accident. Living in isolation, he is offered the opportunity to participate in Simulation, an experimental virtual reality program that reconstructs the deceased through personal memories and accumulated data.

Inside this simulated world, Seon-uk reunites with an AI version of Sang-ah and begins a new life built upon memory rather than reality. As the simulation grows increasingly sophisticated, the boundary between the virtual and the real gradually collapses, forcing him to confront grief, love, and the meaning of existence itself.

Blending science fiction with intimate human drama, Simulation asks whether technology can truly heal loss—or whether it simply creates a new form of illusion.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE 

Simulation is the first production in COMMA,AND's ongoing series, Abstracts of the Future Modern Human. Rather than imagining a distant future, the play explores a future that has already begun to emerge—one in which artificial intelligence increasingly mediates memory, emotion, and human relationships.

The world of the play moves between reality and virtuality, technology and grief, presence and absence. At its center is an AI recreated from memory and data—not simply as a technological achievement, but as a reflection of human longing. Inspired by Jean Baudrillard's concept of simulation, the work questions whether reproduced memories can ever replace lived experience, and what remains authentic when the boundary between reality and representation begins to disappear.

Since the premiere of Simulation, many of its imagined technologies have become part of everyday life. Artificial intelligence now listens, remembers, and even offers comfort. What once belonged to speculative fiction increasingly resembles the present. This shift has made the questions posed by the play even more urgent.

Ultimately, Simulation is not a play about artificial intelligence. It is a play about human beings—about grief, memory, and our enduring desire to remain connected to those we have lost.

In an age shaped by AI, perhaps our most important task is not simply to invent new technologies, but to continue recognizing what cannot be replicated: the fragile, irreplaceable experience of being human.

PRODUCTION CONCEPT 

Reality and Virtuality

The production continuously blurs the boundary between physical reality and virtual space, inviting the audience to question what is remembered, what is imagined, and what is truly real.

Memory as Space

Rather than presenting memory as a flashback, the stage transforms memory into a living environment where the past and present coexist, allowing grief to become something that can be physically experienced.

PRODUCTION GALLERY

A full performance recording is available for presenters, festivals, and theatre professionals. 

BRING SIMULATION TO YOUR STAGE 

Touring Production 

The original production of Simulation is available for international touring with COMMA,AND's creative team. The performance includes English surtitles and can be adapted for a variety of theatre venues and festivals. 

International Licensing 

The English translation of Simulation is available for licensed international productions. Theatre companies, festivals, universities, and producers are invited to create their own productions in collaboration with COMMA,AND. 

Available Materials 

✓ Full English Script

✓ Full Performance Video

✓ Technical Rider

✓ Production Photos

✓ EPK

✓ Artistic Consultation (upon request)

START A CONVERSATION 

Interested in presenting or producing Simulation?

We'd be delighted to discuss touring, international licensing, or future collaborations. Please contact us to request additional materials or begin the conversation. 

Email us to request additional materials or discuss touring and licensing opportunities. 

EXPLORE THE SERIES 

Abstracts of the Future Modern Human

• Simulation

• Walkman

• Mapping Hitler

CONTACT 

Lee Tae-rynn

Artistic Director

COMMA,AND

Theatre Company, South Korea

E. commaand13@gmail.com

T. +82 10 7791 4787

© COMMA,AND Theatre Company, South Korea