Interview: ‘Concerned Others' sheds light on addiction's silent fallout
South Korea is no longer the drug-free society many believe it to be. In 2023, the number of drug-related offenses surpassed 27,000, the highest on record, with a staggering rise among teens and young adults.
Korean National Police Agency data for 2018-2023 showed that over 1,400 teens were investigated for drug offenses — more than triple the number from the previous year.
Additionally, a recent report from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Thursday showed that methamphetamine has been detected in wastewater from major sewage treatment plants in the country for four consecutive years.
Addiction never affects just one person. The fallout ripples outward to friends, family and caregivers — to the concerned others.
"Concerned Others" by Scotland-based Tortoise in a Nutshell blends delicate visuals and first-person testimony to explore the emotional toll of addiction, not just on those who use drugs, but their loved ones, too. The production, currently on show at The Quad in Seoul's Daehangno district until Sunday, premiered at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland showcase.
The creative team said the work was first developed in 2022 in response to Scotland's own drug crisis. The country holds one of the highest drug-related death rates in the developed world, with 1,330 drug misuse deaths recorded in 2021.
'There is also regularly a feeling that the statistics have now become part of a yearly 'shocking news' cycle, a kind of way of the public engaging with the problem only once a year for 'as little time as possible,'' said Alex Bird, co-artistic director of the play, in an interview with The Korea Herald, on Wednesday.
Wanting to do more than simply respond to headlines, the company spent six months gathering stories. They met with hundreds of people, conducting extended interviews with around 50 of them — from individuals in recovery to family members, medical professionals and outreach workers. Of the 20 hours of recorded conversations, only about 30 minutes make it into the final show, but each word carries weight.
"A real priority for us in this story was simply to pass on the live testimony we captured from everyone who wanted to speak with us,' said Bird.
In this intimate production, audiences peer into a delicate world built on a rotating table — a miniature landscape brought to life through a handheld camera, micro-projections, and an immersive soundscape.
While the central focus is drug addiction, the play expands to consider alcoholism, a socially accepted but equally destructive form of dependency in many cultures.
'Highlighting other forms of addiction was therefore just to allow people the chance to think again about the moral structure that exists around how we understand addiction,' Bird noted.
'Similar to how Korea has been described to us whilst we're here, people still use alcohol as a way to socially treat stress. The potential for this to become a big problem is obviously high, but for some reason it's viewed as more acceptable.'
Bird emphasized that 'Concerned Others' is not designed to offer solutions, but rather to create space for reflection, an emotional foothold from which to begin a conversation.
'Our one hope really is just that people have the time to consider the stories of the people whose voices you hear in the piece. We know addiction is a complicated and, for many people, deeply personal subject. But we really believe that by safely considering and imagining the topic together that we can support ourselves to find better outcomes for the millions of people who are affected.'
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Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Filipino webtoon creator Maria Mediarito spins a sapphic sanctuary through comic series 'Katlaya Rising'
MANILA, Philippines (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) -- Magic, monsters, and maidens are mainstays in fantasy stories. However, when the relationships and dynamics of these story staples have largely remain unchanged, Metro Manila-based comics creator Maria Mediarito -- or MariaMediaHere, as she's known online -- gives the genre a fearlessly Filipino and queer twist in Webtoon Originals comic, "Katlaya Rising." "Being queer is integral to the work that I have," says Mediarito. "I know when people don't feel safe to come out, they will end up in bad situations." Through "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito creates a sanctuary where her audience, especially queer and sapphic readers, could see themselves as heroes in epics. Don't be fooled, though. Mediarito's Filipino-driven fantasy world is anything but safe. Wild animals infected by frenzy run rampant in the stratified Pilipit Town. Exterminators, like Katlaya De los Kalye, risk their lives hunting these beasts for meager pay. Yet, for Katlaya, unhinged giant boars are a small part of her daily tribulations. Like her heroine, Mediarito leaps headfirst into the fray. In "Katlaya Rising," the author tackles tough topics like gender roles, classism, and religion. "Subtext is for cowards," she quotes fictional author Garth Marenghi in an interview. For Mediarito, comics create spaces where authors and readers can explore different facets of their identities. Self-discovery through comics Inspiration is found in mundane places. Mediarito found hers in her high school's art room. "I wouldn't have been able to access all of that if it weren't for my art teacher, Sir Norman Ramirez." Sir Norman was a personal hero to young Mediarito. He shared his personal comics collection with interested students looking for some company. The moment when Mediarito flipped through