Misguided quest to globalize 'pansori'

It was 20 years ago when the Im Kwon-taek movie "Seopyeonje" hit theaters and renewed public interest in "pansori." However, it has become clear over the years, as the effect of the film wore off, that traditional music continues to be under-appreciated at home. / Korea Times file

Domestic attention to Korean opera matters more than overseas recognition

By Do Je-hae

Korea has been on a self-proclaimed mission to bring scantly known "pansori," a traditional form of opera, to foreign audiences.

The quest for spreading a distinctly Korean art form has led to the establishment of festivals and modernized arrangements of pansori works, with English subtitles, that specifically cater to non-Korean listeners.

But how much have we done to learn about pansori ourselves? This question was at the forefront of the minds of those who care about the genre, in light of the 20th anniversary last week of a film that had generated an unprecedented public interest in pansori.

For the first time in years, pansori had suddenly become relevant to the general public thanks to the film 1993 film "Seopyeonje," a family tragedy stemming from its devotion to preserve the vanishing art of pansori. The unforeseen success of the film was instrumental in bringing the unknown genre closer to the general public.

In retrospect, the signature work of director Im Kwon-taek was more than just a film. The younger generation, some of whom didn't even know of pansori's existence — were starting to talk about it. Some people got their first taste of it through this film and its original soundtrack rather than a concert.

No cultural product since Seopyeonje has been able to duplicate the film's success in connecting audiences with pansori. However, the short-lived fervor from the movie did not lead to any major changes in the way many Koreans perceive pansori — an outdated, tedious form of storytelling through song that has almost no place in Korea's major concert halls.

During an event to mark the film's 20th anniversary, some remarks were made regarding the grim reality of the pansori world and "gugak" (traditional music) in general, plagued by public indifference and struggle to preserve a dying genre.

"As someone deeply involved in gugak and traditional arts, I have been deeply concerned about how to keep our own music current and relevant," said actor Kim Myong-gon. A former culture minister, Kim is a pansori performer, actor and producer, and former president of the National Theater of Korea. "If Korean schools spent more time on gugak and traditional dance, people may learn to love them. But our schools have continued to undermine the importance of traditional music."

This sentiment has been shared by many experts in the field, who maintain that traditional music has been largely overlooked in Korean middle and high schools.

Lopsided education

One of the reasons that Korean schools have failed to give their students proper lessons in gukak, and particularly pansori, is that their music curriculum is designed in a way to promote Western classical music by experts and musicians trained in the Western tradition. This explains why many Koreans take piano or violin lessons for granted, but taking up a Korean traditional instrument, like the "gayageum," is an unfamiliar concept.

In a previous Korea Times interview, Kim imparted an element of passion in his concern for the lopsided Korean music education that undervalues its own traditional music.

"Under the law, about 30 percent of music textbooks are supposed to be dedicated to introducing Korean traditional music. However, music is not just about theory. How can students learn pansori when teachers themselves don't know how to play Korean instruments or sing a pansori tune," Kim said.

Some experts including Kim have suggested that prospective music teachers in elementary, middle or high schools be subject to mandatory courses on Korean music before they acquire their teaching license.

An example of the general state of ignorance about pansori among Koreans can be detected from our knowledge of two Korean music pioneers from the 19th century.

Hong Nan-pa, a classical musician, and Park Dong-sil, a pansori master, were incidentally both born in 1897.

Hong is famous for his Western-styled arias and also made history by becoming the first Korean to join an orchestra in Japan. Everyone who has attended school in Korea knows who Hong is and can sing his signature songs like "Bongseonhwa." But it would be safe to say few are aware of the achievements of Park, who gave his life to advancing the craft of pansori through new, accessible compositions and in particular, nurtured some of the most important pansori artists including Kim So-hui (1917-1995). It was Kim who taught the art form to Ahn Sook-seon, by far the most successful pansori singer on the stage today. Ahn sang the final song from "Simcheongga" that appears in Seopyeonje OST.

Preservation

For those who are actually in the pansori community, the question of preservation is a more pressing task rather than bringing it to the West. Because of the long training hours and dim prospect of a decent living, fewer and fewer people go into the profession.

Only five of the original 12 pansori masterpieces survive today — "Heungbuga," "Simcheongga," "Chunhyangga," "Jeokbyeokga" and "Sugungga." Many go into the profession and go through excruciating training, but only a handful achieve the ultimate status of "myeongchang," or "highest song master."

A full performance of pansori can take anywhere from five to eight hours, requiring not just musical talent but also immense levels of concentration and physical strength. Unlike Western operas, the singer sings alone, with sole accompaniment of the traditional drum. One must be completely in command of the lyrics, the tunes and the accompaniment during the whole time, as there are no scores to aid them throughout the performance.

Culture policymakers have perceived pansori as a tool for diversifying "hallyu" content. But they have backpedalled on efforts to preserve pansori and spread it domestically.

In 2006, the government established a department for supporting traditional culture within the culture ministry and established a 10-year roadmap for advancing traditional arts and increasing relevant budget. But the plan was scrapped during the Lee Myung-bak administration and similar efforts have since been reduced.

There are still very few venues in Seoul that carry pansori performances. Efforts to modernize pansori, like the 2012 production of "Sugungga" directed by renowned German art director Achim Freyer, have done little to generate public interest in it.