방정환 동극의 표현기법 탐구 = A Study on the Expression Techniques of Bang Jung-hwan’s Children’s Plays

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study explores the expressive techniques of Bang Jung-hwan’s children’s plays as an aesthetic alternative for restoring human empathy and agency amidst the civilizational shift driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital media. Declaring children as complete human beings, Bang pioneered the use of theater-a comprehensive art form-to facilitate their emotional liberation and the formation of a modern self. Using the plays Song Pocket, Rabbit’s Trial, and Father from The Definitive Edition of Bang Jung-hwan’s Complete Works Vol. 1 as primary subjects, this paper examines his expressive techniques across three dimensions: ‘realistic representation’, ‘creative adaptation of folktales’, and the ‘aesthetic utilization of rhythmicity’.
The core findings derived from the research are as follows: First, Bang realistically represented the oppressive reality of colonial Korea through a confrontational structure pitting authoritative commands against children’s logical protests. This achieved a distancing effect (Verfremdungseffekt) characteristic of epic theater, allowing child audiences to maintain objective distance and rationally reflect upon social absurdities.
Second, by varying familiar folktale narratives, he highlighted children’s wisdom and active resistance. This functioned as a mechanism to inspire national pride and an independent spirit by portraying the victory of the oppressed beyond simple didacticism.
Third, the repetitive meter and musical rhythm inherent in his theatrical language served as a driving force for subversive play, dismantling patriarchal authority and transforming the audience into active participants. In particular, the strategic casting involving gender transposition was identified as a sophisticated directorial technique used to satirize feudal hierarchies.
In conclusion, Bang Jung-hwan’s children’s plays are more than mere literary amusement; they are aesthetic practices possessing the archetypal values of modern Theatre in Education (TIE) and products of a practical struggle toward children’s liberation. By expanding the horizon of Bang Jung-hwan studies into the functional and aesthetic realms of expressive techniques, this research is significant in identifying the contemporary validity and educational value of children’s plays as an artistic mechanism for safeguarding human dignity in an era of digital alienation.