Hit K-drama helps revive traditional women's theater genre

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Kim Seon Ah

"What I saw today was a whole new world."

This is what the protagonist of a historical K-drama says after seeing a performance of yeoseong gukgeuk, a form of traditional women's theater, for the first time. Enraptured by the performers on stage, she spends all night thinking about the female cast.

"Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born," which ended last month, is set in the 1950s has as its protagonist Jeongnyeon, who seeks to join yeoseong gukgeuk and emerge as the top performer there. Because the hit series reignited interest in the genre, the Korea Heritage Agency (KHA) has shone the spotlight on the forgotten genre to revive it.



"Korea's First Women's Opera: Women Who Became Legends" was held on the evening of Dec. 3 at Folk Theater Pungryu in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. The first part featured a talk by veteran cast members of yeoseong gukgeuk and the second depicted Princess Seonhwa as played by both new and veteran actors, with the packed house seemingly attesting to the resurgent popularity of the genre.

Yeoseong gukgeuk is a comprehensive form of theater in which women sing, dance and act in playing both male and female roles. Launched in 1948, it was highly popular during the Korean War (1950-53) but gradually disappeared with the rise of movies and TV.

The performance was initially a one-off affair, but after seats were sold out in 40 minutes after reservations were opened, the theater received a barrage of requests for an extended run. This overwhelming but unexpected response led to the addition of two shows.

So what about this forgotten genre attracts audiences?

Source: https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=263186&pageIndex=1