Changgeuk or ch'angguk is a genre of traditional Korean opera, performed as a play but in the Korean folk song style known as pansori. In Korean, "chang" means pansori and "geuk" means drama. Changgeuk represents a fusion of pansori and Western theater/drama, drawing upon elements of both traditions to create a unique and dynamic form of musical theater that reflects Korea's cultural heritage while also embracing global influences. It maintains the narrative storytelling aspect of pansori and incorporates Western storytelling techniques. Changgeuk productions typically involve a large cast of performers who take on the roles of different characters in the story. They combine traditional Korean instruments like the buk (drum) and gayageum (zither) with Western instruments such as the violin and piano, and they make use of elaborate sets, costumes, props, and staging techniques to create the world of the story and enhance the storytelling experience.

History and Evolution

During the 17th century, Korea became increasingly isolationist and transformed into a hermit kingdom, cut off from the rest of the world. This era of isolationism, sometimes referred to as the "Closed Door Policy," lasted until the turn of the 20th century. After Korea opened its doors to foreign countries, new forms of entertainment - such as Japanese shinpa, or new wave, theater, and modern Western drama - were introduced and started to gain popularity, meanwhile the popularity of traditional pansori began to decline. Subsequently, changgeuk emerged. 1908 officially marked the beginning of modern Korean musical theater with the first changgeuk performance, a work titled "The Silver World" ("Eunsegye"). When it was first introduced, however, changgeuk failed to flourish due to a lack of creative materials, among other reasons, and it languished in obscurity for a long time. In the past few years, some notable changes have occurred which has led to the revival of changgeuk. At the center of this renaissance is the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, established in 1962 as a troupe of the National Theater of Korea. The Company has produced a series of creative works featuring fresh interpretations and stylish stage settings that has catapulted changgeuk into the national spotlight. The Company operates around three key initiatives: first, recreating the five surviving stories of pansori (including Shimcheong-ga, Chunhyang-ga, Heungbo-ga, Sugung-ga, and Jeokbyeok-ga) into changgeuk; second, updating the seven pansori classics that have been partially handed down (e.g., Byeon Gangsoe Taryeong, Baebijang Taryeong, Byeongangsoe-ga) into changgeuk; and third, adapting foreign classical plays into changgeuk. The Company also launched the "Changgeuk of World Master's Choice" program, which invited prominent theater directors from overseas to reinterpret changgeuk works in new ways. The Company's efforts have been successful and received enthusiastic responses from contemporary audiences. In November 2011, a classical Korean novel centered on two sisters was transformed into a thriller titled "Janghwa Hongryeon," directed by Han Tae-suk. The storyline revolves around a murder occurring within a suburban housing estate, complete with a park and pond, effectively illustrating the prevailing themes of narcissism and apathy in contemporary society. Additionally, the classical Greek tragedy "Medea" was successfully adapted into a changgeuk performance, directed by Seo Jae-hyeong, which premiered in May 2013. Following this, in March 2014, the well-received pansori opera of the same name was staged, inspired by her 1993 film "Seopyeonje," under the direction of Yun Ho-jin. In March 2015, at the request of the National Changgeuk Company, the Japanese-born Korean director Chong Wishing (also known as Chong Ui-sin) adapted Bertolt Brecht’s "Caucasian Chalk Circle" into a pansori opera, which received significant acclaim.

21st Century

In this era of the 21st century, we have a few theaters in Seoul, and one that is putting on musicals while most are saving changgeuk by the skin of its teeth, exploring new directions. Perhaps the crucial point is not an examination of the relationship between music, changgeuk, and musicals. Such theoretical discussion aside, changgeuk and musicals are running the flow of time. In this constant, as time is subtracted in the direction of time, each in its own way. Therefore, it is more important to make the most of the unique features of each in their own context. In this age of globalization and internationalization, where the times require ever more artistic expression, the most individual testing artistic forms will progress.

Kim Sung-Nyo

Not only did the actor have to cover all the roles, including impersonating male and minor comic characters, but she was also a versatile and seasoned stage singer. As she was taking to the stage, Kim went on with her sixty years in Korean theatre, flitting in and out of the thirty-two characters in a mishmash of disparate Korean performance traditions. She began acting at five, working in all-female changgeuk (pansori [narrative singing] style opera) productions with her mother, Park Ok-jin, a celebrated pansori vocalist who focused on swearing female roles in an all-female changgeuk troupe. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the acting schools where women were offered all-women changgeuk, a strenuous training for acting, dancing, and singing companies — and, with this early training, Kim shared a piece of the National Changgeuk Company in 1978.

Example

Suggungga (Mr. Rabbit and the Dragon King) tells a story about a shrewd rabbit who manages to return home safely using clever tricks after having visited the Dragon King's palace, which is located under the sea. The Dragon King had invited the rabbit to his palace to eat its liver after being told it that rabbit liver is the only cure for his illness. Sugungga is full of humor and also contains metaphors criticizing society.