Contemporary dancer Astad Deboo, on a phone call before the Chennai premiere of Same Same But Different, is excited about the audience and response the piece might bring. After all, this is a unique collaboration. While it may not be Deboo's first stage outing with Korean artistes (he was part of Hamlet Avataar, an Indo-Korean theatre production in 2015), this is his first time performing with a Korean and Indian ensemble of musicians. The show will be presented for the first time in Mumbai next week.

Initiated by Chennai-based InKo Centre that works towards Indo-Korean cultural exchange, the production was first developed through a residency in December 2016. On stage in a three-part performance will be Noreum Machi, Korean new wave music troupe, classical ensemble Trayam and Deboo himself. "I perform a piece called Surrender with a Carnatic duet that is about the frustration and angst with what is happening in the world and our country today. The key words we worked with were torment and sorrow," says Deboo. Trayam features percussionist BC Manjunath, vocalist Varijashree Venugopal also on the flute and composer Praveen D Rao.