those comics, she was a goner. "Even if you pick up Chapter 400 of a long series and don't know these characters, you should still be able to be engaged," she explains. "That's proof of good comic book writing." Beyond appreciating the craft of comics, Mediarito internalized the importance of media consumption. Sir Norman knew that sharing comics, instead of letting them gather dust at home, was what was best for them. "I do believe the entertainment we consume molds our values and personalities." Sir Norman's influence set Mediarito on the path she's on today -- not only in her art but also in her identity. "I was in denial for a very long time, which is funny because my sister knew the entire time." Though her sister was supportive, Mediarito was self-conscious and scared. "I was so in the closet and so afraid of people judging me." In high school, she was desperate to find a boyfriend in order to fit in with her peers. The possibility of being ostracized distressed her. "They say that being queer makes people depressed," reflects Mediarito. A study conducted with 165,000 participants by the Open University reveals that LGBTQ+ teens face significantly higher risks of depression. But, being queer doesn't inherently affect one's mental health. "It's because the experience of queer leads people to situations where they're mocked, slighted against, or physically hurt." The Katlaya origin story For college, Mediarito majored in information design at Ateneo De Manila University. She didn't think she could earn a living from art alone, so she practiced corporate design. "I had a lot of side hustles in college," she says. "Because you have to feed your mouth and then you have to feed your heart." In between commercial gigs, Mediarito carved out time for comics. In 2018, Komiket, a Filipino nonprofit that organizes conventions, held a comics competition. Mediarito didn't want to join at first, but her best friend and poet, Ives, encouraged her to try it out. Mediarito's 16-page entry was shortlisted but didn't win. Though, losing one battle sometimes means winning the war. "Being acknowledged in this competition was a sign that I can go for it. Maybe I can win," she reflects. Komiket gave her a green light to pursue comics along with her commercial projects. The author came face-to-face with an adversary, as many other college students in the late 2010s did: COVID-19. Suddenly, her corporate gigs dried up. Not only was getting through the pandemic economically challenging, but it was also lonely for creatives. Without the routine of corporate gigs and art events, Mediarito poured her time into web comics. In 2021, she published "Ghoul Crush," which centers on a romance between a woman and the ghost haunting her apartment. Mediarito also submitted her work to literary publications and awards. "Then, I got an email from someone I didn't know who said they were a Webtoon editor," Mediarito says. She ignored that email for a few days, but in the back of her mind, she thought, "Let me check that just in case." The email, from LA-based Webtoon editor Aria Villafranca, was not spam. Villafranca was interested in working with Mediarito on a Webtoon Originals comic. Mediarito only had short comics at the time, so she sent over a 16-page story called "Katlaya De Los Kalye." "Aria saw what Katlaya could be," says the author. "We can make it a whole world with more creatures, monsters, characters, subcultures, and lore." Villafranca and Mediarito worked on what became "Katlaya Rising" for a whole year before publishing the first chapter on Webtoon. "Comics will bring you to places you never knew you could end up in." Writing queer characters the right way Katlaya De Los Kalye crashes through a married couple's tin-roofed home in Lower Pilipit Town to fight a rabid beast to the death. While Katlaya's monsters would feel more at home in a Nintendo game, Pilipit Town's atmosphere and citizens feel vaguely familiar. "The backgrounds are so important to informing the world," Mediarito says. "It has to be Filipino." Katlaya and her motley crew fight monsters and, occasionally, each other in tight eskenitas drenched in neon light from signs in Baybayin. Capiz shell windows line houses in Upper Pilipit Town. Tricycle drivers rush past pedestrians in the morning. These lived-in details are all by Mediarito's design. Mediarito works with a team of assistants based in the Philippines. "We do field trips around Manila to just look at old and new architecture," she says. "And then we see how we can fuse them together." Although readers see backgrounds for a few seconds, the rich references in Katlaya's world adds depth to the greater story Mediarito is telling. In a moment of vulnerability, Katlaya reminisces on her childhood and time as a nun in service to Pilipit Town's local religion. Growing up, she overheard her neighbors gossip about her queerness. "What a waste of a pretty face. ... She's like a 6/10 in looks." These comments are commonplace in the comic, with many members of the LGBTQ+ community being called "sayang" at least once. In "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito also touches on the expectations for Filipino women to bear children and the consequences they face regardless of their decision. "Society goes through ups and downs," says Mediarito. "In some older films, the villains were queer-coded to prove they were strange and not of this world." Giving antagonists traits and appearances commonly deemed as queer, such as crossdressing and flamboyance, feeds into stereotypes about the queer community. Now, some fandoms are at another extreme and fetishize queer characters. "We went from villainizing queer people to putting them on a pedestal," the author