X-rated changgeuk 'Madame Ong' goes to France
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A scene from the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s “Madame Ong,” which will be staged at Theatre de la Ville in Paris, France, from April 14 to 17. / Courtesy of NCCK
Director Koh Sun-woong
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The name Ongnyeo immediately reminds one of the lewd woman who had sex with the promiscuous Byeon Gang-soe in the adult folktale. However, director Koh Sun-woong rediscovered an independent woman who fought against her fate in the National Changgeuk Company of Korea's (NCCK) "Madame Ong."
"Madame Ong" is a part of the NCCK's efforts to modernize the genre. It paid off, with "Madame Ong" enjoying two successful runs in Korea in 2014 and 2015 and being invited to perform at Theatre de la Ville in Paris, France, April 14-17 as a part of the Years 2015-2016 of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges.
The X-rated "changgeuk," a form of Korean musical theater employing pansori narrative singing, is based on the orally transmitted folktale "Byeongangsoe-jeon." It once existed in the form of pansori, but the lyrics are long lost and only the narrative has been passed down.
It revolves around Ongnyeo, or Madame Ong, a woman who is doomed because every man who has sexual intercourse with her dies. After a series of deaths in her town, Ongnyeo is kicked out and meets Byeon Gang-soe, a man of great libido who is destined not to die.
"Byeongangsoe-jeon is often neglected as a pansori repertoire probably because the characters were exploited as obscene in Korean movies. When I read the original folktale, I thought I had to regain the impaired reputation of Byeon and Ongnyeo," Koh said at an interview with The Korea Times before leaving for Paris. "Though it is named after Byeon, Ongnyeo is the true protagonist of the tale. Byeon disappears in the middle of the story and Ongnyeo is the person who copes with the death."
Koh interpreted Ongnyeo as a more active character. When Byeon dies of the curse after chopping down a "jangseung," or Korean totem pole, Ongnyeo decides to fight with the spirits of the totem poles, resisting Byeon's death.
“My favorite line in this changgeuk is when Ongnyeo says that she wants to have a baby. It is a story about life and love. It might be lewd, but we dealt with it in a healthy way,” Koh said. Still, the changgeuk is for age 18 and older.
Director Koh is one of the busiest directors in Korea’s theater scene. Known for his playful yet elegant style based on an understanding of human nature, Koh works in various genres with diverse styles, staging plays including "Killbeth," "On an Azure Day," "The Stainless Steel King" and "Hongdo," as well as the big musical production "Arirang."
"Madame Ong" is Koh's first attempt at directing a changgeuk. At the beginning of his career, his interests ran toward pansori in the 1993 film "Seopyeonje," which swept the nation with a pansori boom.
"I watched the movie twice at different theaters and cried a lot, drying my wet eyes with a handkerchief both times,” Koh said. “That was when I first realized the beauty of traditional Korean music. That memory has had a special place in my heart since then. So I was more than happy when the NCCK offered me a chance to direct changgeuk."
Since the original pansori for “Byeongangsoe-jeon” is lost, Koh worked with traditional musician Han Seung-seok who composed the pansori for the show.
"We agreed that pansori is not all about tradition,” the director said. “We kept the essence of pansori, but it is rewritten for modern audiences, not for the people of the past."
Koh is confident about bringing changgeuk to totally new audiences in France.
"Pansori is a unique genre of music. It has a different singing method and technique. It just strikes a chord within us," Koh said. "I only worry that the nuance of the language might be lost in translation, but I will work with the subtitles to convey the show better. In the end, the French audience will understand the charms of changgeuk.”
In France, the changgeuk will be performed in Korean with French subtitles. For more information about the Paris run, visit www.theatredelaville-paris.com.
After the French stint, "Madame Ong" will return to the Korean stage May 4-22 at Small Hall Dal of the National Theater of Korea. English subtitles are provided. For detailed information, visit www.ntok.go.kr.