A “new woman” of the 21st century who lived in Joseon more than 100 years ago.

“Sit quietly and listen to my breath. You will feel the pride of knowing that ‘women are human beings too’ flowing strangely through my whole body.”

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The first Korean woman to study abroad in Japan.

The first Korean woman to travel around the world.

The first Korean female Western painter.

The first Korean woman to divorce.

The first Korean female activist.

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Na Hye-seok, who boldly wrote the history of Korea’s many “firsts,” led a turbulent life. She wrote, painted, advocated for women’s enlightenment, and proclaimed gender equality and free love. As a pioneering Western-style painter who sought to live not merely as a woman but as a human being in a male-dominated society, her fiery life story comes alive through music. This work invites us to reflect on whether we ourselves are living well as human beings.