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Order Number 1356868 The United States government’s cultural presentations program in Korea from 1955 to 1992 Chun, Myung Hye, M.A. The American University, 1993 Copyright ©1998 by Chun, Myung Hye. All rights reserved. UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with with permission permission of the of copyright the copyright owner. owner.Further reproductionFurther reproduction prohibited without prohibited permission. without permission. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS PROGRAM IN KOREA FROM 1955 TO 1992 by Myung Hye Chun submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of The American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree Master of Arts in Performing Arts: Arts Management Signatures of Committee: 1 foy^sJiL / jJUif / ujJT Dean of the College Date 1993 The American University lAm Washington, D.C. 20016 THE AMERICAS UHI7EHSITY T.TFftfBV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ©COPYRIGHT by MYUNG HYE CHUN 1993 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS PROGRAM IN KOREA FROM 1955 TO 1992 BY Myung Hye Chun ABSTRACT Korea and the United States celebrated the centennial of their diplomatic relations in 1982. However, in the 1980s anti-American sentiment arose in Korea with consequent attacks on the United States Information Service facilities. Considering that Korea had been a calm area without any "Yankee go home" sentiment, these attacks were quite startling in Korea. The United States viewed anti-American sentiment as a serious challenge. Cultural programs have been a powerful mechanism for creating better understanding and possibly changing the image of the United States in Korea. This study explores the U.S. government's Cultural Presentations of dance, music, theater, fine arts and folk art sent to Korea from 1955 to 1992 and the impact of the program. An examination of the program in Korea reveals the role of cultural presentations as important aspects in international relations. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. By portraying America's achievements and leadership in the arts Americans can win the respect and confidence of Koreans. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENT ABSTRACT ......................................... ii CHAPTER I. KOREA AND AMERICA 1882-1992 OVERVIEW .... 1 II. CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS PROGRAMS PRESENTED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ......... 27 III. DANCE AND U.S. GOVERNMENT CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS IN K O R E A ............................... 46 IV. MUSIC AND U.S. GOVERNMENT CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS IN K O R E A ............................... 68 V. FINE ARTS AND U.S. GOVERNMENT CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS IN K O R E A ............................... 75 VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS............... 90 APPENDIX ......................................... 98 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................ Ill iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter I. Korea and America 1882-1992 Overview Korea and the United States celebrated the centennial of their diplomatic relations in 1982. The history of political and economic relations during the last hundred years is one of many changes, resulting in misunderstandings and conflicts on both sides. Despite the centennial celebration, in the 1980s anti- American sentiment arose in Korea with consequent attacks such as the setting on fire of the United States Information Service (USIS)1 facilities. Considering that Korea had been a calm area without any "Yankee go home" sentiment, these attacks were quite startling in Korea. The United States viewed anti-American sentiment as a serious challenge. Such a hostile attitude perhaps came from the way in which Koreans saw America. To young Koreans the image of America has been tarnished as "immoral and stingy."2 "Koreans suspected U.S. support to the former Korean President Chun Doo-hwan," a military dictator, particularly during the early 1980s. In addition, America has increased "demands for 1 United States Information Agency's overseas post. 2 Sung-chull Junn, "Why Koreans Think We're Jerks," Washington Post. 9 April 1989. 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. trade barrier."3 Cultural programs are a powerful mechanism for creating better understanding and possibly changing the image of the United States in Korea. This study will examine the Cultural Presentations Programs sent to Korea by the U.S. government between 1955 and 1992 and will make some suggestions for the future. Throughout recorded history, the Korean people have seemed caught between different influences, generally rejecting them, yet dependent on help and intervention. Koreans share a common racial origin with the other peoples of North Asia.4 By temperament, however, Koreans seem different from their neighbors. Diana Yu pieces together the common-knowledge facts about Korean history in a concise and useful way in her book, Winds of Change: Origins of the Koreans and the dating of their appearance on the peninsula continue to be speculative. According to ancient Chinese records, the Koreans' first king lived in 2332 B.C., at the same time as the legendary first king of China. Like other early people of North Asia, the Koreans appear to have been tribal people whose main livelihood was fishing and hunting. Gradually they became an agricultural society under hereditary aristocratic chieftains.5 The early Korean people were in constant confrontation with 3 Ibid. 4 Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed., s.v. "Korea, History of," 506. 5 Diana Yu, Winds of Change (Silver Spring, Md: The Women's Institute Press, 1991), 8. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3 the Chinese, as they were later on with the Japanese.6 The Three Kingdom Period between 57 B.C. and 935 A.D. is regarded as the beginning of Korea's nationhood. Koguryo, Paekche, and Silla ruled the Korean peninsula.7 All three kingdoms adopted certain aspects of the Chinese system of government, as Homer Hulbert observed in Passing of Korea in 1906, including many practical rules of conduct, a penal code, and a financial system.8 They "preserved, however, the aristocratic basis of Korean society, which restricted positions of authority to the upper classes."9 With considerable Chinese influence, Koreans have maintained their individuality and independence in adopting Chinese culture. Han Woo-keun, Korean historian noted: The most significant fact is not that Korea adopted Chinese culture in such massive doses, but that she managed to retain her own distinctive individuality, and to adapt Chinese culture to her own purposes, while many other peoples who came under Chinese influence were completely absorbed into the body of Chinese culture, and their own cultures ceased to exist.10 Since the Korean peninsula was unified by Silla around 668 A.D., with the collaboration of the Chinese T'ang 6 Encyclopedia Britannica. 506-507. 7 Yu, 8-9. 8 Homer Hulbert, Passing of Korea. (Seoul: Yonsei University, 1906; repr., 1969), 70. 9 Yu, 9. 10 Woo-keun Han, quoted in Yu, 9. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dynasty, Korea remained basically unified until the end