“She was always fond of someone, and could not exist without loving.” - The Darling

Since she was young, Olenka loved her father, aunt, and French teacher and now, as a grown-up, she lives with a devoted love for three men and a child. Olenka is a sweet, soft-hearted lady. When she falls in love, her world is full of her beloved's world, but when she is alone, she loses her independent identity and becomes empty. Olenka's childlike lack of subjectivity is somewhat charming, but sometimes it seems pitiful as well. The character of Olenka, who longs for someone to love and can only live by relying on her loved ones, makes us reflect on ourselves. What about us? Aren't we blindly attached to someone? The stage adaptation of the short story The Darling, which was written by Anton Chekhov in 1899, will premiere at Busan International Performing Arts Festival 2022 and will provide a lot of food for thought for the audience.