• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.39
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• pp.69-96
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• 2019

North Korea has conserved operas in a selective manner. The subject matters of operas recorded in the history of North Korea can be divided into classical tales, translated foreign works, Korean War and war against Japan. Operas that adapted folk classics of the 1950s are considered valuable materials to verify the changes of genres posterior to division of regime between North and South Korea. The officially confirmed works include "Kumgangsan Palseonnyeo (Gyeonwoo Jiknyeo)," "Chunhyangjeon." "Kongjwi Patjwi (Kotsin)," "Ondal," and "Geumnaneui Dal." These works had gone through recreation in terms of realistic situation setting, abolition of class difference, adjustment of social rank and punishment of evil while the base lies in the original folk classics. People emphasized in adapted folk operas are described as those who are hard-working souls without giving importance of difference of social rank, content with the currently living space, devoted to their parents and full of patriotic spirit, and members of community who participate in organized fights against unfair exploitation. This was the fruit of encouragement of work creation supporting union between labor and individual life, destruction of old things and fight promoting this destruction. Folk operas of South and North Korea posterior to Korean War have similarities in that both deal with a love story transcending social ranks and the concomitant conflicts and they focus on the audience who enjoy the operas. Nonetheless, they are different in that this love in North Korea became a tool of educating people wished by the regime, while it became an object of securing the audience by adding the tragic element to love in South Korea. North Korean operas of the initial stage are characterized by playwriting method emphasizing difficult life and compensation of common people, realistic stage expression, accentuation of melody and agreement between notes and lyrics. This was efforts designed to continuously lead senses concentrated from the theater to everyday life of people. In effect, this is in line with the playwriting method of revolutionary operas. Adapted folk operas were subject matters ideal for easily approaching the audience and leaving them good memories at the same time. To realize socialist realism, they went through an experiment of reviewing "people" through the classic folk operas. The possibility of continuation of a work was determined by thorough evaluation after carrying out an experiment in terms of subject matters, theme, music and operation plans from the moment of which the work was on the stage. The sign consisted in the possibility of visit of "Kim Il-sung" to appreciate the work and presentation of directionality. By proposing the clear directionality of which hard-working people who deny social status system can be duly compensated, it encouraged the audience who saw the opera to voluntarily put this in practice. Thus, operas established the directionality through selective processes for creating public communion even before revolutionary operas.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.19
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• pp.221-280
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• 2009

This thesis is a study of the rise and the characteristic of 'Hyangto Gakeuk(literally Song drama of the country or local music drama)' in the Early 1940s. During the colonial period, there were attempts to incorporate traditional Korean music elements with Western operatic form. This type of music drama with librettos based on traditional tales came to be known as 'Hyangto Gakeuk'. Mostly 'Hyangto Gakeuk' has led this effort under the director Seo Hang-Suk, the composer Ahn Ki-Young and the lyricist Seol Eui-sik. In the first chapter, the study aims at arranging the performance history of 'Hyangto Gakeuk' composed by Ahn Ki-Young. Also, the study examined representative works after classifying 'Hyangto Gakeuk' performed by Lamila Music Drama Troupe, and Bando Music Drama Troupe. There is significant meaning to evaluate 'Hyangto Gakeuk' in the history of Korean music drama through this analysis of the performance history. In the second chapter, I will analyze with representative works composed by Ahn Ki-Young, a pioneer in the Korean art song. He tried to create the music that held the nationalism and tradition. His works which were called 'Kageuk' laid down the foundation of Korean original operatic style. This study demonstrated characteristics of 'Hyangto Gakeuk' as 'the beginning' in modern musical drama history and its effects on Korean musical drama developments. Namely, 'Hyangto Gakeuk' based on Korean traditions can be seen as examples of original modern musical in Korea. Practically, study on all the aspects of performance not only text generally studied, dramaturgy and criticism, but also performance concept and intention of creators in early period.