Bongsan Talchum is a representative mask dance of the northern Korean region that has been transmitted in Bongsan-eup, Hwanghae Province. It is a form of composite performing art that integrates song, dance, acting, and spoken narration. Following Kor...
Bongsan Talchum is a representative mask dance of the northern Korean region that has been transmitted in Bongsan-eup, Hwanghae Province. It is a form of composite performing art that integrates song, dance, acting, and spoken narration. Following Korea’s liberation and subsequent division, Bongsan Talchum developed distinct modes of transmission in the two Koreas. In South Korea, a preservation-oriented transmission system centered on cultural heritage designation was established, whereas in North Korea, a performance-based transmission system emphasizing the succession and development of dance heritage was cultivated. Within this context, Bongsan Talchum has been studied through various recorded versions; however, in-depth analysis of the Kim Yu-gyeong Version has remained relatively limited.
This study aims to comprehensively examine the transmission patterns and performative characteristics of Bongsan Talchum by comparing and analyzing the dramatic structure and performance styles of each act based on two versions recorded in South Korea: the Lee Du-hyeon Version and the Kim Yu-gyeong Version. To this end, the study reviews the transmission history of Bongsan Talchum and Kim Yu-gyeong’s artistic activities, including his regional background in acquiring the dance, factors influencing changes in dance form, the origin of the term “Kim Yu-gyeong–style Bongsan Talchum,” and the activities of the Kim Yu-gyeong–style Bongsan Talchum Preservation Association.
The primary focus of analysis includes the Jung Madang (Monk Scene), Yangban Madang (Aristocrat Scene), and Miyal–Yeonggam Madang (Old Couple Scene). By examining the dramatic structure, narrative content, performance organization, dance composition, and use of dialogue in both versions, the study identifies clear differences in the progression of scenes, principles of dance performance, and deployment of verbal expression, despite their shared basic dramatic framework. In particular, the Kim Yu-gyeong Version reflects a mode of transmission shaped by the aesthetics of regional professional performing groups, grounded in the dance forms and performance techniques accumulated within the specialized entertainment environment of the Sincheon area.
Furthermore, the twelve dance movements systematized in the Kim Yu-gyeong Version are shown not to constitute fixed choreography but rather a flexible structure that allows performers to create variations through combination and transformation. This characteristic reveals the omnibus-style narrative structure of Bongsan Talchum, in which each act maintains both independence and continuity, highlighting its complex performative nature. Additionally, this study addresses institutional limitations inherent in a transmission system centered on officially designated recorded versions and the resulting reduction in diversity. Although Bongsan Talchum was historically performed in diverse forms across regions surrounding Bongsan, the South Korean transmission framework has largely privileged a limited number of versions, thereby marginalizing other variants.
By comparatively analyzing the Lee Du-hyeon Version and the Kim Yu-gyeong Version, this study elucidates the multilayered transmission patterns and performative characteristics of Bongsan Talchum and seeks to reconceptualize it not as a fixed cultural artifact but as a living tradition. In doing so, the study proposes the necessity of future research utilizing diverse recorded versions and suggests the potential for expanding preservation activities, thereby contributing academically to ongoing discussions on the study and transmission of Bongsan Talchum.