Sohee Park Pursues His Next Project called ‘BLOOD’

Written by: J. Johnson

In the world today, safety precautions is one of many priorities as the times change. However back in the 1980s, times was coming to a point where experimentation was something everyone around the world was doing, not so much the kids, but people from ages 18 and older (sometimes a little younger) were the ones involved. Even with the experimentations going on there were others that would encounter a few cases of epidemics, but have no temporary-to-permanent cure for said epidemics. No matter if it was alcohol, drugs, diseases, and/or a certain trends.

In the 80s AIDS/HIV was an epidemic that struck a cord to millions of people around the world, but there was an incident in Japan that caused many to contract the deadly disease.

(薬害エイズ事件 | yakugai eizu jiken) The Japanese HIV-tainted blood scandal , refers to an event in the 1980s when between one and two thousand haemophilia patients in Japan contracted HIV via tainted blood products. Controversy centered on the continued use of non-heat-treated blood products after the development of heat treatments that prevented the spread of infection.

Some high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Health and Welfare, executives of the manufacturing company and a leading doctor in the field of haemophilia study were charged for involuntary manslaughter.

With the discovery of HIV/AIDS claiming multiple lives around the world, the care for and of blood has been handle differently. Although many lives were claimed in the HIV-tainted blood scandal a lot of individuals haven’t heard or seen the worse of what happened in Japan.

Now a collective group of Japanese actors known as, ‘The Garage‘; put together. In  April 2014 Sohee Park, a Korean Japanese actor living in Los Angeles approached a group or dedicated actors, predominantly Asian and predominantly Japanese, who were having difficulty getting cast because of our ethnicity to begin a support group in his studio apartment. What began as a support group quickly evolved into a sort of workshop doing audition material and monologues for one another’s feedback.

Although in the mainstream America there’s something to be looked at when Asians are not pitched into leading roles. ‘The Garage‘ has chosen to do a lay on their own for the simple historical significance for both Japan & America. BLOOD tells the story of how an American journalist, a Korean Japanese lawyer, a Japanese nurse, and a young Japanese boy band together against government  and big business to expose a crime considered to be mass murder. The play includes a fictitious account of what has come to be known as the Japanese tainted blood scandal in which two thousand innocent Japanese people died of AIDS as a result of contaminated blood sold to them by the United States.

As artists finding and nurturing our own voices is  very important. Through this production, and future ones to come, we hope to find an outlet for self-expression that we can share with our community. We choose to be proactive in our creative endeavors and simultaneously we wish to spread social awareness. This play sheds light on lies that were told to the Japanese people. Unfortunately in the light of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, the significance of that earlier event, cannot and must not be overlooked.”

—‘The Garage‘ excerpted from the ‘BLOOD‘ indiegogo

Each actor/actress has a story of trying to succeed with their career. When they hit a point they are given the opportunity to showcase themselves in many lights. The great aspect about acting is how they can show how much their hard work hasn’t gone to waste. Displaying their emotions, struggle, and achievement on the screen or the big stage of Broadway. ‘The Garage‘ needs the help and there’s many ways you can support them. You can post the video on your facebook, twitter, or any of your social networking sites and please tell your friends and family about the work being done.

You can also help by making a (click the word pledge) pledge. The goal is to raise  $30,000 in 60 days. The money will be used to rent a small theater in Los Angeles for eight consecutive weekends. The pledged funds will also be used for costumes, sets, props, lights, music, and publicity. Give what you can so these aspiring actors/actresses can share this cautionary tale of corruption and greed accompanied w/ power and influence.

We here at Sparx Entertainment is honored to learn about this scandal. Honestly, we don’t take a stand on many situations, but we find the covering up part unexcusable and heinous that caused thousands upon thousands of deaths which could have been prevented. It’s our pleasure to see these individuals bring this period in Japanese history to life.

Follow the official BLOOD page on twitter: @BLOODproduction & Follow Sohee Park: @SoheePark. Visit and share their indigogo page: BLOOD – A political thriller with music. Don’t also forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & YouTube