• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.91-100
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• 2019

It is an undeniable that cultural landscape of Korea is centered in Seoul, where all the cultural powers are oriented. From this aspect, a municipal theatre of Daegu (Daegu Municipal Theatre), where is considered an area somewhat isolated from the perspective of culture, has managed to develop theoretical programs serving public purposes through efforts on the diversification of performance programs, development of creative plays, acceptance of open direction, classic, modern and experimental plays, foreign exchange, musicals and non-verbal, development of modern and post-modern history of the region, aggressive exploration of subjects, and characterization of the theater through citizen-participated programs and communication with citizens. With such efforts on diversification of public benefits and communality conforming to its purpose, it has been recognized for its contribution to the recovery of popularity of performance art and plays in Daegu. The Daegu Municipal Theatre, celebrating the 20th anniversary of establishment this year and having Choi Ju-Hwan as its fifth art director, has managed to conduct various experimental attempts to gain popularity and these include the exploration of the region and its historical figures, development and promotion of creative musicals, and promotion of communication between citizens and performance culture and of participation of audiences, in turn having a stabilized operation system. Such changes are seemed to be attributable to the maturity of performance production and roles of senior members. From this aspect, this study aims at investigating the changes in the Daegu Municipal Theatre and 'roles and popularity of national/public theatre companies.

• Journal of Popular Narrative
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.45-86
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• 2020

In this article, the "modernization of the tradition" constructed on the cultural politics and the way in which it appropriated in the korean theatre in the 1970s were analyzed. It is trying to reveal its implications. It is also a work to critically review the aspects of self-censorship in the korean theatre in the 70s. To that end, we looked at the theatre company Minye Theatre, which preoccupied the traditional discussions in the 1970s by creating national dramas. Until now, the evaluation of the theatre company Minye Theatre in the 1970s has focused on the achievement on the directing of Heo Gyu, who promoted the succession and transformation of tradition. However, the traditional ideology constructed in the state-led cultural politics in the 70s and the way in which it was operated cannot be evaluated only in terms of artistic achievement. The ideology of tradition is selected according to the selective criteria of the subject to appropriate tradition. What's important is that certain objects are excluded, discarded, re-elected, re-interpreted and re-recognized in the selection process of selected traditional ideology. This is the situation in the '70s, when tradition was constantly re-recognized amid differences between the decadent and the disorder that were then designated as non-cultural, and led to a new way of appropriate. The nation-led traditional discussion of the '70s legalized the tradition with stable values, one of the its way was the national literary and artistic support. Under the banner of modernization of tradition, theatre company Minye preoccupied the discussions on the tradition and presented folk drama as a new theatre. As an alternative to the crisis of korean theatre at the time, the Minye chose the method of inheriting and transforming tradition. It is noteworthy that Heo Gyu, the representative director of the theatre company Minye, recognized the succession and transformation of traditional performance as both a calling and an experiment. For Heo Gyu, tradition was accepted as an irresistible stable value and an unquestionable calling, and as a result, his performance, filled with excessive traditional practices, became overambitious, especially when it failed to reflect the present-here reality, the repeated use of traditional expression tools resulted in skilled craftsmanship, not artistic creation. The traditional ideology of the 70s unfolds in a new aspect of appropriation in the 80s. In 1986, Son Jin-Cheok, Kim Seong-nyeo, and Yoon Mun-sik, who were key members of the theatre company Minye Theatre, left the theatre to create the theatre company Michu, and secured popularity through Madangnori(popular folk yard theatre). Son Jin-Cheok's Madangnori is overbearing through satire and humor. It gained popularity by criticizing and mocking state power. On the other hand, not only the form of traditional performance, but also the university-centered Madanggeuk movement, which appropriated on the spirit of resistance from the people to its traditional values, has rapidly grown. In the field of traditional discussions of the 70s, Madanggeuk was self-born through appropriation in which the spirit of resistance of the people is used as a traditional value. Madanggeuk as well as Michu that achieved the popularization of Madangnori cannot be discussed solely by the artistic achievement of the modernization of tradition. Critics of korean theatre in response to state-led traditional discussions in the 70s was focused only on the qualitative achievement of performing arts based on artistry. I am very sorry for that. As a result, the popular resistance of the Madanggeuk and the Madangnori were established in the 'difference' with the traditions of the theatre company Minye Theatre. Theatre company Minye Theatre was an opportunity for the modernization of tradition, but the fact that it did not continuously produce significant differences. This is the meaning and limitation of the "tradition" of the theatre company Minye Theatre in the history of korean theatre in the 1970s.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.34
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• pp.43-71
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• 2017

