The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Disgraced ex-minister's daughter says she feels proud, qualified as a doctor

  • 3

    Ex-gov't employee summarily indicted for alleged attempt to sell Jungkook's lost hat

  • 5

    Coupang reveals Asia's largest fulfillment center in Daegu

  • 7

    'Celebrity forests' emerge as new K-pop trend in Seoul

  • 9

    Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga

  • 11

    SM founder Lee Soo-man returns home, in hospital to treat arm fracture

  • 13

    Rescuers race against time as Turkey-Syria quake death toll passes 5,000

  • 15

    Apple confirms launch of Apple Pay in Korea

  • 17

    INTERVIEW'Korea, US can create synergy in space industry': NASA ambassador

  • 19

    Seoul narrows in on new slogan

  • 2

    Singer Lee Seung-gi to marry actor Lee Da-in in April

  • 4

    SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing

  • 6

    Seoul city zeroes in on foreign residents' unpaid taxes

  • 8

    Tiger endures 3 years of solitary confinement in closed zoo

  • 10

    Netflix survival show 'Physical 100' attracts viewers with sweat, muscle and human story

  • 12

    Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air

  • 14

    Ex-justice minister, daughter blamed for unrepentant attitude over academic fraud

  • 16

    PHOTOSTurkey-Syria earthquake

  • 18

    K-pop stars and dating

  • 20

    South Korea steps up efforts to resolve issue of aging separated families

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • National
  • World
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Culture
  • Dear Abby
  • Editorial
  • Football Inside
  • Hackers Toeic
Thu, February 9, 2023 | 19:16
Culture
Dong choon circus
동춘서커스
Posted : 2022-08-10 13:57
Updated : 2022-08-10 16:06
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Korea's oldest circus battles to survive amid government apathy
가장 오래된 한국 서커스단, 정부 무관심 속 명맥 잇기 위해 고군분투


Text by Ko Dong-hwan (aoshima11@koreatimes), photos by Choi Won-suk (wschoi@koreatimes.co.kr) and video by Shim Hyun-chul (shim@koreatimes.co.kr)

When a male voice boisterously announced the start of Dong Choon Circus Troupe's daily show on a sunny afternoon on March 8, about 20 audience members ― from a young couple in their 20s to a group of elderly patrons ― gave a generous round of applause.
지난 3월 8일 화창한 오후, 한 남성의 목소리가 떠들썩하게 동춘 서커스단의 일일 무대 시작을 알리자 20대 젊은 커플부터 장년층 후원자들까지 약 20명의 관객이 아낌없는 박수를 보냈다.


The visitors are appreciative because the day's show in the 600-seat yellow tent on Daebu Island in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, would have been cancelled if there were fewer than 10 people, according to circus policy.
경기도 안산 대부도 600명 좌석 규모의 노란 텐트에서 열리는 당일 공연은 관객이 10명 미만일 경우 서커스 규정에 따라 취소 예정이었기 때문에 관람객들은 감사한 마음이었다.


Fifteen nerve-wrecking displays ran for 90 minutes on stage, beside which a banner reading "Tradition and Trust Established Since 1925" and "From Memory to Art Circus" hung from ceiling.
손에 땀을 쥐게 하는 15개의 공연이 무대에서 90분간 진행되는 동안 옆에는 "1925년 창단 전통과 신용" 및 "추억에서 아트 서커스로"라는 현수막이 천장에서부터 매달려 있었다.


The performers ― 10 women and nine men ― ended the show by presenting themselves to the audience. The voice that started the show bade farewell to patrons, reminding them not to leave anything behind.
10명의 여성과 9명의 남성으로 이뤄진 공연자들은 관객에게 인사하며 공연을 끝냈다. 공연을 열었던 목소리가 관객들에게 두고 가는 물건이 있는지 확인해보라며 작별을 고했다.


Korea's oldest and most tenacious circus troupe ― with 15 other groups having vanished decades ago ― was not familiar to all the patrons.
15개의 다른 단체가 수십 년 전 사라지는 동안 한국에서 가장 오래 지속된 이 서커스단은 공연을 찾은 모든 관객에게 익숙하지는 않았다.