says. "We've come to the point where we can make queer characters just characters. That's why I have five different love interests in 'Katlaya Rising.'" Representation inches closer Planning, writing, and drawing a Webtoon -- especially one set in a fantasy world with five romantic subplots -- is no small feat. "I never expected to be in this situation, where I can say I'm a professional comic artist," Mediarito reflects. "Maybe it's not so crazy if you're from a different country where the comics industry is more developed." The Philippines has a tight-knit and vibrant comics community that self-organizes events and conventions, like Komiket and the Manila Comics Fair. However, most, if not all, large publishers, like Marvel, DC, and Kodansha, are based abroad, making it tougher for Filipino creators to reach international audiences. "We're just a small archipelago in the middle of the ocean. For any one of us to achieve acclaim is a net good," Mediarito says of her practice. In addition to raising the Filipino flag a little higher, she hopes "Katlaya Rising" would also hold space for the queer community. "You have to confront what type of artist you want to be. Do you want to make something for as many people as possible, or do you want to make something for yourself?" she advises. So, what kind of artist is Mediarito? A story about sapphic Filipinos fighting monsters and each other's love interests sounds quite niche. However, complex, unapologetic stories are cementing their place in the public's consciousness. In February 2025, Chappell Roan won Best New Artist at the Grammys, singing about drag queens, clubs, and coming out. The first installment of "Wicked," with queer-coded heroines, graced screens worldwide and brought in $756 million at the box office.
Korea Herald
13-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Interview: ‘Concerned Others' sheds light on addiction's silent fallout
South Korea is no longer the drug-free society many believe it to be. In 2023, the number of drug-related offenses surpassed 27,000, the highest on record, with a staggering rise among teens and young adults. Korean National Police Agency data for 2018-2023 showed that over 1,400 teens were investigated for drug offenses — more than triple the number from the previous year. Additionally, a recent report from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Thursday showed that methamphetamine has been detected in wastewater from major sewage treatment plants in the country for four consecutive years. Addiction never affects just one person. The fallout ripples outward to friends, family and caregivers — to the concerned others. "Concerned Others" by Scotland-based Tortoise in a Nutshell blends delicate visuals and first-person testimony to explore the emotional toll of addiction, not just on those who use drugs, but their loved ones, too. The production, currently on show at The Quad in Seoul's Daehangno district until Sunday, premiered at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland showcase. The creative team said the work was first developed in 2022 in response to Scotland's own drug crisis. The country holds one of the highest drug-related death rates in the developed world, with 1,330 drug misuse deaths recorded in 2021. 'There is also regularly a feeling that the statistics have now become part of a yearly 'shocking news' cycle, a kind of way of the public engaging with the problem only once a year for 'as little time as possible,'' said Alex Bird, co-artistic director of the play, in an interview with The Korea Herald, on Wednesday. Wanting to do more than simply respond to headlines, the company spent six months gathering stories. They met with hundreds of people, conducting extended interviews with around 50 of them — from individuals in recovery to family members, medical professionals and outreach workers. Of the 20 hours of recorded conversations, only about 30 minutes make it into the final show, but each word carries weight. "A real priority for us in this story was simply to pass on the live testimony we captured from everyone who wanted to speak with us,' said Bird. In this intimate production, audiences peer into a delicate world built on a rotating table — a miniature landscape brought to life through a handheld camera, micro-projections, and an immersive soundscape. While the central focus is drug addiction, the play expands to consider alcoholism, a socially accepted but equally destructive form of dependency in many cultures. 'Highlighting other forms of addiction was therefore just to allow people the chance to think again about the moral structure that exists around how we understand addiction,' Bird noted. 'Similar to how Korea has been described to us whilst we're here, people still use alcohol as a way to socially treat stress. The potential for this to become a big problem is obviously high, but for some reason it's viewed as more acceptable.' Bird emphasized that 'Concerned Others' is not designed to offer solutions, but rather to create space for reflection, an emotional foothold from which to begin a conversation. 'Our one hope really is just that people have the time to consider the stories of the people whose voices you hear in the piece. We know addiction is a complicated and, for many people, deeply personal subject. But we really believe that by safely considering and imagining the topic together that we can support ourselves to find better outcomes for the millions of people who are affected.'
Korea Herald
13-06-2025
- Korea Herald
ULTIMATE GAME COMMITS OVER 100 MILLION BAHT TO ADVANCE THAI GAMING INDUSTRY AND EXPAND ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA
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