Theatre for young people which have been barely survived after 1990's are attracting new attention because the systemic production of Theatre for young people by establishment of theatre for young people institute in national theatre company has affected and the influence of adolescent on society has been increasing. It brought the phenomenon that theatre for young people becomes young writers' first work. The national chaggeuk company of Korea firstly showed the work which can be described as theatre for young people in 2013. It seems to be meaningful to examine how the critical mind of theatre for young people is expressed in changgeuk because its writer and director are all experts on theatre for young people and theatre for young people takes a part among vigorous experiments of changgeuk. This study starts with the premise that it is necessary to examine the meaning and the direction because it's the first theatre for young people. It can have positive review because it highlights the present meaning of tradition which channgeuk has by contemporary questioning and it keeps the identity of channgeuk by making it focused on rhythm despite various musical attempts. However, it seems to be solved that it weakened the possibility of voluntary playgoing by putting distance to audience with emphasis of dramatic aspect and curtail of commentary. As the way to solve this problem, it is suggested to be an effective strategy to set the goal direction and repeat various description.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.23
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• pp.5-36
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• 2011

The purposes of this treatise are to compare theories of theatre in 'Kwandaega' with theories of theatre in 'Poongjahwajun', to recognize differences of theories between the former and the latter, and to find out the comparative characteristics of theories of Korean theatre. There are four differences between the former and the latter. These are as follows; Firstly, in the aspect of contents, the former is consisted of discussions about nature of theatre, discussions about acting, discussions about staging, and the latter is consisted of discussions about nature of theatre, discussions about acting, discussions about staging, discussions about origin, and discussions about dramaturgy. Secondly, in the aspect of nature, the nature of theatre in the former is recognition and practice as 'homo performans', the nature of theatre in the latter is realization of 'flower[花]'. Thirdly, in the aspect of acting, discussions about acting of the former are consisted of 'Sachae' theory'(Inmulchirae, Sasulchirae, Dekm, Nerumsae), discussions about acting of the latter are consisted of method of training per ages, method of training per role playings, trainings in everyday life. Fourthly, in the aspect of staging, the focus of staging in the former is realization of an endless series of changes[千變萬化], the focus of staging in the latter is realization of 'flower[花]'. There are four characteritics in the theories of Kwangdaega. These are as follows; Firstly, the contents of kwangdaega are consisted of discussions about nature of theatre, discussions about acting, discussions about staging. This theory is theory centered on actor/actress. Secondly, the nature of thestre in Kwangdaega is recognition and practice as 'homo performans', supporting of self-generational values, supporting of folk, new interpretation about secularism. Thirdly, the discussions about acting are consist of 'Sachae Theory'. Fourthly, the discussions about staging are consisted of realizations of an endless series of changes[千變萬化]

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
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• no.49
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• pp.171-208
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• 2013

