London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Modernization of Korean Theatre in the 20th Century

Lee provides a comprehensive guide that traces the transformation of Korean theatre from traditional to modern theatre and examines the impact of the introduction of Western plays to Korean society. Important changes in Korean theatre are discussed chronologically from the beginning of the modernization: Sinpa Theatre, Singeuk Theatre, Theatre of Ideology, The Little Theatre Movement, Madanggeuk, experiments for modernizing traditional … [Read More]

Korean Pansori as Voice Theatre: History, Theory, Practice

This book introduces readers to the historical, performative, and cultural context of pansori, a traditional Korean oral story-singing art. Written by a scholar-practitioner of the form, this study is structured in three parts and begins by introducing readers to the technical, aesthetic, and theoretical components of pansori, as well as the synthesis of vocal and … [Read More]

Performing Korea

This book offers an exploration of the intersection of Korean theatre practice with Western literary theatre. Gangnam Style, K-Pop, the Korean Wave: who hasn’t heard of these recent Korean phenomena? Having spent two years in Korea as a theatrical and cultural ‘tourist’, Patrice Pavis was granted an unparalleled look at contemporary Korean culture. As well … [Read More]

Performing the Nation in Global Korea: Transnational Theatre

From the publisher’s website: This book illustrates how local awareness of Western cultural hegemonic entities such as Broadway and Shakespeare have been implemented within South Korean theatre in the global era. With a focus on performances that targeted global audiences, Lee explores the ways in which Korea’s nationalistic desires for global visibility are projected on … [Read More]

Contemporary Korean Theater: Beyond Tradition and Modernization

From the publisher’s website: Korean Theater from the 1970s up to the Present The 1970s in Korea saw the establishment of Korean theater’s identity and development of contemporary characteristics in terms of theatrical aesthetics. This book examines Korean theater from the 1970s up to the present. The focus of this volume attempts to examine original … [Read More]

Acts and Scenes: Western Drama in Korean Theater

From the publisher’s website: Acts and Scenes: An Introduction of Western Drama in Korean Theater Almost 400 playwrights from about 25 countries and more than 1,000 dramas have been introduced to Korea in the brief span of 100 years despite the fact that Korea has a vastly different culture, history, and tradition. While the history … [Read More]

Daehangno: Theater District in Seoul

From the publisher’s website: Daehangno is generally called a street of youth. However, it does not mean it is only frequented by young people. Daehangno is where the youthful passion of elderly artists is still tangible, where the youthful ardor of retired professors is still palpable and where the budding romance of late poets is … [Read More]

In Search of Korean Traditional Opera: Discourses of Changguk

This is the first book on Korean opera in a language other than Korean. Its subject is ch’angguk, a form of musical theater that has developed over the last hundred years from the older narrative singing tradition of p’ansori. Andrew Killick examines the history and current practice of ch’angguk as an ongoing attempt to invent a traditional Korean opera form to … [Read More]

Korean Mask Dance Dramas: Their History and Structural Principles

From the publisher’s website: The Korean mask dramas have been performed by professional or non-professional players from among the common people over a long time. To correctly understand the mask dramas, both historical investigation through research materials and folkloristic investigation through field study are necessary. The author, an initiate of Bukcheongsaja-nori, a representative Korean mask … [Read More]

Traditional Korean Theatre

From the publisher’s website: A translation of the contents of the manual used for the masked dance of Korea. Readers will delight in the wit and liveliness of these dramas that depict human errors as well as the redeeming virtues of social bonds. “…a pioneering collection of Korean mask-dance and puppet plays… a fine introduction … [Read More]