Changgeuk blends traditional pansori and modern Western theater

Changgeuk shows 'massive power and energy of pansori sounds'

By Dong Sun-hwa

“Changgeuk” is a traditional Korean opera performed with pansori, a form of Korean musical storytelling that involves a singer and a drummer on stage. Many would guess it is an old-school thing, but upon closer inspection, they might be surprised to see how adeptly it blends tradition and modernity while fusing elements from both traditional pansori and modern Western theatre.

At the forefront of this move is the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, one of the three resident companies under the National Theater of Korea (NTOK). The troupe is planning to premiere “Jeong-nyeon” and “The Merchant of Venice” next year, which should enthrall the audience with their uniqueness.

Based on the popular digital comic of the same name, “Jeong-nyeon” revolves around a 16-year-old girl named Yoon Jeong-nyeon, who joins a changgeuk troupe to make a living. Set in the 1950s, the 138-episode webtoon captures the vicissitudes that Yoon and other talented female musicians face as they seek to earn recognition despite widespread discrimination against women.

According to Heo Jong-yeol, the deputy artistic director of the changgeuk company, there is a reason that the troupe was first attracted to Yoon's story.

“Yoon shares common ground with our troupe members,” Heo said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Tuesday. “They look so glamorous on stage, but in reality, many of them ― including popular pansori star Kim Jun-su ― came from a humble background and started singing just to make ends meet. They were as desperate as Yoon. But as time went by, they became more serious about singing and began focusing on becoming great artists.”

This is the first time that a Korean digital comic has been made into a changgeuk show.

“A growing number of changgeuk shows are blurring the line between different genres these days, taking a more experimental route,” Heo explained.

“Jeong-nyeon” is scheduled to hit the stage at the Daloreum Theater in Seoul from March 17 to 26, 2023.

Another attention-grabbing show in the pipeline is “The Merchant of Venice,” which is based on William Shakespeare's 16th-century comedy play that follows a merchant of Venice named Antonio, who finds himself in trouble after getting a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. But the changgeuk company will add some twists to the original work, so as to make it more relatable for people today.

“Our upcoming show will depict a conflict between conglomerates and start-up companies in a satirical way,” Oh Ji-won, a chief producer at the changgeuk company, revealed. “It will shed light on every participating troupe member instead of focusing on only one protagonist.”

According to director Lee Sung-yeol, this is why the show's Korean title is “The Merchants of Venice.”

“It will feature several young and experienced entrepreneurs,” he said during a press conference that took place a few hours ahead of the interview, adding that “The Merchant of Venice” will not highlight Shylock's background.

“It is quite tricky to touch on issues linked to Jews these days,” he said. “Our show will share some similarities with the original play, but we will also put a spotlight on the new sides of the characters.”

“The Merchant of Venice” will be presented at the Haeoreum Theater in Seoul from June 8 to 11, 2023.

In addition to these two creations, the changgeuk company is poised to stage six more shows in the next 12 months. Among them are “Rabbit's Eight Sufferings,” which follows the rabbits that appear in the pansori, “Sugungga,” and “Tree, Fish, Moon,” a story of people who look for a wish tree.

“The biggest gem of changgeuk is the massive power and energy of the pansori sounds that help amplify our messages,” Heo stressed. “I think that is why changgeuk is gaining more popularity these days and more people are eager to join our troupe. It gives off a young vibe too, with our members avoiding being overly sentimental while performing.”

Oh chimed in, saying, “Changgeuk can be performed by only a few troupes in Korea. It is comparable to other prominent shows abroad in terms of quality, and it always strives to resonate with the audience of today. In November, we will also perform 'Trojan Women' at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York City.”

The National Dance Company of Korea and the National Orchestra of Korea, the two other resident companies under the NTOK, will also have a hectic year. The former and the latter will present six and 10 shows, respectively, in Seoul.

“The 2022 version of 'Hodong,' which premiered in 1974, will be performed in October in celebration of the 60th anniversary of our establishment,” Son In-young, the artistic director of the dance company, said during Tuesday's press event.

“Hodong” is based on a Korean folktale about the star-crossed lovers, Prince Hodong, a son of the third king of Goguryeo (37 B.C-668 A.D.) ― one of the countries during the Three Kingdoms period ― and Princess Nakrang of the Nakrang Kingdom.

According to Kim Sung-jin, the artistic director of the orchestra, it will unveil a show titled, “Disproof,” in which a robot takes the role of a conductor.

“In cooperation with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, we are preparing for a show featuring a robot to figure out whether it will be able to replace a human conductor,” he said.