Site-specific performance is always the real on-site work taking place at the site. Hence, it deals with the reality, in other words, the time of creation and formation. And it creates value and meaning through the interaction and continuous direct communication process between the performers, audience and the local residents. In this performance, the audience's status as the passive observer changes. They become the co-agent who actively lead and complete the performance through their own experience. We have examined the The Working Methods of Site-specific Performance and Aesthetics of Effect through four Korean performances ; Marie, An aesthetic experiment of site as the storyteller; Heterotopia and Urban Movement Research or Play: We Will Move Your Sofa, as performances which have Revealed history, politics, institution engraved in the site ; A Song of Mandala and Miracle, as a ritualistic site-specific performance at the historic site. Some remarks on Site-specific performance ; First, In Site-specific performance, the habitus peculiar to the stage art and the mode of reception are changed. Second, a new mode of theatrical communication requires creator and audience to have a sharp aesthetic sensibility and to change one's perceptual habit. Third, Site-specific performance can act as a demonstration for the viewpoints of political activism through what could be called a dramatic close-up effect. Fourth, Site-specific performance also has the risk of merely becoming an unfocused and scattered performance or degenerating into a pseudo-sightseeing. To avoid this, an in-depth study of the site and its socio-cultural context, and the clear motivation with which one is trying to reveal and tell from the site must be indispensable. As the co-agent, the audience should also be aware and think about what the given performance signifies today.

• Lingua Humanitatis
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• v.6
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• pp.359-380
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• 2004

Considering Korean feminist theatre is not successful at all these days, it is needed to find the reasons of its crisis. As two Korean feminist theatre Scholars argued, the crisis owed to the structural problem from the start. That is the Korean feminist theatre started and developed depending on the imported popular feminist plays without social and cultural self-consciousness. Once the imported feminist theatres were flourished, some theatre companies pursued the commercial success blurring the feminist issues. It was resulted into the intentional ignorance in and out of the theatre society. While, some feminist plays were too inclined to the agit-prop without artistic sophistication. This essay tries to examine how the feminist theatres have been developing and what kinds of feminist performances have been made until now. And it intends to emphasize that the play text should be based on the Korean women's past, present, and future reality. Besides, they have to delve into the problem by which the Korean women were trapped in historical, social, and cultural environment. To make the women's matter the social issue at present and fur the future, the Korean feminist theatre should re-find its place as the socio-cultural forum. First, Korean theatre should cooperate with the other women's group crossing the different disciplines of the society, the culture, the politics etc . Secondly, we need to observe and watch where and how the distortion happens in women's matter, and react to correct it. Thirdly, we need to discover, to support, and to protect the women centered perspective of some playwrights as well as the performers. Co-writing or co-performing is also very positive to diversify the women's subjects. Lastly, to protect the feminist theatre against the consumerism, they need to have the financial support from the government or some civil society.

• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
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• no.29
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• pp.35-78
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• 2011

This study is intended to recommend for acquisition methods of the theatre collection. Theatre activities is representative of the performing arts, and the Korea theatre history start from the modern history of Korea. In the meantime, theatre collections has already been lost by a lack of effort and management, and scattered most of the collections. In particular, a one-off nature and volatility of theatrical performances make future generations to enjoy the performances and to study should consult the relevant records. Therefore, collecting records can be very serious mission. In this study, theatre collections of the country which aims to collect and analyze the characteristics and type of theatre collections. Based on this information, collection scope, targets, priorities, acquisition level, method of collecting are proposed the following. First, collection scope is defined for the theatre related collections which was performed nationwide in the 1900s, the times that modern theatre was begun. The object includes related information of planning, administration, drama (script), directing, stage design, public relations, production, evaluation, personal records, biographical data, group data and space data. Second, the theatre collections are divided into records and historical records. Priority of collections object is determined by the historical value and the theatre performed by the support of public organization. Third, the acquisition level is divided into archived, mirrored, web linked and database, which is proposed by the determined levels of mandatory, recommend and discretion according to the characteristic of performance. Fourth, acquisition methods are suggested by the general acquisition methods of transfer, donation and purchase as well as the methods of copy, production, legal deposit, entry and web link etc. The acquisition of theatre collections is executed on digital-based environment, and a centralized authority control should be establishmented. And through the development of network with theatre's stakeholders and the cooperation of related organizations, theatre collections acquisition is feasible.

