Youngjin Oh, a dramatist whose pen name is "Woochun", completed 26 dramas since his first notable drama Bebangee Gut (an exorcism for Bebangee) in 1942. His dramas have stood high in the history of korean dramas due to the artistic excellence in struc...
Youngjin Oh, a dramatist whose pen name is "Woochun", completed 26 dramas since his first notable drama Bebangee Gut (an exorcism for Bebangee) in 1942. His dramas have stood high in the history of korean dramas due to the artistic excellence in structures and the originality in subject matters.
Youngjin Oh had wrote his plays, going through his severe life in turbulence of the 36 year old-Japanese imperialism and communism movements right after Liberation in 1945. He demonstrated his artistic passion and national consciousness as a politician and essayist as well as professional playwriter. The diversity of his experiences offered an abundance of indigenous materials to his literature.
When it comes to his works, he found his subject matters in aboriginal traditions. For example, he found his themes in legendary literatures, shamanism, and Pansori.
This paper will focus on the fact that most of Youngjin's works absorbed the traditional materials from the legendary literature, which has enough significant meaning to be regarded as one of his unique characteristics in his dramas.
First of all, it is necessary step to establish the quality of the legendary dramas which display mythical elements. Then it is possible to analyze each drama in the perspective of method; how Youngjin's dramas reflect legendary features.
Analysing the first drama, Bebangee Gut, originally based on Gija Seolhwa, Sangsa Seolhwa, Seasin ChoHawn Seolhawa, accepted the spiritual concept, "invoking the spirits of the dead" and transformed the structures in his unique way and created a new type of a character in modern drama.
Mr. Mang's auspicious occasion, founded on a Tale of Snake Husband, not only employed the traditional materials but explored the genuine quality of love through the love between Miyeun and Ibboon.
Mrs. Han's Ascending to Heaven sublimed traditional memorial services into a modern drama, dealing with the fundamental problems of human existence. This drama took the literary resources from the legends A Wood Cutter and an Angel and Rebith.
My Excellency, Living Double life discovered a motif in a Tale of "Bang hak-jung" which transmitted by word of mouths in Keyeongbuk province. It describes an egoistic and impudent character, Double Life who is a Japanophile and opportunist, likely to adapt himself to the ages.
In My Honey, founded on Mr. Obstinacy and A Legend for a Mouse, Youngjin Oh dealt with the conflict between a genuine and a fake with a creative touch by transforming the structure in a new way. He strived to interpret the mental state of a main character by tracing the dreams. It was a prelude to the literature following the stream of consciousness.