In Korean drama, the word, modern drama, was originally introduced form Japan. The modern theatre movement in Korea initiated from the critical reaction against the Shin-pa drama based on Skizi Small Theatre in Tokyo.
The modern Korean drama movement...
In Korean drama, the word, modern drama, was originally introduced form Japan. The modern theatre movement in Korea initiated from the critical reaction against the Shin-pa drama based on Skizi Small Theatre in Tokyo.
The modern Korean drama movement had established itself not merely as mirror of social event but as a correlative to the literary trends of western realism, and the method and structure of it was based on the direction theory of European theatre of realism. Therefore, theatrical practice has always depended on the translation and adaptation of western plays rather then the plays originated form Korea.
Given such an outlook, it was only natural that the modern Korean theatre movement was reinforced by Korean intellectuals residing in Japan who had been deeply influenced by the modern Japanese theatre which have developed gradually from the movement toward realism in the European theatre.
In 1930 a conscious movement toward Western theatre and awareness of it was emerging in Skizi Small Theatre. Since 1930 Hong Hae Sung, forenuner of Korean modern theatre, has studied the art of direction and acting in Skizi Small Theatre for eight years and then returned to Korea in June and among its advocaters were Japanese playwrights and directors as well as Korean intellectuals devoted to the modern theatre movement.
Among the major influences on the modern Korean theatre movement was Hong Hae Sung (1894-1957) who was the first important Korean director.
After his return, Hong Hae Sung, as a director, acted as a guide and interpreter to all members of the production staff, and worked most closely with playwright Kim Woo Jin. At Shin Heung Theatre, and afterwards at Tong Yang Theatre, he supervised explained his concept of the script, criticized performances, and made suggestions for improvements.
The object of this dissertation is to make a revaluation on the study of Hong Hae-Sung's influence on the Korean modern theatre by investigating his view on the theory of theatre and his theatrical activity as well as his method as a director. The scope of this dissertation allow the inclusion of some aspects of his ways of creating and analyzing the role in the context of the script as a whole.
Much of Hong Hae Sung's work contributed to realism. His method and theory of direction of acting, which differed considerably from the earlier Shin-pa performances, were to influence the modern Korean theatre movement. Most of Korean plays as well as Western plays in 1930's, partially under Hong Hae Sung's influence, developed much more fully and gained prominence. From the time when the Research Society of Dramatic Arts who founded to the year when Tong Yang Theatre was disbanded, he had maintained a role of the most significant forenunner of realism in the modern Korean theatre.