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
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• no.52
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• pp.229-270
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• 2014

Ostermeier's Hamlet has no particular contemporary reinterpretation. Alternately devoting to show retrospect in illusion and existence through revenging actions. However, Shakespeare's metaphorical and implicative language is dissipated and the style of the play is not an illusive space-time, but a tragic theatrical production that uses rough language to express the depth of the story. The Perfomance of Hamlet is a sensuous jumble up of a diverse range of mass media. The double roles that the actors carry out give an affect of isolation between the audience and the play itself showing both empathy and liberty. Ostermeier's Hamlet distinctively shows a post-modern performance through the prominent elements of dirt, the use of mixed genre, theatric emphasis, making an image and the fulfillment of acting. Nonetheless, Ostermeier's performance stays off the point on the breakup strategy of the post-modern drama without suspending the narrative of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Besides aiming to show a performance centered by the imagery of physical expression, his performance shows New Realism in the 1960's, showing everyday life. Ostermeier thinks, that theatre helps give contemporary people an accurate reality check in the constant unstable periods of time. Therefore, Hamlet shows post-modern physical expression and outspoken dramaturgy using the effects of mass media in New Realism without breaking up realistic narration. With being the aberration of the Castle Helsingor, the main character Hamlet, expresses lunacy and can be considered as metaphor for young adults whom are broken down and isolated from the economic system. He is a substitute for those who experience agony, anger, torment, etc. and other suppressed emotions in everyday life. With the method of direction in the portrayal of Hamlet show signs of succession in the abundant popularization of the classics by communicating with the audience by following the trend of modern mass media and audio-visual perception; emphasizing the point of the philosophical topic 'life and death,' 'life and theatre,' and 'illusion and reality.'

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Interior Design Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.176-180
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• 2007

The stage space in theatre for the performance of a play requires two aspects of the physical space for a play and the image as the background or the theme of a play. This research focuses on the scene design that creates the background or the theme of a play and communicates it to the audience. The scene design is composed of various design elements of space and objects as the properties of a play. Design elements and the objects are the design languages in various form; plane, three-dimensional, multi-dimensional form. These design language have the significant meaning as a sign like human language. The scene design is completed with rhetorical expression for communication in theatre. This research defines the category of meaning that design elements of scene design can create and the rhetorical expression of the scene design language. King Lear directed by Robert G. Anderson was analyzed with the category of design elements as a sign and the pattern of the rhetorical expression. The scene design for a play is completed effectively by the rhetorical expression of design elements as the design language for communication with the audience in theatre.

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
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• no.49
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• pp.75-100
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• 2013

An on-going creative process was the major principle of Kantor's artistic endeavors. Kantor's emphasis on process grew out of his frustration with the experience of creation being isolated from the audience in the present time, during the moments of encounter. At the same time, however, Kantor was always aware of the fact that the first night of each and every performance that he made was the last point of his creative intervention. Despite being performed live in the present time, Kantor saw theatre essentially as an end product. This does not mean that Kantor abandoned the concept of on-going process, for process was for the artist a means to reject the idea of a finished work of art and to denounce the feeling of satisfaction derived from the traditional denouement in representational theatre. For him, theatre that dominated his time isolated the audience from the art work and the artist, and from this perspective his continual emphasis on process should be understood as an aesthetic principle in order to open up and expand the dimension of art into the realm of the spectator so that the experiences of both the artist and spectator may coexist. The heaviest barrier that separated the artist and his work from its audience was the creative structure that governed Western art. In theatre it was the dramatic structure that was the main object of his series of severe challenges. Not only did it fail to represent reality but it distorted reality, creating nothing but artificial illusion. Under this condition, all that was permitted to the audience was mirages. However, Kantor never completely discarded illusion from his theatre. The point for him was always to created a circumstance where the illusory reality of drama comes to exist within the dimensions of our reality. It was Kantor's belief that instead of a total denial of illusion, his theatre should strategically accommodate illusion which comes from reality. And, the aim of Kantor's theatrical experiments was to invite the audience into this ambience and transform the experience of his audience into a much more participatory one. This paper traces the ways in which Kantor transgressed the dominating conventions of representational, literary theatre, and how such attempts induced an alternative mode of spectatorship. The study will begin from an investigation into Kantor's attitude towards illusion and reality, and then move onto a closer inspection of how he spatially and dramaturgically materialized his concepts on stage, giving special focus on Wielopole, Wielopole.