An elderly man, who came with his wife and baby grandson from Gwanak-gu, southern Seoul, knew about the troupe's history and visited the tent out of "poignant memory."
서울 남부 관악구에서 어린 손자와 아내와 함께 온 한 노인은 이 서커스단의 역사를 알고 있었고 "아련한 추억"을 되새기며 텐트를 찾았다.


But a young couple from Ansan were unaware of the troupe's legendary history and said they came after checking its tacky website.
안산에서 온 젊은 커플은 이 서커스단의 전설적인 역사에 대해 인지하지 못하고 있었고 서커스단의 엉성한 웹사이트를 확인한 후 방문했다고 말했다.


"I saw Dong Choon when I was a teenager living in Osan and saw it many times more afterwards," said a man in his 70s, who came with his wife and two grown-up children from the Gyeonggi Province city.
아내와 장성한 자녀 2명과 함께 경기도에서 온 한 70대 남성은 "10대일 때 오산에서 동춘 서커스를 처음 보고 이후에도 여러 번 봤다"고 말했다.


"They used to do other things as well, like skits, musical performances, magic tricks and gukak (Korean classical music). So I am still attracted to Dong Choon."
"동춘은 촌극이나 뮤지컬 공연, 마술이나 국악(한국의 전통 음악)과 같은 여러 시도를 하고는 했다. 그래서 아직까지도 동춘 서커스단에 마음이 간다."


Among the visitors were the troupe's former member Kim Myung-seop, a midget whose nickname was "the small giant," and his two daughters and their husbands. One of the couples brought their baby girl born days ago.
방문객들 중에는 두 딸 그리고 사위들과 함께 온 "작은 거인"이라는 별명을 가진 조그만 체구의 전 서커스단 멤버 김명섭도 있었다. 커플들 중 한 쌍은 며칠 전에 태어난 여자 갓난아기를 데려 왔다.


KEY WORDS
■ boisterously 떠들썩하게
■ troupe 공연단
■ appreciative 고마워하는
■ tenacious 오래 계속되는
■ patron 후원자, 고객
■ poignant 가슴 아픈
■ tacky 조잡한, 엉성한
■ used to ~하곤 했다

기사 원문 보기


Emailywjeon@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga Korean Peninsula may face fallout from balloon saga
2[PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake PHOTOSTurkey-Syria earthquake
3Daughter-centered photos, title of honor reinforce speculation over North Korea succession Daughter-centered photos, title of honor reinforce speculation over North Korea succession
4SM's management dispute to benefit KakaoSM's management dispute to benefit Kakao
5[INTERVIEW] 'Growth slowdown can accelerate depletion of retirement pension fund' INTERVIEW'Growth slowdown can accelerate depletion of retirement pension fund'
6National Assembly votes to impeach interior minister for Itaewon tragedy National Assembly votes to impeach interior minister for Itaewon tragedy
7Philip Morris seeks to surpass KT&G in e-cigarette market Philip Morris seeks to surpass KT&G in e-cigarette market
8Key real estate owned by McDonald's Korea excluded from sale Key real estate owned by McDonald's Korea excluded from sale
9SM6 Feel attracts customers with popular options, low price SM6 Feel attracts customers with popular options, low price
10Korean companies move to support victims in earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria Korean companies move to support victims in earthquake-hit Turkey, Syria
Top 5 Entertainment News
1SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing SM in internal feud over founder's exit from producing
2Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air Peak Time: Survival show for lesser-known K-pop boy bands to hit air
3K-pop stars and dating K-pop stars and dating
4Investigation into Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use likely to affect release of his films, series Investigation into Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use likely to affect release of his films, series
5Kim Ok-vin, Yoo Teo show enemies-to-lovers dynamic in 'Love to Hate You' Kim Ok-vin, Yoo Teo show enemies-to-lovers dynamic in 'Love to Hate You'
DARKROOM
  • [PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake

    [PHOTOS] Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group