Directing Koreanness: Directors and Playwrights under the National Flag, 1970-2000 by Gang-Im Lee BS, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, 1989 MFA, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1997 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Theatre & Performance Studies) University of Pittsburgh 2008 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Arts and Sciences This dissertation was presented by Gang-Im Lee It was defended on November 17, 2008 and approved by Dr. Bruce A. McConachie Dr. J. Thomas Rimer Dr. Kathleen E. George Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Attilio Favorini ii Copyright © by Gang-Im Lee 2008 iii Directing Koreanness: Directors and Playwrights under the National Flag, 1970-2000 Gang-Im Lee, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2008 In this dissertation, I venture to explicate the socio-political significance of the Korean nationalist theatre performance called minjokgŭk, some of which is heavily based on elements of “indigenous” culture. Minjokgŭk utilizes elements of “indigenous” cultures and searches for “the Korean ethnic (arche)type” as “the ideal Korean type” or “genuine Korean-ness” for the reconstruction of “the Korean ethnic community.” In this context, this dissertation thematically approaches rethinking the issue of rhetorical representation. As a methodological tool, I adopt feminist deconstruction to unfold the epistemological contradictions of the essentialist idea embedded in the notion of “the Korean (arche)type,” problematizing the ethnocentric and phallocentric nature of the representation. This dissertation interrogates the major task of minjokgŭk, which ideologically promulgates the idea of ethnocentric patriarchy supported by the traditional (mainly Confucianist) notion of “community” ― inquiring if this type of theatre can provide useful and practical prospects for imagining a more democratic and plural civilian society in Korea today, when the interaction of globalization, nationalism, regionalism, and localism simultaneously impact our everyday life and cultural identification. iv In this dissertation, I explore genealogical trajectories of minjokgŭk contesting with other theatrical performances for nation building, cultural identification, and national unity. Paying close attention to changing socio-political situations and conditions, I trace the routes, not roots, of minjokgŭk, and observe how its theorists and the practitioners were (un)able to come to terms with shifting situations and conditions. I have selected works mainly from the 1970s to the 1990s since the works provide grounding images, symbols, metaphors, and allegories pertinent to discussing how “the Korean ethnic community” has been narrativized through the performances of minjokgŭk during the turbulent epoch. Reflecting on the limits, accomplishments, and insights of the preceding researchers, I hope that this dissertation presents minjokgŭk with fully contoured critical views and ideas. This dissertation takes a small step towards a genealogy of minjokgŭk, and hopes to opens up a space for a dialogue among troubled artists and activists confronting globalization as a shared issue. v TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER...... 1 1.2 DEFINITION: WHAT IS MINJOKGŬK? ......................................................... 5 1.3 THEORETICAL APPROACHES.................................................................... 12 1.4 GENEALOGIES OF MINJOKGŬK................................................................ 18 2.0 MINJOKGŬK, GLOBALIZATION, AND COMMUNITY-BASED THEATRE .. 24 2.1 GLOBALIZATION AND DEMOCRATIZATION AND MINJOKGŬK ....... 24 2.2 MINJOKGŬK AND COMMUNITY-BASED THEATRE.............................. 46 3.0 MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1970S .................................................................................. 68 3.1 KIM CHIHA’S MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1970S................................................ 68 3.1.1 A Shamanist Ritual for the Dead: The First Madanggŭk............... 79 3.1.2 Agu’s Musical Shamanist Ritual .......................................................... 85 3.2 OH T’AE-SŎK’S MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1970S........................................... 95 3.2.1 Lifecord....................................................................................................... 99 3.2.2 The Wife of Ch’unp’ung........................................................................ 113 4.0 MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1980S ................................................................................ 125 4.1 YIM JIN-T’AEK’S MINJOKGŬK: MUNG-BEAN FLOWER .................... 125 4.2 CH’AE HUI-WAN’S MINJOKGŬK: BRIDGE-BUILDING GAME........... 145 vi 4.3 PARK IN-PAE’S MINJOKGŬK: IT IS ABSURD....................................... 163 4.4 YI YUN-T’AEK’S MINJOKGŬK: OGU........................................................ 182 5.0 MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1990S ................................................................................ 196 5.1 OH T’AE-SŎK’S MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1990S......................................... 196 5.1.1 Under the Moonlight of Paekma River ............................................. 197 5.1.2 Toraji.......................................................................................................... 213 5.2 YI YUN-T’AEK’S MINJOKGŬK IN THE 1990S ........................................ 230 5.2.1 The Dummy Bride .................................................................................. 233 5.2.2 Yŏnsan, the Problematic Human Being........................................... 243 6.0 EPILOGUE: THE POLITICS OF THE PAST AND MINJOKGŬK .................. 259 7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................... 268 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many fine people without whose inspiration and support I would never have been able to write this dissertation. I owe a debt of gratitude to their dedication. First and foremost, very special thanks must go to my dissertation advisor, Attilio Favorini, for his excellent tutelage and guidance. This dissertation is a product of the fruitful dialogues with Dr. Favorini. I cannot thank him enough for the value of his intellectual criticism and warm encouragement from the initial process of writing this dissertation. Through his wonderful seminars, I could open my eyes to the world of theories and histories. Dr. Favorini also encouraged me to develop as a theatre practitioner. I want to thank Bruce McConachie for offering his great seminars on historiographies and theories useful in writing this dissertation. His valued comments and suggestions were helpful in shaping and sophisticating this dissertation. My appreciation also goes to Dr. Thomas Rimer for reading my dissertation. His love and passion for world cultures deepened my understanding of world theatres. A word of thanks goes to Kathleen George for her reading of my dissertation in place of Lynne Conner. I owe a debt to Dr. George for her support and kindness. In addition, I wish to thank Dr. Conner for her advice and care. Although she could not read my dissertation, without her warm encouragement and support, I could not have thought of completing viii this dissertation. I heartily thank all of my committee members for their inspirational support. I am deeply grateful to my family. I acknowledge my mother and father for their tireless love and devotion. Heartfelt thanks go to my husband, Jae-Oh Choi, for always standing by me. Without his love and help, I would never been able to go through this journey of hardships and joys. Last but not least, I am deeply thankful to my daughters, Kue-Rin and Ye-Rin, who were so good for so long about being patient. For this dissertation, I was away from home for a fairly long time. Even though they could not have their mom’s care for that period, they rather encouraged me to complete this dissertation. There are no appropriate words to fully express my gratitude and love for them. ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER On October 3, 2005, a dance performance commemorating Korea’s National Election Day was televised. The dance theatre was performed by “the Guk Su-ho Dance Troupe” nationally recognized as one of the leading (traditional) dance companies. 1 Equipped with fantastic lights, costumes, props and music, the performance evoked the celestial time and space of Tangun, a national figure responsible for Kochosŏn (“Korea’s origin”).2 Guk Su-ho,3 in symbolic white traditional attire, impersonated divine Tangun on stage. His male dancers metonymically represented the Korean race, visually echoing the theatrical action of worshipping him. The grace and elegance of this founding moment was substantiated by the male performers’ traditional dance movements. Strong and soft, straight and curved, high and low, their motions kinetically traced the history of Korea’s origin. The effect was enthralling, even for those who were not in the performance locale, “the Sejong Cultural Center,” but watching on television. Enchanted by this spectacle, people watching at 1 I use the McCune-Reischauer system of romanization for Korean except that there is a history of usage for a specific word or a name. 2 Kochosŏn existed during B.C. 2333- AD 108. 3 I put the last name first for all the Korean names appearing in this dissertation according to the Korean custom, and try to use