Comic Suspense 'Survival Comedy: 5 Million Deposit, 300...

The comic-suspense play “Survival Comedy: 5 Million Won Deposit, 300,000 Won Rent” continues its open run at JTN Art Hall Theater 3 in Daehangno.

[코리안투데이] Comic Suspense ‘Survival Comedy: 5 Million Deposit, 300,000 Rent’ in Long-Running Daehangno Show

As the title suggests, the story centers on a room with a deposit of 5 million won and monthly rent of 300,000 won. The poster describes it as “the story of the small and large events that unfold day to day for people who believed they were living ordinary lives,” suggesting a comic yet suspenseful take on the unexpected commotion that erupts in the seemingly unremarkable lives of ordinary citizens.

True to its “comic suspense” label, the show moves between laughter and tension. A situational-comedy format in which characters become entangled over a single small room follows the classic grammar of Daehangno small-theater comedy, while using the familiar topic of housing to draw contemporary audience empathy.

The show is also a long-running Daehangno hit. The poster’s notation “2015.11.21 – OPEN RUN” shows it has been playing continuously for years. Running with no fixed closing date and continuing based on audience response, an open run is typically reserved for productions that have proven both quality and popularity. Several comedy titles have run for years in Daehangno, and this show is considered part of that lineage of steady sellers.

JTN Art Hall, where the play is staged, is a multi-theater complex in Daehangno known for hosting a wide range of genres across its various halls. This production runs in Theater 3.

Turning a heavy social issue like housing into comedy in the intimacy of a small theater reaffirms why Daehangno comedy has long enjoyed audience affection. The fact that it has run for over a decade attests to its enduring resonance, regardless of shifts in the real-estate market — a reminder that “getting your own place” and “monthly rent” remain evergreen topics.